Tension ran through the group as we left their cave encampment. For my part, I felt relief. The women had stayed too long in one place, and the Pack patrols had reached at least the edge of the woods near the lake. Sure, they hadn’t come back since, but even that was cause for concern.

Able was quiet inside my head. Jett was the reason. When I was close to her, my mind felt clear, steady, and strong. She took the lead as we hiked north, staying along the Rockcastle River. I tried to keep my mind blank. With each step we took, I feared the border patrols.

I shifted Caroline’s weight on my back. She had no strength in her legs, so I held them around my waist as she gripped my shoulders. She was sicker than she’d let on to the others. The pulse in her right leg was weak and thready. The heat of her infection seared through her jeans where I held her. Without proper medical care, she probably wouldn’t survive the month. Even with it, I wondered if it weren’t already too late.

Molly would know what to do. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to drive out thoughts of her and the others back in Mammoth Forest. Partly because I didn’t fully trust my own mind. Ever since Able Valent invaded it, even thinking about my friends could put them at risk.

“We’ll hit the Gold Rock in about three miles,” Jett called out. She took point. Sweat poured from her brow and made her tanned skin glisten. Her gray t-shirt clung to her. I dropped my eyes from the outline of her taut nipples beneath the thin fabric. Caroline tightened her grip around my shoulders.

“Keep following the river,” Jett said, her eyes catching mine. She adjusted the rifle-strap on her shoulder. Melanie walked directly behind me. Vera brought up the rear, walking backward much of the time. She carried the other rifle. I’d been against it. I thought the weapons would slow them down. Plus, I’d never believed either of them could get a shot off in time if they were ever in range to hit one of the Pack. They moved way too fast. Except, I’d seen Jett do exactly that. Twice. Even with everything we’d shared, she stayed cagey about that. We still had secrets we weren’t willing to share.

I gave her a quick nod to let her know I’d caught no scent of the Pack. We read each other’s nonverbal cues more and more. Vera would never trust me. If she thought Jett was making decisions based on anything I relayed to her, we would fight every step of the way.

“We should stop to rest for an hour or so,” Melanie said. “Caroline could use it. We need to eat.”

I opened my mouth to protest but Jett made a quick downward gesture with her hands. There was something going on between her and Melanie. I’d sensed it yesterday, but Jett hadn’t wanted to talk. I let it go. Staying in the wooded areas and away from towns, we’d reached a small clearing. Two fallen trees formed a natural bench. Jett trudged up to the moss-covered hill between them.

“Fine,” Vera said. She slung her rifle over her shoulder and reached into Melanie’s backpack. She’d packed nuts, berries, and dried venison for the rest of them to eat. The deer had been my contribution, much as Vera hated admitting it. The simple fact was, if it weren’t for me, they wouldn’t have been able to leave the caves at all.

I put Caroline down as gently as I could. Her ashen color alarmed me. She shot me a quick smile and made her own nonverbal gesture, showing her palm. I’m all right. I knew damn well she wouldn’t be.

Vera doled out rations. Jett sat a little away from the group on the end of one of the logs. She shot me a wink and patted the space beside her. “You eat,” I said, wanting very much to lean down and kiss the top of her head. We refrained from any displays of affection around Vera though. “I’ll keep watch.”

Vera shot me a hard look. I ignored it. Part of me could respect her ferocious loyalty to the group. As an Alpha, I understood it. She wasn’t here to make friends; she was here to protect the others...from me. I touched Jett’s shoulder, then stalked the perimeter.

Letting my senses take over, I scanned the woods. It was quiet here, almost eerily so. Two miles to the west, one of the major highways ran through this wilderness. I could hear the distant rumble of semis. Civilization never seemed so close and yet so foreign to me. I wondered if I’d ever be able to walk among regular people again. I wasn’t sure I wanted to.

Out of the group’s line of sight, I slipped out of my clothes, folding them neatly at the base of a thick oak tree. I let my wolf out. Vera would probably try to shoot me if she saw this, but it didn’t matter. She would run out of rations in two or three days. No matter what, I had no intention of letting Jett starve.

Clean air filled my lungs as I chased smaller prey. Within a few minutes, I’d taken two rabbits and three grouses. Anymore and Vera wouldn’t be able to carry it. She refused to let me help her, thinking Caroline was enough. She had no idea how strong I really was. None of them did. They’d only ever encountered beta wolves before.

Satisfied that the girls would have enough for a while, I shifted back and tugged on my jeans. I could hear Melanie’s lilting laughter in the distance. Caroline was talking. I knew the effort of it would make her even more tired as we got going again. For now, I would help keep her secret from the others. Her fate was not my choice. Though, it made me sad. Caroline was bright and sweet. She seemed to understand that I wasn’t here to hurt anyone, least of all Jett. Soon, she’d have to make a decision unless I took it out of her hands.

I could risk it. I’d done it a hundred times for the humans who helped us in Mammoth Forest. I could take Caroline to the nearest town with a hospital. I could leave her near the entrance and slip away before anyone even knew I was there. They would care for her. She might be safe. Or it might be the very thing that brought the Pack down on the rest of them once and for all. No doubt, Caroline and the others were on a secret list somewhere like Jett said. The Pack’s spies were everywhere.

Grabbing my shirt, I started to slip my arms through the sleeves. The woods around me went deathly quiet all at once. Melanie’s bright laughter was the only sound. Vera said something gruff and Melanie answered her back. My wolf flared with alarm. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end.

There you are!

Able’s voice filled my thoughts. My stomach rolled. My hand flew out and I dug my fingers into the rough bark of a birch tree to steady myself and feel something real. Everything in me compelled me to shout a warning to Jett. I didn’t make a conscious choice to do it, but I ran. Nothing would stop me from getting to Jett’s side. She was unaware. She sat at Caroline’s right, her heart full of love for her.

There were two of them. I sensed them clearly. One charged in from the north, the other south. Crouching low, I skidded to a halt. Predatory instinct roared inside of me as I caught sight of the nearest wolf. His red coat made a shadowy streak as he headed for the sound of voices. His eyes gleamed as he reached the edge of the clearing. They were blood-red and trained right on Jett.

My wolf ripped out of me. No power on this earth could have kept it in check. Jett sensed me first. She was quick. Thank God, she was quick. She saw the red wolf from the corner of her eye and turned in one fluid movement, raising her rifle.

The red wolf froze, his back arched and his head low in an attack stance. His eyes glowed, fading to silver, then back to red. He was no more than five feet from Jett. Melanie’s screams filled the air as Vera threw her to the ground and stood over her, rifle raised.

Twenty feet, ten, I ran as fast as I could.

Jett squeezed the trigger, hitting the red wolf straight through the heart. The sound of her gunfire drew the other wolf. He was smaller than the other but faster. His gray fur tufted off of him as he took cover under the brush. Vera sprayed the woods with her own gunfire, but she couldn’t see him.

I reached the clearing. Jett was frozen to her spot, rifle raised. The red wolf had made one last, desperate charge toward her. His limbs gave out as blood poured from the gaping wound in his chest. It shouldn’t have mattered. Jett’s shot shouldn’t have killed him that quickly. But, I knew those were no ordinary bullets. It was one more secret Jett kept to herself.

I put my body between her and the second wolf. Vera couldn’t see him, but I didn’t have to. She kept on shooting. In the back of my mind I realized she might be aiming for me. I didn’t care. It only mattered that I got to Jett.

Getting her behind me, I turned, facing the coming threat.

You’ve been holding out on me, Gunnar. So this is what you’ve been fighting for. She’s beautiful. What is her name?

No. I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. It was so much harder to drive out Able’s voice when I was in my wolf. He wanted her name. He saw her through my eyes. Oh, God. He would make me betray her!

One thunderous shot rang out. Vera finally found her target. It took the gray wolf between the eyes. That shouldn’t have been possible either. Jett and Vera were human. How in the hell had they been fast enough to hit their targets?

Baring my teeth, the danger seemed to come from all sides. There were more of them out there. There had to be.

“Go!” Jett screamed.

Vera and Melanie went for Caroline. She cried out in protest, but the two of them lifted her off the ground and started to run. Jett dug her fingers into my fur, holding me steady.

Where are you now? Hold still.

Run! I wanted to scream it. Jett wasn’t safe. If she stayed by my side she wasn’t safe. Able’s voice wavered inside my head, untethered. When the gray wolf went down, he’d lost his grip on me. But, the pull to answer him was so strong. It sucked the air from my lungs and drove me to the ground.

“Gunnar!” Only Jett’s voice reached me as I began to float away. She was on her knees in front of me, cradling my head in her hands.

“Stay with me,” she said. Her eyes widened in terror. I saw myself through her. My eyes were blood-red and fading as Able Valent tried to drag me under.

Shoot me! I wanted to tell her. What if I wasn’t strong enough to fight it?

“Gunnar?” Tears poured down Jett’s cheeks. My heartbeat slowed even as hers jackhammered. She leaned down, putting her face within inches of mine. Her hot breath stung me; her tears fell down my snout.

Jett. Hello, Jett.

I squeezed my eyes shut. The world became the sound of my keening wail as I felt Able closing in. He could see Jett through my eyes. Oh, God. He could see her.