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He crashes into him, and the two sprawl on the ground.
Spinning around, I jump and open my jaws, closing them around the wolf’s throat.
I don’t think, not now; it’s too late for that. He reeks of death.
He’s slaughtered our kind before. I can scent it.
Closing my jaws, I crush his neck and tear through his bone until I feel the life drain from him. I squeeze tighter, just to be sure, knowing I have to be certain. An injured wolf can be more dangerous than a whole one and can heal from minor wounds.
But he’s done. I open my mouth, letting him drop, stepping back as he starts to change. Liam walks up next to me, both of us staring down at the man, frail-looking as he lies there naked, his neck torn.
Ruby and Ilsa stumble over.
Ilsa’s shaking, Ruby’s hands on her shoulders, as they walk across the field. There’s purpose in Ilsa’s stride. She walks right over to the body, staring down at him, her hands shaking.
“Pig,” she whispers, then her voice grows louder, a splitting cry. “Pig, monster,pig.”
That’s when it hits me, who this man is, this wolf is.
Pete, the not-master.
Pete, and she’s right. Heisa monster.
She collapses onto the ground, throwing her hands down at him, as Liam and I stare impassively. We know that she’s right; with the clean simplicity of the wild, knowing what this human feels is necessary. There is righteous rage in her scent, her fists pounding off the man’s naked chest.
“Mom, that’s enough.” Ruby touches her shoulders, helping her to stand. “He’s gone. It’s over.”
“I’m so sorry,” Ilsa sobs, pulling Ruby into a hug. “I should’ve told you. But I didn’t think you’d believe me. I didn’t know what to do. I thought maybe Pete might back off. If he knew they were wolves. But I didn’t get that chance, and he never would’ve listened. Look at this. Look at all I did.”
I rumble, shake my head and take a step forward.
Ilsa tenses up as she stares down at me, but then I move closer, rumbling again, and she relaxes. She breathes slowly. She stares into the eyes of the wolf.
It’s not your fault, I tell her, try to, with the hardness of my gaze.We’re safe now.
Ruby looks down at me, tears in her eyes, her heart pounding so fast. All I want to do is hold her.
Forever.
Liam nudges me in the side with his snout.
It’s time to go.
I grunt, knowing he’s right. The hunters who fled may bring backup.
Pete might have backup.
My mind spins at this connection between the hunters and Pete, but it wouldn’t be the first time a wolf has turned to killing other wolves.
Turning around, I look over my shoulder at Ruby. She nods, walking forward, her hair in disarray around her shoulders and her clothes smelling beautifully. I can smell my seed inside of her, the possibility of life. I can scent our future.
Ruby walks forward, wrapping her arms around my back. “Mom, you have to climb on Liam.”
“I...”
“Youcan. These are good wolves. Just like there are good people and bad people. Pete was both – a bad personanda bad wolf. Ramsey would never hurt us, Mom. Nor would Liam. Come on.”
I wait until Ilsa has climbed onto Liam’s back, and then, worn and injured as we are, we carry the humans across the fields. We run until we are far away from any possibility of the hunters scenting us, run until we come to a lake with a small outhouse hidden amidst the foliage.
