Chapter Thirty-Seven: Fur, Fangs & Kill

Sophie's POV

The world spun around me, my ears ringing from the explosions before my brain could process the meaning of Marcus's "We're under attack."

"Move. NOW!" Marcus's grip on my arm was bruising as he yanked me toward the treeline. The elegant party had transformed into a war zone. Behind us, screams and gunfire created a horrifying symphony.

Then, through my dazed state, one clear thought broke through: Victoria. I'd seen her enter the main house just ten minutes ago.

"Wait!" I dug my heels in, nearly causing Marcus to stumble. "Victoria's still in the house!"

"For fuck's sake-" Marcus started, but I was already pulling away from him, dashing toward the house.

"I saw her go inside! We can't just leave her!"

Through the billowing smoke, I could just make out the facade looming ahead. I'd almost reached the front steps when a massive figure emerged from the shadows beside the entrance, moving with inhuman speed. My breath caught as the stranger's hand literally shifted before my eyes - fingers elongating into razor-sharp claws, skin rippling as fur burst through.

"Shit!" I barely had time to register the attack before those claws slashed through the air where my head had been a second ago. Only Marcus's lightning-fast reflexes saved me, yanking me backward as the attacker's claws ripped through empty air.

The figure who wore a mask snarled, lips pulling back to reveal fangs and lunging at me.

BANG!

The sound was deafening. The masked attacker's head snapped back, blood spraying in an arc, and he hit the ground with a heavy thud that made me flinch.

"Well well," a familiar voice drawled. "Looks like I interrupted something fun."

Adam from the side of the main house, looked like he'd gotten dressed in a hurricane. His shirt was buttoned wrong, his hair wild, and... was that a fucking hickey on his neck? I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

But the smoking gun in his hand said he wasn't completely useless. Like this wasn't his first armed combat.

"Inside." Marcus barked, ignoring his son's mess. "Now."

We entered, using the building as cover. More explosions rocked the night behind us, accompanied by growls and screams that definitely weren't human anymore. Adam took point, his gun steady as he cleared corners, while Marcus brought up the rear. I scanned the surroundings anxiously, but there was no sign of Victoria.

"Half-shift," Marcus ordered as we reached the relative safety of the building's lee. "Cover our six."

My eyes widened as father and son began to shift. The suits strained against bulging muscles as they grew several inches taller. Their hands morphed into claws, skin expanded and thickened into something armor-like. When Marcus glanced back, his eyes were not black anymore, burned like molten gold that made my knees weak.

"The forest." His voice had dropped an octave, rumbling with barely contained power. "They're trying to box us in."

As if to confirm his words, more masked figures emerged from the smoke. Five? No, six at least. All partially shifted like Marcus and Adam, but their movements were different - more coordinated, like they'd trained for this.

Marcus grabbed my arm, practically lifting me off my feet as we sprinted for the treeline. Adam took point while Marcus brought up the rear, scanning constantly. The sound of gunfire grew closer, punctuated by howls.

We made it about twenty yards into the forest before Marcus called a halt. "This isn't random," he growled, voice distorted by elongated fangs. "They knew exactly when to hit."

"You think they were waiting for all of us to be here?" I asked, trying to catch my breath. These heels were definitely not made for running through the woods.

"They're after one of you." Marcus's glowing eyes fixed on me. "Most likely you, given the timing."

"Me? Why would-"

"Questions later." Marcus cut me off, head snapping toward a sound I couldn't hear. "You two need to run. Now."

"What?! What about you?" I barely hesitated before blurting it out.

"I'll hold them off." His lips curved into something too feral to be called a smile. "Adam, get her to the safe place. Don't stop for anything."

"But-"

"Three." Marcus's body began to change, he started the full shift. "Two."

"Fuck this," I muttered, reaching down to yank off my heels. No way was I dying because of my stupid shoes. The forest floor was damp and cold under my bare feet, but at least I could actually run now.

Adam grabbed my arm. "Time to go, princess."

"ONE!"

We ran. The forest blurred around us as Adam practically dragged me along. We crashed through the undergrowth, branches whipping at my face. Behind us, I heard Marcus's transformation complete with a sound like thunder.

I couldn't help looking back. Oh my goddess.

Where Marcus had stood now towered a massive black wolf, easily twice the size of the normal wolves. At least five attackers emerged from the smoke and they were completely shifted too. But they didn't stand a chance. Marcus moved like a living shadow, his jaws closed around one wolf's throat with wet snap. Another lost an hind legs to those savage teeth.

I should have been horrified. Should have run screaming from this display of savage violence. Instead, I found myself mesmerized. I even felt my wolf stirred inside me, responding to his raw power with something that felt dangerously like longing. Was this what being an Alpha truly meant? Not the suits and business deals, but this primal dominance that made even trained assassins look like pups?

Then my racing thoughts shattered as I heard it - the sharp crack of a rifle. Marcus staggered.

"No!" The scream tore from my throat.