By the time I realized something sinister brewed behind those pretty girls’ faces, they’d already taken action. All twenty-seven women attacked at once, some armed with forks, some with letter openers, some with real fucking sharp knives. Like the one that sliced across Hasel’s and Zarik’s throats. Like the ones three other girls stabbed the guard with. The beasts thumped to the floor faster than I could prepare my body for battle. Because as I stood, I fell. I fell down like a broken motherfucker, and women piled over me.
They jabbed me wherever they could.
I crawled with them on top of me, jabbing my legs, my back, my shoulders.
Where was my mate? I couldn’t see anything through the yellow dust rising from the floor.
I wanted to stop crawling.
I wanted them to end me.
I couldn’t save my mate, and they wouldn’t spare her. They’d called her a beast whore.
Sienna screamed. The sound of her pain ripped through my chest. I howled. On instinct, my body roared to life, my muscles expanded, my bones shifted into their place protecting the vital parts. Fur sprouted on my back, my vision sharpened, and my jaw slackened, then jutted to accommodate my teeth. I snarled and pushed up, shaking off the women. Their bodies hit the floor.
I turned and braced my fists on the concrete, finding it easier to balance on one leg now than before.
In the corner of my eye, Sienna struggled, her white dress dirty and bloody. At the sight of her blood, I saw red and bit the arm of a woman coming at me. She screamed, and I didn’t care that she was a female or possibly even a mate to one of us. A threat to my mate had to be neutralized. Then I could die.
Only then could I die.
I leapt to my right. A group of twelve came in, tried to close me in a circle. I sprinted and knocked off the woman on top of Sienna. We rolled and stopped, me on top of the woman. Under me and turned on her belly, the fork she’d been trying to jab my mate with flew out of her hand. Her eyes went wide. We locked gazes, hers filled with fear that I inhaled, mine filled with mercy.
Until something pierced my thigh. A sharp snap of my head showed me another woman stabbed me. Claws flexed, I swiped. She fell. The one under me squeaked. I bit down and crushed her windpipe.
Crunch.
Dead.
I shook her, let the body go, and licked my lips. Crimson spilled down my chin. I swiped it with my hand. The twelve remaining women faced me. I’d never seen females, bitches or women, who carried more hate and desire for my blood. With their lips peeled back, the hate for me, my mate, my entire species, shone on their faces. They risked their lives to end us. Martyrs, I thought. Surely the chemicals they’d put in the balloons would kill everyone in the room, including them.
I fought the instinct to close my eyes. The powder stung and burned, making me tear up. My lungs felt like they’d collapse any minute. I backed away slowly, giving them a chance to back off. “I will hurt no one.” I coughed. “You can have me. Sienna leaves.”
I stopped when I felt Sienna’s body behind me. She tried to pry open the main entrance.
“Oh my God, oh my God, oh good God, save us. It’s locked. Open it!”
“Sienna.”
“Oh my God, oh my…”
“Sienna!” I shouted as the women approached. I must look like their worst nightmare, crouched, hairy, huge, and snarling, with blood dripping down my chin. They hesitated. As they should.
“Torrent, it’s locked,” she said.
“Cole bolted us inside.”
“No, no, he wouldn’t.”
I glanced behind me. She was shaking her head. “Yes, he did, baby. We can’t trust any of them. None of the people who give a shit about us are here. It’s me and you, Sienna, me and you. Remember that?” When she didn’t answer me, I felt the world would collapse. She’d turn right back to them, maybe even stab me from behind. But then her small hands wound around my waist. She laid her head on my back.
Even her small size put me off-balance. The knee of my good leg shook, threatening to give out. My stump, already braced on the floor, from the nerves at the ends, shot needles up my spine. I couldn’t carry Sienna and defend her at the same time. Last year, I could’ve, but not now.
“What’s the matter?” I asked Sienna. Momma Jo held up a spear she’d pried off a fallen hunter. She’d charge with it at any moment.
“I don’t feel good,” my mate said.
“Here’s what I want you to do. Are you listening?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Get down on your stomach. Put your nose in the narrow opening under the door. Breathe in and out, slowly.”
“Okay.”
“Do it now!”
“But then I won’t see them coming. They’ll get me.”