11. Ryan

Iturned to go to Tucker when two familiar scents announced the arrival of Ivan and Danni. Good, we could do with the help.

They bounded into the clearing, powerful and alert. Ivan, large and imposing even as a wolf, and Danni's wolf, lean and sharp, every movement calculated and precise.

Their snarls filled the air, aggressive and challenging. I glanced between them, trying to work out what was going on. Then, realization made my stomach sink. They hadn't seen the bear, only the aftermath. Their noses were filled with the mingling scents of our battle, Tucker's fear, the bear's blood.

In their eyes, we were the transgressors. They saw Tucker, young and inexperienced, bloodied and frightened. They saw us, the renegade Three Rivers wolves, on their territory, reeking of violence. They must have thought we had gone for a run with Tucker after lunch and had led him into danger. If it was one of my Pack, I'd be pissed too.

I had no time to explain. No way to communicate what had happened. They saw us as a threat to one of their most vulnerable, and they were responding to it. In that moment, their aggressive posture made sense, and I knew we were on the brink of a confrontation.

The tension in the clearing snapped like a frayed rope, and all hell broke loose. With powerful leaps, Danni and Ivan launched themselves at us. Their eyes were aflame with a fury, driven by their instincts to shield Tucker from harm. The harm they believed we'd brought. I growled at Mai, warning her to stay out of this, then twisted and dodged, claws and fangs a blur, every muscle in my body straining to fend off their attacks. Mai ignored me and was beside me in an instant, her movements a mirror of my own, our bodies working in harmony even in this chaos. We couldn't let them win. But we couldn't really fight back, either.

My mind raced, torn between the need to protect my own Pack and the knowledge of what this fight could cost us. Every bite I held back, every claw I pulled, was a decision. A choice to keep this fight from turning deadly. We weren't their enemies, but if we responded in kind, we could really hurt them. I wasn't sure how Camille and Michael would feel about us seriously injuring their enforcers, but if it was me, I would throw us out of their territory.

Tucker's terrified whimpers pierced the chaos, a reminder of what was at stake. We were fighting ourselves, fighting our friends, all because of a fucking misunderstanding.

I needed to Shift back to human form, tell them what had happened, but it was too dangerous. I'd be vulnerable. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mason begin to Shift. He must have come to the same conclusion as me, and we needed to protect him while he went through the change.

Tucker's desperate cries escalated into a piercing scream, slicing through the turmoil like a blade. He'd beaten Mason to it and Shifted into his human form. Time seemed to freeze as Tucker jumped between us, his arms flung wide, his face twisted with terror and determination. The danger he was in was absolute; any misjudged swipe of claws or teeth would seriously injure the boy or worse. My heart lurched into my throat, and I skidded to a halt behind him.

Mai was beside me, her body trembling with the effort to stop, her eyes wide with fear. Ivan and Danni were frozen, too, their snarls dying in their throats as they recognized the peril Tucker had placed himself in.

"No!" he yelled, tears streaming down his face. "Stop it! All of you, stop it! They didn't hurt me; they saved me! There was a bear, a huge bear, and they saved me from it! They're not the enemy! STOP!"

Danni and Ivan, both panting heavily, seemed confused for a moment. Danni swung her head to look at me as if searching for confirmation. She must have seen something to relax her, as she moved back out of range and started to lick a gash on her flank. The fight drained out of me, replaced by relief.

Tucker continued to stand between us.

"It's over," he whispered. "It's over." Then he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.