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“Go get her,” I snapped, ready to put an end to Regina Nichols. “Walk to the path and I’ll meet you.”
Caleb went up to them, throwing his arm around Jess to Regina’s surprise, and steering her around the stunned woman. “Thanks for coming to the scrimmage, Ms. Nichols. Bye!”
They made it to the woods before I moved. “Regina,” I called, my voice thundering across the empty field. Everyone had left but she’d waited, no doubt looking for me. “Is there a reason you’re so fixated on our new student?”
“Isn’t that what I should be asking you?” She snipped, straightening her back so her breasts thrust forward. “Everyone sees the way you watch her.”
“I keep an eye on all of my students, especially those in my community.”
“She’s not one of you,” Regina said, false bravado hiding her uncertainty. “You can’t use that as an excuse.”
“Make no mistake,” I said silkily. “I’m not making any excuses. What I do or don’t do with Jess Carter is none of your business and if you continue to harass her?” She swallowed as I loomed over her, and I smiled, my teeth gleaming. “You will disappear into a hole so dark no one will ever find you.”
I stepped around her as she stood frozen. “Have a nice day, Regina.”
I strode to the forest, forgetting about her the instant I stepped into the protective cover, as Caleb’s panicked voice slammed into me. “HANLEYS.”
I ran, praying I was fast enough, as a short howl cutoff abruptly, and I reached the edge of the woods. Jess ran straight toward me, but it was the mangy wolf chasing her that made my teeth gnash.
Terror coated her face as she ran desperately, but it wasn’t nearly fast enough as the wolf lunged, slamming into her back. She went down before I could reach her, curling into a protective ball as the wolf flew closer to me.
Caleb raced toward her as she rolled to the side but was distracted when another Hanley jumped him – this one still human.
“Shit!” Hanley roared as Caleb slung him off his back and I skidded to a stop, crouching protectively in front of Jess as the Hanley wolf snarled at me.
“You know better than to be here,” I rumbled, ready to tear his throat out as Jess gasped for breath behind me. He only growled, his feet curling into the ground as he prepared to launch himself at me, wrongly assuming he’d win since I was still human.
“Wrong choice,” I snarled as he lunged, and I ducked, using his own force against him as I knocked him into a tree.
He didn’t give up, leaping to his feet in an instant and charging me, but I didn’t hesitate, running at him as I shifted into my own wolf. The fight was anything but fair as I used my larger size to my advantage. I slammed into him with the force of a battering ram, hearing his ribs crack.
They assumed we wouldn’t kill them. Their mistake, I thought, sinking my teeth into the other wolf’s shoulder and shaking my head to tear the muscle from his bone.
Caleb had the other Hanley, I thought, but when Jess cried out, I realized Caleb was on the ground and the Hanley human was dragging Jess away.
I sank my teeth into the wolf’s throat, tearing it out in an instant, and the wolf’s body sagged. I dropped it as I verified Caleb was alive, just unconscious. Jess had managed to knock Hanley off his feet, but fury surged through me as I saw him beating her.
I lunged, ripping him off of Jess, teeth and claws tearing into his venerable flesh. His high pitched scream cut off as blood filled his throat and while I was tempted to toy with him, I was more concerned about Jess. I snapped his neck, the crack loud in the now silent clearing and Jess whimpered. I dropped the dead body and turned to her.
Jess was curled against a tree, shock quickly taking over as she stared at my massive wolf. Her face was battered almost past recognition and I wished the bastard was still alive so I could kill him again.
She licked her lips, her heart hammering so fast it frightened me, and I was careful to move slowly, watching her with unblinking eyes. Finally, her heart rate slowed and I lifted my head, howling to alert the Pack to the attack. An answering howl reassured me they were safe and I dropped my head, padding toward her silently as she held completely still.
I paused, debating my next move, but I couldn’t help her with paws. In the blink of an eye, I shifted in front of her, but she didn’t cower away, instead she studied me, a mysterious smile forming before her eyes drifted closed.
