Page 52 of Return to the Pack

“I wanted to fight beside you,” I say, pouting at him.

He presses his palms on either side of my face and looks intently into my eyes. “You’ll get your chance. You’re going to stay close to me and the triplets, though, got it?”

I nod. “Understood. I’m ready.”

“Good.” He plants a quick kiss on my lips and turns to face the pack. Then, in a loud, clear voice, he calls, “Let’s shift and move out.”

It’s like witnessing a gigantic explosion to see so many werewolves shift at once. Within seconds we’re all fang and fur, loping toward our destination, the territory occupied by the vampires.

I feel powerful as I lope between two of my men, on my way to the other two.

The scents of the swamp are always one hundred times more potent when I shift into a wolf. I can smell the swamp mice, owls, snakes, and gators. The foliage comes alive with different aromas. Each plant and animal carries a distinct odor, and they all mesh together to form one giant scent cocktail.

All too soon, though, the scent of blood invades my nostrils. When we arrive, we come upon a scene of carnage. Giant wolves are tearing apart the vampires. Vampire body parts lay strewn across the bog. They’re supposed to be immortal, but no one can put together this unrecognizable mashup of flesh and bone.

A message comes through my thoughts, a quick order.

Surround them. Work in teams. Don’t let a single maneater get past.

Working as one, the pack spreads out and surrounds the mutant wolves and vampires. I stick close to Axel and Warrick—while I might talk a good talk, I’m scared of the terrifying, oversized wolves attacking everyone.

They appear to be fearless, hell-bent on killing everything in their sight, and not at all deterred by thoughts of their own mortality.

I don’t know how we’re going to do it. We might be mighty in number, but the hybrid wolves are crazed. And as far as I can tell, none of the Jacksonville wolf pack ever prepared to fight against maneating, drugged-up giants.

Chapter Twenty

Luna

Go for the legs, Axel urges in my head as he, Warrick, and I herd one of the mega wolves toward the swamp which lines the vampire’s territory.

I lunge, feeling the satisfaction as my teeth connect with bone and muscles. The tang of bitter blood fills my mouth, and I shake my head with fury.

The giant wolf, whose leg is in my grip, snarls, and scream, turning on me.

Axel and Warrick go for either side of his throat.

In seconds, the maneater lays still on the ground.

We take off for the next mutant—the one with his teeth around Drake’s leg.

Drake’s face is clenched in a rictus of pain. His fangs extend, and he tries to seize the mutant’s muzzle to pry his leg free. The wolf clings to Drake’s leg like he’s fused his teeth with the vampire’s bones.

We dive in, tearing at the mutant wolf’s hind end. Axel and Warrick are like two killing machines, and I’m glad they’re on my side, even if our opponents are bigger and stronger.

The massive wolf rips its leg from my teeth. Another lupine freak slams into me from the side, knocking the wind out of my lungs. As I struggle to catch my breath, he grabs my neck and bounds away.

I start to call for the others, but I don’t want to distract them and get them killed. The wolf whose teeth are clamped firmly on my neck is the most enormous one I’ve ever seen in my life—no way will I be able to overpower him, but maybe I can outwit him or get free and outrun him.

My legs flail and kick as I’m being dragged across the sand by my neck. We’re out of sight of the others before the hybrid wolf giant drops me. He plants his feet firmly on the ground, lowers his head, and snarls at me. The sound is vicious and deadly. I’m afraid to even breathe, let alone break eye contact with him. If I do, I’ll be dead in two seconds flat.

And then a strange thing happens.

A voice, not the triplets and not Axel’s, slithers into my brain.

Tastes. So. Good.

I blink, staring at the mutated wolf who has me trapped. Are you communicating with me?