Trust No One
*Rowan*
I rush out of the house in my human form, but I shift the moment I reach the yard, shredding the clothes I’d bothered to put on before running outside. I know that Hezzlie is hot on my heels, and I want to wait for her, but there are enemy wolves in my yard. They’re not just in my territory–they’re actually fucking in my yard.
I immediately engage with the first one that’s free. My warriors have shifted and are attacking. I see Dean in the distance, tearing the throat out of a large black wolf. I flip the gray one I’ve runned into onto his back and snip at his neck. He kicks me off, but I fly back to my feet before he can get to me. This time, I overcome him, and the taste of his coppery blood floods my mouth.
I have a moment to look around and see James still in his human form rushing some of the maids and other servants toward the mansion. He’s almost there, but in a blur of fur and teeth, a large wolf comes rushing at him from the woods. I recognize the bastard immediately. It’s Zeb, and he doesn’t care that those are innocent women and elderly people who haven’t even shifted that he’s roaring toward.
I turn and run in that direction, but I don’t make it far before I see Zeb go flying through the air. He crashes into a tree about fifty yards away, and it’s clear that asshole is out cold. Now is my chance to rip his fucking head off.
Turning and looking over my shoulder, I see Hezzlie still in her human form standing near the house. She nods at me, and I rush off toward Zeb.
But before I can get there, several of his men have shifted back into their human form and are gathering him up. Two large dark wolves leap in front of me, their teeth gleaming in the moonlight. I need to get to that asshole before it’s too late. These two wolves aren’t as big as I am, but together, they are a menacing pair.
Without backing down, I rush the one on the left, knocking his front legs out from under him. He falls on top of me, and I flip him over so that he hits his companion. The two of them tumble together, and I take off toward Zeb again.
I’ve taken about three strides when a sharp pain in my tail. I turn around and one of them has his teeth sunk into me. I snip at his snout, and then the other wolf goes flying off, and I know he’s not a threat anymore.
But Hezzlie can’t take care of this bastard who’s chomping on my tail right now because she might get me. So, I turn and fight him, sinking my teeth into his front right leg until he lets go of my tail. Then, I ram him with my shoulder and knock him over. He falls onto his back, and I sink my teeth into his neck, tugging out his larynx. My mouth fills with blood, and I spit it back in his face before I turn and run after Zeb.
I tear through the woods, my snout to the ground so that I can sniff him out. The humans carrying him are not as fast as I am, and soon enough, I can see them nearing the fence between my territory and theirs.
They’re not going to make it, though. Even if they drop Zeb and shift, I will defeat all of them. Snarling, I pick up speed, and I’m just about to run into them when a bright light from the other side of the fence, and the next thing I know, I’m flying backward. I slam into the ground, my head spinning, but whoever tossed me, and I have to think it must be Alistair, isn’t as strong as Hezzlie, and in a moment, I’m up.
But Zeb and his cronies are gone.
I shake myself off and pull myself up to my feet. I don’t want to give up. If I need to, I can cross this fence and take off after them. Maybe I can find them. I still might have the chance to kill Zeb while he’s weak.
I look around, hoping that some of my warriors are nearby. But they’re not. I’m all alone out here, and it would be really stupid of me to cross that fence and go after him, even though I really want to.
With a deep breath, I turn around and head back to the house.
When I get there, I spot several dead wolves lying here and there. None of them appear to be ours, thank the Goddess. The fighting has died down. In the distance, I hear howls and begin to get mind-link messages from some of my men that they are in pursuit and strengthening the protection at the border.
There are some wounded and dead there. James is already taking off in his wolf form, carrying his medical bag in his teeth. A stream of other healers run along with him. For a second, I consider trailing them, but then I see Hezzlie slumped against Mara near the house, pretty close to where she was standing when she started to use her powers to protect others, and I know I can’t go anywhere.
I rush over, and my sister assures me, “She’s okay. She just exhausted herself again. She’s breathing. She’s fine.”
I nod my head and take a few steps closer, but my sister holds up a hand to stop me.
“Rowan, you’ve got blood all over you,” she cautions me. “Go clean up. I’ve got her.”
I look at my sister, the woman who killed my mother, and in the back of my mind, it occurs to me that I have no idea how Solomon knew that we were celebrating tonight. Someone here had to tell him. Could it have been her? Can I trust her with my unconscious fiancee?
“Go on,” she says. “She’s fine. You can trust me.”
I stare at her a beat longer, not sure I can trust her.
Not sure I can trust anyone.
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