Ch. 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:
~Drake:
I may die of frustration before the Lycaon kill me. Trying to understand all the thoughts in anyone’s mind is hard enough - but in my elusive mate? Almost impossible. I hold on to the hope that my guesses are correct - that she likes me but is holding back because of something in her past, that she wants to trust but needs me to keep pushing until her worries are resolved. But there’s nothing telling me I’m not totally wrong. So I keep pushing - right?
When she said the words, ‘I’m sorry,’ I almost opened my mouth in shock. But I didn’t want to scare her off or send her on a tirade. I needed to watch myself to not change the atmosphere at all until she elaborated.
She rambled and I listened to it all, trying to take in everything I could from her perspective. It was amazing progress, but Dane reminded me of the threat looming closely, and I knew we would have to prioritize leaving and getting her somewhere safe before I went back and hunted every one of those threatening to harm her. Dane had a huge surge of bloodlust and images were sent to my mind of destroying every last Lycaon member, blood pooling all around. I had to hold it all back before involuntarily smiling at the thought.
My perceptive mate noticed and Dane pushed forward without much warning. Watching what happened next from our shared eyes made me happy but jealous. How come they seemed to move much faster than we did? What was he doing right? Or what was I doing wrong?
I think she likes me better, Dane sent me the thought, and I pushed to take over again.
We’ll see about that, I quipped back.
We spent the next hour making a game plan while I itched to leave this place. Freckles insisted I have a fake identity all set up before we figure out how far we’re going. This contact of hers could respond back and say they’re here in this state or in another, we needed to wait and see.
I was lying down trying to breathe through the building urgency when I felt it.
Someone’s here, Dane announced in alarm at the same moment I sat up.
A few moments later we’re outside, my mate trying to get past me while my instincts to protect her are on overdrive. I know she’s more than capable, but it doesn’t help calm my instincts. After more pushing from her I begrudgingly moved away from her. A beat later she moved back towards the stairwell, likely headed to the opposite set of stairs. I follow her steps with my hearing as she backtracks while I push myself to move forward. I need to take at least a few of these guys down.
I’ll be the distraction. I need to get out first. Moving quickly I head down the steps and take a fast survey of the area. It’s dark and there aren’t many lights on here. My wolf hearing picks up conversations and television infomercials behind a few doors but the motel is pretty empty for the number of rooms here. The wooded area looms ahead, sending my heart into a frenzy just thinking about all the threats in there trying to hurt my mate. Anger rises in Dane at their audacity.
My paws gently move across the concrete of the parking lot, the asphalt of the street, and the earth of the forest, as I walk alongside the buildings using the cars for as much cover as they could possibly give me. I breathe deeply, searching for anything - my mate, the Lycaon, but nothing is super clear.
We move further out, following Dane’s instincts, and as we strain our senses, it’s faintly there. The smell of wolves.
Anger hits me forcefully and it sets us off. Dane takes control shooting off in that direction. With an open maw we charge right at the nearest wolf.
Another on the left!, I shout to Dane.
He moves with fluidity. We’re an angel of death. Quick, ruthless, and with boundless strength. One after the other we take down the threats in these woods. Silence surrounds us outside the sound of creatures gurgling on their own blood.
After the fifth wolf we’ve taken down by the throat, our hairs stand on end. Something is coming. The second I have the thought, Dane pushes into the earth and shoves us to the right. Crack! A bullet pierces the bark of a tree to our side. I don’t need to look to know it’s silver.
I pick up my mate’s scent - it’s tainted a bit, with sweat and I begin to worry until I realize it’s not hers. It’s someone else’s sweat. What is she doing out there?
Dane moves again just in time to avoid another shot.
Alright, now I’m just pissed off, Dane growls.
We see red.
The rest is a blur of trees, flesh and blood. I’m somewhere far back in our mind as Dane rages out. We tear flesh, snap bones with our jaw, toss loose limbs far off, and push forward. The four that corner us next don’t understand what they’re dealing with. Squaring off we move quickly, snapping at one wolf’s leg until we have it, digging our teeth in deep and throwing him at another wolf snapping at our back leg.
Stand down!, Dane commands through a nonexistent link.
But somehow they hear him. And the remaining two bare their necks. If I were in control my jaw would hit the floor. Dane shows no mercy, destroying every last bit of these two wolves who had already surrendered.
A waft of mint catches our attention then, it’s much stronger, she’s much closer. We take off in her direction, wild and snarling.
We surprise a sharpshooter on the way, and in one strategically angled leap, his human neck is cracked, his head in our maw, the tail end of a barely-begun scream dies off as we crunch down on his head. Tossing his dismantled form, we push on.
The sight of her sets everything right and allows me to come forward again. Still in wolf form we make our way over to where she stands, surrounded by six or seven bodies lying lifelessly on the ground around her. They’re still alive. Their breathing and heartbeats make that clear. But my mate stands before them, hair lifted and eyes aglow, one hand in a fist over her chest, and the other clenched at her side.
Perfect, Dane purrs.
Her eyes dart over to me and I watch her breathe out one slow breath. I find my body mirroring her movements and I feel a wave of relief now that I have my eyes on her. She is breathtaking. And the small smile creeping into her face sets my heart on fire. She seems relieved that I am here. She wants me here. Her eyes narrow and she turns to something… How could a creature so captivating, so mysterious, so powerful, be my ma-.
I’m knocked off my feet and hit something hard. My eyes fight the darkness and I battle for air. After too long I force air into my lungs, feeling stinging pain all along my side.
Silver bullets, Dane says hoarsely.
My mate! I push up with everything I have to protect her. Did they hit her too?!
I use our rage to give us the strength to turn our body, pushing down into the ground, legs wobbly but working. She’s not there.
Fear like I’ve never known before strikes our body right down to our nervous system. It’s like our body is short circuiting. Before I can react I see a blinding light explode as my mate’s scream pierces the sky.
“NO!” her voice echoes through my bones as I lose my footing.