9. Jax

9

Jax

We were outnumbered by three. Just as my wolf managed to get to his feet, another wolf threw himself on top of me. Around me, wolves roared, and I felt the pain of my shifters through their bonds.

My claws ripped through flesh, but they had the advantage. I needed to get to my feet.

Distantly, I heard Anna scream again. There was a flash of orange, and fire seared my fur. Two of the wolves yelped and released their grip on me. I rose to see Anna standing with a flaming log in her hand. Twisting, she picked up another log and swung it like a damn baseball bat.

Rising, I gripped the one wolf still attached to me and snapped its neck. It fell, lifeless, to the ground, and I launched myself at the other two. One jerked away just in time, and the other one and I rumbled to the ground. It was smaller and leaner but scrappy. It got in a few good blows before I tore its throat open.

Turning to search for the one who got away, I watched, in horror, as Anna pulled out the flare gun from the bag. She aimed it at Jenson and the wolf he was fighting. As soon as she pulled the trigger, a wolf was on her.

Shift.

I pushed the command through our bond. She was human and could barely pivot on that knee. She wouldn't last two minutes under the claws of the wolf.

Instead of shifting, she fell, pinned under the wolf. Her screams seared into me, and my wolf roared with rage as we threw ourselves and shoved it through the fire and to the other side of the camp.

There was strength behind all that matted fur. Strength that, at any other time, I might have admired. Tonight, I just wanted him dead for daring to touch my mate.

He put up a good fight, and by the time it was over, the campsite had quieted. Dead wolves lay at our feet. I turned to assess the damage. Everyone was in wolf form except Saul. He leaned over Anna, and he was paler than he'd ever been.

"Shift," he said hoarsely. "You have to let your wolf heal you."

Instantly, I shifted and raced over. "How bad is it?"

I immediately checked her head and neck, but they were both fine. There was a nasty gash across her shoulder, but that didn't explain the tightness in Saul's voice.

Then I saw her leg. "Her femoral artery has been slashed. If she doesn't shift in the next few minutes, she will die," Saul said. "Someone get me a belt."

"Shift," I told her in a low voice. "You are going to die. You have to shift. Now."

"No," she rasped. "No, I can't."

"Yes, you can. Shift, damn it. Shift!"

Panic seized me. A shadow swept over her, and she immediately tried to shrink away.

Jenson handed Saul a belt. "Will this work?" He asked in a low voice.

"It'll buy us more time." Quickly, Saul made a tourniquet at the top of her thigh. "But not much. Jax."

"Twenty feet perimeter. Now," I commanded hoarsely. "Everyone."

"But…" Bridget started.

"Do it!"

My voice thundered, and everyone turned and raced to follow their orders. Kneeling by Anna, I placed a hand to her heart. "When I took you in, you swore an oath of loyalty to me, and I to you. You are in no danger here. It's just you and me. I'm going to shift, Anna. Your wolf has to know that under no circumstances would my wolf ever hurt you. He will die to protect you.

Let her out. If not, you're choosing death for her. You're choosing death for you both."

There was nothing but pain and panic in her eyes, and for a horrid moment, I wondered if she even understood what I was saying. "Don't do this," I whispered, and I let my wolf out.

She cried out, but the change was even faster than usual. My wolf was more than prepared to come out, to watch over and nurse her. I gave him complete control, and he whimpered and butted his head against her.

Precious seconds ticked by.

Then, like a miracle, she closed her eyes and exhaled. The change was long, far longer than it should have been, but when a small and honey-colored wolf whimpered under me, it was alive.

She was alive.

Sitting back, I howled, and my wolves returned. They performed a tight perimeter around us, and Saul stretched over.

"She's pretty," Bridget commented.

"She is," Saul agreed as he ran his hands over her leg. "And terrified. Give us more space please."

Instantly, the wolves moved out. My wolf leaned down and gently bit her nose. It was a sign of affection. One he hoped would be returned.

Instead, she just stared at us, her eyes glassy with fear.

Turning my head, I grumbled at Saul. "Don't look at me. I'm not hurting her. The wound is already closed, so I'm almost done. I just want to see…" his voice trailed off. "My God."

My wolf rumbled at him again.

"Anna, I'm going to turn you over to your stomach," Saul said in a gentle but strained voice. "Please do not be afraid."

He tried to turn her, but she wiggled and tried to push away from him. She didn't growl.

There was no aggression in her at all.

"Jax, a little help here. It's important."

My wolf leaned down and nudged her with his head. With a whimper, she flipped over.

Fury washed over me when I saw what Saul had felt.

Scars. Her wolf was covered in scars.

Instantly, I yanked the reigns back from my wolf and shifted. When I put my hands on her to part her fur, she yelped, rose, and bolted.

Cassius started after her. "Leave her," I commanded. "Bridget, follow on foot please. Take her some clothes."

With a nod, Bridget disappeared. "You're certain she won't run?" Saul asked in a low voice.

"She has too much at stake. Her freedom," I said flatly. "She'll finish this."

"She was right. This path to Wisteria Woods is far too vulnerable," Jenson spoke up. "We haven't even entered the woods, and we were attacked."

I nodded short. She'd been right, and I put my wolves in danger by not listening. I would not make that mistake again.

"There's only one thing I know of that would leave scars like that on a wolf," Saul said tightly.

Wolfsbane.

Was it the reason Anna had been hiding her wolf from us? She didn't want us to see the scars? She wasn't hiding her red wolf, that was certain. Her wolf was the color of Anna's hair. It wasn't out of character for a wolf and its human to share some features, but her coloring was completely unnatural for a wolf.

She and her wolf were close to each other. Very close. In most cases, it was a sign of an alpha.

"She won't stay in wolf form," I said in some frustration. "Will that affect how she heals?"

"Certainly. She'll be weak." Saul looked at me and sighed. "I will leave my pack with you with some instructions, but you'll need to find shelter. It'll be at least a full day, maybe even two, before you can enter Wisteria Woods."

"What is he talking about?" Maverick demanded. "Where is Saul going?"

"Not just Saul. Anna told me that we were going in with too big of a group, and she was right. We're attracting too much attention. Stealth is key here."

Cassius snorted in disbelief. "You're going there alone? With her? You trust her?"

"I don't have a choice."

My comment was met with silence. I could tell most of them wanted to argue. A few minutes passed before Bridget returned, a dressed but pale and shivering Anna by her side. She had shifted the first opportunity she had.

"What's going on?" Bridget asked as she helped Anna to a stump. Saul immediately crossed the camp site to her.

"He's ordering us back," Maverick said tightly. "He and his mate are going alone."

I snarled just a little at him, but Bridget nodded. "Sure. I get it. She won't shift with us."

"You get it?" Jenson echoed. "Really?"

"She saved your life with that flare gun stunt, Jenson," Bridget snapped back. "If I were you, I'd be grateful."

Jenson snapped his mouth shut. Bridget had a point.

"It doesn't matter what any of you think. I've made my decision. We go alone."

Maverick bared his teeth. "If you don't come back, we'll hunt her down to the ends of the earth."