Wolf in the Woods

by N. J. Walters

  Simon growled and took another step toward him, obviously finished listening to anything he had to say. “You should have minded your own business.”

  Why were some people so damn stubborn? This wolf wasn’t going to walk away.

  With a sigh, he took in the beautiful meadow that might be his burial place. “A man has to die sometime, and this is as nice a place as there is.”

  “You’re out of your mind.” His adversary stared, as if trying to figure out if he truly meant what he’d said.

  He shrugged. “Maybe, but I’d never be able to live with myself, look at myself in the mirror, if I left her here. Just as important, I’d never be able to face my father or pack again.”

  He rubbed his hand over his jaw and sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. So what do you say, you leave and no one gets hurt?”

  Addie had been quiet for some time, but now she spoke up. “I won’t tell anyone.”

  Billy looked into her eyes. As she stared back, something clicked into place, a deep connection forming between them. It was so strong it almost seemed physical rather than emotional. She was telling the truth, meant what she said. And for good reason.

  He tried to reason with Simon. “She’ll get restricted if she tells her father or alpha what you tried to do.” For all he knew, her father or alpha might not think anything wrong with the situation. Some wolves wouldn’t.

  He glanced at the man standing silently next to Simon. Jude seemed to have a bit more sense than his friend. “What do you say?”

  Jude glanced from Simon to Addie to Billy but kept his mouth shut.

  Great, no help there.

  Simon smiled and began to shift. As many times as he’d seen a member of his pack change from human form to that of a wolf, it never got old.

  As the male began to transform, so did Addie. Spellbound, he watched her morph from tall, gorgeous, brave woman to multi-hued, sleek, powerful wolf. Her body contorted—bones reshaping, forehead flattening, and jaw elongating.

  It was pure magic.

  She growled, prepared to fight, but it was an uneven battle, lost before it even began. Two full-blooded werewolf males against a female werewolf and a human? Yeah, the odds weren’t in their favor.

  He made one final attempt at peacemaking. “You’ll be the reason your pack ends up in a war with the Salvation Pack. I don’t know all the details, but our packs have history.” Probably not the best time to mention his pack had walked away the winners from the last clash. Simon was the type who would take that as a personal challenge instead of seeing it as a deterrent.

  “They must be weak if they allow full humans in their midst,” Jude pointed out.

  Why did people always think that being open-minded and sensible meant being weak? His mom was the strongest person he’d ever met. She’d been a single mother raising him by herself until she’d met and fallen in love with Elias. If he didn’t survive, at least she wouldn’t be alone.

  He didn’t want to die. There was still so much he wanted to do. In spite of the obstacles facing him, he’d still hoped to one day have a wife and maybe kids.

  Without warning, Simon leaped into the air.

  Instinct kicked in, and Billy dropped flat on the ground. Not expecting such a move, the wolf sailed right over him. He was already rolling to his feet before Simon landed.

  He glanced at Addie and made a split-second decision. “Run.”

  ****

  Billy’s order shocked her. It was appalling and unconscionable how far Simon was willing to go to get what he wanted. The Jones family was known for being ruthless to the point of recklessness. She’d thought he was different from the rest. Smarter.

  Her assessment had been way off.

  Simon growled, stalking his prey, flaunting his powerful form. He wanted Billy to run.

  She growled at Jude, but he held up his hands and backed away. “Not my fight.”

  Coward. The man was an absolute coward to allow this to happen.

  She hurried around the perimeter of the clearing, always keeping Simon in sight. She wouldn’t put it past him to try to mark her while she was distracted.

  Billy jerked his jaw toward the woods. He honestly wanted her to leave. He’s way braver and more protective than my own packmates.

  He was willing to die to protect her. No way could she run and leave him to fight alone. Taking up a position beside him, she growled. If Simon wanted a fight, he’d get one.

  Simon leaped toward her. Billy shoved her aside and went on the attack. He ducked beneath a massive front paw and punched Simon right in the jaw. The male wolf gave a yelp and fell, but not before raking his claws over Billy’s arm. Blood seeped from the shallow wounds.

  This is crazy.

  Mind racing, she searched for some solution, some way to end this without anyone dying. But she couldn’t think of any way to make that happen.

  Totally beyond reason, Simon growled and bared his fangs, saliva dripping from them. The scent of blood was goading him. His need for revenge was a thirst to be quenched. He was a primal werewolf male, and he’d been struck by a human.

  There’s no way to stop him. Terror gripped her, making her stomach churn.

  Billy kept his arms loose by his sides and his knees slightly bent. He never took his eyes off his opponent. “You need to run, Addie, or my death means nothing.”

  Torn, she froze. If he was willing to die for her, shouldn’t she honor his sacrifice?

  The wolf charged. Billy jumped aside but not fast enough. Several claws raked his torso. The metallic scent of blood clogged her nose.

  This can’t go on much longer.

  He smiled and curled his fingers toward Simon in a come-get-me motion, taunting him.

  He’s buying me time to run.

  Disappearing into the underbrush, she circled around, careful to keep downwind. Not that it mattered with the three men intent on the fight. Jude might not be actively involved, but his attention was glued to the scene.

  Hunkering down, she waited for her chance to attack. Her soul screamed that she’d regret it for the rest of her life if Billy died.

  Simon hit hard and fast, taking his prey to the ground. Man and wolf rolled in the dirt. The muscles in Billy’s arms bunched and strained as he tried to keep the wolf’s sharp teeth from taking a chunk out of him. And he succeeded … for about thirty seconds. No matter how strong he was, he was no match for a werewolf.

  Sharp fangs clamped down on his shoulder. He’d managed to turn at the last second to protect his throat, but it hadn’t saved him from injury. As he cried out in pain, claws raked over his body, sharp nails ripping into his human flesh.

  Something inside her snapped. Spurred on by the scent of his blood and the sound of his cries, she burst from her hiding spot. Leaping on top of Simon, she clamped her teeth around the back of his neck, braced her hind paws on his back, and yanked with all her might.

  He released his prey, and they both tumbled to the side. He swiped his big paw at her. She jerked back, but his sharp claws caught her soft belly. The smell of blood was followed by pain. It radiated outward to her limbs, the shock weakening her. Outside the inevitable injuries that came from tussling and playing with friends while growing up, she’d never been attacked. Especially not by a packmate.

  “Stop it!” Jude yelled. The stench of his fear permeated the air. He kept glancing at the woods, as though he didn’t want to attract attention, which didn’t make any sense since they were the only ones around. Maybe he finally understood just how far Simon was willing to go. This was no longer a game. This was life and death.

  Apparently, he didn’t care about the human but drew the line at Simon killing her.

  Standing over Billy’s prone body, she growled a warning.

  Simon shifted back to his human form, his brown eyes dark and mean. Keeping his gaze on her, he licked Billy’s blood from his mouth and spat it onto the ground at her feet. “Human blood. You’d protect him against me.”

  She sh
ifted back to her human form and faced her attacker. “I’ll protect him as long as there is breath in my body. You’ll have to kill me to get to him.”

  He stared at her as though he’d never seen her before. And maybe he hadn’t. She’d never stood up to him in such a direct manner. Then he glanced at Billy and finally over at Jude.

  “Come on, man,” he pleaded. “Let’s just go.” Jude obviously wanted no part in this. A forced mating was one thing, killing her quite another. Maybe it was finally sinking in with Simon that his friend might not keep his silence if he murdered her.

  “You’re not worth the trouble.” Simon motioned to Billy. “And neither is he. He’ll be dead before morning, probably sooner.” He turned to leave. “Better hope no hunters find you with his body. They’ll shoot you in your pretty little head. And even a werewolf can’t recover from splattered brains.” He laughed as he sauntered away.

  The bastard was walking away free and clear from what he’d done. Secure that no matter what happened, she wouldn’t tell her alpha about this, couldn’t be sure he’d take her side. Not over the death of a human. Addie thought he would, but she couldn’t afford to take the risk.

  But she could go to the Salvation Pack. It would never occur to Simon that she would do such a thing. Because what Billy had told them was true. Their packs had clashed in the past. Not that she knew many details about what had happened. Only that some members of her pack had died, all of them killed by one member of the Salvation Pack. The older wolves sometimes spoke of it in whispers when they thought they were alone. But however bloody their history, they deserved the truth. And if it started a war between the two packs, she’d be sure to point out exactly who was to blame.

  She silently pleaded with Jude for help. He shook his head, turned away, and followed Simon.

  Uncaring of her nakedness, she fell to her knees and pressed her fingers against his neck. “Billy.” Was he even breathing?

  It was a shock to find his eyes open and him staring at her. “Addie.” The word was little more than a breathy sigh, but she heard him as easily as if he’d shouted. He wasn’t dead yet. There was still a chance she could save him.

  “I’m here.” She needed supplies. His chest and arms were bleeding, the long gashes from Simon’s claws leaving open wounds. But it was his shoulder that was the worst. The skin had been ripped away, and a chunk of muscle was gone. She pulled away the shredded remnants of his shirt, wadded up the material, and pressed it against the wound, trying to staunch the bleeding.

  So much blood.

  He flinched at the pressure and gave a moan of pain, but didn’t tell her to stop. He had to know just how bad the situation was. He licked his lips, his breathing labored. “Gear.” His fingers uncurled and pointed to the right.

  She jumped up and raced in that direction, inhaling deeply to find his scent. His knapsack was partially hidden under a short pine tree. With shaky hands, she grabbed it and hurried back.

  “I’ve got it.” Adrenaline pumped through her veins, allowing her to focus past her own pain. She ignored the gashes in her stomach. Her werewolf metabolism was already working to heal them. They weren’t as deep as they could have been. He wasn’t so fortunate. She opened the bag and dug out a long-sleeved flannel shirt. It would do for a makeshift bandage. She ripped the arms off and then folded the rest into a thick padding.

  I don’t know how to do this. This was beyond anything in her experience. Werewolves healed naturally, for the most part, and she’d never been around anyone who’d been this seriously injured.

  I have to clean the wound first. Fear was making her sweat. She swiped her forearm over her forehead.

  You can do this. She didn’t have a choice. The alternative was to just let him die.

  There was a bottle of water in a holder on the side of the pack. She opened it and poured the cool liquid over the wound. He clenched his teeth against the pain, his back bowing off the ground.

  “I’m sorry. I know it hurts. I’m sorry,” she chanted. She pressed the folded pad against his shoulder and used the sleeves to bind it in place. “That should do it. I hope.” She chewed on her bottom lip and studied her handiwork.

  “So, do you always apply bandages on the first date?” His voice was low and shaky.

  Her mouth dropped and she stared. Here he was possibly dying, had to be in sheer agony, and he was making a joke.

  She swallowed hard. For some reason, his attempt at humor, at making them both feel better, made her heart hurt. She had to clear her throat several times before she could respond. “I didn’t know I was going on a first date, or I might have brought a big box of bandages with me.”

  His chuckle turned into a low cry when he jostled his injured body.

  Heart racing and hands trembling, she dug through his pack and found a small first aid kit. She used every butterfly bandage to close the worst of the gashes on his chest and arms. Then she used a thick roll of gauze to wrap around his torso. It was easy for her to get him to sit upright, given her werewolf strength, but it was pure hell for him.

  When he passed out and went limp in her arms, she felt utterly alone.

  “Billy.” She eased him back down and pressed her fingers against his neck, barely breathing until she caught the slightest fluttering. He was still alive.

  But for how long?

  She sat on the ground and shivered, not from cold as much as fear. Still, she was naked, and the sun was almost gone.

  She dug through his things and came up with another shirt. This one she pulled on and buttoned. It fell to mid-thigh and made her feel not quite so vulnerable.

  What should she do?

  A branch snapped in the distance. She sprang to her feet and growled a warning. Whatever curious animal was out there retreated.

  “Think, Addie.” She rubbed her hands over her thighs, absently noting she was getting blood on her legs and on the shirt. It was a combination of his, hers, and Simon’s, because she’d drawn blood when she’d attacked.

  Blood. She needed to get them somewhere safer, or she’d be fighting off predators all night long.

  Moving Billy would be next to impossible. She was stronger than any human, but shifting and fighting had exhausted her, not to mention she’d run for hours. The adrenaline dumped into her system was dissipating, leaving her weakened, even as her body worked overtime to heal her wounds. She was also hungry, not fueled enough to function at peak strength.

  As she tried to figure her next move, she tossed things back into the knapsack. When her gaze fell on the sleeping bag, it gave her an idea.

  With as little jarring as possible, she maneuvered him into the sleeping bag. It wasn’t easy. He was deadweight, unable to help. She cursed and sweat but kept going until the task was done. If he hadn’t already been unconscious, he likely would have been by the time she finished.

  Being wrapped up would keep him warm and offer him some protection when she moved him. It would also give her something to grab onto so she could pull him.

  She’d been running wild in these woods since she was young and knew them well. There was a small cave not too far from here.

  With the knapsack on her back, she bent down to brush his hair away from his face. It was silky and soft, the color so light. “Everything will be okay. I’ll get you somewhere safe,” she promised.

  She waited for several heartbeats, but he didn’t stir. That was concerning, but there was nothing she could do about it. Safety came first, and that meant moving.

  “Get going, Addie.” She went to his head, grabbed the ends of the sleeping bag, and tugged. It slid easily over the needle-covered forest floor. A low moan escaped from his lips. His eyes scrunched, creating lines on his forehead. Even passed out, he couldn’t escape the pain. She almost stopped, but delaying matters would only make things worse.

  Don’t die before I get you to the cave.

  She didn’t want to be pulling an actual deadweight. Shoving that thought from her head, she kept going. It se
emed as though she walked forever, small sticks and rocks biting into her bare feet.

  Her arms were like lead. The muscles in her thighs burned. She was panting, sucking air into her lungs. The weight on her back grew exponentially with each step. Her fingers began to cramp.

  Gritting her teeth, she cried out and pulled. “I can do it. I can do it.” She stumbled and went down on one knee. Head bent, she took several deep breaths before shoving her hand to the ground and pushing herself upright. She’d crawl if she had to, but she prayed it wouldn’t come to that. Swiping her hair out of her eyes, she trudged on.

  Just as despair crept in, when she thought she might not make it, their destination loomed before her. “Thank God.” She dropped the corners of the sleeping bag, leaving him long enough to ensure the cave was empty of any occupants before pulling him inside.

  “Fire.” She didn’t need one, but he did. There was a small stream not far from here, too. That gave them water.

  They should be safe. It wasn’t likely Simon would come back later tonight. As far as he was concerned, he’d won. That was fine with her. She’d be happy if she never laid eyes on him again.

  What would her parents think when she didn’t return home? All she’d told them earlier was that she was going for a run. She couldn’t worry about them now. There were bigger problems to deal with.

  There was a flashlight in his pack. She retrieved it and set it aside. She could see perfectly fine without it, but if he woke before she got a fire going, he’d find comfort in it. Most full humans were uneasy in the dark, their eyes unable to adjust the way hers could.

  Whoever Billy Gallagher was, he was an experienced camper. He seemed to have everything she needed, including matches in a small protective metal canister.

  Staying nearby in case he stirred, she gathered twigs and branches and piled them at the entrance of the cave. When the first flames flickered to life, she looked toward him. Still flat on his back tucked inside the sleeping bag, he hadn’t stirred.

  She placed her hand on his forehead and swore. He was burning up.

  Humans died from werewolf bites. She was facing a battle she couldn’t possibly win, not out here in the middle of nowhere with very limited supplies.