Purcell was almost on her, and she could smell the foul odor reeking from his unwashed body. He grinned and bared yellow teeth, and she wanted to vomit.
Donal moved quickly and stood in front of her. “You’ll have to get through me first!” he yelled. “I don’t give a damn about her, or those assholes from the west, but if you take her, the Fenris pack is going to rain down hell on us. I’m not going to lose my pack and my family just because you’re still butt-hurt about Miles kicking your ass, Purcell.”
Well. That wasn’t exactly hugs and kisses, but it was a step in the right direction, she thought. At least somebody was thinking strategically.
She was relieved to see several other shifters move in front of her too.
Purcell and his men stood there growling for what felt like an eternity, fangs descending. Finally, after snapping at the air several times, Purcell snarled, “This isn’t over, Donal.” And he turned and stalked off.
“Thank you,” Dakota said quietly to Donal.
“We’re escorting you out of the territory right now,” Donal said. “And don’t thank us. Just don’t come back. If Purcell takes you, we’ll all suffer the consequences.”
“Just think about what I said,” Dakota said as they headed back towards the western territory.
* * * * *
“I’m sure they’re fine,” Dakota told Naomi for what felt like the hundredth time as they all sat at the kitchen table in the cabin. The cubs were tucking into their burgers with gusto, but Naomi and Dakota had barely touched their food. Most of the pack had headed out to take on the Clearwater traitors, with only a dozen or so pack members remaining to guard their property.
Sarah glanced out the window. “They don’t look fine,” she said.
Dakota and Naomi rushed over to the window. Miles was stomping towards the cabin, wearing jeans and no shirt. Baldwin and Anders were following on his heels. “Oh, thank God,” Naomi breathed. “But what’s Miles so mad about?”
“Hold on.” Dakota quickly walked outside and shut the door behind her.
“What’s wrong?” she asked Miles, who was standing there with his fists clenched, clearly trying to contain himself. “What happened with the Clearwater Pack?”
Miles’s face was thickly coated with fur, and his voice rolled out in a growl. His eyes blazed with anger. “We killed all the males and put the women and cubs on a bus out of town. And you went into the eastern territory today while I was out fighting.”
Dakota felt the anger rolling off him. Baldwin stood by him, panting hard, desperately struggling to absorb his fury. He was pale, and sweat rolled down his face.
“Yes, I did,” Dakota said steadily, meeting his gaze.
“Four new packs came over from Creel’s territory and wanted to form alliances with me.”
She stared at him in amazement. “And you’re angry about it?”
“Angry that you made me look weak? Angry that you don’t think I can run matters in my own territory?” Miles was shouting now.
Dakota had to struggle to remain calm. “That wasn’t your territory. I was in the east.”
“You had no business going there,” he growled at her.
Okay, that did it. “You actually think you can tell me where I’m allowed to go?” she yelled at him. “We’re not even mated, and you think you can control my every move?”
“We’re not mated because you don’t want to be mated!” he shouted. “You said you were leaving!”
“Well, maybe I would have thought about staying if someone gave me a reason to!” she shouted back. “And this is bigger than us! This is about the survival of this entire territory!”
“This territory is my business, and you will stay out of it!” he barked.
She went pale. “Yes, I certainly will.” And she walked back into the cabin and slammed the door shut in his face.
Outside, she heard a roar of rage, and when she looked out the window, she saw that Miles had shifted and was running straight into the forest. Baldwin was doubled over, retching onto the ground. Naomi rushed outside and kneeled next to him, stroking his back.
Dakota struggled not to cry in front of the cubs, who were all staring at her wide-eyed, except Sarah, who looked sullen and resigned.
“So you’re leaving us now?” she said to Dakota.
