Rebecca’s Wolves(97)

She nodded and eased from behind him the few feet toward the master bath. Now was not the time to argue.

She was scared out of her mind, but she slipped into the bathroom anyway, watching Griffen’s back as she shut the door with a snick and turned the lock. She grabbed the robe off the back of the door and stuffed her shaking arms into the sleeves. Then she climbed into the tub and huddled in the corner.

Fear like she’d never experienced raced through her body. She couldn’t stop shaking. She was in shock. She recognized the symptoms and tried to slow her breathing, sticking her head between her knees and counting in her mind as she inhaled and exhaled.

There were no human noises outside the bathroom. Only the animal growling and snarling that accompanied the fight.

As if trapped in the worst horror movie, she wrapped her hands around her knees and rocked back and forth, half expecting the door to bust down any second and a giant wolf to rip her throat out.

Every time one of them fell into the wall or the door, she flinched. They weren’t on the bed anymore. That much was sure.

She tried to rationalize it was three against one. Surely her mates and the last wolf to enter the room could subdue the intruder. Who was the newcomer? Perhaps he had been outside guarding the house. If that was the case, he had failed.

She squeezed her eyes closed and concentrated once again on breathing. It wouldn’t help for her to pass out from shock. She knew better.

•●•

Griffen turned toward the room immediately after securing Rebecca in the bathroom. He had no idea who the wolf was that entered the room and attacked them, but the second wolf to enter was Officer Corbin Archers, who had stayed to patrol the outside with another cop.

Corbin snarled as he worked with Miles to press the intruder into the corner of the room. Suddenly the feral wolf leaped into the air and bounded over the heads of Corbin and Miles.

Griffen was two seconds from shifting when Miles communicated with him. “Gun. Beside table. Behind the condoms.”

At that moment, the intruder flung himself at Griffen, one of his front claws gouging a long line down Griffen’s left arm. “Son of a bitch.” He grabbed at the wound with his right hand to hold the cut, realizing quickly he would need something more to stop the bleeding. It was deep.

He yanked a T-shirt off the floor and wrapped it around the gash. Blood dripped onto the floor from his fingertips.

Miles slammed his entire body into the unwanted guest and battled with him against the bathroom door, teeth bared, eyes wide. He slammed his jaw down on the matted fur of the other wolf and shook.

Corbin attacked the wolf by clamping down on his tail. The son of a bitch didn’t seem to notice pain or the fact he was severely outnumbered. He looked as though he was drunk, even in wolf form. His eyes were glazed over and bloodshot. He faltered, swaying to one side or the other a few times, but didn’t give up the fight he couldn’t possibly win.

If he was numb from alcohol, or even high on drugs, his mental capacity would be diminished. Griffen decided to add stupid to the list while he yanked open the bedside table and grabbed the gun from the back of the drawer.

Holding his left arm against his body and squeezing, he wrapped his palm around the.38. Contrary to Melinda’s teasing the night before, he was capable of firing a weapon, he just preferred not to. The current circumstances deemed it completely necessary.

The intruder lurched forward again, amazing Griffen with his stamina. He planted his front paws on Miles and shoved him back until the two of them slammed into the opposite wall.

Rebecca screamed inside the bathroom. Griffen ached for her. She had no idea what was going on, and she had to be in shock.

Corbin jumped into the air and landed on the wolf’s back, knocking him to the ground. Like a choreographed routine, the three wolves fought for dominance, growling, biting, and pawing at each other.

“You gonna shoot that thing? Or just stand there holding it?” Miles asked.

“Have some fucking patience, man. Unless you want me to shoot your ass by accident.”

Finally, the intruder clamped down on Miles’ hind leg and wrestled him to the ground.

Corbin jumped out of the way, nodding toward Griffen.

•●•

A shot rang out.

Rebecca froze, a scream escaping her mouth without warning. She threw her hands over her ears and kept screaming as this real living nightmare worsened.

She flinched when she thought she heard someone banging on the door, but by then she was sure she was as good as dead, so she kept screaming and rocking, not lifting her head to witness her own death as it faced her.

Finally, the door flew open. She heard it crash and braced herself for the worst, her voice a hoarse wail that wouldn’t stop.