Chapter 37

SHE WOLF

My violent instinct to protect Adrien drove me to toss myself at the guy brushing dirt from his shirt after being tossed to the ground by Maya. I couldn’t take the chance on Adrien being hurt.

With my heart in my throat, I slammed him down and rammed my fist into his face. He kneed my stomach, and it loosened my grip enough for him to kick at my lower half. He pinned me to the ground.

Before I could shift, a thick arm wrapped around his throat. I took the opportunity to punch his nose, and his grip slackened. The guy hacked blood on me as he clawed his fingers into my neck. I whimpered, my eyes glazing with tears.

Adrien’s arm flexed and the grip on my throat slackened. Sucking in gulps of air, I clutched my chest, scrambling back. Adrien repeatedly slammed a small knife into the guy’s throat. Blood leaked from him and continued to drip with each stab. Finally, a deep gash splayed his throat open. Adrien was close to decapitating him.

A tremble worked over my shoulders. I couldn’t wait until I escaped all the violence.

Adrien stopped the frantic stabbing and dropped the body. It thumped with a wet thud, and my stomach somersaulted. “He’s dead,” he murmured into my hair and rubbed my back. I couldn’t stop blinking. Breathing slowly, I managed to calm my mind.

“Well, shit,” a choked voice cracked.

“Wendy?” My voice quavered. She’d huddled in the corner of the room, behind the bed. I dragged myself to my knees and crawled to her, lifting her torn shirt from the wound still seeping blood through the cotton.

“I’m okay,” she panted, but when she tried to prop herself up, her eyes shut. “Fuck. I’m just going to lay here for a bit.”

I raked my fingers through my hair. I didn’t think she’d die, but she needed a healer. This would take an excruciatingly long time to heal on its own. “You need to go see if Maya’s mates are through the barrier,” she added, staring at me. “You need to warn them that they have her.”

I rolled my lips into my mouth.

“She needs all the help she can get, and the only chance we have to end all of this is with them.”

She didn’t need to convince me but leaving her felt wrong. Pushing off the ground, I hoisted to my knees, but my foot gave out before I could stand. Adrien caught my arm and steadied me. It gave me enough of a boost to get me to the door. There wasn’t time to lose. Still, I paused at the threshold.

Wendy winced and inched backward until she leaned against the base of the bunk bed.

I could do this. Gritting my teeth, I braced against the wall, my steps halting.

“Helen, you’re going to hurt yourself,” Adrien chastised. My left leg gave in, and I leaned into him. “I’ll go?—”

“N-no.” I took a deep breath to calm my frantic heartbeat. I didn’t want him out of my sight; he was too . . . mortal.

His gaze searched my face, lips thinning. “Fine.” He swept me into his arms. His gait didn’t lag as he ran down the hall.