been a purr of satisfaction, his eyes honing right on hers, black with lust.
“She’s rather pretty… not bad for my third bride, eh?”
The group let out a few joined howls that opened into malicious laughs.
Ceci swallowed, shaking and gasping faster now that she understood what they wanted. This was much worse than death… and right now, she wished they had just killed her, wished that when she fell… she had fallen to her death.
A babble of pleadings and sobs exploded from Ceci’s mouth as she saw them approach. Her wide eyes searched wildly through the darkened woods to find anything that could serve as a weapon, literally anything that could help her.
Caleb was barely a few feet away, his expression staining her mind with an image that would never leave her, and Cecilia let out a final shriek, hoping that someone could save her.
The end of her shriek ended in an abrupt sound that was so explosive, it drilled into her ears and made her curl into herself instinctively. The sound seemed to have surprised her attackers as well, and they all glanced in the direction of the source.
Through a single column of moonlight, another man stood, one of his hands held a small pistol in his hands high in the air. It was difficult to see his face, yet his body was tall and strong, muscles flexing tightly beneath his clothes.
“I hate to interrupt your little party,” the man spoke, his voice grave and barely hiding disgust.
“But you seem to be in the wrong part of the forest here.”
“Get lost,” Caleb snapped, widening his stance as the group faced this unwelcome guest.
“We found her fair and square.”
“And I wouldn’t give a flying shit, but you’re in my territory, and I am not in the mood.”
At this, the pack let out another series of sounds that Ceci could tell were laughs.
Caleb laughed into his comment, “Seriously? You’re threatening us ? Six on one is hardly a fair fight, so you should scat.”
The man released the gun in his hold, tossing it to the ground feet away and Ceci felt her heart fall to her stomach. That had been the only chance to get rid of them!
Instead the man took a few steps closer, his hands working at tugging his shirt off his skin.
“I’m giving you one final chance, pup . Get the fuck off my lands or I will kill you and your pathetic attempt at a pack.”
Caleb reared back, his body already beginning to shift as he snarled.
“Eat shit, bastard!”
Cecilia cried out, eyes taking in every bit of the battle that erupted as soon as the wolves pounced. She was certain the man was done for good, and she knew she shouldn’t watch this slaughter but her eyes were so glued to the scene it was impossible to turn away now.
She was glad she didn’t… otherwise she wouldn’t have been able to explain how it went from one man against six wolves to one huge wolf against the others.
She saw how his body leaped toward the animals, exploding from the body of a man into one of a beast that was considerably larger than the others. A snarl unlike any other boomed from the newest beast’s throat, rattling in Ceci’s chest like a drum.
A large paw, claws extended, swiped toward the wolf that had come from Caleb’s body, slamming into his face and throwing him in the opposite direction. A loud whine escaped the wolf when it struck the ground, and what followed was a fury of teeth, claws, and growls that grew more deafening the longer the battle commenced.
Cecilia pressed herself against the tree trunk, trying to find a way to stay as far from the battle as possible. Her knees screamed as she scrambled away.
Another howl and even a bark, and when Ceci fixed her attention back on the carnage, she saw the large wolf’s maw chomp down over the neck of one of the wolves before yanking it and flinging it against a nearby tree. The large tree shook, creaking with the force as the wolf fell to the ground limp.
Ceci gasped, her hands plastering to her lips as she tried to keep