road. Maybe there would be a truck passing by that she could flag down for help. And maybe that would get an innocent human killed. She was under no delusions. This pack would do whatever it had to in order to protect itself.
No, she couldn’t risk anyone else, least of all an innocent stranger. She was on her own.
Behind her, a wolf howled. He was calling the others.
Panic slammed into her with the force of a sledgehammer to the stomach. Once again, she was racing through these woods, running for her life with a group of male wolves in pursuit. Fear ate at her. She no longer remembered that this pack had been kind to her. All she knew was that she was running for her life.
She’d spent the last twelve years looking over her shoulder with never a moment’s peace. She could see her mama’s still body, smell the blood that had been spilled.
No, she wouldn’t let them take her. She would be like her mama, like her daddy. She would fight to the death. She would fight to live.
Instinct carried her deep into the woods. She veered right and then left, jumping over fallen logs and hopping from rock to rock whenever she could.
Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears she couldn’t hear her pursuer. But he was there. Of that, she had no doubt. Wolves never gave up the chase, especially when they knew they were stronger than their prey. He would run her to ground unless she could somehow lose him.
Ahead, she caught a flash of something in the trees. Another wolf. She skidded to a halt, almost stumbling to her knees in her haste. Her gaze darted from side-to-side. Which way? Left. Her lungs burned and her heart felt as though it might burst any second, but she didn’t let up. She couldn’t.
“Cherise.”
The male voice was familiar, but she didn’t stop. She’d recognized their voices before. They were friends, people she’d known in her childhood. But that hadn’t stopped them from hunting her, from murdering her mama.
Branches slashed at her face and arms as she barreled through them at top speed. She didn’t even feel the sting, but she smelled the blood. That wasn’t good. They’d be able to track her even better now.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a massive wolf loomed before her. She would have screamed, but she didn’t have any breath left. She stumbled and fell. The wolf started toward her and she scuttled back, digging her hands and feet into the damp ground. She had to get up. Had to run.
It took everything she had to push herself to her feet. She swayed but somehow managed to stay upright. She reached into the side pocket of her knapsack and withdrew a knife. It wasn’t much, only six inches in length, but it was better than nothing.
A noise from behind her sent her spinning around in a circle. She was surrounded. Three wolves watched her, moving steadily closer. “Stay back,” she warned. Hysterical laughter threatened. What could she do against three wolves?
Bitterness welled up inside her. “I’ll kill you,” she threatened. It was an empty threat, but it was all she had.
One of the wolves shifted and a giant of a man stood in front of her. She knew him, didn’t she? She shook her head to clear it. “Cole?” He hadn’t hurt her. He’d protected her.
He held out one hand to her. “I won’t hurt you, Cherise. Come to me.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I have to leave. Have to go away.” She turned pleading eyes to him. “Just let me go.”
He shook his head and she could see the sadness in his eyes. “I can’t.”
Behind her, leaves rustled. She whirled to face the threat. Cole had made her forget the two other wolves behind her. They were much closer now and prowling nearer by the second. “Please stay back.” She didn’t want to hurt anyone, but she would if she had to.
God, she was tired. So tired. And weak. Cherise couldn’t remember ever being this weak before. Her mind felt fragmented with the past and present getting all confused.
A muscular forearm banded
No, she couldn’t risk anyone else, least of all an innocent stranger. She was on her own.
Behind her, a wolf howled. He was calling the others.
Panic slammed into her with the force of a sledgehammer to the stomach. Once again, she was racing through these woods, running for her life with a group of male wolves in pursuit. Fear ate at her. She no longer remembered that this pack had been kind to her. All she knew was that she was running for her life.
She’d spent the last twelve years looking over her shoulder with never a moment’s peace. She could see her mama’s still body, smell the blood that had been spilled.
No, she wouldn’t let them take her. She would be like her mama, like her daddy. She would fight to the death. She would fight to live.
Instinct carried her deep into the woods. She veered right and then left, jumping over fallen logs and hopping from rock to rock whenever she could.
Her heart was pounding so loudly in her ears she couldn’t hear her pursuer. But he was there. Of that, she had no doubt. Wolves never gave up the chase, especially when they knew they were stronger than their prey. He would run her to ground unless she could somehow lose him.
Ahead, she caught a flash of something in the trees. Another wolf. She skidded to a halt, almost stumbling to her knees in her haste. Her gaze darted from side-to-side. Which way? Left. Her lungs burned and her heart felt as though it might burst any second, but she didn’t let up. She couldn’t.
“Cherise.”
The male voice was familiar, but she didn’t stop. She’d recognized their voices before. They were friends, people she’d known in her childhood. But that hadn’t stopped them from hunting her, from murdering her mama.
Branches slashed at her face and arms as she barreled through them at top speed. She didn’t even feel the sting, but she smelled the blood. That wasn’t good. They’d be able to track her even better now.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a massive wolf loomed before her. She would have screamed, but she didn’t have any breath left. She stumbled and fell. The wolf started toward her and she scuttled back, digging her hands and feet into the damp ground. She had to get up. Had to run.
It took everything she had to push herself to her feet. She swayed but somehow managed to stay upright. She reached into the side pocket of her knapsack and withdrew a knife. It wasn’t much, only six inches in length, but it was better than nothing.
A noise from behind her sent her spinning around in a circle. She was surrounded. Three wolves watched her, moving steadily closer. “Stay back,” she warned. Hysterical laughter threatened. What could she do against three wolves?
Bitterness welled up inside her. “I’ll kill you,” she threatened. It was an empty threat, but it was all she had.
One of the wolves shifted and a giant of a man stood in front of her. She knew him, didn’t she? She shook her head to clear it. “Cole?” He hadn’t hurt her. He’d protected her.
He held out one hand to her. “I won’t hurt you, Cherise. Come to me.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I have to leave. Have to go away.” She turned pleading eyes to him. “Just let me go.”
He shook his head and she could see the sadness in his eyes. “I can’t.”
Behind her, leaves rustled. She whirled to face the threat. Cole had made her forget the two other wolves behind her. They were much closer now and prowling nearer by the second. “Please stay back.” She didn’t want to hurt anyone, but she would if she had to.
God, she was tired. So tired. And weak. Cherise couldn’t remember ever being this weak before. Her mind felt fragmented with the past and present getting all confused.
A muscular forearm banded
Similar Books
