“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “Just get us out of here.”
Ty nodded, quickly assessing the situation. The black sedan that had been tailing us screeched to a halt not far from where we’d been forced off the road. Six large men emerged from the car, with masks obscuring their faces. The sight of them sent a chill through my veins, leaving no doubt in my mind they were after me.
“Stay close.” Ty threw open the door and stepped out into the fray. I followed suit, adrenaline coursing through my veins, preparing me for the fight ahead.
Another vehicle pulled up, and more masked individuals spilled into the road.
“Who the hell are these guys?” I said under my breath, scanning the approaching figures. Their movements were precise, calculated. They were professionals.
“Doesn’t matter,” Ty hissed. “They won’t lay a finger on you, I promise.”
When the first attacker lunged toward us, Ty easily sidestepped the blow and delivered a brutal punch to the man’sface. He crumpled to the ground. More were coming. We’d never be able to hold them off alone. Where was our backup?
“Ty, we can’t do this on our own,” I said, cold sweat breaking out over my body.
In response, he bared his teeth and snarled at the encroaching men—a primal warning that only appeared to spur them on.
The powerful roar of another engine had me tensing, expecting more attackers. The vehicle skidded to a stop beside us, and Liam jumped out. Over the chaos, I heard him shout to Ty, “Protect Liza!” before joining the fight.
His sudden presence caught me off guard. It was one thing to express a willingness to be involved, but it was a different matter entirely to actually show up and engage in the battle. That shock soon transformed into deep gratitude. Ty remained steadfast by my side, positioning himself as an impenetrable barrier between me and the remaining assailant, taking care of any who got too close.
“Stay behind me,” he said, just as the sound of engines tore through the night. A fleet of cars and trucks skidded to a halt behind us, their headlights cutting through the darkness. Our pack members spilled out of the vehicles, ready for battle.
“About time!” Ty shouted. “Let’s take these bastards down!”
Soon, the attackers were overwhelmed by the sheer force of our numbers. Even as they retreated, I had a gnawing fear that this was only the beginning. Who had sent these men after me? What would they try next?
Car doors slammed, and the vehicles sped off with a screech of tires. Two of the assailants were left behind, and they were quickly subdued. As our pack members started to leave, I sagged against Ty, my body shaking from the residual adrenaline. He put his arm around me and rubbed my waist.
“Thank you,” I croaked, blinking back tears. He simply nodded, his fierce gaze never straying from the two men sprawled out before us. Whatever came next, we’d deal with it the same way, head-on.
Liam stalked toward us. “You two okay?” he asked, scanning Ty and me with concern. It was strange, seeing him worried about our wellbeing, but I couldn’t deny the relief that flooded me at the sight of my newfound brother.
“Thanks to you and my pack,” Ty said, his voice strained from the exertion of the fight. “We’ve got to interrogate these two and find out who sent them.”
“Leave that to me.” Liam’s expression turned dangerously serious. Without waiting for a response, he turned away and strode toward the captives, radiating authority and menace.
“Be careful around him,” I said to Ty, watching Liam with fear and fascination. “He’s not like us.”
“I can see that.” Ty’s face hardened. “Right now, we need him on our side.”
As Liam approached the two men, his body began to shift and contort, fur sprouting from his skin, and his bones cracking with sickening sounds. A massive wolf emerged from the transformation, dwarfing even Ty’s formidable size. His fur was a deep black, streaked with silver that caught the moonlight, lending him an otherworldly air.
Liam towered over the men in his wolf form, his growl a low rumble that reverberated through the very ground beneath our feet. Their faces blanched with terror, and a thrill of satisfaction at their fear surged through me. I felt no compassion for them. They deserved it after what they’d tried to do to us.
The sight of Liam’s massive wolf’s form caused the two men to shrink back in fear, and they actually yelped when he snarled at them. The sheer force of his aura overwhelmed me, making it hard to breathe, and causing my knees to shake uncontrollably.It was as though I’d been transported to another realm, where the air buzzed with electricity, and thunder echoed around me.
“Stay put,” Ty said, straining against his own shift. He took a step toward Liam, keeping the menacing wolf well within his sights. “I’ll help him deal with these bastards.”
“Ty, are you sure?” I asked, worry clawing at me. Even Ty was shaken by the immense presence of Liam’s wolf, and that scared me more than anything else.
“Trust me.” He squeezed my hand reassuringly for a moment before releasing it, then he quickly shifted into his own powerful wolf form, still smaller than Liam but formidable, nonetheless.
“Please be careful.” I watched as Ty joined Liam in stalking the terrified men. The two wolves moved with lethal grace, their muscles rippling beneath their fur as they closed in on their prey.
“Y-you don’t have to do this,” one of the men said, his attention darting between the enormous wolves and the remaining members of our pack who had formed a tight circle around them. “We were just following orders,”
Liam shifted back to his human form. “Save your pathetic excuses.” He growled, as chilling as the wind that whipped around us. “You came after my family. There will be no mercy for the likes of you.”
