Dave shifted, but looked a fright. His shoulder was torn, the arm hung useless at his side. His face and ears were a bloody mess. He limped and snarled around Stone. Dave’s younger brother darted into the melee. It was an equal opportunity, battle after all.
Brody couldn’t see Dave, Mike, or Stone. The crowd had closed in and he couldn’t fight them off. Teeth gouged his skin, claws raked across his body as the pack descended upon him. Tony and Aaron were not part of the pack, but it didn’t stop them from joining the assault.
The hunt had begun whether they were ready for it or not. Some of the female Lycans had shifted. They howled and barked to entice the males. Some of the males ran after them, the promise of sex was much more tempting than killing Brody. Tony and Aaron lurched closer, moving in for the kill.
Someone grabbed Brody’s left leg and gave it a yank. He lost his footing and fell against the sand. He threw his clawed hands up to ward off the snapping jaws of the wolves above him.
Chapter Twenty-seven
Brody fell amongst the group of Lycans and she could no longer see him.
Nicole whirled to find a wolf with salt and pepper fur behind her. His golden gaze never wavered from hers. He stood with ears back, teeth bared. There was a trace of blood on his muzzle and Nicole didn’t want to know who or where it had come from.
Head down, she darted to the right. He hopped in front of her. She lurched to the left, he did the same. A rumble of warning issued from his throat and he sniffed at her backside. Nicole's claws found purchase on the pebbled sand and she streaked past him. These new legs were alien and unlike her own, and she felt as graceful as a newborn colt.
She shot between the legs of another who made a grab for her. He missed by mere inches. A wolf’s body struck the sand in front of her. He wasn’t dead, but he was wounded. Nicole skidded to a stop. The man had returned to normal. Her mind swam with horror. It was the Alpha’s brother, Mike. There were no grave injuries, but he’d been knocked out. He lay motionless while others of his kind streaked past.
Wolves ran down the beach. A few were engaged in battles of their own. Just a few yards away, a couple mated on the sand. Nicole turned away and caught sight of Aaron moving toward her.
She glanced over her shoulder. A honey colored wolf surged up from the mass of furred bodies. Saliva and blood arced from his muzzle.
Brody was injured, but alive. He slung another out of his path. Tony turned to run after her and Aaron. Brody moved stiff and slow at first, but once he dropped to all fours, he was lightning fast.
To her right, Sean and Dave were still locked in battle. Dave was the weaker wolf and his efforts to fend off Sean’s attack grew weaker with each attempt. Sean shoved Dave to the ground and his mouth closed over the Alpha’s throat. He gave it a vigorous shake and ended the battle.
Dave’s body shook like a rag doll. The crack-snap of his broken neck stilled Nicole’s breath. Dave’s arms fell away and his mouth fell open in a silent scream.
Sean lifted his stained muzzle and howled in triumph. To Nicole’s horror, he bit into the mess he’d made and came away with the delicate innards of Dave’s throat.
Nicole ran down the strip of sand closest to the water. She was beginning to get a feel for this new body. Her powerful hind legs carried her farther from the pack. The breeze ruffled her fur, whistled past her ears and brought a ton of new scents to her. The strong tang of blood and the musk of sex drifted to her. Her nose was alive. Every olfactory nerve twitched with awareness. Saltwater, sand, lotion and the people who’d walked the beach earlier in the day inundated her with their scents.
Aaron struck her from behind. Her front legs buckled beneath her and she skidded across the sand on her belly. She was a few inches from the water now. Aaron’s ears stood at attention and his mouth was pulled back in a snarl. He raised himself onto hind legs.
Nicole scrambled around to face him. Her growl went unheeded. Aaron circled with a devious glint in his eyes. His teeth snapped close to her nose. Still panting from her breakneck run, she edged away from him. Frigid water lapped at her feet.
Aaron's clawed hands gripped her back legs and jerked her off her feet. She smacked the damp sand and it forced a lungful of air from her. Nicole caught his left ear. She yanked him down to her level, unsure of what to do now.
A flash of honey colored fur darted around them. Brody lunged against Aaron and forced them apart with his shoulder. He and Aaron splashed through the water. Their bodies tangled together before they fought their way back to the beach.
The sand crunched beside her as Tony approached. Nicole wasn’t foolish. She knew Tony was sizing her up. His nose twitched, followed by his ragged ears. His muscles tensed and she knew he was about to pounce.
Her fur bristled and she snarled a warning. He didn’t listen. They lunged at the same time, meeting each other in mid-leap. His momentum pushed them both to the ground and she squirmed beneath him.
Brody and Aaron were still locked together in a brawl. Neither was willing to back down. More had joined them on the beach. Some watched them struggle with interest, perhaps waiting to get their turn in the fight. Others moved closer to her and Tony, waiting for their chance as well.
She recalled Dave’s ominous warning about being caught and doubled her efforts at escape. Still pinned to the ground, it was difficult to budge the bulky wolf. He was at least twice her size. Nicole clawed at his good eye and he bit down on her fingers. Tony pushed himself onto one arm to flip her onto her stomach. Her chin smacked the sand and she bit her tongue.
He looped an arm around her waist then pulled her up onto her knees. The claws of her left hand twisted and shrank back to human. Her skin crawled. The zing of pain rocketed down her spine and brought tears to her eyes.
No! Not yet. She needed the wolf’s strength.
Tony pushed her top half down onto the sand while he held her backside in place. Oh god no, her mind screamed, not this. Not with him.
Blood covered legs that were once silvery white filled her view. The wolf leaned over them, claws dug into the sand in front of her face. Tony rolled off, yelping. He was screaming really if wolves could do that.
Tony scurried up the beach. Even in this form, he respected and feared Sean. She whipped her head up to face him. The same look of devious intention echoed in his face.
Blood stained his chest and snarled the fur. His white muzzle was painted black with blood and who knew what else. He had a few wounds, but none threatened his life. The worst was a rather deep bite on his right hip.
The growl forming in her throat turned into words. Her body shuddered and more changes took place. “Get away from me!”
Sean’s bark startled her. He dropped to all fours, his gray eyes inches from hers. There was a self-assured look on his wolfish face. He would take what he wanted, despite her efforts to stop him.
Nicole rolled to her feet. Her best chance of escape was not simpering on the sand. With a cry of desperation, she lashed out and her foot caught him in the ribs. He yelped, folded at the waist and fell to the side. She bounded down the strip of sand once more.
Brody broke free of Aaron and ran alongside her. He panted even though he ran at a relaxed pace.
She glanced over her shoulder and gasped. Shocked to find a silvery-white wolf and a black wolf running neck and neck, she stumbled, but didn’t go down. Just behind them, Tony and two others struggled to keep up.
Brody fell back. He whirled to face them and she screamed, “No! They’ll kill you.”
He made a chuffing noise and she wished she could understand what he said. He made the sound again and hopped, his expressive eyes looked at the expanse of beach ahead of her.
She took a couple steps. “Come on!”
He took a step toward her and barked. Finally, she understood.
Brody and Aaron met head on. Tony and the others joined in. Sean slunk away from the group, confident they’d hold him. He sauntered toward Nicole and wasn’t in a hurry. Where co
uld she go? The beach was encased by water and rocky cliffs.
She tucked her arms tight against her sides and pumped her legs. Her lungs threatened to explode. Her legs were shaky and her rapid heartbeat choked her.
Behind her, clawed feet approached. She hadn’t outrun him. She’d only managed to exhaust herself.
She bent to rest hands upon her knees. Dragging in ragged gasps of air, she fought the urge to puke. She’d pushed her body too hard. Between the transformation then running for her life, it had been too much. Her head swam and the world must have tilted.
Sean reared up on back legs in front of her. He twitched his nose and ears. His clawed hand cupped her chin and brought her head up.
“Get away from me, you son of a bitch.”
His lips stretched to show both upper and lower teeth.
“You don’t have to do this. There’s nothing to prove.”
He answered with a growl.
“You got what you wanted. You’re Alpha now. Go back to the pack and celebrate.”
Sean didn’t back down. Much to her chagrin, he lunged and she fell on her butt. Cold water pooled around her. He dropped to all fours and she brought her knees up just in time. Sean’s chest slammed into her knees and a puff of breath escaped him. She twisted her body in an effort to get up.
Sean had other ideas. He flipped her. Each time a wave lapped the sand, it touched her chin.
“I won’t let you do this.” She tried to focus on her body, to call forth the inner wolf. The shot Aaron had given her must have worn off. All she got for her trouble was a toothache. Her teeth were all she managed to change, but she could use them.
She pulled herself up onto her knees. An expression of approval flitted across his face. He must believe she’d resigned herself to being mounted. Nicole had other ideas.
Sean sniffed her backside, ribs, and her neck. It was close to impossible to hold still while he inspected her. What was he searching for, signs that someone had beat him to it? His hands ran down her smooth, hairless body.
“Can you at least change back to human?” Her voice was a shaky whisper.
His body folded over hers and his fur tickled the back of her thighs. She jabbed him in the ribs with an elbow. A lungful of air escaped him and he yelped. She lunged forward and fell into the water, narrowly escaping the sweeping clawed hand.
Sean reached for her again and she latched her teeth onto his meaty palm. He yowled in anger. His blood mixed with her saliva tickled the senses of her inner wolf. Still she did not change. But for once, she really, really wanted to.
Frigid water lapped around her and pooled around his ankles. His hands twisted in her hair and jerked her against him. His body was unyielding, gray eyes full of murderous rage.
“Wait! Let Brody go and I’ll agree to be your mate. Isn’t that what you wanted?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he thrust Nicole into the water. It was only a few inches, but deep enough to submerge her nose and mouth. She thrashed and flailed. Unable to get her legs beneath her, she kicked out in an effort to trip him. She managed to surge upward and sucked in a lungful of air. He thrust her beneath the waves once again. This time, her face smashed against the muddy bottom to force bubbles from her nose and mouth.
He straddled her, knees on either side of her body. The violence had turned him on. Good god, he’d rape her whether conscious or not. She struggled to lift her head, but could not break the surface. Her lungs burned and blurry black spots floated across her vision.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Nicole sputtered and coughed. A moment’s worth of panic shook her when she didn’t see Sean. Was he waiting nearby to jump her again?
She pushed herself up onto elbows and sucked in a much needed, clean breath of air. She choked and gagged. Wet sand crusted her body.
Nicole drew her knees up then pushed up to her feet. She wobbled at first, still a bit lightheaded.
The moon hung high in the ink blotted sky. Its luminous glow reflected off the water and allowed Nicole to see the immediate area around her.
To her left a hairless and very naked Tony lay with his eyes wide open. Each time she moved, his eyes followed. His left arm was bent at a painful angle. The flash of bone made her stomach churn, but she experienced no sympathy for him.
A wounded yelp snapped her head toward the water. The two werewolves tangled against each other in knee deep waves. Teeth snapped and claws flashed as they fought. Sean gripped Brody around the waist and pushed. He staggered backward, but didn’t relinquish his hold.
Brody’s teeth sank deeper into Sean’s neck.
“He’ll be the pack leader.” The familiar voice was drenched with boredom. “Sean won’t forfeit. Your boyfriend will have to kill him.”
Nicole jerked around to face Aaron. He walked toward her and didn’t bother to hide his nakedness. Streaks of dried blood stained his skin. Bites and scratches still bled. She sent one last glance in Brody’s direction and grimaced. Was that the real reason he attended the Wild Hunt?
“Sean nearly punched your ticket.” He brushed sand from his hip and his lips pulled back to reveal cigarette stained teeth.
“Did you pull me out of the water?”
He shook his head. “Brody did. I wouldn’t have wasted the energy.”
Nicole glared at him. If it was possible, she hated him even more.
“The boy’s got balls, I’ll give him that.” He scratched at his crotch. “I’m surprised Sean didn’t off him when he figured out you were screwing Brody behind his back.”
She didn’t bother to argue that Sean had no claim on her. What good would it do?
Aaron’s nostrils flared. “I can still smell it on you, you know. The water didn’t wash it away. It’s leaking from your pores.” His eyes darkened. “You smell good, Nicky.”
He reached for her with familiarity. Nicole knocked his hand away. She would no longer play the part of the victim.
“The Wild Hunt isn’t over yet.”
“It is for you!” She brought her knee up and smashed his balls. He hunched over, clasped his injury and moaned. For good measure, she knocked him over.
“Bitch!” Aaron got to his knees. “You’d better run.”
Nicole spun and took all of three steps. His body slammed into her and she hit the sand hard. Her chin bounced and her teeth snapped together. She tasted blood where she’d bitten her cheek.
The sand crunched nearby. A shadow moved low and fast. Using the flat of its head, the wolf butted Aaron off her. Teeth flashed followed by a snarl.
Aaron’s sharp intake of breath told her that he was in pain. He threw his hands up to shield his face, but it did no good. The wolf’s mouth latched onto his arm and hauled him to his feet.
Nicole scrambled up. It was too dark and they were too far away now for her to tell who it was. The dark lump of Tony’s body still lay a few feet away. She glanced at the water.
The moon broke through a cloud. Slivers of moonlight danced across the water to reveal a silvery-white body submerged face-down. She squinted against the darkness. She had to be certain it wasn’t her imagination.
Aaron’s scream tore her attention away from the water’s edge. She moved across the wet sand then stopped only feet away from the two bodies twisting on the beach. One was mostly human, the other was not.
Brody held Aaron immobile. Aaron kicked at him, but to no avail. Her ex tried to gouge Brody’s eyes with his free hand, but never found purchase. Aaron’s fingers captured Brody’s silken ear. He gave it a sharp tug and forced the wolf to yelp.
Brody jabbed Aaron in the gut. His claws pierced the skin and tunneled their way into the flesh. His mouth clamped over Aaron’s face and the crack of bone sent shivers down Nicole's spine.
Although she hated Aaron with every ounce of her being, she’d shared a portion of her life with him. To say that she was sorry, he was dead pushed the envelope. Still, she had never wished this upon him. And to witness his death, a death so painful a
nd gruesome, made her nauseous.
Brody withdrew his clawed hand and wet and juicy entrails smacked the sand. Bile rose in her throat.
“Brody?” She hoped there was some part of him in there. He’d told her that their kind could still think—that they were still the same person, just in a different form. She prayed he’d told the truth. Her one transformation was too quick and frenzied for her to remember her mindset.
He whirled to face her. The motion slung blood across the sand. Fat droplets fell from his stained muzzle. Honey colored eyes stared at her. His ears were pointed upward, mouth open. Pink tongue curled, he loped toward her.
Uncertainty clouded her mind. Would he attack her too?
“Brody?” She took a couple steps backward. She couldn’t remember if you were supposed to stare a dog down or avoid eye contact.
A splash behind them forced his ears forward. Brody trotted to her and used his nose to push her in the opposite direction. She took a few steps, but twisted her upper body to look behind them. It was too dark. She could see nothing in the gloom, but the honey colored wolf beside her.
He used his nose to shove her again. His eyes seemed to say, “Go!”
Nicole forced her feet to move, half afraid he might chase her. Stop it, she told herself. He’d already gone above and beyond to keep her safe tonight. Why would he attack her now? She feared the simplest answer of all — he was one of them.
After a while, she spotted the silhouette of a boathouse against the water.
He moved further up the sloped beach. His nose was close to the ground and he never broke pace.
“Wait! We could hide in there.” She followed him into the darkness. They might be lucky enough to find a boat docked inside. She started to tell him, but instead hurried her pace when he dipped out of sight.
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