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What would such a male do to her? She wasn’t about to find out.
She thought about Row, fighting against multiple opponents outside the cave. This was one guy. One nutcase with a knife. She’d faced off against one of those males in her youth and survived. She could do it again.
“Go to hell,” she said, letting her wolf free. She pushed herself to shift as quickly as she ever had. Her beast exploded from her, anxious to harm the male who’d hurt their mate. He’d lost his claws and clearly lost his mind, and she wasn’t about to spend a second longer with a knife pressed to her throat.
He shouted in rage as she shifted and lunged for him. The knife swung down and her shoulder burned as it cut through her, but she ignored the pain and leaped, jaws wide and fangs ready, sinking them into his thigh. Her body twisted as she slid between his thighs, and he screamed, slamming his fist into her nose. Blood filled her mouth and she dug her teeth into his flesh, tearing through his jeans. Row shouted Kammie’s name as he raced into the chamber, crashing into Hector and knocking him away from her. Row roared, a deep and furious sound, and grabbed Hector’s head, twisting it sharply to the side and ending his life with a loud crack.
Her mate lifted her from the floor and cradled her in his arms, hurrying with her from the chamber. He leaned against the cave and buried his face in her neck, his whole body trembling.
“Are you okay?” His voice was rough.
Kammie whined softly. She knew she was bleeding from the cut on her shoulder, but all she could feel was relief that Row had managed to come out of his shift fast enough to help her. She wasn’t sure if she would’ve been able to get away from Hector on her own.
The sound of racing footsteps filled the air. Row stiffened for a moment and then relaxed.
“We’re over here,” he called as Fayar and two other males came into view.
“We heard you roaring and came as fast as we could. Damn,” Fayar said. “What in the hell happened here?”
Three males lay motionless on the ground.
“Hector came for me. He’s in the cave.”
“Dead, I trust,” Fayar said.
“Yeah. Kammie needs help, she’s bleeding.”
Fayar gestured to one of the males and said, “Get his body out of there.” Then he took his phone out of his pocket and made a call, asking whoever answered to meet Row and Kammie at Row’s house.
“You did well,” Fayar said. “Head home and wait for Tessa; she’ll give Kammie whatever medical help she needs. And be sure to get checked out yourself.”
“I’m fine.”
“I know, but humor me. We’ll handle things from here. I’ll stop by later today and see you.”
Row straightened and seemed to wobble slightly before he let out a gruff growl and moved past Fayar, toward home. Kammie whined softly and licked Row’s throat, and he hugged her close.
* * *
Row didn’t bother gathering their clothes from the chamber. Fayar would handle everything. All he wanted to do was get Kammie home so Tessa, the sleuth doctor, could help her. He knew that wolves healed fast, but the cut on her shoulder was still bleeding even though his hand was pressed tightly to it. He strode naked through the woods until he reached his home. Tessa was waiting on the back porch, a medical bag in hand.
“I called your mom and she’s on her way over. I wasn’t sure how long it would take you to get here.”
“Thanks. I walked as quickly as I could without jarring her.”
Row led Tessa into the house. He tugged a blanket from the back of the couch and stretched it over the cushions, then laid his sweetheart on her undamaged side. Her paws flexed and she whimpered, the sound tearing through him like the knife that had struck her. “I’m so fucking sorry,” he whispered, kneeling beside her.
Tessa inspected Kammie’s wound. The front door opened, and Row looked up to see his mom rush inside. “Oh, honey,” she said, stopping next to the couch. “What happened?”
“Hector showed up with three bears from his sleuth and pulled Kammie from my arms. While I was tangling with his three friends outside, Hector cornered Kammie in the cave. I was lucky I could force myself back into my human form, because my bear couldn’t fit through the opening.”
Her eyes flashed and she growled in the back of her throat. “Tell me they’re dead.”
He nodded sharply.
Tessa spread the fur aside to get at the wound on Kammie’s shoulder, and squeezed a thick liquid into the cut. Kammie snapped her jaws together as she snarled.
Row bared his teeth at Tessa for hurting Kammie.
