Winter of the Wolf Read Free

unfamiliar beds. Nothing had ever stayed the same.
    “But…” Ashley bit her lip. “I’m tired of the rain. I want to live somewhere sunny. I want you to come too.” Bree shook her head. The very thought of leaving made her sick. This was her home. “I-I can’t. Moving is your dream.” But how could she survive the loneliness if her foster-sister left?
    “Dammit, Bree, you—” Ash’s words were drowned out by a cinematic explosion from the adjoining apartment.
    Bree closed the sliding door and paused. Something moved across the landscaped grounds. Four-legged and bigger than a dog. A bear? In Seattle? The tiny hairs on the back of her neck rose.
    “What’s wrong?” Ashley joined her.
    “I think there’s a—”
    The huge black form headed for the apartment, picking up speed.
    “Get back!” Bree backpedaled, puling Ash with her.
    “Get back!” Bree backpedaled, puling Ash with her.
    To her shock, the animal charged straight at the patio door. It wouldn’t; it did . Glass shattered with a horrendous crash as the beast burst through.
    Ash screamed, high and shril, frozen directly in the bear’s path.
    “No!” Bree shoved a chair in front of the bear and darted behind the couch, yanking Ash along. Heart pounding, she turned toward the… That’s no bear .
    Oh, God, what is that thing ?
    Evil red-brown eyes stared at her. The size of a grizzly, but armored like a dinosaur with bony spiked plates. A shark-like head displayed massive pointed teeth. The stench of it was like raw meat left in the garbage for days. Worse.
    She stood petrified for a moment, cold chils running down her spine.
    It took a step forward.
    Her mind screamed: run away, run away . But she wouldn’t—couldn’t—turn her back on it. She took a slow step back. Keeping her gaze on the creature, she slid her hand up the wal and yanked the bokken from the rack. The familiar grip of the wooden practice sword felt comforting in her hands.
    Ash had no weapon, no training. “Go get help,” Bree ordered under her breath. “Hurry!”
    “But—”
    “But—”
    “ Go .”
    As Ash moved away, Bree jumped forward, waving her sword as a diversion. “Beat it! Get out of here.” Keeping eye contact, she inched backwards. Come after me, beast.
    Follow me .
    The sound of the unlocking deadbolt snicked loud in the room. The creature’s head turned, and it charged toward Ash.
    “No!” With al her strength, Bree bashed the sword on its skul. The wooden blade splintered. Broke.
    Not slowing at al, the creature shouldered past, knocking her backwards. She slammed into the wal with a hard thud.
    Head spinning, she regained her feet and saw it leap at Ashley.
    The monster hit, biting Ash’s shoulder, puling her to the ground, savaging her. Her screams almost drowned out its ghastly snarls.
    “Noooo.” Terrified, frantic, Bree flung herself across the room. “Get off her!” She spun, kicking the beast in the stomach. Pain blasted through her foot. The creature barely rocked.
    “Ash, run!”
    The monster’s massive head whipped around and gore-covered teeth snapped at Bree’s ankle, spattering her jeans with saliva and blood. Ashley’s blood.
    with saliva and blood. Ashley’s blood.
    Bree jumped back, expecting Ash to stand. To get through the door. Why wasn’t she moving? She darted a glance behind the beast and froze. Unable to move. To think.
    Ash’s neck was ripped—ripped away. Blood everywhere.
    Her gray eyes were open. Blank. Oh Ash . Bree took a step forward. No no no. This can’t happen. Oh please, no . Her breath hitched.
    The monster watched her, mouth open as if laughing.
    When the creature sniffed at the pool of blood beside Ashley’s body, rage roared in Bree’s head. Kill it, kill it, kill it . Yet terror shook her bones until she couldn’t breathe.
    Lapping at the blood, it stood between her and the apartment’s front door.
    Get a knife. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she backpedaled quickly into the kitchen. But