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There was nothing to do but stand and fight until we fell. At least they wouldn't take us alive. Lawson circled my legs, diving around me to attack whoever came close, snarling and fighting. I looked around frantically for a weapon.
Another shifter raised his gun. He was unfamiliar. Part of that other pack. His eyes locked on Lawson.
“You know, they told me that your loyalty was questionable. But I thought it was worth giving you enough rope to hang yourself.” he shrugged, looking down at the gun. “Well, figure of speech. Close enough.”
He raised the gun toward Lawson's forehead, and I shuddered even as I leapt forward. I was sure that I was about to watch the brains blown out of someone that I loved for a second time.
“I would choose your next move very carefully.” Stone’s voice cut through the noise and chaos with that powerful alpha rumble. I’d heard similar words from him recently, and I hadn’t appreciated them, but right now, I was glad to hear his rough voice.
The man holding the gun on Lawson considered, then began to tighten his finger on the trigger.
The gunshot split the air.
I screamed.
The man who’d been holding the gun on Lawson crumpled.
Turning, I found Stone’s gaze, which met mine evenly as he lowered his gun to his side.
Lawson was shaking, with his hands raised, at my side. But Lawson quickly mastered the adrenaline rush and turned toward me. “We’ve got to get you to safety.”
King wolves were surging through the crowd, savaging the last of the Longroad and Watson packs.
“We’ve got to get you to safety. You’re the one who just almost got shot!”
“You’re the one who’s Nathan’s obsession,” he said. “And it’s not just Nathan. Apparently there’s a pretty high bounty on you. Brought in alive.”
A familiar gray wolf leapt toward us, blood still staining the fur around his mouth where he had killed to protect me, and then it was Aiden who bounded toward the two of us. “Amelia! Lawson!”
Aiden wrapped Lawson and me in a bear hug, crushing the two of us together. I clung to the two of them, feeling a rush of gratitude and regret so strong that my eyes watered. Once, the two of them had risked everything to get me away from Nathan, to give me the chance to start my life with Brennan. All those years, my fear they had betrayed me had broken the bonds between us.
But I’d been stupid, so wounded and grief-struck that I couldn’t see what was right in front of me.
Aiden and Lawson had been my best friends when we were kids running barefoot in the forest, when we were young wolves running together, and even after all these years of hurt between us, they still were.
“I’ve been so scared for you two,” Lawson said as we finally disentangled.
Aiden caught me crying and glanced away—my little brother had always been frightened of my tears—but Lawson rubbed my arm, his eyes shining with relief.
“I’ve been scared foryou,”Aiden said. “Stuck back in the Longroad pack.”
Lawson shrugged. “Given the King pack beat us both to the brink of death, it’s not like either of us have had warm, fuzzy feelings about the future.”
Stone shifted back into his human form. Though I wasn’t sure that was any less intimidating than he was as an enormous wolf. He was furious, and he somehow seemed bigger than ever, looming over us. He looked at me as if he wanted to throw me over his shoulder and carry me back to King territory, but then he looked away, his jaw tightening, without ever touching me.
Stone said, “This is it. I’m done with the Longroad pack, and I’m done with the Weston pack.”
I jumped between Stone and Lawson. “He’s Longroad pack, but he’s a good friend. Don’t hurt him, Stone.”
“I understand that he’s your friend,“ Stone said.
The words shocked me, and I stared at him, too nervous to allow myself to feel relief. Stone wasn't going to punish Aiden for Brennan's death. Didn’t that mean he blamed Lawson?
“But he’s not Longroad pack anymore." Stone growled. I took a step back toward Lawson, spreading my arms as if I could protect my former best friend from my new alpha. Stone went on, "There is no Longroad pack.”
He looked over me to Lawson. “Do you want to be King pack?”
Lawson's eyes were troubled, but he answered without a second's hesitation. “Yes.”
