A whine pulled her from her morbid thoughts.
A blonde wolf—much smaller than the other one—had taken the black beast down. The other animal shook its head, snarling furiously, bracing its paws on the fallen wolf’s chest. Blood gushed from the blonde wolf’s mouth, winding down the black beast’s coat and dripping on the carpet. Even as the huge beast whined and whimpered the pale wolf didn’t relent, biting down, snarling ferociously.
A blur caught Rachel’s attention and she tried to turn her head.
Another wolf rushed by, its coat a dark brown color. It was larger than the other wolves in her living room, almost double in size. The brown animal approached the fighting pair. It snarled at the blonde wolf, baring its teeth. The small, blonde beast didn’t relent, lifting its eyes to glare at the other animal.
Oh God. Rachel knew those eyes. She’d gazed into them since she was a child. She’d never feared them before but she did now. Chloe.
Her head swirled, speckles dotting her vision. She blinked rapidly, fighting to stay awake. She didn’t want to die like this—on the floor, watching her best friend turn into an animal, unable to move or speak. She tried to inhale and gasped at the misery the simple action caused. Her lungs felt heavy, her body becoming cold. Her teeth rattled as she shook, her muscles drawn tight.
Blackness marred the edges of her vision, trying to take her under. She resisted, telling herself to stay awake. She watched as the black wolf’s movements became sluggish, it’s amber eyes full of panic. She realized it was dying. Just like her.
Serves it right.
Even though she knew she shouldn’t, she closed her eyes. She tried to count, to focus on something—anything—but in an instant darkness rose to consume her, wrapping her in a tight embrace. She gave up the fight, succumbing to oblivion. There was nothing left.
In her final moments she admitted she didn’t want to slip from the world.
Now—when it was too late—she very much wanted to live.
* * * * *
Declan growled at Chloe, ordering her to back off. She didn’t listen, refusing to relinquish her death grip, biting down. Then she shook her head, thrashing her muzzle violently from side to side. The wolf she’d attacked stopped struggling, gurgling as it emitted a death rattle.
Rachel. Get to her. Now.
He fought to stay with Chloe, wanting to rush to his female’s side. He’d seen she’d been hurt when he’d run into the home, smelled the rusty bitterness of her blood. He hadn’t had time to assess her wounds. His first course of action was to eliminate the threat. Otherwise his female wouldn’t be safe. He had to make sure the wolf that had attacked was dead. Snarling at Chloe and baring his teeth, he edged closer.
A loud snap ricocheted through the room, the sharp noise meaning one thing. Chloe had broken the animal’s neck. The wolf in Chloe’s hold stopped moving, its eyes rolling back in its head. Declan paused for a moment—making sure the fucker wasn’t getting back up. Confident the deed had been done, he rushed from Chloe to Rachel. His heart thudded in his chest, the wolf hungry for battle. He didn’t let the emotions deter him, making it to his mate.
Oh no. Please. No.
She was on her side, her eyes closed. Her bloodstained hand rested on the ground palm up. Blood seeped from her shoulder, her shirt destroyed and barely covering her chest. The injuries she’d suffered were severe, deep lacerations that delved to her collarbone. His heart sank, the wolf snarling in contempt. This was what he was supposed to do. His wolf was outraged at the loss. This should have been done by him, not someone else. An event this important should have bound him and Rachel together for eternity.
She’d been bitten.
Forcing the wolf aside, he bowed his head and started to shift. The animal fought, wanting to stay in control. He didn’t allow it, using all his will. The beast reluctantly receded, thrust back into its cage. It took several painful seconds as he struggled to return to his skin. Fighting for breath, he reached for her. She didn’t stir, quiet and unmoving. He pulled the remains of her shirt back, studying her wounds. Blood no longer poured from the ragged holes in her shoulder, slowing to a trickle.
Son of a bitch.
Inhaling deeply, he took in Rachel’s scent. Instantly he found what he was looking for. Fury swept through him, a rage so consuming he had to ball his hands into fists to keep from hitting something. Saliva from the wolf that had bitten her had already gotten into her system. It wouldn’t be long before she started to heal.
Rachel wasn’t human—not anymore.
In order for a werewolf to kill a person they’d infected they had to kill their prey by breaking their neck or removing their head from their body. If the bastard that had attacked Rachel had gone for her throat, she would have died. Thinking of such a thing made his chest tighten, his heart skipping a beat in fear. The wolf howled for vengeance, determined to destroy the person responsible. But there was no one to kill—Chloe had seen to that.
“How is she?” Chloe knelt beside him, a plush throw wrapped around her torso. Her voice shook, her hands trembling as she placed one on Rachel’s head. “Is she going to die? Will this kill her?”
“No, it won’t kill her.” He tried to remain calm, contemplating the various things he should say. “The bite took hold. The saliva is working its way through her system. She’s already changing.”
“Changing?” Chloe’s green eyes flared wide. “That can’t happen. She’ll go crazy.”
“No she won’t.” He wanted to pacify the female but it wasn’t easy when he felt equally off balance. “She’ll need some time but she’ll adjust.”
“Adjust? Are you insane?” Chloe choked on a sob. “Call Jackson,” she whispered hoarsely, her panic palpable. “I don’t know who attacked us but we have to leave. Rachel needs to be somewhere safe. I’ll take her home. I can look after her. She’ll recover if she’s with me. She’s going to be so scared. I don’t know what she’ll do when she finds out what’s happened. She’s so afraid of us. She hates what we are.”
“Listen to me closely,” he growled, looking at the devastated female. It was time to be honest. Chloe deserved to hear it from him. Not Jackson. “There’s something you need to know.” Taking a deep breath, he told her the truth. “Rachel is my mate, Chloe. I’ve known it for weeks. I’ve been trying to get to know her but she’s resisted me each time I’ve gotten close. We’ve been dreamsharing for a long time. She doesn’t understand what’s happening but that doesn’t matter. Not anymore. She’s changing and she’s going to shift come the next full moon. I’m her mate. Do you understand? She’s going to experience the same thing you did with Jackson.”
“What?” Chloe face paled, her lips parting and eyes growing wide. “But…she’s…you don’t know how she is. She won’t let it happen.”
“Jackson didn’t know how you were in the beginning,” he kept his words soft, his demeanor tender, “but it didn’t matter. It never does when it comes to mating. Use your nose. Smell her, Chloe. The change has already started.”
Listening to him, the female lowered her head and inhaled. It only took a moment. He knew the moment she scented the change, saw the way her shoulders tensed. She gazed at him, eyes brimming with tears.
“I smell it,” she confessed. “I’ve never smelled anything like it.”
Understandable. Changing werewolves carried a different scent. Rachel smelled human but beneath it there was a trace of something else. Until she shifted for the first time it would be easy for anyone—shifter or otherwise—to dismiss what was different about her if they didn’t pay close attention to her scent. That didn’t mean the wolf wouldn’t take hold, however. The nature of the beast would already start taking control, changing Rachel’s body and senses.