Page 51 of Bad Medicine

We shifted and ran through thewoods, and Saul’s belt expanded and held securely the precious demon blade,exactly as I’d needed, but there was not much time to appreciate it, becauseAdam’s pack was waiting for us.

They’d known we were coming—andbecause Adam had Lennon to warn him of such things, we were not reallysurprised.

They met us like a vicioustidal wave as we ran through the deep woods between Shadowfield andStonebridge, and they had their humans as we had ours—buttheirscarriedguns. They picked off Gray Shadow wolves from the hills and trees, and I forgotabout Adam when I heard the cracks of gunshots and saw my wolves falling. Evenif the shootings didn’t kill them, they could disable them enough for Adam’swolves to finish the job.

Zach and Joe wouldn’t be farbehind, and I didn’t give them enough credit for the savage, capable men theywere. I made it my priority to sniff out the cowardly humans waiting with theirguns—and my wolf had none of the cautioning common sense of my woman—she toreinto the humans, killing them as they aimed their rifles and shotguns filledwith silver shot, leveling the playing field a little.

But even as I took down thethird shooter and turned toward the fourth, Joe rose up like a specter behindhim and dropped him with a hit to the head. “We got this,” he yelled. “Get downbelow and fight with the alpha.”

I turned immediately and speddown the hill and into the fray, because Joe and Zach would tend the humans. Iwould tend the wolves.

Adam was nowhere to be seen,the coward, but it didn’t matter. I’d caught his scent, and I knew Jared wouldhave, as well. He probably thought he was safe hiding in the shadows, watchingas his humans and his warriors ambushed his enemy.

He was not safe. Not even alittle bit.

If he’d been an honorablealpha, he’d have waited for me, and he’d have accepted my challenge to fightone on one. At the very least, he and his warriors would have fought us in thewoods, as wolves did, and one side would have emerged victorious. He wouldcertainly not have brought humans with guns into the battle, endangering notonly them but his own wolves.

But then, I’d known he wasn’tan honorable alpha. He’d had Max—ahuman—abducted, had ordered me beatento death, and he ruled his pack through fear. He’d sent his warriors into thecity to attack and kill any of Jared’s wolves they found there. Not that they’dsucceeded in that little endeavor, but still.

I was nearly certain he knew hewas going to die. This was the night the prophecy would be realized—and he wasgoing to take as many of us as possible with him when he went.

The red mist of blood coloredthe frosty night air, and the scent of it—along with the pain of theirinjuries—drove all the wolves into a frenzy of rage and bloodlust. I was notexempt from that bloodlust, and I ripped through Stone Moon wolves with asomewhat familiar savageness.

My inner psycho came out toplay.

And at the end of things, whenthe scent of Adam became strong enough to distract me, I wheeled around and sawhim. He wasn’t alone, and he hadn’t come out of the shadows voluntarily.

Jared had him cornered. Adam’sfur was torn and wet with blood from what had likely been a quick, violentfight with Jared. But he was an alpha, and his wounds had begun to healimmediately.

He shifted, which proved hisinjuries weren’t life threatening. He was ready to talk.

I shifted, as well, and after ashort hesitation, so did Jared. All around us, the wolves who had survivedbegan to follow the lead of their alphas. Some of them did not shift, becausethey were either too injured and needed their wolves to heal them, or they weredead.

My belt tightened around myhips, and I gently caressed the handle of my demon blade. Both Jared and Adamdropped their surprised stares to the belt and blade, but it was not the timeto ask casual questions about the fact that a wolf had kept her weapon,shocking though it was.

Adam, of course, was the firstto speak. “You know I would not enter these woods without a plan,” he told me.Jared hulked behind him like a dangerous shadow, but Adam didn’t so much asglance at him as he spoke to me. “Let me tell you what you’re going to do now.”

I smiled and felt it slidingacross my face like an icy wind. “Tell me, Adam,” I murmured, my voice rustyand filled with rage. “What am I going to do?”

He hesitated, and I suddenlytasted fear on the back of my tongue. Not my fear, though. His. And it wasdelicious.

He cleared his throat and shothis gaze around the area, picking out his remaining wolves. “My beta has yourhuman,” he said. “The vampire-savaged one. He will kill him if I don’t give himthe order to do otherwise in the next few minutes. And I will not give thatorder unless these woods empty of sweet little Gray Shadow wolves immediately.”And finally, he turned his head slowly to look at Jared. “Take your fuckingwolves and your groupie home, Walker. I’ll deal with all of you at anothertime.”

Jared shot out his hand andwrapped it around Adam’s throat, then slammed him back against a tree. “Youwill die here tonight,” he growled.

“Jared,” I said, almost gently,“Stand down. This is my kill.”

Despite the grip around histhroat, Adam laughed. “I know your weakness, Kait. You will not allow yourhuman friend to die because of you. I’ll give you five seconds before I sendthe command to my beta.” He curled his lip. “And an alpha doesn’t take ordersfrom a fucked-up little female pup.” His next words were for Jared. “You shouldhave taught her to respect an alpha.”

For a few seconds, Jaredtightened his grip, and Adam clawed at his hand, gasping for breath.“She’san alpha, you fool,” Jared growled, and then he released Adam and stood down.“He’s yours, Kait. Kill him.”

Adam’s fingers wandered to histhroat. “What about your human friend? Are you really willing to let him diebecause of you?”

“I’ve learned something sinceyou had me filled with silver and beaten.” I didn’t take my stare off Adam as Iturned my head slightly to the wolf waiting behind Jared. “Eli.”

The beta stiffened. “Yes?”

“Pick up Zach’s trail and killAdam’s beta. Bring Zach to me—alive.”