Page 90 of Diners, Damsels & Wolves

“Alister’s been hogging her.”

“It’s them!” Michael internally called the others to them. The two packs formed a semi-circle in the trees, moving to surround them.

Not knowing if Clarissa was in there, not knowing if she was hurt or alive, Thomas couldn’t wait. His hackles were raised, a growl rumbling low in his chest. He blocked out all other sound and movement, focusing on the degenerates in the trees. Stalking around the massive trunks, they came into view.

An old cabin, rotten with neglect, sat in a clearing, a green SUV parked next to it. Lawn chairs, coolers, and trash littered the ground. Seven men loitered outside. They were arguing.

“Shut up.” The biggest of them held up his hand to the others.

“I got a right to be pissed.”

“Shut up!” he barked. “I hear something.”

They all stood up, eyes scanning the woods.

Crouching low, Tom moved closer.

“You think it’s the wolves?” one of them growled, his body trembling with the phase.

“It can’t be, we haven’t laid the path for them yet.”

Perking up his ears, Tom searched for any sign of Clarissa. The scent of peony was in the air, but it was faint. Faint enough, it was possible she’d been moved.

An eighth voice echoed through the night, but it was muffled. It was a voice he recognized. And it made his blood boil.

“Looks like we’ve been found out. Are you ready to scream for your Alpha, little whore?” Sounds of shuffling and a belt buckle clanked within the cabin.

A snarl tore from his throat. Coiling his muscles, he sprang. Two of the bears phased. Leaping before more of them could turn, he soared over their heads. He bridged the clearing before they saw him.

Rotating, he curled his body in on itself. His shoulder collided with the door. The rotten wood gave way as the wall splintered and the door flew inward. Crash-landing inside, he had a fraction of a second to take in the surroundings. The cabin had one room. In the left-hand corner, there was a cast-iron stove. Clarissa was tied to it.

Her face was dirty and battered. Her clothes were torn, exposing bruised and cut skin. One of her eyes was purple and swollen shut, her lip cut. Stark-white bone protruded from her right arm. The blonde bear crouched in front of her; his jeans were open, and he gripped her legs.

In one swift charge, Tom clamped his teeth into the thick cords of muscle covering the man’s shoulder. His clavicle snapped under the force. Tom lifted him up, shaking the body back and forth before throwing him across the cabin.

A ripping sounded through the dark building, followed by a terrible roar. A great blonde bear stood where the man had been moments ago. Rearing up on his hind legs, he had to duck its massive head.

Standing on all fours, Tom planted himself squarely in front of Clarissa. Baring his teeth, he waited for the strike.

The bear raised his right paw. Letting out a terrible growl, he lunged forward.

Staying low, Tom ducked under his arm. His jaw locked on the bear’s flank. His great canines sank through the thick layers of fur and undercoat, piercing the flesh beneath. Blood flooded Tom’s mouth. The kill ruled his senses.

Sinking his claws into the bear’s chest, he raised up on his back feet. Ignoring the claws tearing the skin from his back, he lifted the bear into the air. Flexing his claws, he pulled his jaw back at the same time, shoving the bear into the wall.

Chucks of meat tore from the bear in a brilliant spray of crimson. With a terrible crash, the wall of the cabin gave way in an explosion of splinters. Skidding across the ground, the blonde bear landed in the clearing.

Vaguely aware of his and Atticus’s packs in the throes of action, he was too focused to take in their status. His instincts homed in on the blonde one. The one who’d hurt his mate. Bloodlust boiled in his chest; his wolf had taken over.

Not waiting for the bear to recover, he pounced. Standing on the bear’s hips, Tom dug his claws into its shoulders, holding it down as it snapped at his face. Tom’s teeth ripped at every inch of flesh he could reach. The bear roared and growled beneath him as he was disemboweled.

Turning his head to the side, Tom closed his jaw around the bear’s throat. He collapsed it before yanking it out. He tossed it aside as a roaring howl tore from his chest. The blonde bear beneath Tom phased back to human with its final breath.

Eyes scanned his surroundings for the next threat. One bear was left. Surrounded by wolves and bobcats, it snapped and slapped at them. This bear was twice as large as the others, his limbs thicker and stronger. The Alpha.

Digging his claws into the dirt, Tom sprang at him. Landing on the bear Alpha’s back, he dug his claws into his thick cords of muscles. The bear reared and growled, trying to throw him off.

Refusing to be thrown, Tom bit into the back of his neck. Raking his claws down his flank he felt hot and sticky blood flow over his front hands. Pulling them out, he plunged his claws into the bear Alpha’s left ribcage. Soft flesh encased his claws, scraping along the hard resistance of bone. Warm stick flowed out and over his arm, matting in his fur. His claws closed around the spasming muscle, pumping furiously—he tore it from his chest.