The Shepard's Agony Read Free Page A

was a gunshot.
    John dropped the rabbit he’d caught , making a dash toward the problem when a red wolf jumped into his path, forcing him to awkwardly skid to a halt.
    Dianna was panting hard . She’d been running as fast as her long legs would carry her to find them. Maybe it was the fact that she’d nearly run right into them that scared her into shifting back into a very naked human with messy, strawberry blond hair.
    Gwen trotted over and looked up at her . She didn’t look okay . Sensing something was off , Gwen shifted into her human shape , deciding that a pair of hands on Di’s shoulders would help to calm her. “
What’s happening?” she asked.
    The werewolves in
Bill
’s pack had a special trick. With enough focus and practice, they could communicate with each other in wolf form using a sort of
mind
-speak that was much more common in mates. However, the way Di was
acting
at the moment suggested that she wouldn’t be able to tell them what was happening even in her human form.
    She was in such a panic, Gwen could barely understand her until John bit down on her hand, making her scream. He hadn’t drawn any blood , he just wanted her to focus .
    Di! Calm down! What happened
?
John demanded in both of their
heads
.
Outwardly
, he just growled.
    John was always good at keeping his thoughts clear. Gwen could hardly do it at all.
    Di’s head was whipping from them to the direction of the painful sounds and back again, still panicked, but this time they underst ood her when she spoke. “
H-humans! Vampires! We’re under attack!”
    That was all John and Gwen needed before they dashed around Di and ran toward the scene. Gwen shifted quickly, thinking Dianna would be better off where she was, safer, but she followed them. Di changed back into her wolf form and ran with them. She purposely lagged some feet behind them since she was so much faster with her longer legs. She’d never been in a pack scuffle before, let alone a full-fledged fight against hunters.
    Gwen wasn’t about to waste time telling Di to go back. She was too busy thinking of her father and Bill, fighting off the threat, and keeping the pack in order to protect the pups, if they were still alive.
    The trees blurred passed them a s Gwen ’s mind reeled with questions she couldn’t answer. How on earth did a pack of humans find their haven? Did the vampire lead the way? Why would a vampire be with hunters?
    That’s probably it
,
John said, startling Gwen since she was sure she’d been thinking to herself. Dianna said nothing.
    Vampires are great trackers, almost as good as werewolves
,
he said. Gwen had to agree. It was strange that any vampire could find them with how far away and careful everyone had been, but not unheard of. Someone must have been careless.
    She turned her head west and snarled at the setting sun. Every minute that passed made it easier for the vampires to attack. Hopefully there weren’t many of them.
    The three of them burst through the trees and into the clearing , angrily snarling and ready to fight. Everyone aside from Dianna, who was more or less putting on a show of bravery behind them.
    Gwen’s snar l faded and her muzzle relaxed. All she could do was gape at the surrounding madness in front of her ; men with guns and people she knew and loved lying motionless on the ground, dark blood coloring the grass and dirt.
    She grunted when John threw his entire body against hers , pushing her out of the way when a he spotted a gun. They broke apart just as the bullets shot into the space of grass they’d occupied. Di ran for cover.
    John grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and dragged her, yelping, back into the trees.
    What’s wrong with you?
    Gwen could sense more blind terror than anger . She knew he wasn’t afraid for himself and felt guilty for letting her guard down.
    She whined a bit, trying to convey it was an accident. John shook his head, but let it go.
    Gwen stayed low to the ground while padding to