Page 108 of Red

Hurry up.

Two on the left.

I glance over, and so does Tripp. Seven wolves pound through the forest, one a bit further behind. They take out a gunned man on the way, ripping him apart with their teeth. Another gets thrown high into the air; their screams are drowned out by gunfire. Tripp pulls the trigger, and the one far behind drops down while the rest keep charging by.

I stand and start moving toward the one he hit. I need to know who it is. Tripp sends another shot in their direction.

“Don’t move.” Tripp plants his feet, scanning the area with his gun.

Tingles brush my skin as a huge blur forms off to the right far in the distance.

“I got him.” Tripp lines up his sight and pulls the trigger. It misses as the blur dives left, and he watches through the scope.

The sensations flood my skin. Stark.

I’m coming, Hudry, Stark thinks. Don’t get up.

I can’t breathe. Hudry’s thought comes through.

He must have been the seventh. No . . . Stark can’t come here.

Tripp keeps his gun turned toward where Hudry is down.

Heat fires in my limbs as the internal smoke I’ve spent all day fighting swirls through me from my feet to my lungs. Let it.

The blur gets closer.

Tripp won’t miss.

“I finally get to kill the beast,” he whispers as he pulls in a breath and snugs his gun up against his chest, crouched down.

Stark’s getting too close.

I draw back from Tripp. There’s no other way.

Stark’s blur is seconds away. I release the hold on my magic. My body lets go as I turn. Letting the red wolf inside take over.

Tripp’s gun goes off.

It’s too late.

Stark, I yell to his mind.

Fuck. Stark’s pained thoughts course through me.

Tripp turns to me, but all I see is red. He hurt the only one who matters. The only reason I want to breathe anymore.

He swings his gun at me, and I let out a deafening growl before opening my jaw and ripping him into two.

Blood coats my tongue as I drop his lifeless body onto the ground.

I pick up the pace and run over to where Stark limps to Hudry. His beige wolf frame is sprawled out, spotted with blood.

Stark wheels toward me, a low growl rumbling from his chest, hackles raised. He doesn’t know it’s me—that’s a good thing. I slow, ears flat, and creep closer.

Let me help.

I use my mouth to lift Hudry and place his limp body over Stark’s neck.