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The next howl seemed to last for minutes instead of seconds. I had to fight the wild urge to answer back with a warning—we’re coming, and when we find you, we’ll kill you.
Seff came around to my door and cupped my face. His words hissed out between his elongated fangs. “Get ready, Des. The second we stop, we’re on the hunt.”
His mouth came down on mine in a hungry kiss, stealing my breath away. Then, he stared at me, his lips parted as though he wanted to say something—asksomething—but didn’t. Through oursakanabond, I felt his excitement—and something else I couldn’t put words to.
“What?”
He shook his head and jumped into the backseat.
While Carmine drove through the increasing snowfall, I slipped out of my jacket and sweater, kicked off my boots and socks, wiggled out of my jeans and underwear. The cami would come off the moment we stopped.
After a few turns, I saw the jagged black shapes of rocks along the skyline. Snow had collected on the flat-ridge tops and resembled thin white clouds floating in a dark winter sky. Without even a sliver of the moon providing a glimmer of direction, I felt turned around inside my own skin.
Carmine didn’t push the SUV any faster than was safe. The road itself appeared well maintained, with only a light coating of snow undisturbed by other cars for quite some time. Everything else—the trees, scrub, brush, and ground—had at least six to eight inches of snow cover and gathered more by the minute.
Seff leaned in between the two front seats. “How far in does the road go?”
“Up and around the backside of the monoliths,” Carmine replied. “There’s a place to park for day picnics. You can hike the trails from there.”
“Is there much cover?”
“Yes, loads of cover.” Carmine turned into the park entrance and followed the road past the parking lot. “The rogues could’ve walked through during daylight and easily been hidden.”
As we traveled around a corner, the headlights flashed on rock formations on either side of the car. This park would be amazing to explore during the day given how magical it was at night, with the oddly shaped rocks, some seeming to balance precariously on top of each other.
We traveled around the next corner and along a long straightaway. Seff opened his door as Carmine pulled the SUV into a small parking area. He took a few steps forward, then stopped and focused. His chest expanded with each deep inhale. The other male wolves scrambled out of the open door behind him and took the same motionless stance. I removed my cami and tossed it on top of my pile of clothing. The freezing wind came from the northwest, hitting my naked skin like a thousand tiny needles. My wolf took over, my thick white-blond undercoat and fur shielding me from the bitter wind.
Seff stroked my head. “There’s only one rogue here. He’s dying. Doesn’t mean he isn’t still dangerous as fuck.” He inhaled another deep breath. “Gun oil. I can taste it in the back of my throat. He could have a single rifle, or he could have five. Every one of the damn things loaded with a dart means we don’t go charging in there. We spread out. Move slow. Stay hidden. Surround him if the terrain allows it.”
As another, much closer howl filled the air, a moment of confusion seeped through the bond I shared with mysakana.
Seff rubbed his hand through his hair. “There’s no way they could’ve known we’d find them...findhim...so fast. They were on their way somewhere...” He squinted and shook his head as though he were trying to puzzle out something. “I know from experience with these inbred bastards, they’re bat-shit crazy. Don’t take any chances. Even with death staring ’em right in the face, they will still try to kill you.”
What had the San Francisco Alpha done to his children for them to have such low regard for life?
Seff shifted; his shaggy wolf’s body rubbed against mine as he threw a possessive paw over my back and licked my face. A low whine came from inside his chest—be careful.I would. He took the lead as we padded across the road into the trees and brush.
Spreading out on nearly silent paws, we made our way around a large rock formation, the new powdery snowfall brushing my belly with each step. By instinct, we all halted in our tracks whenever Seff stopped to sniff the air.
Another mournful howl rang out so close my skin prickled, making my fur stand on end.
I held my breath.
We were only yards away.
Seff crouched and slowly crawled forward to the edge of the rise. We all followed.
I stared down at the edge of the rock shelf. Two more barren ledges lay before us, each several yards in width. As quietly as possible, we strode along until we found a more accessible way down, then spread out once again. Slowly, we crept to the second rock ledge and peered over. Still no sign of him, but his sickly sweet, near-death odor almost choked me.
He was so, so close.
The rock ledge we stood on was half the width of the ridge above and behind us. We spread apart more before carefully looking over the edge. There, huddled in a naked, trembling heap, clutching a rifle in his hands, lay the male I’d attacked. He hadn’t bothered covering his facial and scalp wounds, and the stench coming from his injuries made bile swirl in my stomach and threaten to rise up my throat. Barely breathing, I searched all around him, looking for other weapons. If he had more close at hand, I couldn’t see their outline beneath the snow.
Seff signaled to Sorrel, Carmine, and Decker to stay on the rock ridge. Brutus disappeared to the east. Seff and I moved westward along the ridge to come around at the rogue from two sides. I knew the second the rogue caught my scent.
“You,” he wheezed. “How did you find me?”
I stayed silent, frozen in place as the urge to finish what I’d started thundered through my veins.
