Page 43 of The Wolf's Kidnapped Mate

Meticulously.

My senses told me the other two wolves weren’t with this one. He had gotten smart, but not the others. Gratitude filled me up as I thought of Fred’s efforts to protect us. He’d brought that whispering palm in the event that we would get caught in a trap—and we had. His forethought had saved us some time and cut our enemies down to one.

Unfortunately, it was the big enemy. It was the strong enemy.

It was a black wolf with red eyes and a guttural growl that made me shiver inside and out. Sniper action was more my speed. Yeah, I was trained in hand-to-hand. I had studied Krav Maga. I could slap somebody silly while doing my eyeliner.

But in wolf form, things were different. I used my claws and teeth. I used my body weight. I bopped people with my paws or slammed my head directly into them to crack some bones. Fred had done plenty to protect me, so it was up to me to protect him this time.

Growls vibrated my ear. Fred huffed and sniffed, getting into a defensive crouch to prepare for battle.

You’re supposed to be behind me, he said through our mental connection.

I grunted.I’m protecting you.

And people say chivalry is dead, he joked.

I snapped my jaws when the black wolf danced forward. He gnashed his jaws, teasing an attack that kept me on my toes. I marched with Fred to the left, keeping as close to him as physically possible while following his cues. We were so synchronized that we could have fooled any onlookers into believing we were the same creature.

The black wolf charged forward and stopped a foot short of us, swatting a giant paw at our heads. Fred and I ducked in tandem, shuffling to the right to avoid another swipe. The black wolf barked and then growled menacingly, revealing a maw full of sharp teeth.

We skittered back a few feet as the wolf advanced. Trees surrounded us, their thick trunks making it feel like we were trapped. Every time Fred bumped into a trunk, I got nervous, advancing slightly to snap at the wolf and then going back to my position under Fred’s throat.

I wouldn’t let him get hurt. Not after everything he had done for me.

Kylie, he said softly.You have to run.

My heart lurched.No!

The black wolf sprang forward, paws extending to catch us both. I ducked to the left while Fred ducked to the right, revealing a large trunk.Slam!The wolf collided with the trunk and howled, whirling about with wild eyes to get us in his line of sight again. Fred hopped around excitedly to get his attention.

All the while, he kept instructing me,Run now! Just run!

But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t leave him behind. He was the one with the safe house coordinates. He was the one with the satellite equipment.

He was the one who had held me tenderly not so long ago, after ravishing my body with his mouth.

How could I abandon him when he had given me so much?

Fred growled as he launched toward the wolf, landing on the back of the wolf’s neck. The enemy yowled while shaking around like a dog who had gotten soaked in the rain. Droplets of water trickled through the trees and splashed us in greater quantities every so often when one of the trees got tousled.

A branch crackled above. Leaves rained to the ground, signaling a hefty branch that snapped its way through the brush above. It slammed to the ground near the black wolf, sending him reeling back into another trunk. Triumph came over me then.Yes, that massive size wasn’t going to do him favors for very long.

He couldn’t maneuver in here with such a tight squeeze. But we could.

I darted forward and bit his ankles, trying my best to injure him in controlled blasts as Fred tore into the nape of his neck. Blood dripped to the ground, splattering the already darkened wet leaves, the smell of it overpowering the skunk urine and fearful sweat the three of us gave off.

Putrid heat met my snout in a flash—the wolf was facing me, canines exposed, long tongue leaping out to tap my nose.

He licked me.

Goddess no, the wolflickedmy snout.

Horror gripped me as I scooted back. He matched my every move, pacing himself while completely ignoring the rivers of blood now running around his eyes and over his nose. The smell of rusty copper mixed with the moisture of the earth, a terrifying tang that lingered over my tongue even when I tried to huff the scent out.

I could taste his blood. I could taste his anger.

And it made me fear for our lives.

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