The growl, low and mean, slammed her to a stop. She listened, trying her best not to make a sound, to not even breathe too loudly. The growl came again, but closer this time.
Is it one of the others? Maybe even Reese or Blane? Did they track me?
Yet she sensed that it wasn’t either the Holms boys or her men. She started moving, careful to keep any noise to a minimum. If she could make it back to the main road, she might have a chance of getting away before whatever had growled knew she was there.
Fear crawled into her spine then rolled through her limbs. She stiffened and found it difficult to get her legs to move. She’d acted like a fool by leaving the house and walking on her own. Although she was a city girl, she should’ve had enough sense not to be out in the middle of nowhere after dark.
She glanced around as she shuffled forward. Darkness had fallen fast, and the moon was only a sliver in the sky. She couldn’t see very far in front of her, but she kept going.
Just make it back to the main road. Don’t run. Don’t make any noise. You’re going to be all right.
Sweat dotted her forehead and ran a trickle down her back. If she shouted for help, would anyone hear her? She hadn’t heard another growl for several minutes. Had the animal gone in another direction?
Almost as soon as she’d finished the thought and breathed a sigh of relief, another growl floated to her. She gasped and spun around, stirring the rocks and dirt under her feet. The noise she made wasn’t much, but in the stillness of the night it sounded like the roar of a tornado. Swallowing back a cry, she hurried toward the main road.
Another growl sent her stumbling forward. She cried out and managed to stay on her feet, but she’d made even more noise than before. Her throat closed up as she straightened up and checked around her. Closing her eyes, she chanted a silent prayer for help.
Reese, help me. Please, Blane, come and find me.
The sound of dry dirt cracking under a heavy weight swiveled her to the left. She held her breath as another crack split the air. Squinting into the night, she tried to see what was coming at her, but it was too dark.
Summoning every bit of courage she had, she went on the offensive, her gut telling her it was her last chance before hell descended on her.
“Go away! Get lost! Whatever you are, you’d better get the hell away from me!”
She dragged in a ragged breath and readied herself for another shout when the sound of an evil chuckle made her freeze in place.
“Who’s out there? You don’t frighten me, so you might as well go home. Do you understand me? Go home!”
A noise behind her had her spinning around. Cold amber eyes that seemed to be floating in the darkness locked onto her. Evil glittered in the eyes, raking fear into her. She stepped back, her heel sliding off a rock and sending her falling backward.
She landed on her buttocks with her hands flat on the path. Shaking her hair back, she looked up to see an enormous bear bounding toward her. It rose onto its back legs, roaring its attack.
Chapter Ten
Charlie screamed and tried to fling her body away from the attacking beast. She rolled to the left, expecting to feel the agony of its claws ripping through her skin.
But the pain never came.
Growls of more than one animal erupted around her as she put her arms over her head to protect her face. The bear screeched again, but this time the sound was filled with rage.
Daring to take her arms away from her head, she sat on the ground, awestruck by the sight before her. The bear, larger than she’d have thought possible for any bear, raked its claws over the nearest werewolf.
Two golden werewolves lunged at the animal, striking wherever they could. They worked as a team, one moving in for the attack while the other retreated and circled to the other side of the bear. In and out they dodged, clawing into the bear’s hide then sinking their fangs into its fur.
The amber eyes of the werewolves matched the amber of the bear’s eyes, but they held an extra essence, an intelligence that she’d seen before. She gaped at them, knowing beyond a doubt that the two werewolves were Blane and Reese.
A hand closed over her mouth, muffling her scream. Shannon clutched her arm, making her turn to look at her, then took her hand off Charlie’s mouth. “Are you hurt? Did it scratch or bite you?”
Charlie shook her head and scanned her body, looking for any sign of injury, but found none. “No. I’m okay.”
Getting to her feet with help from her sister, Charlie refused to let her sister pull her away. “Let go. I’m not leaving them.”
Shannon yanked on her arm, but she yanked it away again. A growl from the left had her heart sinking. Was another bear about to strike? Instead, she found two other werewolves, their darker coats a striking contrast to the golden werewolves.