The ground whizzed beneath me. I’d never let my power out like this before. I’d always had to hide and shield it. Now, I threw it out in all directions. They would come for me. I could feel it.

I skidded to a halt just a few yards from the fence. The first of the guards saw me and let out a howl. His eyes glinted; crazed with feral instinct, he charged me. Dropping low, I growled.

Fall!

He did. Caught mid-shift, he couldn’t advance. Jett was right at my shoulder. She lifted her weapon and shot him right between the eyes. Even with her silencer, the sound pierced the air, drawing the attention of the two next closest shifters.

“Fish in a fucking barrel! Rowan, you’re a badass!” Jett muttered under her breath. I had them. Stepping out of the shadows, the two shifters froze, desire thundering through them. Lena acted quickly, felling them.

Five more to go.

I motioned with two fingers and headed west. I could sense two more guards at the north corner. Jagger was just beyond it. His own protective flare of alarm shot through me, nearly bringing me to my knees. I realized with horror I couldn’t get any closer to him or the Pack would sense his distress. I skidded to a halt. Thankfully, the other two shifters were already moving toward me.

Lena was on it. She was a natural, with the skills of a trained sniper. She’d taken a position on higher ground and took them out before I even had to engage. I gave her a nod of approval then headed in the other direction.

Three more. There were three more. Instinct told me I’d find them on the south side. I doubled back. Lena and Jett had a hard time keeping up with me. In the back of my mind I knew I should have waited for them, but my own wild nature was too strong to contain now.

Adrenaline shot through me as I spotted two more shifters patrolling along the southern prison border.

“Stop!” One of them shouted. With my heightened senses, I knew we were in greater danger now. The other guards didn’t have a chance to call to Valent or the Pack, this one did. I felt them awaken as the hair stood up along my spine.

I lunged for the shifter, landing on his back. He fell to his knees. Mannie. This was Mannie. He tried to turn into his wolf, but I sank my claws into his neck. I killed him with my bare hands. His companion, Furley, was on me. Furley caught me by the waist and threw me to the ground.

But, I was still faster. I kicked him off. He crashed into the fence and Jett was there. As Furley’s eyes began to turn red, she put a bullet in his heart.

“One more,” Lena said, gasping as she caught up. “Where is the bastard?”

“I don’t know,” I said, though I wasn’t sure they could understand my words. To them, it might have sounded like a growl.

I dropped low, scanning the tree line and back along the fence. He was nowhere. I could still taste Mannie’s blood in my mouth.

Then, a blur of motion came from the right. I wasn’t quick enough. The eighth shifter burst through the woods, knocking Lena to the ground, cracking her ribs. Jett raised her weapon, but I threw myself in front of it. Lena’s scream split the air as the shifter bared his fangs. I heard Gunnar’s threatening howl.

No. No. No. If he broke his position, it would leave a gap in our defenses. Able’s general would break through. Jagger was in danger.

I let my fangs drop and lunged at Lena’s attacker. He whirled on me, his eyes widening as he tried to process who and what I was. It was the opening I needed. I flew through the air and pulled him off Lena. Jett acted fast, raising her weapon again.

She didn’t need it. I pulled my arm back and punched the fucker square in the jaw. He flew backward and never got up again. Jett’s round exploded in his brain.

“Now!” I shouted. With the quickening of my heart, I knew Jagger heard me.

I doubled over, as my pulse raced. I was lightheaded from the exertion. Pain racked through my brain, just like Suzanne said it would. Jett and Lena’s wide-eyed expressions followed me as I fell in slow motion to the ground.