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My wolf growls.

Never.

I push forward. My body is covered in blood. Some of it is mine. Most of it isn't. My left leg drags every few steps where silver tore through my thigh. My shoulder burns, and every breath pulls at the wounds along my ribs. I can feel Arlene through our bond. Worry. Fear. My wolf presses closer.

I'll keep trying.

“I know.”

Bring us home.

I look toward the pack members still running ahead of us.

“That's the plan.”

Joshua turns to check the rear. A hunter raises something.

“Joshua!”

He moves. Too late. Something strikes his neck. Joshua rips it out immediately. Liquid glistens inside the broken projectile. Joshua is ahead of me. He takes one step. His knees buckle.

“Joshua!” I run toward him. Michael turns. Joshua tries to rise. He can't. His eyes find mine.

“Go.”

“No.”

“Darian.”

“No!”

Hunters rush from the trees. I shift and slam into the first one. Michael reaches Joshua. Another hunter fires. Michael jerks away. The shot misses him.

Joshua's wolf strains beneath his skin but cannot surface. Whatever they hit him with is suppressing the shift. A hunter grabs Joshua beneath the arms. I tear away from the man in front of me. Another hunter blocks me. Then another.

“Joshua!”

They drag him backward. I fight through one. Michael takes down another. A white van with tinted windows tears through the trees.

“No!”

Joshua disappears behind its open doors. I run toward the van. A hunter fires toward me. I dodge. The van moves. Too fast. Joshua is gone. Something tears through the mindlink. Not Joshua. Rylan.

“What happened?”

I stumble. “They took Joshua.”

Silence. Then Rylan's voice changes. “Jasmin just collapsed.”

My blood goes cold. “What?”

“She screamed Joshua's name and collapsed. The doctor says she's going into labor.”

Michael looks at me. I can't speak. Rylan's voice breaks into the link again. “Darian, bring my pack home. We’re coming as fast as we can. I'm sending everyone I can.”

I look toward the direction the hunters took Joshua. Then toward the twenty people still trying to reach Silver Moon. Every part of me wants to follow him. Every part of my wolf wants to hunt. But twenty lives are still behind me.

Protect them.