Bitten by Treachery (Hadley Werewolves) by Shawntelle Madison Page A

forward. Seizing the opportunity, Trenton thrust his knee upward and slammed it into Orland’s face. Blood gushed from Orland’s nose, splattering across the floor like wet paint.
    “You fucker!” the second-in-command spat.
    Trenton snatched the microwave from the counter, hoisted it up and brought it down hard across Orland’s face. The man spun widely and fell to floor. His head whacked against the counter before hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
    It took Trenton a few moments to slow down his beating heart and suck in precious breaths. His work wasn’t done yet. He kicked Orland, but the werewolf didn’t stir. If they were lucky, the blood witch outside would experience the same fate.

    As Charly walked around the outside of the house, her mother’s warning rang through her head like an incessant alarm: Never waste what little you have.
    She hadn’t much to waste anyway. What little time she’d used to rest wouldn’t be enough.
    Her mother waited for her in the garden, a few wolves in front of her as guards. The last time Charly had seen her mother, she had been bound, her lip busted open from a fight she had when the enforcers attempted to restrain her. All of that had probably been an illusion for Charly’s benefit.
    “Are you a fool?” her mother asked coolly.
    Charly couldn’t hold back the growl that stirred in her throat. The wolf within her stirred under her skin. “Perhaps, but at least I’m not a liar who is willing to trick her own daughter.”
    Her mother crossed her arms. “Ophelia and I know you all too well. You would’ve been too weak to do this task for the coven. For us.”
    “But this does nothing,” Charly hissed. “The werewolves that Orland infects become savages. They can’t protect the world from the blood demons, and you’ve ruined your humanity!”
    “Dear daughter, I’m not a human, therefore I don’t need to show humility. Even with my heightened powers, the outcome compared to the last time may look the same, but I control them. They can still help the coven. Unlike Amelia, I haven’t made mistakes. She fell in love with Liam and paid the price. Mine is a puppet and nothing more. Once I demonstrate how to control the werewolves to Ophelia, the crow coven can finally keep the blood demons locked away—”
    “At a cost that includes innocent men, women, and children, right?”
    “The casualties of war, Charlene. What the blood demon can do is far worse.” Her mother huffed. “You really believe this piece of shit town is more important than protecting the world?”
    “There’s always another way. I won’t let you do this.”
    “Then the blood demons win. Or maybe you don’t care or you’re just as blind as Amelia. Do you love your wolf, too?”
    Charly didn’t hesitate and a warm sensation filled her chest and gave her strength. “I do. I wouldn’t stand here if I didn’t care for him and the people in Hadley.” She growled again, sensing elongated incisors in her mouth.
    The time for talking was over. The wolf within her took a confident step forward as she tested her grip on her blade, making sure her thumb was tucked in for a solid hold. It was time to hunt. And she had the advantage: she knew the most vulnerable places to cut.
    Instead of rushing her mother, Charly used the weapon to cut her wrists. No more negotiations or chit-chat. She needed to end this. She ran to the cluster of werewolves off to the side. She waited for the pain—even welcomed it. If she was going down, she’d damn well do it standing on her feet fighting.
    There’d be no blowtorches like in the police station. Five came straight on, while two approached from each side to make sure she didn’t slip past them. They were all shapes, colors, and sizes, but each of them had wild eyes and gaping mouths with bloodied teeth. All she could do this time was use the knife and her sheer will to survive. She was stronger this time. Faster.
    The first wolf came at her with claws