Needing to be as silent as possible, I slowed, not wanting to stumble upon an attacker. It wasn’t as if they would be broadcasting their location to me.
The fighting sounded like a drum pounding.
Overwhelming.
Devastating.
Heartbreaking.
When I came close to breaking through the trees, an unfamiliar musky stench almost made me gag, stopping me in my tracks.
The attackers were definitely wolf shifters, but I didn’t know their scents.
I squatted and removed the knife that I kept holstered around my ankle. Having it brought me comfort, and I never left the house without the weapon. Not even when Zoe, my best friend, gave me shit, asking what kind of critter would be brave enough to attack us.
I bet she’d changed her tune now.
“The girl has to be here somewhere,” a male whispered. “I think I’ve found her scent heading into the woods.”
“Maybe she ran,” someone with a deeper voice responded. “The alpha, Arian, may have told her to leave.”
I peeked from around a tree and saw two men dressed in all black and wearing ski masks, standing in my backyard. They were both over six feet tall, like Dad, and were muscled and stout, even more than most shifters. Whoever these assholes were, they worked out a lot, which alarmed me. That could mean they’d been training intensely for something.
A shiver ran down my spine as I realized they might know what we were.
But again, that shouldn’t be possible. Everyone outside of our pack thought our kind had died off. Still… they knew my dad’s name.
Breathe, Sterlyn. If I let my emotions get the best of me, they’d find me and do who knew what else. I clutched the hilt of the knife, holding it so I could use the blade easily if needed.
I couldn’t see anyone else from this position, which aggravated me. I didn’t want to shift-at least, not yet-in case they didn’t know what we were. Dad? I tried to link to him again.
Instead of a response, more screams filled the air, sounding like they came from the front of my house. The breeze changed direction, blowing against me and toward the two pricks.
Dammit, I had to make my move fast.
“Her scent grows stronger this way.” The speaker lifted his black mask, revealing an auburn goatee, and stopped it at his nose. He sniffed deeply. “She smells like freesia.”
“Are you being serious?” The other guy reached over and yanked the first man’s mask back down.
“Freesia? What’d you do, go paint your nails with your mom before heading over here?”
My pack was being slaughtered by dumbasses who wore all black during the day and argued about scents.
The enemy didn’t even feel bad about decimating my pack. What kind of heartless bastards were they? Rage coiled tightly around me, and I dug my fingernails into my free palm, making blood pool at my fingertips.
I took a few steps deeper into the woods and then moved toward them, hoping to catch them off guard.
“Don’t be an asshole, Earl,” Goatee scoffed. “I’m saying she smells pretty. Maybe I’ll get a chance to breed with her.”
Nausea rolled in my stomach. Why was he talking about breeding?
“Then say that. That’s at least acceptable, and don’t get your hopes up. They already have someone in mind for her.” The other guy shook his head. “Stop being an idiot. I got you on this crew, and you better not make me look bad. One more stupid move, and I’ll kill you myself.” He headed toward me.
I crouched behind some brush. Once they got near, I’d strike at the smarter one-Earl-before going after Goatee.
Forcing myself to breathe slowly, I let calm float throughout my body.
Earl lifted his hand, signaling Goatee to stop. He stalked toward me, his yellow eyes searching the brush.
He was about ten feet away, but I needed him closer. With Goatee nearby, I needed to strike fast and hard. Taking him out on the first shot was crucial. Otherwise, it would be two on one, and I didn’t like those odds.
Goatee moved gracefully beside Earl. Maybe he wasn’t as stupid as I thought.
Earl glanced at his friend. “She’s close-”
His distraction was all that I needed. I lunged forward and slammed the knife into Earl’s chest, stabbing him in the heart.
“What-” His words garbled as he snapped his head back toward me. His eyes widened, and he looked at his chest, blood already soaking his shirt.
“Shit!” Goatee screeched.
I wrapped my hands around the hilt of the knife and pulled back hard. A sickening sucking followed by a crackle sounded before the knife slid from his chest.
Blood gushed as Earl pressed his hands to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
Walking past him, I readied the knife in my hand as Goatee charged.
“You bitch,” he growled and reached for my throat.
I dodged him and straightened, slamming my elbow into the back of his head. He fell to his knees, and I grabbed the material and hair at the back of his head.
“You’re going to pay,” he growled.
Irrational anger. Perfect. That meant I had the upper hand.
He jumped to his feet and snatched my hair.
Dammit, I should’ve pulled it up. I jerked my head away, but he held tight and yanked me toward him.
Fighting dirty it would be.
I pretended to trip and fall toward him. He leaned forward, his chest helping to steady me, and spread his legs apart.
As my shoulders connected with him, I lifted my leg, kneeing the asshole right in the balls. I didn’t feel much of anything, but he released his hold and grabbed his family jewels like he actually had some.
Interesting. Either way, my plan had worked.
I punched him, and he tipped over, landing face first. Unable to bring myself to kill the asswipe now that he was the only one left, I kicked him in the head, knocking him out.
I surveyed the area, anticipating another attack, but all I could see was the man I’d killed moments ago. Hysteria clawed inside me at what I’d done.
We trained to fight, but I’d never killed anyone. I’d prayed every night that I would never have to. Obviously, my prayers hadn’t been answered.
“Sterlyn!” Dad called.
His comforting voice snapped me back to the present. I turned to face him…and almost wished I hadn’t.
Blood stained his white shirt, and he clutched his side, grimacing with every move he made toward me. “You need to go now.” His normally silver eyes looked more like steel, and his hair appeared a tarnished gray. The handsome man that I’d seen earlier today looked old.
“What?” I jogged toward him, not wanting him to hurt himself more. “No. I need to help protect our pack.”