Page 86 of Starting a New Life

Next to me, Rhett started howling too, then Heath, then Jasper. Angelo joined with a roar, and soon the woods were haunted by our voices, by our song of triumph.

Mate. Safe.

Nix was finally free.

I stepped back, teeth bared, scanning the forest outside the barrier.

Had they seen it?

Had they seen what happened?

I snarled.

They certainly hadn’t tried to help.

Cowards, my wolf supplied, and I couldn’t disagree. They’d watched their packmates getting slaughtered and hadn’t even tried to intervene. Hadn’t tried to help.

My blood was pumping, anger rising.

What kind of pack was that?

An ATV rumbled behind me, approaching our location fast.

Mate. My wolf said what I already knew. I felt it. The tugging and pulling in my chest, the urge to turn around and head into the woods to meet him.

I wanted to, but I couldn’t, not until we’d talked to the remaining cowards and informed them what would happen if they ever dared come back.

The rumbling got louder, shredding my focus. I couldn’t help but turn my head in the direction of the ATV. Why was my father bringing Nix? He didn’t need to see this bloodbath—or did he?

I snarled, turning back to the barrier, watching for signs of life in the woods outside. Nothing. I couldn’t scent them, couldn’t see them, but I knew they were there.

I let out one last howl, then changed back to human and walked up to the barrier until the humming surrounded me. One step more and my nose would touch it.

“Come out!” I shouted into the seemingly empty forest, rage bubbling over. “Come out, you fucking cowards, or I swear I’ll drag you here.”

Awful wolves without a shred of honour. Disgraces, all of them.

Nothing.

I seethed, scanning the forest, but there was nothing except for bare trees and thick underbrush.

The rumbling got louder, headlights illuminating the trees outside the barrier.

Was there a shadow? There had been movement, right? I squinted my eyes, but couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

The hair on my neck rose as the tugging in my chest got stronger. The closer Nix got, the more nervous I got.

He shouldn’t be here. That was not the plan. The plan had been for him to close off the barrier and head back to the packhouse, where he was safe.

I growled in frustration, turning my attention back to the forest.

“You are fucking disgraceful cowards! Show yourselves and talk to me! Who knows, we might have something you want.”

Not that they’d get Nix. Over my dead body.

Protect mate, my wolf snarled, hackles raised as we waited.

Nothing happened, but I knew they were there.