Page 25 of His Mark

All around me, the battle raged.

A blonde-colored wolf tackled a human, knocking him to the ground. The creature went for his throat, her jaws closing around him before he could fire. I turned away, not wanting to see him die, but a ferocious growl echoed through the air and my eyes shot right back to the scene.

Silas was there, a dark blur of muscle and fur.

He slammed into the wolf, his enormous frame sending her flying, her body hitting a tree with bone-shattering force. Before it could recover, he was on her again, his claws raking deep, his powerful jaws closing around her throat.

A single shake, a nauseating crack, and she went limp.

Silas turned, his head snapping in my direction, his fur streaked with blood. His golden eyes captured me, and for a split second, we just stared at each other.

Then a huge black wolf tackled him from behind.

I raised my gun, aiming fast, but they were already locked together, tearing into each other like fucking monsters, snow and fur flying as they rolled across the ground.

Silas was faster, twisting at the last second, his claws gouging into the other wolf’s shoulder. The black wolf let out a snarling roar, but Silas just fought harder.

He tore into the wolf’s side, his massive jaws sinking in, his fangs crushing bone.

The black wolf howled.

I didn’t wait to see the rest.

Another wolf was closing in—this one gray and lean, moving low through the fight, its eyes locked onto a woman fighting in a long dark coat as she cut down wolves with brutal efficiency.

No one else was dying tonight. Not if I had anything to say about it.

Then the wolf lunged.

I fired.

The first bullet hit the wolf’s hind leg, slowing it, but not stopping it. I fired again, aiming for the side, but it leapt unexpectedly and lunged at the woman, evading my shot entirely.

The woman twisted mid-step, dodging the attack like she had seen it coming. Then, in a blur of movement, she drove a long, curved knife into the wolf’s ribs, yanked it free, and slashed again, cutting deep.

The wolf collapsed at her feet.

She turned toward me, dark eyes scanning me from head to toe as she flicked blood from her blade. “Thanks.”

“Nice knife work,” I shot back, gripping my rifle.

The fighting raged around us, howls and gunfire splitting the air, but for a brief moment, she just studied me.

“You with the Resistance?” she asked.

I hesitated. “Not exactly.”

Her mouth twitched, like that amused her. “Then let’s just say you’re with me.”

She didn’t wait for an answer.

Another wolf charged toward us, and without hesitation, she pivoted fast, her coat whipping around her as she buried her knife in its throat. I took out another one coming up behind her, my gun cracking through the night.

We moved in sync, like we’d fought together a hundred times before.

Back to back, steel and bullets against fur and claws.

A reddish-brown wolf tried to barrel into us, its fangs flashing. The woman—whoever the hell she was—sidestepped at the last second, bringing her blade up in a smooth arc, slicing through its chest. The wolf reared back with a snarl, but before it could recover, I put three bullets into it.

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