Page 36 of Dark Wolf Soul
In the next second, whoever’s holding my arm releases his grip, and I tumble toward the floor, knowing with startling clarity that it won’t be fast enough or far enough to avoid the attack that’s coming.
Behind me, someone yells, and then, as my body slams into the concrete floor, an ear-splitting howl rings out and then goes abruptly silent. I wince, curling into a ball on the cold floor as I wait for sharp teeth to sink into my flesh.
Instead, hands grasp my shoulders, and I snap, swinging out and thrashing against my attacker.
“Whoa.”
Through my hair covering my eyes, I see Grey’s lanky friend trying to help me up. I shove him back, scratching at his wrists until he gives up and backs away.
Then, Grey is there, dressed in nothing but a pair of shorts, reaching down and pulling me up with an iron grip that no amount of fighting will loosen. He crushes me to his chest in an embrace that feels a lot like relief.
“You okay?” he asks, the words still muffled in my ears.
I don’t answer.
“Did he hurt you?” he presses, releasing me far enough to look into my eyes.
I glare up at him, fear and shock and confusion whirling into a rage that has me balling up my fists and preparing to aim them at his face. It’s so much—Claire and Trucker and the wolf and nearly being killed. I can’t process it fast enough, and nothing makes sense.
Grey watches me with enough worry to make me believe he actually cares about whether I live or die—but that’s wrong. It has to be wrong.
Nothing about this night is right.
Then he moves, and I catch sight of the body on the floor beside him.
The man—Trucker—is back in human form. Naked, facedown, and coated in his own blood. If there’s a wound, I can’t even see it through the layers of blood and grime.
My stomach rolls, and I look away.
That man died tonight… because he tried to kill me. Grey killed him to protect me.
My confusion wins out just as a warm hand lands on my shoulder.
“Lexi.” Grey’s voice is gentle, but after the point-blank murder he just committed, I don’t care how nice he talks to me.
I don’t care about him at all.
He was protecting me. But it doesn’t change what he did. Who he is.
Does it?
The confusion pisses me off, and I’m left with only my anger to protect me. So, I use it. I funnel it all into hating the man whose fault it is I’m here at all.
“Take me away from here,” I demand. “Take us,” I correct icily, glancing back at Claire, who is trembling while silent tears track down her cheeks.
She looks like I feel.
I grab her hand and pull her close.
Her skin is cold, but she doesn’t fight me holding onto her. If anything, she tucks herself in tighter against me.
Grey looks from her to me and nods then leads us out of the room. His friends part to let us pass. No one speaks though they cast me heavy looks that I resolutely ignore.
Fuck them.
Fuck this whole crazy-ass city full of violence.
The guy who met us at the door earlier follows us back out again. The other two stay behind, and I refuse to let myself think about what they’ll do with Trucker’s body.
