Hunted (Pack of Dawn and Destiny, #1)(65)

She swung me straight into the arms of Lumberer #2, and while I was able to get my elbow up high enough to drive it into his face, Kash switched her grip from my hair to my wrists and was easily able to jerk my arms down while Lumberer #1 kneed me in the side with enough force to make my legs give out.

I collapsed to my knees, my arms raised over my head, and one of the wolves plucked my daggers from my grasp as if I had the strength of a child.

I coughed, trying to breathe through the pain that radiated up and down my side. It’s always me against a Pack of wolves. I’m always alone.

Dolph had apparently recovered enough to see. He marched toward me with murder in his eyes.

I struggled—trying to stand or wriggle out of the wolves’ grasp, but they were too strong.

This’ll hurt.

I started to brace myself, when a flash of my hunter senses nearly blinded me, and something came barreling out of the forest and slammed into Dolph. He went flying and smacked into a tree—making it audibly creak.

Greyson stood where Dolph had moments before—his usually swept back blond-brown hair was ruffled, his jeans were ripped at the knees, and his dark t-shirt was dirty.

His gold eyes landed on me for a moment, before he took in the wolves holding me. “You’re all going to die.”

Kash inhaled, but Greyson reached her before she could say anything. He grabbed her by the shoulder and flung her on top of Dolph as if she was a pillow.

He grabbed Lumberer #1 by the throat and slammed him into the ground with so much force I felt it in the bones of my legs.

Lumberer #2 dropped me and turned to run, but Greyson caught him by the back of the shirt, yanked him hard so he started to fall backward, then kneed him in the left side, just below his bottom rib, right where his liver was.

The Lumberer dropped with a gurgle, totally incapacitated by the pain.

Greyson released his shirt, then turned his blistering gaze onto Dolph.

The Alpha was shaking, unable to get any of his muscles to respond as he felt the full force of Greyson’s powers.

Greyson’s anger was so fierce, so intense, it was bitingly cold. Even I felt the strength of his powers rasp in my lungs when I breathed.

He’s serious—he’s going to kill them.

“Wait, Greyson!” I leaped in front of him, grabbing his right wrist—though I knew I’d never physically be able to stop him. “You can’t kill them.”

Greyson stared at me, his gold eyes glowing. “Why not?”

“For a lot of reasons,” I panted. “Because you’d regret it later most obviously, but mostly because Dolph is dosed with wolfsbane.”

Greyson glanced past me and peered at Dolph’s crumpled form.

“We can give him to the Regional Committee, and once they worm out who the supplier is, the case will be closed. The hunters will leave, and everything will be over.”

He tilted his head from side to side as he scented the other Alpha. “You’re right.”

The sharp edge left his stance, and he twisted his wrist so I wasn’t grabbing him, instead he was holding one of my hands. “Fine. I’ll leave it.”

He moved a step closer to me so there wasn’t much room between us as he inspected me. He glided the fingers of his free hand across my cheekbone—probably checking for damage. “How badly did they get you?”

“Not too bad,” I said. “It wasn’t until they dogpiled on me that they got any hits in.”

Greyson glanced at Lumberer #1—the one I’d hit in the face with the branch. “It seems you doled out a few injuries of your own.”

“Yeah, but I couldn’t stop them,” I said wryly. “Not like you did.”

Greyson squeezed my hand that he was still holding and gently slid his fingers down my quickly bruising side. “I’m an Alpha. It’d be a sad thing if I was easily overpowered by Dolph.”

“Good for you,” I grumbled. “I’m sure your parents are very proud.”

“Did you ever wonder if maybe you’re supposed to fight differently?” Greyson asked.

“Like in a family and not alone?” I snidely said.

“No. As in, perhaps your magic could be channeled in different ways from how you already use it.” Greyson licked the pad of his thumb, then moved it toward my cheek.

“Do not touch my face with that,” I said.

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want your spit on my face!”

“You don’t know, maybe my spit will give you wolf healing powers,” Greyson said.

I rolled my eyes as I retrieved my daggers from where Kash had thrown them. “That’s not a thing.”

My hunter instincts stirred, and in the distance I heard the howl of the Northern Lakes Pack as they slowly closed in on us.

I turned in the direction of their howls. “They’re a lot farther than I thought they’d be,” I said. “You arrived way before them.”

Greyson shrugged. “I sensed you were in trouble first.”

I wrinkled my forehead as I sheathed my daggers. He sensed I was in trouble? Didn’t he hear my whistle?

Greyson stalked over to Dolph—who had recovered enough that at least his mouth was working.

“Y-you!” Dolph growled as Greyson crouched next to him.

“Me,” Greyson agreed. “You gave the wolfsbane to the wolf who died, didn’t you?”