Found in Flames by Desconhecido

same almost-blonde wolf that had helped Luka.
    The world went sideways for a moment as Joella rolled, her vision a blur of orange flame and dark gray smoke. A piercing shriek of agony cut through her, but it wasn’t hers. Immediately following the shriek was an angry howl and a chorus of yelping and growling. She couldn’t distinguish the direction of the noises until she’d finally stopped rolling.
    “Well, that’s a start,” Char’s slightly strained voice declared. His voice somehow carried to her ears over the din of the wolves’ pain and Joella finally managed to shake the dizziness enough to lift her head.
    And the first thing she saw was a smoldering pile of embers beneath a black plume of smoke just feet away.
    That was where she’d fallen.
    That should have been her.
    ****
    Luka roared with fury as another member of his family was consumed with flame. Because he’d chosen to fight in his lupine form and because he was still weakened from Char’s series of attacks he was too slow. Too slow to tackle Joella out of the way of Char’s fireball. Too slow to keep Vanna from sacrificing her life in his vendetta. Now he’d lost both Justin and Vanna to this incarnation.
    He’d be damned if Char took anyone else from him.
    Turning his rage on the witch, who’d slipped from Chad’s and Russell’s reach during the chaos, Luka leapt forward.
    Char’s eyes snapped to his and he took a step back, lifting his unwounded arm to defend himself. But Chad tackled him from the side, latching firmly onto his arm and pulling, his fangs shredding Char’s flesh. Char cried out and the fire behind him flickered, on the verge of self-extinguishing.
    Chad released the witch moments before Luka finally sank his claws into the bastard’s chest.
    The fire snuffed out, thick smoke rolling around and slowly wafting up on the breeze.
    Char made a gurgled sound and dragged his eyes up to Luka’s as a trail of blood slipped out the corner of his mouth. “C- congratu - lations ,” he choked.
    Luka snarled in response and wrapped his free hand around the witch’s throat.

 
    Chapter Nine
     
    “I brought you some fresh water,” Joella said softly as she set the makeshift bowl down. It was mid-morning on the third day since Luka had finally defeated Char. The pack was still recovering, and she was doing what she could to help. It was the only way she knew to repay them for what they’d done for her, for what they’d lost for her.
    Luka uncurled from his spot against the cave wall and approached the bowl. He’d been in wolf form almost exclusively since the fight. According to Chad, werewolves healed faster in wolf form. But Joella missed Luka’s voice. She missed his touch. And if this was even a glimpse of how she’d feel once they were well enough for travel and the pack moved on … she didn’t know what she’d do.
    Her life would be chaos when she returned to it, of that she was certain. She’d disappeared over a week ago without a word. When she went back with no good excuse she’d almost certainly lose her job; subsequently her apartment, too. But she didn’t care at this point. For the moment, at least, she was where she wanted to be.
    Gently sifting her fingers through the re-growing fur on Luka’s head and neck, she whispered, “There’s a little more food left if you want it, too.”
    He rumbled an acknowledgment and lifted his eyes to hers, licking the last of the water from his snout.
    “Okay,” she said, wishing she could actually communicate with him. “I’ll go get it.”
    She stepped out of the small cave and made her way to the meadow, wondering who she’d come across this time. Max, Emily, and Lew were sharing patrol duty now that Emily was up for it, so she knew it wouldn’t be one of them. Chad was mostly recovered from his minor burns, but typically volunteered for night patrol—which, she’d learned, was generally considered more important. Russell still had a few injuries slowing him