Echoes of the crash still filling his mind, Eric raced down the hill through the snow, powerful muscles flowing underneath him. As he ran, he reached out with his mind, searching for Wade and Sarge and the rest of the KSRT. He knew they were back at the diner standing guard over the rut, but he was going to need help. Fast. Wade. Sarge. There’s a major car crash near my place. Someone got run off the road and they smashed right into the old bridge. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Luckily they didn’t go into the water but I expect it’s going to be bad. I need backup and EMT right away.

 

As Eric ran he heard Wade’s voice echo back right away. Eric. You got it. Help is on the way. Hold tight and keep us posted. Let us know what you need.

 

Satisfied that backup was on the way, Eric focused on the way forward, his instincts picking out the clearest path through the snow. He flowed like a ghost through the darkness. The cold wind blew up from the bottom of the valley, carrying the scents of the crash to him as he approached.

 

He smelled the acidic burnt odor of an engine pushed far beyond its limits and the harsh metallic scent of hot oil and gasoline spilling into the air. Underneath the scents of the crash he got a hint of the passengers, the fresh clean scent of a baby, the heavy perfume of a female, who must be the baby’s mother, and underneath it all, fresh blood. He had known they would be injured, but he had been hoping for a miracle. But now the scent of blood confirmed his fears. He hoped that at least the baby was unscathed though. He didn’t think he could handle it if a precious tiny baby was hurt.

 

Then, as he got closer, a single scent cut through everything else, rising up from underneath all the other scents, forcing its way past them until it was the only thing he could smell. He breathed deep, taking in the luscious, intoxicating scent of another female. He pulled the delicious scent deep into his lungs, unable to get enough. As he surged forward, following the scent towards the crash site, it twined through his brain, tantalizing him, pulling him forward.

 

As he approached the river the site of the crash came into view. He could hear the cries of the baby, cutting through the cold night air. The wailing cry snapped him back to reality. He was still aware of the scent, but it no longer overwhelmed him. He had to focus. The baby needed him. He pushed himself even faster as he ran across the bridge towards the wrecked car at the far end.

 

At the crash site tire tracks marked the road, although fresh snow was rapidly filling them. An old civic was crumpled against the guardrail of the bridge. He couldn’t believe it, but somehow the thin guardrail had held the car, kept it out of the icy water below. The entire passenger side was smashed and tangled into the guardrail and the windows were gone, broken glass glittering in the snow at the point of impact. Steam hissed up from the crumpled engine compartment and fluids leaked out, dripping onto the snow like fresh blood.

 

He quickly circled the car, but all the passengers were still inside. He leaped up onto the crumpled hood and peered intently through the spider web of cracked glass remaining of the windshield. Why was no one moving or calling out other than the baby?

 

As he pushed his face closer to the cracked windshield to get a better look inside, the scent hit him again, striking him like a bolt of lightning. It poured out of the car and overpowered him, taking over his brain again. It was sweet and spicy, deep and complex. Like sticky toffee pudding covered in a thick luscious caramel sauce. He froze, breathing deeply, forgetting everything else, unable to get enough of the delicious scent. It enveloped him, overwhelming all of his senses until he couldn’t think of anything else.

 

He shoved his nose forward, desperate to get more, desperate to find the source, desperate to know what it was. With his face pressed to the windshield he could see inside the car. The remains of the airbags draped across the front console, the plastic skins flat and deflated. Two human females were unconscious in the front seats. A car seat was secured in the center of the back seat. The baby was facing backwards so he couldn’t see her, but she was still crying, desperate for her mother. Shards of broken glass covered the female in the passenger seat and her dark hair was matted with blood. She was facing backwards and wedged through the gap between the two seats. She must have been reaching towards her baby when they crashed. It was the only thing that had saved her. The twisted metal of the guardrail pierced the side of the car where she would have been sitting.

 

The scent grew even stronger as he took a step across the hood towards the driver, the intoxicating scent filling his mind. Then a wave of shock hit him as the pieces clicked into place and he realized what was happening.

 

This scent! The delicious scent was the key to everything. How could he have missed it after all the stories he had heard. He had been too caught up in the scent, too overwhelmed to think, but he knew exactly what it meant. He had found his One True Mate. His own One True Mate! Here she was. Right here in the driver seat of the car. His elation was short lived though, quickly giving way to dread as the severity of the situation registered. He had found his One True Mate. But she wasn’t conscious. She was slumped forward with only the seatbelt holding her in place. Fine lines of blood trickled down her face, trailing down from the edge of her fire red hair, tracing small lines across her porcelain skin.

 

Fear surged through him as he staggered back. He had to get her out. As he cleared his head, he heard the cries of a baby again, ringing out from the back of the car. Shit. He had to get them all out, keep all three of them safe. He reached out with his mind again. Wade. Hurry. He paused, not sure how to say the next part. But he had no choice. His One True Mate needed his help. It’s my mate. She’s hurt. He paused. And there’s a baby.

 

Message sent, he jumped back off the hood of the car and quickly surveyed the crash site. There was nothing here that would be of any use. And in his wolven form he didn’t have gear or tools on him, obviously. He had to put his faith in his mate. Hopefully she was prepared for an emergency and there was some gear in the car. Coats and blankets at least, to take the edge off the cold. Wade’s voice came back to him then, echoing in the back of his mind. We’re getting close. Hold tight.

 

He circled back around the car to the driver’s door. He was going to need to open the doors to get to the females. But he couldn’t do that in his wolven form. He needed to shift. It wasn’t ideal, but it was his only option. He couldn’t even imagine what they were going to think when they saw him. Maybe they would be too out of it to notice he was naked. Not likely, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He took a deep breath and reached inside himself to gather his energy, prepared to shift, when a toxic burnt odor of noxious black smoke hit him.

 

A vicious snarl ripped from his throat as he whipped his head around, searching for the source. He stared down the road towards the edge of the forest. There, just at the tree line, slowly emerging from the darkness was a hideous beast. It stalked towards the bridge, moving through the falling snow like a nightmare come to life.

 

Even from this far away Eric could tell it was at least eight feet tall. Coarse red fur covered thick twisted muscles. Beady red eyes burned though the darkness as they stared at Eric, full of rage. Razor sharp fangs showed in the gaping mouth as it roared its hatred at him. It moved forward relentlessly, closing on the wrecked car.

 

Fury rose up inside him and burned away all of his emotions. The world faded away and all of his attention centered on the approaching beast. Rex. The KSRT had tangled with this beast before, Khain’s errand boy and their newest nemesis. Forget about shifting. He was going to kill that beast for daring to even come near his mate. He snarled, showing his own razor sharp fangs. He was going to rip Rex’s throat out.

 

Eric stalked away the car and moved down the road to meet Rex. He needed to keep the beast as far away from the car as he could. He came to a stop twenty feet past the car. He lowered his head and snarled, showing the beast his fury. He would never allow it to get past him.

 

The beast slowed to a walk, seeming to savor Eric’s anger. It lashed its arms as it stalked forward, the brutal claws ripping through the air. Taunting him. It stopped just in front of him, read eyes staring. Then it twisted its face into a sneering smile and laughed, the guttural bark echoing cruelly through the night. It called out in a harsh, grating voice. “Poor little wolf, all alone.” It laughed again. “Ready to die?”

 

Eric snarled again. He would never back down from this beast, never back away. It had no idea what it was in for. Rex laughed again. “So noble. You should have run while you still could.” The beast sneered. “But so foolish. There’s no one here to save you. Not even those broken humans in the car.” The beast sucked in a deep breath, seeming to savor the scent it took in. “Or should I say half humans?” It smacked its thin lips, baring its oversized fangs. “They’re mine now little wolf. The last thing you’ll ever see is me dragging those two One True Mates past your dying body.” Rex laughed again, harsh and grating, and fire burned in Eric’s soul. He would never allow Rex to have his mate. Even if it killed him he would keep her safe. That beast would never lay a hand on his female.

 

He felt raw power building inside him. Enough of this bullshit. Time to kill that beast and finish this. He stalked forward, anger burning like cold fire inside him, power filling him. As he closed on the beast, he circled slowly to its side, watching it closely, the predator gauging its prey. His power surged and he drove forward towards the beast’s legs in a blinding rush, vicious fangs extended to tear through its flesh.

Rex spun impossibly fast, dodging the attack, and a massive paw whipped through the air at Eric, moving with lightning speed. Eric snapped his head back, razor claws whistling just past his face. He leaped forward again, surging into the opening but Rex swung the other massive paw at him and Eric was forced to dive away. He felt a thin line of fire on his shoulder as he leaped back. Drops of blood welled from the wound, beading in his silver fur and dripping into the snow. He snarled viciously at the beast. It might have drawn first blood, but it didn’t matter. He was going to kill the beast.

 

The beast laughed again, taunting him. “Poor little wolf. Too slow and too weak.” Eric circled, silent, ignoring the line of pain in his shoulder, studying the beast. Rex pivoted, tracking Eric’s movement. Eric saw the beast glance towards the wrecked car, realizing Eric was no longer directly between the beast and the females. Power surged in him again. This was the opening he had been waiting for. As soon as the beast’s eyes shifted, Eric leaped forward, closing on the beast instantly.

 

It sensed his attack and swung its claws at him, but the counterattack came a second too late. Eric’s jaws clamped down on the beast’s upper arm, his fangs sinking deep into the soft flesh. The beast screamed in pain and grabbed at Eric with its other arm, but Eric was too fast, already spinning out of reach, jaws still locked onto Rex’s arm. He dragged the beast backwards with all his strength, pulling it with him and forcing it off balance, stumbling and staggering through the snow. Blood flowed over Eric’s teeth, a foul rotten taste filling his mouth as he ravaged Rex’s arm, forcing his jaws closed until his teeth ground against bone. He jerked his head savagely, shredding the flesh of Rex’s arm, then danced back as the beast stumbled and fell into the snow.

 

Rex screamed out in agony. Blood sprayed from the beast’s arm and shoulder, staining the snow red, and its arm hung useless at the beast’s side. Eric stalked forward, ready to deliver the killing blow, ready to rip the beast’s throat out.

 

Suddenly, the wail of a siren cut through the night, and red lights flashed between the trees in the forest behind them. Eric paused, his focus momentarily broken. The beast dragged itself back away from the stalking wolf, sinking down into the snowbank on the side of the road. Still holding its maimed arm, Rex screamed in pain and fury. As Eric turned back the beast snarled at him, “I’ll see you again little wolf. Don’t think I’ll forget this. I’m going to kill you and your mate.”

 

Eric bared his fangs and leaped forward, ready to finish the beast. But before he could land the killing blow Rex disappeared in a cloud of thick black smoke. Eric spun, searching for the beast in the darkness. The vile smell of greasy black smoke hung in the air, choking him and burning his nose, but Rex was gone. Eric raised his head and howled, calling his frustration and fury to the sky.

 

Wade’s voice pushed into his mind, reminding him he had more important things to worry about, and Eric turned to look down the road, searching the forest behind him for the flashing lights and the siren. Eric, we’re almost there. You should be able to see us soon if you can’t already. Eric responded. I can see the lights. You’re close. You chased Rex away.

 

Eric turned away from the woods and looked back to the wrecked car. There was too much going on, and he had wasted too much time with Rex. He needed to check on his mate and the other two humans. Wade was close, but he still needed to do what he could to help them now. From what he had seen of the other female, every second would count.

 

As he looked back towards the car, he saw the driver’s door hanging open. Rage boiled inside him and he felt like his heart had stopped beating. Had Rex come back? Had the beast somehow gotten past him? He breathed deep, searching for the scent of the noxious burnt smoke. But there was no trace. Instead, the delicious scent of sticky toffee pudding and caramel flowed over him, chasing away the last of the burnt smoke. It was his mate! The stunning female with fire red hair was kneeling in the snow beside the open door of the car. She stared at him, not moving, her deep blue eyes catching the light like liquid sapphires. Time slowed, the moment stretching to eternity as his eyes met hers.

 

His entire awareness centered on those beautiful deep blue eyes as they drew him in. He felt like a piece of his soul was flowing out of him, flowing back to her, connecting with hers, like his entire world had shifted in an instant and now centered on this female. He finally felt whole. Without even realizing it he started forward, eyes still locked on hers, desperate to reach her. He had never seen anything more beautiful.