Chapter 60

“Is that Bianca?” Rune asked as they watched the human climbing out of the hayloft. “What the fuck? She’s going to get herself killed.”

Reylin shot out of the barn, in her wolf form, running for her life. Three large bitten males chased her. Rune’s vision hazed with rage.

The brothers exchanged a glance, and in the wordless communication they often shared, they rushed from the hiding spot in unison. There was no time to wait for the rest of the pack. Rune’s heart beat so fast he hurt as panic swelled in him. When this was over he wasn’t waiting for Reylin to come to terms with her destiny. He never wanted to feel this terrified again. She was his soul.

The enemy males turned toward them as the wind carried their scent downhill. A big one, still in his human form, rushed Tristian. Using his advantage, Tristian took on his wolf form, and his attacker screamed the moment the wolf sank his fangs into the man’s throat. Tristian took down the bitten male with a horrific beauty, and the man died gurgling on blood. Tristian usually avoided violence. Through the shared link, Rune felt his brother’s fear and panic.

ReylinReylinReylinReylin. She was their heartbeat. Her danger was pure torture. Rune dodged as another bitten came at him, swinging. Rune stayed human because the man needed to see she was okay with his eyes, but the animal wanted out.

Tristian weaved erratically as he diverted his path from Reylin. Rune shot a glance in the direction his brother’s wolf ran. His nostrils flared and his lips compressed in a thin line of rage. One of their pack, one of the weakest of the pack, was in danger. Every ounce of his loyalty to his alpha roared to life.

Bianca lay under a huge male. He was a bitten, but strong. Bianca was doing well holding her own against the man, but he seemed to be playing with her as he snapped at her with his human mouth. A look of amusement covered his face. She slugged the bitten in the jaw, and he laughed, making it clear he enjoyed her distress. The male started to take on the wolf, and Bianca bucked under him, slapping and screaming.

Kane Wolfe ran past Rune in the direction of Bianca and the bitten. The old wolf left a trail of blood, but he ran faster than a shifter half his age. The bitten toying with Bianca glanced in Kane’s direction, smiled as the last of his mutation took him into his monstrous half-human, half-animal form, and sank his teeth into Bianca’s arm.

“Fuck it all to hell!” Rune growled. The distraction of Reylin had made both twins fail at prioritizing the danger. Now it was too late. Live or die, Bianca would change. He and Tristian had focused on their woman and cost Law his. “Damn it!”

Rune glanced between Tristian and Reylin. Tristian tackled the wolf who’d bitten Bianca. Rey screamed. The bitten snapped at Tristian, but then Kane was there, standing next to Bianca and guarding her from further attack. Rey screamed again, and Rune ran toward the sound of her terror.

He opened his soul to his primal form, and the adrenaline burned away the pain as the wolf claimed him so completely he had trouble thinking.

Save. Kill. Save. Mine. Ours. Reylin. Three big bitten bastards had her pinned to the ground. She was in her human form, and so were they. One of them fumbled with his fly, and Rune’s wolf saw the world in a red distortion of pure hatred. He sprang on the asshole who had the audacity to attempt to rape his woman.

Reylin kicked one of the men in the groin. He yelped and growled as he began to take on his wolf. She screamed again as the other man ripped away the blanket she’d wrapped herself in. The smell of her fear made Rune’s heart beat so fast he hurt. Mine. Mine. Mine. Watching these invaders touch her was like ants under his skin, and the tension coiled in his body like a snake ready to strike.

Rune went berserk as he ripped the throat out of the man he’d pounced on and pinned down. The male gurgled, and blood spurted up out of the wreckage of his still-human throat. Rune turned to the bitten males on his woman, and without a thought to Rey seeing him as a savage, he leaped on the one changing, sinking his fangs into his opponent’s shoulder. The man half-screamed, half-growled.

A brief flash of pride floated into his consciousness as Rey managed to fight her way out from under the other male. She kept the wolf away long enough for Rune to dispatch the one he fought and attack the last enemy. He allowed his most savage instincts to have free rein, and he ripped the bastard’s belly open. The man was only starting to transmute so his face contorted in a hideous, twisted combination of man and animal that was all suffering.

Rey stood in the rain, naked. Any remaining rogue wolves fled, and she paid them no attention as she stumbled toward Tristian. Kane was still in his animal form as he ran beside Tristian.

Tristian held Bianca’s unconscious form. “Bitten,” he panted. “Bitten.”

Rune returned to his humanity. The cold hit his delicate human skin as the rain pelted him harder. “We need to get her someplace warm.”

The strength of the human and the amount of the saliva transmitted would determine how long the change took. Many humans died. But Bianca came from a pure bloodline, so she had a good chance of surviving.

Lightning lit the sky. Rune blinked water out of his eyes. He looked around, feeling helpless. “The barn. Get her to the barn.”

Reylin ran ahead. Kane stayed close to Tristian.

“We need to get Law. He’s hurt, but having her mate close will help with the change,” Tristian said.

“I don’t want to leave Rey,” Rune admitted.

Tristian nodded. “You know she’s ours, right? I won’t let anything happen to her, and I won’t press some kind of advantage while she’s vulnerable and afraid.”

“Reylin Foster is many things, bro, but afraid isn’t one of them.”

Tristian snorted. “You’ve got me there. Yeah, not afraid, but vulnerable nonetheless. She’s ours.”

Frowning, Rune nodded. “Okay, I’m going, but if you need me, I’ll know.”

“I’m counting on it. Run safe.”

“Always.” Rune let the wolf take him as fast as he could go toward home.

* * * *

Reylin found some blankets and clothing left behind by the assholes who’d kidnapped Bianca. She spread the blankets in the middle of the floor. She shivered, both from the cold and from the sight of the empty cells surrounding her. This wasn’t the optimal place for a change, but if anyone could make it, Bianca could.

When Tristian walked in her mouth went dry. His body was beautiful, and his presence chased away her fears. His nearness feels so right. Damn it. Just…damn it. Reylin frowned.

Tristian’s eyes narrowed. “What’s wrong?”

Heat filled Reylin’s cheeks. “Nothing. I just wish we had someplace better for her to go through this.”

Kane lay next to the blankets Rey had put down, and Tristian settled Bianca gently on the pile. She groaned, but her eyes remained closed.

“Did she hit her head or something?” Rey put her hand on her friend’s forehead. “She’s burning up.”

“She’s fighting the change. I’ve seen it before. It’s never good.” Tristian sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he stood. “If we lose her, Law will never forgive us.”

Rey glanced at Kane. “Neither will Kane.”

The wolf whined and laid his head on his paws. He was healed now and could go back into his human form. What are you playing at, Kane?

Tristian picked up a pair of jeans from the pile of left-behind items. “At least these jerks were prepared. Do you think there’s anything in that cooler over there?” He pointed toward the corner of the barn. “We should try to get her to drink some water.” When Tristian turned his attention back to Rey, he gazed at her naked body with appreciation. “Cold? I’m not complaining, I just don’t want you to get sick.”

Rey was used to being naked with the pack, but Tristian was another story. The flush burned hotter in her cheeks as she nodded. She caught the large shirt Tristian threw at her and slipped it on over her head.

“Could you hand me the belt?” she asked.

He walked over with the strip of leather she indicated, and she used it to give the makeshift dress a waistline and keep the fabric in place.

Bianca’s teeth chattered, and Reylin touched her, realizing that while her forehead was on fire her hands were as cold as ice. “We need to get her out of these wet clothes. Grab me that flannel shirt.”

Tristian handed her the red and black fabric before helping her get the wet clothing off Bianca. Nudity wasn’t the same taboo in the shifter community it was in the human population, but Reylin still hurried to shield her friend from view out of deference to her modesty.

Once they had Bianca redressed some of her shivering subsided, but Kane moved to lay next to the unconscious human. Rey tucked the blanket around Bianca and the wolf. There wasn’t much more she could do at this point, nothing but pray; it was up to Bianca if she lived or died. Keeping her hydrated and comfortable gave her the best shot at surviving.

Tristian’s brow furrowed. He went over to the cooler and returned with two bottles of water. He knelt and helped Reylin pour a little water between Bianca’s lips. She coughed for a moment, but then swallowed. Reylin let go of the breath she’d unconsciously held.

Tristian nodded. “Good.” He helped Rey lay Bianca back down. “She’s going to come out of this. Hell, she’s Tobias’s daughter and Law’s mate. The woman has strength.”

Biting her lip, Reylin didn’t say anything about Bianca’s true paternity. The wolf looked up at her and Rey had the craziest feeling Kane wanted her to correct Tristian, but she didn’t. She shrugged. “Yeah, but she’s family, and I hate to see her suffer. Not everyone who’s bitten and survives handles the wolf well. She won’t be ready for the surges of emotion and instinct. I liked her human, and so did Law. I don’t want her to change.”

Tristian came over and knelt beside Rey. He pulled her close. “Everyone changes over time. Sometimes they grow and learn from experience, sometimes they don’t. Bianca seems like a nice woman. I don’t know her well, but I see how good she is for Law. I see how close the two of you have grown. You’ve never had many female friends, and that tells me there’s something special about her. You won’t lose what you love about her, and neither will Law.”

Somehow intuitive Tristian had found the heart of her worry perfectly. He always had a way of seeing deeply into any situation and calling out the truth from the lies. That was what made turning away from him and Rune so hard. He saw through her bullshit. Rey shivered, but it wasn’t from the cold.

“I’m afraid for her,” she admitted.

Tristian kissed her temple. “I know.” He gently pushed her hair off her neck and kissed her under the ear. “We’re connected.”

She trembled in his arms. “I won’t choose.”

“We don’t need you to. We’ve always shared well.” He pulled her closer.

Rey pressed her lips together and turned so her face nuzzled his neck. He smelled so good. He felt like home and summer and happiness. Tristian felt like her future.

“Stop doing this to me,” she whispered.

“I’m not doing anything. It’s only natural to feel like this around your mate.”

“A wolf doesn’t have two mates. It’s not right.” She started to pull away, but he held her to him for a second before he released her.

Rey stood and rubbed her arms. She turned away from him, trying to clear her head.

Tristian came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “When you were in danger I lost my head. Because I lost my head, Bianca might die. I don’t know how Law lets his mate stay human and manages to function. You’re my entire world, whether you like it or not. Rune and I share a soul. You know our connection is rare. We’ve always shared everything, so is it such a stretch for us to share you?”

“Yes!” Angry, her wolf felt cornered, and that made her want to lash out at him, until she looked into his beautiful eyes. He had a brown eye on the right and a blue eye on the left, the opposite of his twin. She took his stubbled face in her hands. “You ask too much of me. My heart tells me to accept you, both of you, but my head tells me I can’t live the rest of my life with the pack looking down on me. I won’t raise my family without my pack.”

Tristian grinned. “Family? One step at a time, sweetheart.”

Heat bloomed in her cheeks again, much to her annoyance. Rey let out an irritated huff of breath. “We need to focus. Bianca needs us, and—”

She didn’t get to finish because Tristian pulled her to him for a rough kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Electricity shot through her body, and she moaned against his mouth.

Kissing him felt wrong because Rune wasn’t there. She pushed him away, feeling like a cheater and confused as hell. He took a step toward her.

“Don’t.” Rey couldn’t stand the hurt in his expression. “Just don’t.”

“Sorry,” he grumbled. “I’m going for a run to make sure none of the other pack are around.”

Tristian stripped and took on his animal form midstride as he left the barn. She watched the wolf run through the rain.

“What the hell are we doing?” Reylin muttered before she turned and went to check on Bianca.