Page 23 of Shifter Situations

Injuries would do no good if they were so far gone that the animals couldn’t return to their skins. To be trapped inside your animal’s mind with no connection to the world around you would drive a shifter mad. Add that fucking drug into the mix, and it would be ten times worse.

Death was a kindness at this point.

As we waited for the Supreme Alpha to make a call, a black wolf slunk forward from the side of our cabin. He dropped a wad of cloth by the corner and continued approaching us. I pivoted my feet in the wolf’s direction, but Briggs touched my arm.

“That’s my brother. Check his mind.”

I heard no static. His mental voice was the same deep tone as my mate’s. When I asked him who he was, his eyes flew around our group until they landed on mine.

“Bay Elliott, she-wolf. Now get the fuck out of my head and stay out of my way.”

Charming.

Super fucking charming.

There was no way I could deny that he was Briggs’ brother.

I wanted to snort, but I turned my attention back to my Alpha. He’d issued three calls for a challenge and one official warning to leave or be met with force.

They weren’t leaving. We all knew it.

Just like Kadence’s army of vampires, someone within the pack had drugged and trained these shifters to act this way. I didn’t have a clue who, though I knew it was probably the same person—or people—who sent those idiots to our home to ask questions about Novak.

Dad growled, forced to stand witness, as per pack laws. He wouldn’t join either side unless necessary. I knew that being inactive would eat him up.

These rogues were his responsibility.

He’d find a way to place their deaths on his shoulders.

His upper lip curled to show his teeth as they elongated, and his voice thundered through the area with the force of his power.

“You have been informed to state your challenge. You have been asked to retreat. Each one of you has a single chance to turn and leave now.”

He paused to give them ample time to retreat, but none moved.

“As Supreme Alpha, I will be calling for the assistance of the supernatural creatures with me. They will face no charges as you have been deemed a threat to the pack.”

Fuck the formalities. My claws extended with my growing ire. Silver fur spotted my hands and arms as I held onto the last tether of control.

A smoke-gray wolf took one step past the line the rogue shifters had formed. The snapping of my control was nearly audible in my mind as I launched myself forward, shifting before my feet hit the ground.

Being able to switch from human to animal gave us the advantage in a one-on-one fight. Having lethal mates would be the most significant factor.

If I wasn’t in the fight myself…

If I could sit back and watch them fight…

I’d be dripping.

I slammed into the smoke-gray wolf, latching my teeth into his shoulder as sharp incisors broke through the flesh of my flank. Releasing my hold, I swung my head to nip the coyote on my ass.

The smoke-gray wolf darted away, making a bee-line for Palmer. Sweat beaded across my mate’s forehead as he threw bolt after bolt of bright orange power into a charging bear.

Rogues passed me as they sought out their prey.

They weren’t fighting against Briggs, Bay, or my dad.

They were only attacking Jack, Grim, and Blaire to get to my other mates.