Chapter Six

Things were going relatively well. Gary was still a ball of fear most of the time, but he'd come to accept that no matter how terrified he was, Chris wouldn't stop being a hunter. It was good that the two of them had talked things out, but the fear was something Gary had to deal with on his own.

If only he knew how to do it.

He looked sideways at where Chris was stretched out on the grass, his eyes closed, only wearing his jeans. He looked incredibly handsome in the sunlight. To be honest, Chris always looked incredibly handsome. Gary wanted nothing more than to stretch out next to him, but he was harvesting mint, and he needed to focus on that.

Just knowing that Chris was there, safe and sound, was enough for Gary to allow himself to look the other way. He continued his work, but all of his fears flooded back in when he heard Chris's phone rattle in the grass next to him. He stopped moving and held his breath to listen to what Chris would say about whatever was happening. It could be a text from Kendrick or Alexis, but somehow, Gary doubted it. Things were getting worse, and the hunters had been going out on hunts more and more often. They were taking turns, so Chris had stayed home recently, but Gary had always known it wouldn't last forever.

"Dammit," Chris swore. "I have to go."

Gary swallowed and told himself not to freak out. It was the last thing Chris needed. He had to be able to focus on his safety and the safety of the people he'd be hunting with, and he wouldn't be able to do that if he was wondering what Gary was doing and if he was freaking out.

Gary put down his basket and knife and turned to his mate. Like this, half naked in the sunlight, Chris looked indestructible. He was made of flesh and bone, though, and Gary knew how fragile that was.

He still forced a smile on his lips. "Will you let me know when you return?"

Chris frowned and cocked his head. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know. We have no idea what's going to happen or how long you'll be gone."

"I'll let you know," Chris promised. "I don't want you to worry about anything."

Gary wanted to tell him that just wasn't possible, but he didn't dare. "I know. I'll do my best."

Chris smiled. "I suppose that's as good as I'll get." He finished dressing, then strode to Gary and cupped the back of his neck with one hand. "I promise I'll be fine. I always am."

Gary couldn't stop thinking that Chris would always be fine until the day he wouldn't be, but he couldn't allow that thought to show in his expression. Instead, he leaned forward to kiss Chris. "Be careful and return to me," he murmured.

"I will. It's a promise."

Gary wanted to tell him not to make promises he wasn't sure he'd be able to keep, but instead, he pressed his lips together. He wanted to go with Chris to Clay and Rowan's house and wait there until Chris returned, but it might be hours. Besides, he didn't want Chris to realize just how nervous he was. He could probably tell, but Gary didn't want him to be worried.

"You'll tell Ronnie what's going on?" Chris asked as he stepped back. "I'll text him, but this'll be the first time I have to go on a hunt since he moved here, and I know he'll be worried. Maybe the two of you can spend some time together."

Gary liked Ronnie, but he couldn't think of anything worse than the two of them waiting together. He felt like they'd push each other to new levels of anxiousness, which wasn't something anyone wanted.

He had no doubt that having Ronnie move here from the city had been a good idea, but at the same time, it had made Ronnie more aware of what Chris's work with the hunters meant. When he'd been away from Chris, he'd only had a vague idea. He'd known it was dangerous, but now that he was in the middle of things, he was bound to see people getting hurt, including Chris. He might freak out, and Gary wasn't sure he could deal with that.

He was freaking out enough on his own.

Chris started to move away but stopped. Gary wasn't sure what was going on until Chris returned quickly toward him, grabbed his waist, and pulled him into his arms. The kiss they shared was a promise that Gary would make sure Chris kept. No matter what happened, Gary would have Chris back. He was ready to go look for him if it was necessary.

He really hoped he wouldn't have to because he never wanted to see a Kudlak in his life ever again.

Chris eventually had to let go of Gary, but Gary tried clinging to him. When they finally separated, he swayed a little. For some reason, the sight made Chris smile.

"I'll see you soon," he promised.

Gary could only nod. This time, when Chris walked away, he didn't return to Gary. He walked around the house, and Gary was left alone.

He sucked in a breath. He wouldn't be alone forever. He wouldn't even be alone for long. Chris would be back in a few hours, and they could continue living their lives.

Gary had to believe that.

Gary finished what he was doing with the mint and brought everything inside. He walked around his house, putting things back in their place and cleaning a bit, but when he looked at the time, only twenty minutes had passed. It would be a while before Chris would return.

Gary couldn't stay in the house. He felt jittery, and while he didn't want to go for a run in case Chris came back early, he also didn't want to feel like a beast in a cage. Maybe taking a walk would help. At the very least, it wouldn't do anything bad, so Gary decided to go for it.

He quickly washed up and left the house. The summer day was gorgeous, and he couldn't help but think about the contrast of the weather and what Chris and the other hunters were doing. It felt impossible that such a bad thing could happen during a day like this, but Gary's clan had been destroyed on a gorgeous spring evening, so he knew better. Kudlaks didn't care about the weather. They didn't feel the cold like humans might, and while they tended to attack at night, they didn't worry about whether it was raining or snowing. They just wanted blood.

Gary shuddered and walked faster. He saw several people gathered in small groups, probably waiting for the hunters to return, but he didn't join them. He continued walking until he reached Chris's house, and when he saw Ronnie sitting on the porch, he hesitated. He wouldn't mind spending time with Ronnie and getting to know him, but he didn't want the two of them to make each other even more anxious than they already were.

Ronnie looked up and saw Gary, which Gary guessed meant that he wouldn't get a choice. He waved, and Ronnie waved back as Gary quickly walked toward him.

"I saw everyone gathering at Clay's house. Chris texted me, so I know they left, but I don't have any details. Do you know what's happening?" Ronnie asked.

"I don't know anything more than you. Chris doesn't tell me much because he knows it freaks me out, but considering what's happening, we can guess they went to take care of a nest."

Ronnie shuddered. "I was only attacked by one Kudlak, and I can't imagine having to face an entire nest of them."

"They don't usually work in groups. They do when they attack a big group of people, but most of the time, the hunters only face one Kudlak."

"But you wouldn't be surprised if this was a nest?"

"The Kudlaks have been behaving strangely, and that's part of it." A part they didn't understand, but then Gary didn't think he could ever understand Kudlaks.

"Chris will be fine. He's been doing this for years, and while he's gotten hurt before, it's never been anything permanent. I know you're worried, but he can take care of himself."

"I know." But knowing that wouldn't stop Gary from worrying. Until Chris was back home with him, his every thought would be on his mate.

* * * *

The place looked like every other place Chris and the hunters had raided. Kudlaks hunted humans, so they hid in small towns or cities, where they tended to hide in abandoned buildings. Apparently they didn't care about comfort and didn't need water or electricity. They only cared about blood and easily hiding to kill the humans they captured.

Chris was sure not every Kudlak was like that. He just had to look at Melissa, the Kudlak who lived in their village. She'd been hiding in a similar place when they'd found her—an abandoned house that had been crumbling onto itself—but only because it had been necessary. She hadn't been there to hide bodies or have a discreet place to kill people. She'd been protecting her daughter and Devon. She hadn't had a family beyond them and no one to help her, yet she hadn't killed humans. She'd done what she could to raise her daughter right, something Chris admired.

He didn't know what to think of Melissa, but he could admit she didn't seem like a bad person. She hadn't given them any kind of trouble now that she lived in the village. In fact, every time Chris saw her and her family, they all seemed happy and relaxed.

But Chris wasn't happy and relaxed right now. He eyed the abandoned warehouse in front of them. It was quiet, so much so that it was hard to believe there was a nest of Kudlaks in there.

"You know what to do," Rowan said in a whisper.

They did. He'd already briefed them on what he knew about the place. He'd gotten word a small nest of three or four Kudlaks was hiding here. It was a massive building for so few people, which meant it was going to be a bitch to search.

Chris shivered. It wasn't the first time he'd had to deal with something like this, but he didn't like it.

He never did.

He stuck close to Kendrick and Alexis as they entered the building. Boyd had stayed home this time, but Chris wouldn't be surprised to see him popping up like he had the time Chris was wounded. He still came on hunts sometimes, especially when someone had been hurt, but he was also pulling away, which was good because it was what he wanted. It was odd not to fight next to him, but Alexis had taken his place, and he was just as good—probably better, considering he was a Krsnik and had been born to kill Kudlaks.

They were silent as their group separated when they entered the building. Kendrick, Alexis, and Chris went down one hallway, all of them ready to jump into action if they found the nest. Chris could hear himself breathe, the sound of their footsteps, and the few noises the others made in different parts of the building, but that was it.

He frowned as he looked around. There were only a few entrances in the building, and the one they'd taken hadn't looked like it'd been used recently, especially not by Kudlaks. Usually, the hunters found traces of blood at the very least, but there was nothing like that here. There was plenty of humidity and mold, along with mouse droppings, dust, and plants that had started to grow in the cracks in the pavement, but no blood and no stench of decomposition.

Had they found the only neat Kudlaks in the area?

"I don't like this," Alexis muttered.

Chris was glad to have confirmation from someone who knew more about this than he ever could. "It doesn't feel like it usually does," he agreed.

"Most of them are messy fuckers, but there's no mess here."

"They're probably deeper in the building."

Alexis's expression was grim as he nodded. They continued walking down hallways, clearing rooms as they went. It wasn't cold, but Chris still felt shivery. He expected something to jump out of one of the rooms as they checked them, but nothing ever did. It was as if the building was empty.

He swallowed. Why would it be? Maybe the information Rowan had gotten was wrong. Maybe the Kudlaks had already left. If that was the case, though, they would have left bodies behind.

But there was nothing.

They finished checking the area they'd been assigned and found nothing. They retreated back to the entrance from which they'd come, all three of them eager to find out that everyone else was all right. Several people were already there when they got to the door, and their expressions mirrored what Chris was feeling.

Something was wrong.

Rowan and Clay eventually arrived. "Anything?" Rowan asked.

Most people shook their heads, but Rachel and Caroline exchanged glances, and Rachel nodded. "We did. There was a nest here, but they're gone. I don't know when they abandoned the place, but they left you a message."

Rowan set his jaw. "Show me."

Chris was still careful as they all followed Rachel down the hallway. They might have cleared the place, but he wouldn't put it past the Kudlaks to hide somewhere and jump out at any moment. They were vicious and cruel, but they were also smart.

Terrifyingly so.

No one and nothing jumped them, though, and they reached a room that appeared to have been a breakroom of some sort. Chris had no idea what happened in this warehouse when it was in use, but there were no traces left of whatever work had been done there. He didn't really care, anyway. The place had been abandoned, and it would be better to raze it to the ground than allow Kudlaks to use it.

The breakroom did look like a place where a nest had lived. It was strange how the rest of the warehouse was neat, but this room wasn't. There were traces of blood on the ground, and the air smelled of decay. Chris was pretty sure he noticed a severed hand in a corner, but that wasn't what got his attention.

No, that was the message on the wall.

Clay snorted. "Dramatic, aren't they? Is that written in blood?"

Rowan's attention was on the wall. "It is, from the smell." He stepped closer, and so did Chris. He was curious to see what had been written, but his gaze went straight to the body by the wall. From the looks of it, the man hadn't been dead long, and the blood on the wall came from him. His open eyes stared at the ceiling, and his too-pale skin made it obvious that there wasn't a drop of blood left in his body. Whatever the Kudlaks hadn't used to write on the wall, they'd drunk.

Chris swallowed as he turned his attention back to the wall. There was nothing they could do for that man.

Your village is next.

That was it, but there was no doubt the message was meant for Rowan. He was the one who had started a new clan with his mate and had put together the village.

Chris's stomach churned. He and Alexis looked at each other, and Chris knew they weren't the only ones to think this was bad.

"It's a trap," Kendrick said.

Clay swore, and almost as one, everyone started running toward the entrance. Not everyone had come with them to check the message, and the two Nix who'd shimmered them here today had stayed behind. They were enforcers, and while they were trained to fight, fighting Kudlaks wasn't what they did. They were here for support and to shimmer them if anything happened.

Something had happened.

There was no way to know what the intention behind the words on the wall was exactly, but the threat against the village was clear. It might just be a coincidence, but Chris wouldn't be surprised if they shimmered home to find that the village was under attack. Even if it wasn't, he needed to get to Ronnie and Gary. He had to make sure they were all right and that nothing had happened to them. He could feel Gary through their bond, but the bond felt sluggish, and he wasn't sure why.

They all barged into the entrance, making the two Nix and the few other people hanging around with them jump. Thankfully, the Nix were trained, so they could tell right away something had happened. By the time Chris and the others reached them, they'd already extended their arms, offering their hands to shimmer out.

Chris touched the nearest Nix and got ready for whatever would greet them when they shimmered home.

* * * *

A loud screeching made Ronnie and Gary jump. Ronnie looked around, confused, but Gary knew what was happening. His heart raced as he wondered where the attack would be coming from.

The village wasn't large, and most of the houses were clustered around a main road. It cut through the village, and if Gary had to guess, the attack was coming from one of its ends. That would be the easiest way to get into the village.

"What's that? What's going on?" Ronnie asked as he wrapped his arms around himself.

Knowing what he did about Ronnie's past, Gary wasn't sure he wanted to answer. Unfortunately, he didn't have a choice. Ronnie needed to know what was going on. He'd have to hide until this was over.

"We're under attack," Gary explained.

Ronnie's eyes went wide and he seemed frozen, which wouldn't do. Gary knew how he felt. The sound of the alarm was the same one that had echoed around his village so many years ago. It had told everyone they were under attack, but it hadn't saved his clan. They'd all died anyway.

Was his new clan about to die, too?

It was hard not to let the memories pull him in, but Gary fought it. He wasn't on his own. He needed to keep Ronnie safe, and it was clear that Ronnie wouldn't be able to do much on his own. He wasn't even moving to hide.

"I thought this place was safe," Ronnie said in a trembling voice. "I thought I wouldn't be attacked here."

Gary grabbed Ronnie's shoulders and gave him a shake. He didn't want to hurt Chris's best friend, but he wouldn't be able to help if Ronnie was freaking out.

Ronnie's gaze snapped to Gary's. Gary sucked in a breath, relieved to see that Ronnie was present and not lost in his fear. "I know you're scared. I am, too, and I already went through this once. I know what can happen if we don't react, and I'm not ready to allow that."

"We're all going to die," Ronnie said with a moan.

They probably would, but this time, Gary wouldn't allow the Kudlaks to do what they wanted. If they were going to kill him, they'd do it while he was defending his home and the people he loved.

"I won't let you die," he told Ronnie. "I'll protect you with my life if I have to."

There were tears in Ronnie's eyes, but Gary didn't have time to deal with them. He had Ronnie's attention, and he needed to take advantage of that.

He had so many people he wanted to help. The hunters were gone, but Dermot, Devon, Melissa, and her daughter—all those people were here. They were in danger, and even though Gary knew he wouldn't be able to save all of them, he'd do his best.

He pushed Ronnie toward the front door of Chris's house. "Go inside. Hide."

Ronnie's eyes were wide. "What about you? Where are you going?"

"To help the others."

A different kind of alarm went up, and Gary gritted his teeth. The Kudlaks had burst through the wards. They were coming, and there was no time to waste.

He pushed Ronnie again, not caring how gentle he was anymore. "Chris showed you the hidey-hole he made under the living room floor, right?" he asked.

Ronnie nodded. "He told me it was just in case."

"Well, just in case just happened, and you need to use it. Hide under there, don't use any kind of light, and stay as quiet as possible. I promise I'll come back for you."

"You're going to get yourself killed. You should hide with me."

Gary wanted to. He was terrified, and his mind kept going back to the people he'd lost the last time this had happened. He'd felt guilty for their deaths ever since, but now, he had a chance to avenge them and protect the people who were part of his new family. The fear was there, and it probably would never leave him, but he was strong, and he knew he could help.

"I can't," he told Ronnie. "I need to help the others. Please hide and stay safe. Chris would never forgive himself if something happened to you."

Ronnie looked like he wanted to argue, but there was no time. He knew what to do. Gary couldn't force him to hide, but he couldn't waste any more time standing there with him.

He turned and ran, ignoring Ronnie's calls to him. He prayed Ronnie would listen and hide and that when Chris came back, he wouldn't find his best friend dead. It would break his heart if anything happened to Ronnie.

Gary was sure that Chris could feel his panic through the bond by now. He could feel Chris's presence, steady and strong, but not just that. There had been confusion coming through for a while, then a sharp peak of fear. Chris was probably fighting for his life, and Gary did his best to muffle the bond. He wanted to know what was happening with Chris, but he couldn't allow the attack on the village to distract his mate. No matter how terrified he was or how much he wanted to call someone who would take care of the Kudlaks and keep him and the others safe, there was no one to call.

Except that wasn't true.

He swore and took out his phone. Everyone in the village had been given a phone number to call if something like this happened. He was sure someone had already called, but just in case, he did the same as he ran toward one of the entrances of the village.

"We already know," a woman said when she answered. "People are coming to help. The best thing you can do is hide."

A loud scream made Gary jump. He turned to see a Kudlak dragging Melissa out of her house. Her daughter was running after them, crying, while Devon was fighting another Kudlak and losing. He was doing his best, but he was only human.

"Did you hear me?" the woman on the phone asked. "You need to hide. People are coming, and they'll keep everyone safe."

But Gary couldn't hide. He couldn't allow these Kudlaks to hurt Melissa and her family. Devon was already bleeding from a cut on his cheek. The Kudlak holding him cackled and licked the blood that dripped from it and stained his skin. Devon shouted and tried to get free, but the Kudlak was too strong. Gary watched as she grabbed Devon's hair and pulled it to the side, exposing his neck. Her eyes glinted, probably at the thought of the meal she was about to have.

Gary threw his phone at her face.

It hit her right on the forehead, making her jerk away. That was enough for Devon to wiggle his way out of her hold, but like the idiotic, incredibly sweet young man he was, he didn't run, or at least, he didn't run to safety. Instead, he rushed over to Melissa, who was fighting off the Kudlak who'd dragged her out of the house. Her daughter was cowering with her back pressed against the porch steps, hiding her face in her arms.

The Kudlak who'd been about to bite Devon was quick to grab him again. Gary needed to do more if he wanted to save his family.

Even though every instinct he had was screaming at him to hide, he did the opposite. He reached deep inside of himself and shifted.

His favorite animal to shift into had always been his horse. When he was in that form, he felt free and could run. As much as he loved the horse, though, it wouldn't help him here. He needed something stronger, something with claws and fangs.

He turned into a bear.

Bears were fast and massive, and Gary wasn't any different in this form. He stood on his back legs and roared, getting the attention of both the Kudlaks, Melissa, and Devon.

He didn't give the Kudlaks the opportunity to run. He rushed forward, watching with glee as their eyes widened, and they both scrambled away. The woman had let go of Devon, who turned and kicked her in the knee. She yelled and fell on her face, and Gary was on her in seconds.

He'd never killed anyone before, but he didn't hesitate. He slashed at the woman's throat with his claws, feeling them sink into her flesh as if it were butter. Blood spurted, and her eyes widened. She tried to get away, but Gary sank the claws of his other hand into her heart.

He didn't pause to watch the light leave her eyes. He turned toward the other Kudlak, who was running.

Gary ran after him.

* * * *

As they shimmered back to the village, Chris couldn't stop thinking about what was happening there. They were under attack. Rowan had told them he'd gotten a text from several of the people who lived in the village to warn him that the alarm was ringing. This had been a trap, and the Kudlaks had used the opportunity of having the hunters at the warehouse to attack the village.

Chris would tear them to pieces with his hands if they hurt anyone he cared about.

He couldn't imagine what Ronnie and Gary were going through. Ronnie had come to the village after Chris had promised it was safe, and now, here he was, under attack by Kudlaks like the one who had ruined his life.

And Gary. He'd gone through this once before. He'd lost his entire clan and family and every person he'd ever cared about. This had to bring him back right to that moment, and Chris hated the panic and fear he could feel through their bond. He could tell that Gary was trying to shield him from it, but the emotions were too strong.

When they finally reached the outskirts of the village, no one waited for Clay or Rowan to give orders. Thankfully, the leaders didn't seem to care. They didn't try to stop anyone. They just raised their weapons and ran forward.

There didn't seem to be that many Kudlaks, but the wards weren't strong, and it looked like the Kudlaks had managed to breach them because there were so few of them. Not that it mattered. Chris was going to kill every single Kudlak still standing.

He wanted to run straight home, but he couldn't avoid stopping when people needed him. Two Kudlaks were attacking Dermot and Tamlin. He was surprised to see those two in the thick of things, considering what they'd gone through before, but they were fighting the Kudlaks with kitchen knives and pans. As he watched, Dermot slammed the cast-iron pan he was holding into the face of a Kudlak, breaking the woman's nose, if the loud crunch was an indication of anything. She screamed, but not for long. Chris came up behind her and slashed her throat, and Tamlin stabbed his kitchen knife into her heart.

The two appeared bewildered, but Chris didn't have time to take care of them. As much as he wanted to make sure they were all right, his fear and panic pushed him to go home. He needed to find Ronnie and Gary. He needed to make sure they were okay.

He couldn't read the feelings coming through the bond. Gary was scared, which was to be expected, but he also felt smug. That didn't make sense, which was why Chris was sure something was wrong.

He ran down the road, only to come to a stop at the sight of a massive brown bear running after a man. From the blood on the man's clothes, he was ready to bet he was a Kudlak. He'd never seen a Kudlak run away from anyone, though. Even when the hunters attacked, they fought back.

Not this one. He was screaming and running for his life, but he wasn't fast enough. The bear caught up to him, jumping onto the Kudlak's back and slamming him into the ground. The Kudlak's scream abruptly cut off, and Chris watched as the bear tore out the Kudlak's throat.

Blood spurted all over the dry earth. The bear was still for a moment before climbing off the Kudlak's body and looking around.

Maybe he was looking for more Kudlaks to kill.

There were none. Chris could hear the sounds of the fighting vanishing now that the alarm was gone. They were replaced by a heavy silence that made him want to sob. The village shouldn't be silent. It should be full of people talking and laughing and living their lives without fear.

The Kudlaks had ruined that. They'd barged into the village, attacked the people who lived there, and scared and possibly killed them.

"Chris!" Ronnie's voice yelled.

Chris blinked at the sight of Ronnie sitting on the ground by the house, holding Melissa's daughter against his chest. The only thing Chris could see of Haley was her blonde hair, but as much as he liked the little girl, she wasn't who he was focused on.

Ronnie's eyes were wide, and tears tracked down his cheeks. Why was he here? Didn't he realize that the girl he was holding was a Kudlak? She would never hurt him, but Ronnie couldn't know that, and considering his past and the fear he had of Kudlaks, Chris didn't understand what was happening.

The bear turned, and his gaze stopped on Chris, who was standing there like an idiot. For some reason, he readied himself to fight even though he knew this couldn't be a normal bear. There were no bears in the area—not of the real bear variety, anyway.

He wasn't surprised when the bear started shrinking, but he was surprised to realize that the bear was his mate.

He ran forward, not one moment of hesitation now that he knew who the bear was. When he reached his mate, Gary was completely naked. His skin was bloody, and Chris's fear spiked.

"Are you hurt?"

Gary's face was covered in blood, but that probably was because he'd bitten a Kudlak or two. The sight was grisly, but it reminded Chris that his mate was alive.

Gary shook his head. "It's not my blood," he murmured.

Chris ran his hands over Gary's arms, shoulders, and chest. As far as he could see, it really wasn't his blood. There were no wounds on him, not even a scratch.

He pulled Gary into his arms. "What the fuck happened? Why aren't you hiding?"

Gary stiffened into Chris's arms and took a step back. "Because I hid the last time this happened, and I lost everyone. I wasn't going to allow it to happen a second time."

Chris sucked in a breath. He understood what Gary was saying, and he wasn't angry or hurt. He would have done the same thing. He couldn't have stayed behind when his village was in danger.

He dragged Gary back into his arms and kissed the top of his head. "I know. I'm proud of you."

Gary shuddered. "I killed two Kudlaks. I'd never killed anyone before."

"You did what you had to do to protect yourself and your family. It was the right thing to do."

Gary slumped against Chris, and for a moment, they stayed there, holding each other up. Chris could see Ronnie and the others over Gary's shoulder. Ronnie was talking to Melissa and trying to convince Haley to let go of him, but he wasn't having much success. Devon was there, too. There was a long cut down his cheek, but he didn't seem to care. He was focused on Melissa and Haley, although that didn't last long when he turned toward Chris.

"Where's Kendrick?" he asked.

Chris shook his head. "I don't know. When we shimmered back and realized what was happening, I ran for Gary and Ronnie."

Devon frowned. "You're supposed to protect Kendrick."

"I'm sure he's fine."

"You can't know that."

Gary put a hand on Devon's shoulder. "We can't know that he's fine, but listen, Devon. The fight is over."

While Chris could hear people calling out to each other and someone crying nearby, the sounds of swords and knives hitting each other were gone, as were the snarls and taunts from the Kudlaks.

He looked down at the Kudlak Gary had killed in front of him. The man was bleeding out in the dirt, and Chris had to resist the urge to kick the body. The Kudlak was dead. He would never hurt anyone ever again, and it was thanks to Gary.

Chris hugged him tightly. "I could feel how scared you were, but it was as if you tried to cut me off from the bond."

Gary sucked in a breath. "I thought you were fighting your own fight, and I didn't want you to focus on me." He shivered. "I was terrified."

"But even though you were scared, you didn't hide. You stood up for your village and fought. You killed two Kudlaks."

Chris hoped this would help Gary heal the wound he still carried from when his clan had been attacked the last time. He hadn't been able to help anyone then, but he had this time. Chris prayed Gary would never have to go through this again, but if he did, he'd be all right. He finally knew how strong he was and that it didn't matter that he was a Vila and wasn't trained to hunt Kudlaks.

He'd saved his village by being himself.