Xander | closed my eyes.
Even after everything that had happened, | didnât want to watch my father die.
| heard the whine of my motherâs wolf, and then my fatherâs body going limp.
Then | felt hands on me. Lanie.
âI'm so sorry, Xander,â she breathed into my neck as she wrapped her arms around me. | laid my head against her, focusing on her warm, beautiful, familiar smell. | wanted to crawl inside of it and live there forever.
his blood still on But | opened my eyes and pulled back as Lanie let me go, | glanced once at my father, at his Malachiâs lips, and | pushed my way out of the cabin, needing to know that Xander was okay His wolf whipped around at the sound of my paws on the steps, and Braden looked up at me, too. They were dirty and panting but seemed to be okay. Mason and Rhiannon were both still lying on the ground, chained up and dazed.
Thank the f ucking g ods everyone had made it out of this. Well...everyone except my father.
| looked around while Hunterâs ears perked up, both of us on high alert for any more guards. But the forest looked empty, aside from the handful of men and wolves who were lying on the ground, unmoving and covered in blood and dirt safeâ
Zane and | ran to each other, shifting back to our human forms in mid-air âWhere are the other guards?â | asked âDead. Or ran off,â Zane said, his brow furrowed. âOrion?â
I let out a long, shaky breath. âDead,â | said.
Zane set his hand on my shoulder. âIâm sorry,â he said, and | knew he meant it.
| shrugged. âDoesnât matter.â It was easier to say that than to let myself feel anything serious. âLanieâs âThanks to all of you,â Lanie said behind us.
Braden, Zane, and | all looked up at her. They breathed out huge sighs of relief.
âAnd Stella?â Zane asked.
âInside with Gabriela.â Lanie smiled ever so slightly. It was a welcome sight.
She walked over to us and handed us each a towel. We slung them around our waists, even though | wished | couldâve just scooped Lanie up and taken her straight to the bedroom.
ie hands out and the chains holding him snapped like they were made of string.
His eyes flew open, and they were glowing an otherworldly gold.
He let out a great snarl and snapped the chains around his ankles.
And then he lunged.