“I’m with you.” Connie spoke through their Pack link, surprising the hell out of Cyndi as she flew toward the battle she heard going on nearby.
“Thank you,” Cyndi responded.
“Baby! What’re you doing?” Mitch spoke to her, his voice breathless and urgent.
“What any mate would do . . . I’m standing by your side. Just shut up and take care of business, Mitch.” Cyndi dashed around a cabin, sliding to a halt as she took stock of what was going on.
Shit. There was more than she’d thought and the fight was bloody and vicious. She saw Mitch taking on two rogues. His Cougar slashing with his massive claws, drawing blood that flew through the air to splatter on the ground as his opponents howled in pain and anger. Cyndi didn’t think twice as she sprang forward, darting between Wolves, both Pack and rogues and zeroed in on her mate.
As soon as she was close enough she leaped high into the air to land on the back of the nearest rogue, sinking her fangs into the back of its neck. Its blood filled her mouth, dripping down her muzzle, as it fought to dislodge her, but she sank her claws into its soft underbelly and hung on for dear life as she bit deeper. Her jaws ached as she continued her desperate fight to the death . . . and she knew that’s what it was. If she didn’t kill the rogue in her grasp, then it surely would kill her.
There was no turning back now. She’d made the decision to join the fight and she had to kill or be killed. Mitch’s injuries to the beast had taken its toll, weakening it, so she took advantage and sank her claws deeper inside its belly, raking into its organs to inflict maximum damage and spill guts and gore onto the ground. The sounds of its agony were pitiful, tearing at the Healer inside her, but she blocked them out. She had to, or else she would falter . . . and die.
Finally its heartbeat slowed, stuttered, and stopped, its body falling beneath her to lie as a corpse in a bloody puddle. She had no time to reflect on taking a life as pandemonium reigned around her, howls of pain and snarls of brutality filling her home.
“Baby, are you all right?” Mitch asked, his voice full of concern as he continued to battle against those who’d dared to invade the camp.
“I’m fine, just look after yourself.”
“Stay right beside me, beauty,” he barked it out, a moment before his jaws latched onto a rogues hindquarters, bringing it down before it leaped onto Abner’s back.
“Shit! That was Connie’s dad! Thank you!”
“He’s Pack, that’s all that matters,” was her mate’s response as he viciously dispatched the rogue, Abner turning to see how close he’d come to being attacked from the rear.
If it were possible, at that moment, her love for Mitch grew even more. Her heart beating wildly as she rushed to his side, snarling, biting, clawing as they fought side by side against the bastard rogues. On and on they fought and she caught glimpses of Connie, beside her father, as they too fought together. Her friend’s beast smaller than most but she was fierce and fast, showing any that came near that she was not an easy target and between them, the father and daughter fought like demons to protect their land, their camp, their people.
As the rogues dropped, one by one, Cyndi’s strength waned, although Mitch seemed to have a never ending supply. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could carry on, and there were still a group of rogues that were left to deal with. A whine escaped her before she could stop it and immediately Mitch was beside her, nudging her behind him.
“Go inside, you’re exhausted. I can take it from here.”
“No.” she insisted. She wasn’t leaving him, no matter how tired she was.
Before he could say another word they heard howls, many howls, and they were nearby. “Thank fuck!” Mitch cursed. “That’s Jonson.”
“And that’s Chad.”
“The fucking cavalry’s arrived.” Mitch reared up on his hind legs, his Cougar covered in blood, the sight gory, devastating and beautiful at the same time. His jaws opening as he released a roar so loud her ears rang for several moments afterward.
He dropped down, his paws slamming into the ground and setting up a cloud of bloody dirt. “Not saying this again, baby, but stay back now. You’ve done enough and our Alphas are coming. We’ve got it from here. Please, for me. Stay safe now.”
She nudged his head, whining. “We started this together, darling . . . we finish it together. Stop wasting your breath and let’s get that fucker that’s trying to sneak up on Connie.”
“What? Where?” Mitch whirled around, locking his eyes on the rogue who was making his way toward Connie and sprang into action . . . Cyndi right by his side.
And it was barely minutes before Chad, Jonson and a large group of Wolves arrived to decimate the remaining rogues within minutes. Cyndi had never been so happy to see her Alpha than she was at that moment, her beast slumping to the ground to take great gulps of air into its lungs as Mitch’s Cougar stood guard over her, its raspy tongue cleaning her of the blood that coated her fur.
The sensation was calming, both to her beast and to her soul. She’d never hurt another living being until this day. She’d never thought herself capable of doing so but the thought of not standing by Mitch’s side never entered her head. It was her rightful place and that’s where she’d be from now until her dying breath. She only prayed she didn’t have to go through another day like this one, it was just too . . . much.
“Baby, come back to me, please.” His plea reached her and she realized she’d floated away. To where she wasn’t quite sure but his entreaty grounded her and brought her home: to him.
“I’m here, Mitch. I’m back.”
“Thank the Goddess. Let’s go back to the cabin so we can shower and talk.”
“Sounds good.”
His beast helped her to rise and she noticed that most of her Pack were now in human form and watching them closely. As Mitch stuck to her side as they walked away the Pack started to clap, slowly at first, then it grew and grew, shouts ringing out around them.
“Thank you!”
“Couldn’t have done it without you, Cougar!”
“What a fighter!”
“That pair is unstoppable!”
And many more sounded out around them. Cyndi was astounded and she was grateful she was still in her Wolf form and unable to blush. “What’s that all about?” she asked through their private link.
“Apparently, we fought off more than anyone else and you and I made quite the stir, sweetheart.”
“We did?”
“Yeah, we sure did.”
“Oh boy.” She let out a howl of glee and leap of joy just before they disappeared from view.
“Oh boy indeed.” Mitch chuckled. “Jonson spoke to me earlier while you were spacing out. He told me that you’ve a place in our Pack as a Healer, if you want it, that is. If you don’t that’s fine. He’ll release me if that’s what you want. The decision is yours. Although he did say he’d much prefer if you’d at least come for a visit to try our Pack out.”
Cyndi stopped, turning to look at Mitch, tilting her head. “Really? I can carry on as a Healer?”
“Yes, ours is getting on and she’s been wanting to take things easy for a while but we’ve not been able to find a replacement. If you want, the job is yours.”
“I’m not sure I’m up to it. I’m only in training, Mitch.” Nerves shot through her, filling her with worry and apprehension like hot lava.
“Our Healer was worried you’d say that, so she says she’ll supervise you until you feel capable enough of taking over full-time . . . how does that sound? Better?”
“Are you kidding? That’s . . . wonderful!”
“So, is that a yes?” Mitch nuzzled her, his soft fur soft on her snout.
“Yes! It’s a yes! But I’ll want time to say proper goodbyes to everyone and I’ll want to visit and . . .”
“Of course, anything you want, baby, but first I want to take you into the shower . . . and well, you know what happens in the shower . . . don’t you?”
Cyndi’s fur rippled as she remembered the last time they’d showered and the pleasure he’d released from her body was mind-blowingly exquisite. Her legs had turned to jelly and he’d had to pick her up, bracing her back against the wall and wrapping her legs around his waist . . . and boy, what a session that had been. He’d certainly kept his word about her not being able to walk afterward.
He’d carried her back to the bed and continued his merciless and beautiful torture of her body for hours, taking her to places she’d only read about in books but now he brought her to those heights time and again, leaving her breathless . . . and wanting more.
“I remember exactly what happens and I can’t wait, but tell me, Mitch . . . can you make me scream louder than you did last time?”
He didn’t miss a beat, nipping her rump. “I can. Run, little Wolf, run. So I can show you.”
And she did, tearing ahead as her heart thundered in her chest with anticipation and love for her Cougar.