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I tilted my head to the side. Aren’t you coming?
Sawyer looked back at the guy. No, I want to stay here in case he wakes up.
I shifted on my feet, looking from Sawyer to the guy. But you’re not really here, right?
Sawyer’s ears twitched. I’m not. But I think with you as close as you are, if I can maintain the connection if he were to wake up, I could follow him, and he would never know me to be behind him. But you need to go get your people. I don’t want him getting away.
I narrowed my eyes. Part of me wanted to argue, but the other part knew he was right. I’ll be right back.
I turned back toward the path and sprinted as fast as I could. My lungs roared like they were on fire. Branches whipped against my face, and thorns pricked my fur as I ducked through the brush, taking a shortcut. I ignored the pain until I came to the log where I’d changed.
I shut my eyes and triggered my shift until I was on my hands and knees. I tossed my tank top and pants on and left the rest of the stuff as I ran for the house. Sticks and leaves jabbed into the bottoms of my feet as I ran.
Ian stepped into my path with his hands up. “Sloane, is everything okay?”
Jacob was right behind him, his brows creased with worry. “Sloane?”
I pointed in the direction I had come. “There’s one of Alpha Dane’s men in the woods. I took him out.”
My words came out clipped from how out of breath I was, and I had to lean forward and put my hands on my knees so I could try to catch it. But that only seemed to make it worse.
I gulped in air, but the tightness in my chest remained.
Ian turned to Jacob. “Go to the house and get the alpha. Sloane, can you show me where he was?”
I forced myself to stand upright. I was too hot, and my lungs fought to draw in enough breath. A bout of dizziness washed over me, making me sway.
I squeezed my eyes shut, counted to five, and then opened them. My hands twitched as I pointed in the direction where I’d been attacked.
Ian followed where I was pointing, but I knew that wasn’t good enough.
I forced a deep breath in through my nose and let it out slowly through my mouth. “Come on. I’ll show you.”
I was still breathless, but I mustered up everything I had and sprinted back in the direction Sawyer stood.
Tree branches bit my skin, hard enough that they drew blood. Thorns caught in my hair as I darted through some of the underbrush that I usually ran through as a wolf. Ian kept pace a few feet behind me. We didn’t stop until we made it back to where Sawyer sat on the ground in , watching the unconscious man.
Ian put his hand on my shoulder before moving past me. “You took him on by yourself.”
I put my hands behind my head and laced my fingers together. My chest heaved, and sweat glided down my back. “Sort of, yeah.”
Ian knew about Sawyer, but he couldn’t see him, and just thinking about trying to explain how our connection worked gave me a headache.
Ian crouched next to the man and put his fingers on his pulse point. “He’s still alive. The wounds don’t look too horrible in his human form.”
I shuddered and wrapped my arms around my middle. I’d done that. I’d wanted to kill him. If Sawyer hadn’t stopped me, I might have.
I blinked rapidly and glanced around, my gaze landing on Sawyer. He nodded at me, his words from earlier ringing in my mind. This guy would be waking up soon.
I cleared my throat and dropped my hands to my sides. “I can help you bring him back.”
Ian looked at me, giving me a once-over before he shook his head. “You were just attacked and ran at least a couple miles back and forth. I can manage carrying him.”
Ian lifted the guy’s arm and then picked him up so he was carrying him like a fireman would carry someone out of a burning building. He wobbled a little as he stood and adjusted the guy’s weight.
Ian grunted as he looked at me. “Keep an eye on him. Let me know if he shows any signs of waking. I hope we get back before that happens.”
Him and me both.
