Page 84 of Starting a New Life

Another rhythm of paws shredded the silence. Four, no, five more. The patrol was closing in from the left.

I chased after them, the hunt almost too easy now that they were within my field of vision.

They won’t get away.

Maim, my wolf panted, eyes trained on the smallest of the bunch. Still a big wolf, but so afraid.

Bare branches tugged at my fur, ripping out hair here and there. I didn’t care. My mate’s attackers were close, the distance melting away fast. They weaved through the trees, tried confusing us by switching places, but they miscalculated. One moment they were running, the next the ground beneath their feet was gone, and they tumbled down a ravine.

I slowed down a little and let out a snarl.

Nix hadn’t closed the barrier yet.

How long had it been? He had to be close, right?

The spot he and my dad were headed to was actually not far from here at all. Two, maybe three miles.

Oh, fuck, we couldn’t let the wolves come across them.

I snarled, picking up my speed again.

If push came to shove, we needed to herd them in a different direction; we just couldn’t let them cross the barrier.

White flashed next to me, almost the same colour as the snow on the ground. Heath. He took the spot to my left, and I let out another howl, greeting my patrol.

The sounds of paws had doubled, the deadly rhythm louder than ever before, our pants a melody of doom, promising pain and death as we closed in on them.

Come on, I thought, pushing myself.

The barrier was fast approaching, and if Nix didn’t close it soon, we’d have to do it all again.

I took a decline with a jump, rolled through the snow and got back on my paws mere feet from the wolves.

Fear soured the air, their bravery long gone.

They were outnumbered.

I snarled and snapped at the tail in front of me.

Come on, Nix…

If I wanted to, I could jump on the wolf’s back, sink my fangs into his neck, subdue and kill him with one swift motion.

Rhett sped up, pulling up next to me, turning his head in my direction, then straight ahead, eyes filled with questions.

Electric crackling filled the air.

The barrier was close, a hum at the back of my mind.

What did we do if Nix didn’t get to the barrier in time? Did we risk walking into their trap? Did we end them now? Or did we let them leave again?

I snapped at a leg in front of me, my teeth scratching over fur.

A yelp echoed off the trees, a whimper.

Sour fear clouded my mind, so intense it blinded me for a moment.

A shiver ran down my body, the fur on the back of my neck rising as a pulse of pure energy washed through me and the screeching barrier quieted down. On my left, Heath shuddered, every muscle in his body tensing as a snarl ripped from his body, eyes blazing.