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“Drive!” I roar toward the bus. “Drive!”

The warrior behind the wheel moves immediately. The bus surges forward.

“Daddy!” Milo's voice comes through an open window.

Michael turns. “Milo, stay down!”

The bus passes us. “Now!” Joshua shouts. We run. I catch the edge of one open window and throw myself through. Joshua and Michael jump through other open windows almost simultaneously, our reflexes carrying us inside as the bus accelerates away from the hunters.

I hit the aisle hard and roll onto one knee. Joshua lands several seats ahead. Michael is already moving toward Paige, Milo, and Piper. “Everyone stay down!”

Paige pulls both children against her. Michael reaches them and drops beside their seat. “I'm here.” Milo grabs him. I turn toward the rear windows. The hunters are coming after us.

I establish a mindlink with everyone on the bus. “Stay low. Keep the pups and elders down. Warriors, protect the windows.”

My wolf pushes close. Protect them.

I reach for Rylan and send him our location. “Rylan, we're under attack. Here are our coordinates. Send reinforcements.”

Silence. “Darian, if this is about the tutus...”

Michael snaps into the link. “We’re under attack! It's hunters! Send reinforcements! I've got my family here! Hurry!”

The amusement vanishes from Rylan's voice. “I'm sending them now.”

Something slams into the side of the bus. People scream. “Down!” More impacts strike the metal. A window shatters. A warrior throws himself over two children as glass rains across the seats. The driver swerves.

“Keep moving!” Joshua shouts. Another impact. Then something hits beneath us. The rear of the bus jerks violently.

My wolf screams inside me. Brace!

The bus tilts. I grab the nearest seat. Someone screams. Metal shrieks. The world turns sideways. Then upside down. My head strikes something hard. The mindlink disappears. Sound returns first. Crying. Groaning. Someone screaming for their mother. I force my eyes open. The bus is on its side. Blood runs into one eye. My shoulder burns, and every breath sends pain through my ribs.

You're stronger than this. Get up.

“I am.” I push onto my knees.

“Everyone!”

“Darian!” A warrior answers from the rear.

“Get them out!” I climb over a broken seat.

“Children and elders first! Anyone who can move, help someone who can't!”

Joshua is already pulling a man through a shattered window. Michael shoves broken glass away with his arm and reaches for Piper.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Paige passes Piper to him, then Milo.

I grab an older woman beneath her arms and lift her toward one of the warriors outside. “Take her.” Another shot strikes the bus.

“Move faster!” We pull the last pack member out. I count. Twenty. All alive. Several bleeding. One man can barely stand. An elder's arm hangs wrong. A woman has blood covering half her face. But alive.

The hunters appear through the trees.

“Shift!” Joshua orders. The warriors obey. Bones crack. Bodies change. Wolves surround the pack members. “Anyone who can't run, get on a wolf!” I shout. “Children too!”

Milo is lifted onto the back of one wolf. Piper goes onto another. An injured elder is helped across a third. Two women climb behind other riders, gripping fur as the wolves crouch low enough to let them mount.