Page 35 of Howling
When he doesn’t blink or acknowledge me, I barely resist the urge to kick the idiot.
“Now!” I infuse every ounce of alpha demand into that single word, gritting my teeth when it feels like I’ve been dunked in acid where the chains sear my flesh.
The blank expression on his face cracks, devastation darkening his green eyes…then he robotically turns on his heel, his movements jerky as he fights the command. When he vanishes into the darkness, my shoulders slump and I release a silent breath.
“Smart choice,” the Orion murmurs, hurrying me along. “I would hate to have to kill him.”
Fire burns in my veins at the casual mention of killing Foxy, and I’m so consumed by rage that I don’t protest being draggedbehind him. Instead, I focus on my escape…so I can beat his fucking ass for threatening my friend. Metal pings and cracks like water being poured over a hot surface, and the spells weaken enough that I feel lighter and lighter with each step.
Reaching up, I slowly unwind the first loop of chain, then the next, until I’m left holding almost the full length. We’re hauling ass toward the tree line, and I know if he takes me any farther, I will never be seen again. I wrap the chains around my fist, over and over again, then plant my feet.
When I stop moving, the Orion jerks to a halt and turns to glare at me over his shoulder. I don’t hesitate to sock him in the face. He staggers back from the blow, his grip loosening on my leash, but he doesn’t release me completely. Not waiting for him to recuperate, I lash out again, wrapping the length of the chain around his neck and wrenching back with all my strength.
He hisses in outrage, his pupils narrowing into slits until his beast is staring back at me. My eyes widen in surprise, and it’s only years of conditioning that keep me moving. I twist the chain around one of my hands, then let my fist fly.
The metal crashes into his temple hard enough that he grunts. His body folds up, dropping him to the ground, and his heavy ass nearly drags me down with him. While I might be powerful, I’m well aware that the chain is the only thing that allows me to get the upper hand. The spells etched into the metal land with the force of a baseball bat.
Not willing to take the chance that he’ll come after me again—not until I get far, far away—I crouch and haul the big lug upright, dutifully wrapping the chains around his chest over and over. When the two ends of the chain meets, they snap together like magnets.
When he slumps back to the ground, a muffled groan escapes him, and my gaze flashes to his face. Though he’s still out, hewon’t stay that way for long. A tiny trickle of blood seeps from a cut above his eye, and I grimace when I feel a pang of guilt.
He’s the bad guy.
He was going to return me to a life worse than any prison.
Regardless, the guilt doesn’t disappear.
Rising to my feet, I try to appease myself with the fact that he’s still alive—that’s more than what he deserves. Hidden by the shadows of the trees, I watch Foxy finish loading the car. Garth and Dante have shifted back to their human forms, the two of them covered in so much blood and gore that they resemble zombie rejects.
The men search the dead bodies, and I step deeper into the shadows, not wanting to draw their attention. Before I can escape, a hand latches onto my ankle. Jolting in surprise, I kick out with my boot before I process the thought, wincing when my foot crashes into the Orion’s face.
A grunt of pain rumbles in his chest, and I twist free of his hold, dancing out of reach…then blink in surprise when my leg holds my weight.
My eyebrows furrow, not comprehending how I’m still standing.
He had me in his grip—twice, really—and I’m relatively unhurt.
He had a chance to pulverize the bones of my ankle.
Fuck, he could’ve knocked me on my ass hard enough that I wouldn’t have woken up until we returned to Kyperian.
Instead, he’s the one on the ground, injured.
“There are more Orion after you.” He leans to the side, then spits out a glob of blood, not taking his eyes off me for a second. “They won’t stop coming for you.”
It’s both a threat…and a warning?
Magic ripples in the distance.
The wards.
More wolves are closing in fast—over thirty—heading this way from all directions, surrounding our location. Our attackers must have sent out a distress signal, or reinforcements came to check when the wolves never returned.
I glance at the car waiting in the driveway, then back into the woods behind me. If I were smart, I would leave now, put as much distance between me and the Orion as possible.
And yet I hesitate.
If I leave, Dante, Garth, and Foxy will be at the mercy of the pack. Instead of running, the trio searches the ground, as if looking for any sign of me, and I very much doubt the stubborn assholes will leave without me.
