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Iris lunged to tackle the wolf, his teeth an inch from Bruce’s head. Driven by maternal instinct and anger at the threat to Bruce’s life, she gave his attacker an agonizing end.
Bruce quickly scrambled inside the door before Iris rejoined her allies. Their enemies lay dead at their feet, but they had no time to celebrate.
More of the rogues emerged from the forest. Iris led the charge against the fresh wave, colliding in a bloody battle. As they clashed, her heart pounded when she heard yet another group on their way.
SIX
DEREK
Derek stood in the top floor meeting room where he and the stronger members of the pack often convened to discuss important matters of concern. He was joined today by Mason and
Maria.
Stroking his chin, he stared out the window while Maria talked about the ongoing challenges of her position as a healer.
“Things are getting worse by the week,” she said. “Supplies are running short for the second time this month. Scouts keep coming back injured. We’re lucky none have turned up dead yet.”
“Derek, we almost lost you yesterday as well,” Mason said. “Cyrus and his force of rogues grow stronger each week. Elias and the rest of the enforcers are more than capable of fighting, but it’s the children I worry about the most. What happens if a battle turns up here?”
“I can’t tell the future,” spoke the Alpha. “But together, we can see to it that the worst is prevented. It’s true that Cyrus’snumbers grow with each passing week, but steps can be taken to keep them from attacking the pack house. I propose we leave our scents elsewhere, somewhere way off course from this location.”
“We’ve been doing that a lot,” said Maria. “But every time the scouts return, they report fresh trail marks, each of them drawing closer and closer every day. Like Mason, I fear they’ll come here and unleash hell upon the vulnerable members of the pack.”
“Cyrus is no longer a concerning bit of news.” Derek sighed. “His threat still hangs over the pack house, growing daily as it seems.” He spun around to face the other two. “But when have we ever been the group that lays down on our backs to let the enemy tread over us?”
Mason and Maria glanced at each other with encouraging smiles.
“I beat Cyrus once, and I will do it again any day of the week.”
“That’s probably what’s driving him so insane,” Mason said. “He knows full well that you can beat him.”
“It’s why he also keeps sending his pawns after our pack when we’re out and vulnerable. He wants to wear down our defenses. Mason, go get Elias, we need to …”
Derek stopped as a sudden surge of alertness washed through his body. He spun around and looked outside the window, sensing a nearby threat. His eyes scanned the tree line but saw nothing from his current position.
“Derek, is something wrong?” asked Maria.
“Yes.” He couldn’t say what exactly it was, but the blood in his veins trickled and coursed. For a moment, he thought it may have been the mating bond, but Casey came bursting in through the door, panting breathlessly before anything further could be said.
“You have to come quickly! Scouts returned. They said there’s a wave of rogues on their way here!”
“Shit!” Derek cursed. “I never thought they’d do this so soon. We’ve got to move!”
“Iris told some members to bring in the children already. The rest of us will fight.”
“Make sure all the doors are locked!” commanded the pack leader. He turned then to Mason and Maria. “Maria, you stay with the kids. Mason, with me.”
The Beta cracked and stretched his neck. “None of them are making it out of here.”
Derek turned back to the window. He looked out to the forest at the rear of the house.
Just as his instinct had predicted, a wave of rogues barged out of the forest like athletes breaking into a sprint. Springing to action, he threw the window open and dove for the nearest opponent, shifting mid-air.
His jaws wrapped around his target’s neck, snapping it with a vicious twist. With fury in his eyes, he turned his attention to the next attacker. He heard children screaming, the sound of which filled him with a raging inferno.
His attacker sprang for him. Derek sidestepped and clawed the rogue, strings of its flesh embedding themselves in his nails. Another enemy jumped at him. Mason tackled the ambusher to the ground and killed him in an instant.
Derek’s ears picked up on another wave of rogues drawing nearer to their position. He leapt nimbly onto a high retaining wall, trying to see farther.
