Chapter Nineteen

Cassie

I'm led to out of the building by Ares, Eric, and Jeremiah. My wolf can't stop wagging her tail incessantly, completely excited to go on the run. She pants heavily, her eyes darting and shifting between the three men beside me. I can't blame her, though. They are easy to look at.

It felt truly amazing listening to my men as they all came to a mutual agreement to be my mates.

I feel so loved and adored, cherished, and cared for by these males who will do anything to keep me safe.

Jeremiah and Eric I love because of our past together… but this new man… Ares… I know I have only met him twice, but everything inside of me says that he is the one for me. It's like destiny. My wolf is just waking up, but she knows her fated mate.

I am just glad that I don't need to choose.

They stuff me into the back of Ares's car, Ares placating my wolf who isn't enthused by the small space. We're smack dab in the middle of the city, so we do need to drive out towards the woods. I would draw too much attention if we went on foot.

My wolf takes up most of the space in the back seat and my head is pressed against the roof of the car. Eric squeezes in beside me while Jeremiah takes the passenger seat beside Ares.

My wolf does not like it, but she holds on while Ares drives quickly. She is more than happy to jump out of the car once we make it to our destination, stretching as though she'd been stuffed in a suitcase while everyone else gets out of the car.

I'm pretty excited even though I'm technically not in control. It would be my first time experiencing a run.

Eric looks down at me, a glint in his eyes. "Race you?"

Before I can even think about it, my wolf runs off, just like that. Eric laughs loudly from behind me. I sigh internally, relegating my mind to watch from the background while my animal self runs.

After everything I've been through, it helps to be a mindless animal for a while. I'm glad I'm able to at least give this to my wolf. She's been suppressed for way too long.

Running as my wolf feels great, the wind rushing through my fur, the ground pounding beneath my paws. I feel alive, more alive than I have in years.

My paws pound the earth, my senses heightened, and my mind clears of all worries. The wind ruffles my white fur, and I feel wild and free.

The voices of the males fade into the distance as I explore the forest. I glance back and their tall, muscular forms are growing smaller.

Suddenly, Ares' massive black wolf form emerges beside me, his eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity. Jeremiah and Eric follow, their green and hazel eyes shining bright in their wolf forms. They're smaller than Ares, although still much bigger than me, and their fur is brown.

They all watch me with a mix of amusement and concern.

My wolf's excitement is palpable as I run, my paws pounding the earth in a joyful rhythm. The wind rushes past my ears, and my heart races with exhilaration. I am a wolf, unbridled and untamed.

The forest is a blur of green and brown as I race through it, my senses heightened, every sound and scent amplified. I can hear the rustle of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the distant roar of a waterfall.

I can smell the earthy scent of the forest floor, the sweet aroma of wildflowers, and the musky scent of other animals. It's intoxicating, and I lose myself in the sensation of it all.

Eric's wolf hops onto mine and the others align with me as well, brushing their bodies, their fur against mine. The feeling is euphoric as my wolf plays with them with a wagging tail. We run around, hopping here there, and I feel so much excitement.

That is until we sense that something is wrong.

Ares suddenly comes to a halt in front of us, snarling, growling, and violently flashing his fangs as though there's another presence around us.

A creeping sense of unease settles over me. We are being watched and hunted. Jeremiah tenses up, his ears perk up, and his eyes scan our surroundings.

The footsteps are stealthy, like phantoms creeping through the forest, their presence masked by the rustling of leaves. But I sense them, my wolf's instincts on high alert.

It happens so suddenly that I barely have time to react. One moment, I'm running free, and the next, I can tell I'm surrounded by attackers, their faces twisted in anger and determination.

One by one, they emerge from the shadows, their eyes blazing with a feral intensity. Their jaws are slack, their canines dripping with saliva, as if they'd been waiting for this moment to strike. Werepanthers… I've never seen them before, but they stand before me now, flanked by some wolves.

Noise in the trees makes me look up, and I see humanoid figures with glowing eyes, wielding magic. Warlocks…

My mates surround me quickly, their bodies a shield against the attackers that threaten us.

The wolves suddenly launch themselves at us, their bodies a blur of fur and fangs. Ares releases his pheromones, weakening them. The scent of him fills the air, making my blood boil with excitement.

But it seems like they came prepared for a pheromone attack. They begin injecting themselves with blockers as they fight, resisting Ares' pheromones.

However, they are not prepared enough. The blockers keep them from being immobilized, but Ares is too powerful. Even worse, Ares's pheromones send my own soaring, throwing our attackers into further disarray. I feel myself hurtling toward a state of estrus, my senses heightened and my reflexes honed.

The attackers, who are clearly Alphas, are both weakened by Ares' pheromones and they are being provoked to lust and thoughtless action by mine. On the one hand, it is good since it's causing confusion, but on the other hand, it is dangerous since they're in a frenzy because they are driven to rut and want a piece of me.

My mates must protect me and keep them away.

The battle erupts in a maelstrom of snarling and growling that shakes the forest. Jeremiah moves with fluid grace, dodging snapping jaws and counterattacking with a precision that leaves his opponent's neck broken and bloody.

Ares pounces, his massive wolf form towering over the warlock he made his target, his jaws closing around him with a crushing force that sends his head flying, blood spraying like a crimson rain.

Eric's claws flash in the moonlight, piercing the chest of another wolf and ripping out its heart with savage efficiency. He bites down on the neck of the next, his canines sinking deep, his grip unyielding until the wolf goes still.

Ares' wolf is a vision of fury, his fur matted with blood as he buries his fangs into the neck of an attacker. He doesn't let go even as the attacker whines and cries out. It's like the more the attacker struggles, the more Ares' wolf bites down. He bites violently into the wolf's neck, ripping out his attacker's throat.

I stand there, my heart pounding with excitement as I watch Ares, Jeremiah, and Eric leap into action, their bodies moving with a grace and power that takes my breath away.

They are strong, and my wolf is pleased. No, my wolf is ecstatic, watching her chosen mates fight for her. Their bodies are bloodied, their fur stained with the gore of their enemies.

And then, in a moment of sheer chaos, one of the panthers Eric had attacked and flipped behind him comes toward me. Its eyes are blazing with a crazed lust. My pheromones have driven it mad, and it charges at me with a feral intensity despite the deep gash in its side.

My mates notice, but they can't stop him in time.

My wolf surges forward, teeth bared in a snarl. I lunge for its neck, my jaws closing around its throat with a satisfying crunch.

The wolf's blood splatters across my white fur, warm and sticky, as I rip its neck open. The sound of its vertebrae snapping is like a crack of thunder, the taste of its blood a coppery tang that fills my mouth.

I feel a rush of fulfillment, a sense of pride and belonging, as I howl into the night. I have proven myself to my mates, and they have proven themselves to me.

The adrenaline begins to fade, and I feel so dizzy. The world around me is swirling and I stagger a bit. My body contorts, my paws turning back into fingers and my body changing until I am human again. Next thing I know, I'm falling to the ground and my body is aching, trembling like there's something going very wrong.

I'm definitely going into heat.