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A white wolf jumps in front of me and snarls, charging in my direction. I fail to stop fast enough, and I trip over the beast, screaming in pain as I land on my hurt arm.
Hooking my arms around the wolf, I roll over and force him with me. I don’t know if I catch Ravi off guard, but I manage to knock him away from me with my strength. But I’m too slow to get up. He comes at me again and latches his teeth to my shirt, tearing at the fabric.
He tries to bite the collar next, attempting to drag me away. I link my fingers to the sides of his furry head and keep the distance between his teeth and my clothing. I’m afraid he might bite me again just to teach me a lesson. I can barely handle the pain of the bites already.
His vibrant gray eyes sparkle, and he locks me in a gaze. It’s as if he tries to intimidate me with just his wolfish glare. I smack him on the snout hard enough to get him to shake his head. I kick my feet into his chest, sending him sprawling across the ground. He only stays down for another second, preparing to charge me.
He doesn’t make it.
A giant grey wolf launches through the air and crashes into the white wolf’s side. It’s Kellan. He found me, and now fights on my behalf, facing Ravi.
I gasp for breath, craving relief from the stress and anxiety, but it does nothing for my nerves. I use the nearest tree to pull myself to my feet, my knees and legs aching, threatening to send me sprawling back to the dirt.
“Eliana,” Chase says, my name sounding so beautiful on his lips. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything so amazing in my life. “Hurry. Let me help you.”
Another wolf materializes behind him, and I open my mouth to scream. A figure slams down a huge branch, knocking it against the wolf’s head hard enough to send it to its belly. Adam stalks closer and joins Chase. I wish I could hug them. I wish I could stop the world and thank them for coming for me. But the fighting continues on behind me, and more wolves howl in the distance.
“Pick her up and carry her, doc. It’ll be faster. I’ll watch your back.” Adam swings his branch, hitting the dirty, tan-colored wolf again. I think it might be either Miles or Lou. I can’t be certain.
Chase hooks his arms behind my knees and around my back and lifts me up, cradling me like a small child. I press my face against his taut chest, trying my best not to break down before we even make it to safety. I just hurt so badly. My adrenaline wears off, and agony consumes me.
“You’re going to be fine. I know you’re in pain, but we’ll get through this together.” Chase kisses the top of my head, trying to keep me together as I fall apart in his arms.
“I don’t think we will,” I say, my voice hitching. “I was bitten. I know something has changed. I don’t know what we’re going to do. Kellan is acting weird now.”
“He was just surprised. We’ll be okay. You need to have faith,” Adam murmurs under his breath.
Faith? That’s the last thing I have. I’m hopeless.
The fight for survival has changed. The lack of rules does nothing for my sanity either. I wish I could manage to stay as calm as Chase and Adam, but all I feel is like I’m on the verge of dying.
“I can’t. You don’t understand. These men—they speak of bloodlines and strengthening their packs. It sounded like they intend to breed with me or something.” Tears burn my cheeks but the crisp air cools my body. “It’s so messed up. I can’t live like this. I refuse to.”
Chase stiffens, his hold on me tightening. “Are you sure? Kellan mentioned that the packs get their strength from transforming humans. So few survive even a week here that only the strongest join the packs who bite them. They don’t breed to pass on or create strength.”
“Then Kellan didn’t tell you everything.” I sigh with my words. “Because I know I didn’t imagine it.”
“Damn, doc. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know how much I trust Kellan. He only said that some might find Eliana appealing because of her grandma and the fact that the odds are in her favor to change.” Adam keeps up his pace, cutting away greenery that gets in our way.
“He’s the lesser of two evils on the island. We need him.” Chase glowers with his words. “He’s helped us when he could’ve thrown us to the wolves already.”
“He could be playing us. He’s already managed to gain enough of our trust that we followed him here without much explanation and only that Eliana needed help. What if it’s his way of manipulating us? Manipulating Eliana? I mean, he’s already...” Adam snaps his mouth closed, not finishing his thought. Even without saying the words out loud, I know it’s my moment of passion with Kellan he refers to. I was so caught up with him in the cave that I let my guard down. What if it was a mistake? Then again, what if it wasn’t. What if it was fate like he claims?
“You can say it, Adam. I fucked him.” My sharp tone surprises even me, and I try to shake away the negativity clinging to me at the thought. “I was stupid and gullible to think it was just some fun. It’s possible he used me.”
“But in hopes of knocking you up?” Chase rubs his lips together. “I’ll perform an unmedicated vasectomy if that is the case.”
“You can hold him down while I do it myself. Thank fucking God for my IUD.” I shudder, thinking about how messed up that would be if any of us are right about Kellan.
I don’t want to assume the worst, but I’d be idiotic if I didn’t rebuild my protective wall around me to keep Kellan out.
“Remind me never to piss you off,” Adam says, his breath gasping as he jogs, keeping pace with Chase. “And so you know...I don’t want kids, so you don’t have to worry about that kind of shit with me. I wrap up and pull the hell out when I can’t.”
My brows knit together, and I swing out my good arm and whack him in the back of the head. “I’ll still worry about it. Your wants might align with mine but it doesn’t prevent anything.”
A wolf barks, the loud noise enough to snap my mouth closed. Adam and Chase move in closer, no longer talking as we head...maybe toward the beach. I can’t be sure.
“No more talking,” Chase mutters, adjusting me. “They’re too close. I don’t know if Kellan’s pack is even coming.”
