Chapter Twenty-Three
The wolf guarding Hailey was paying more attention to the fight than to her, which gave her a little boost. Being underestimated had its pluses. She eyed the distance to the ground while waiting for the wolf to pace in front of the ladder. Six feet had never seemed like such a long way to jump, but then again, she’d never been in a life-and-death battle before.
That scared her, but it made her more resolute too. Jonathan’s lifeless body had been trampled several times in the fight, and his blood was everywhere. Tim was bleeding too, and Lamar had made no secret of his plan to kill her.
So, yeah. Life-and-death was right.
The thought should have terrified her, but mainly, it helped her focus. She stared at the wolf below her and clutched her stick, planning her move.
Now! her inner Amazon cried.
Without thinking, she jumped. Not just a sissy jump either. No — she tackled the beast, slamming it to the ground. The second they collided, she jabbed with her stick and yelled like a barbarian. A moment later, the impact of her tackle caught up with her, and she gasped for air. The wolf scrambled away and stared with shocked eyes that said, Holy shit.
Hailey jumped to her feet and swung the stick at its head. The wolf jumped clear — barely — and snarled.
She swung again, and this time, the stick struck the beast across the muzzle. It yelped, but Hailey didn’t relent, batting it again and again, driving it back. Power beyond anything she’d ever felt coursed through her arms, making each blow land with a solid thump that made her murmur, “Holy shit.”
Maybe Tim was right about underestimating herself.
She swung the stick with both hands until the wolf scuttled back with an expression that said, You are some batshit crazy woman, you know that?
Hailey waved the stick. Batshit crazy was fine if that was what it took to win this fight.
“Go!” she yelled, waving her stick. “Get out of here.”
The wolf took one long, panting look at the bloody fight then cantered out of sight.
Right, then. Hailey checked her mental scorecard. One down, three to go.
She turned to the others, who were all so intent on gaining some advantage they hadn’t noticed her come down from the tower. Which meant she had the chance to run, but the second the thought entered her mind, she chased it away again. Lamar and his cronies would be the ones running soon, not her.
She gripped her stick tightly and stepped closer. With one hand, she reached up to touch the pearl, thinking of her grandfather. Even with all the bloodshed around her, she didn’t feel a burning need for revenge. All she wanted was for this to end.
So, end it, the little voice whispered.
She knew perfectly well only Tim could do that, because she was just the dwarf at the edge of a battle of giants. But if the dwarf could sneak in…
She crouched a little, picking a target, feeling strangely military, like she’d applied camo face paint and strapped a bazooka to her side. At the same time, she felt like an utter impostor. Was she even doing this right?
The wolf on the right was Lamar. The one on the left was lighter in color and slightly smaller, so she crept toward that side. Tim and the bear battled on, locked as close as a couple of weary boxers leaning on each other. The second Tim’s eyes drifted over her, they went wide.
She couldn’t read his mind, but his thoughts were perfectly clear. Are you nuts? Get out of here!
She shook her head and focused on the wolf. The moment she moved, the others would know she was there, and anything could happen. If they all came for her, she’d be mauled on the spot.
So, don’t let them get you, the inner voice said.
She stepped wider and nodded in a signal. Whether Tim had seen it or not, she was going in.
She swung the stick wide and bashed the wolf’s rear legs, wincing at the blow. The wolf howled and fell, and she rushed in with three more sharp hits to the same area before she retreated.
The pitch of the animal fight changed — just as loud, but more alarmed than before, with Lamar giving a What the hell? bark and the dark bear swinging its head around, chuffing in confusion. Tim grabbed the momentary advantage, slashing the bear’s shoulder with his claws and following up with a bite.
For a moment, the battle lulled. But then Lamar growled, rallying his men.
Get her. Get him, his bark said.
From that point on, it was all Hailey could do to jerk the stick left or right to deflect the beasts that attacked. Whenever that failed, she unleashed her best kicks and screams. It was all a blur of fur and fangs, and she couldn’t tell whether Lamar or the other wolf was coming at her. All she knew was that strength unlike anything she’d ever felt flowed through her body, letting her strike and kick again and again. Hard and fiercely enough to make her think she might have an inner beast of her own.
“Take that,” she bellowed after landing one blow.
In any other circumstance, she’d be shocked at the idea of hurting an animal, but Lamar and the others were more than animals. They were the worst kind of men who didn’t shy from applying their brute animal power for immoral goals. She learned to aim for their most sensitive spots — legs, eyes, noses — and to anticipate their moves. But then one of the wolves barreled forward, and the blow she aimed at it ended with a sharp crack.
“No!” she yelped as her stick shattered.
She stumbled back, flat on her ass. Flat on her back, in fact, and before she could so much as scramble up—
She froze, staring up into a pair of murderous jaws. The wolf snarled, looming over her. A long line of saliva extended from its lower lip. Its eyes shone red with an unmistakable message.
Gotcha, bitch.
Lamar.
She kicked wildly, catching him on the chin, and scuttled backward. But that had just angered him, and he stalked back up to her, shaking with rage.
Now you die, those jaws said. Slowly.
Hailey stared, unable to move except to reach for her pearl.
Love, she told herself, squeezing it tightly, knowing this was the end.
But then another bellow of pain broke the air, and both she and Lamar looked up. One bear was hunched over the other, savaging its neck before looking up, panting through bloody jaws. Then its eyes narrowed, and it stepped over its lifeless foe, advancing on its new target. The other wolf had retreated to a safe distance, holding up an injured paw.
Hailey’s eyes went wide. Which bear was that? Was she its new target or was Lamar?
Its fur was stained with blood, making it impossible to identify the bear, but its snarling jaws made no secret that it was out for blood. Lamar turned to face it, and Hailey dragged herself back. Her heart thumped wildly. Was that Tim or the other bear?
Finally, she spotted the eyes and whispered in relief, “Tim.”
Lamar crouched, recognizing him at the same time. He stuck his chin up, growling murderously, but his tail curled between his legs. Tim reared up over both of them, and his eyes jumped to Hailey, begging her to look away.
She turned away as snarls and barks erupted. Then she clawed at the sand, escaping the terrifying sounds of the final, frenzied fight. Then there was a sharp yelp, a crunch, and a dull thud.
“Oh God…”
The remaining wolf fled. Once his footsteps faded, the only sound was that of the never-ending surf and the pounding of her own heart. Hailey gulped. Then she forced herself to turn slowly and look.
Lamar was dead. Tim was covered in blood. His blood? Lamar’s? She’d never seen anything so ghastly.
Tim took two steps away from the dead wolf then stopped and sank down, chuffing mournfully. He didn’t look up; he just stared at the sand, utterly defeated even in his moment of victory.
Hailey’s mouth fell open in a silent cry. Was he all right? Why didn’t he look her way?
Then her own words echoed in her mind, and she understood. What kind of monster is he?
She’d meant Lamar, and that was back when the wolf shifter had first surprised her on the beach. But monster could just as well have applied to Tim, the way she’d said it.
She rose on shaky feet and walked slowly toward him. Monster? Shifters were terrifying, for sure — grizzlies and wolves alike. Lions too. But Tim was no monster. Neither was Dell or any of the others who’d helped her over the past week.
The pearl burned on her chest. Show him. Tell him.
She inched forward, telling herself not to add to Tim’s injuries by showing her fear. Okay, he was a bear shifter. So what?
She nearly snorted out loud. There was a lot she could reply to so what, but now was hardly the time.
“Tim,” she whispered, holding out her hand.
His head was on the ground, his eyes closed, and the big bear body didn’t move except for the heave of his chest. An entirely different type of fear sliced through her, and she rushed forward. Was he dying?
“Tim,” she cried, patting him all over, so desperate for a sign of life that she forgot about the grizzly part. “Please tell me you’re all right.” She fell over him, hugging that giant mass. “Please…”
He didn’t respond, and she squeezed her eyes shut.
“No,” she whispered as his breaths grew fainter. “Don’t die. You can’t die.”
But the sharp heaves of his chest were flattening out by the second, and there was nothing she could do but cry.
“I love you,” she whispered, desperate to get that much out while she could. Did shifters understand human words when they were in animal form? She stroked him gently, determined to make him understand. “I don’t want to lose you. I owe you so much.”
Tim didn’t utter so much as a groan, and slowly, she opened her eyes, expecting the worst, like those beautiful hazel eyes glossed over and staring at death.
Then she blinked. The hazel eyes were bright and focused on her. Shiny — with tears? — and love.
“I owe you so much,” he croaked.
Hailey scrambled to get to her hands and knees, wide-eyed. Tim was human again. Flat on his back and bleeding from a dozen wounds, but alive.
“Tim,” she shrieked, grabbing him so hard, he winced. “Sorry!” She forced herself to let go, but a second later, she was lying over him again, mumbling between tears, “I’m so sorry I didn’t understand. I’m so sorry I didn’t listen.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t explain,” Tim whispered. He touched her gingerly. “Really sorry. I should have—”
She shook her head. “You tried to. I didn’t listen. I was too scared.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Are you still scared?”
She held her breath then nodded. “Yes.” She looked around. “Scared to death of all of this. Scared a little of this, too.” She showed him the pearl. “Or maybe awed is a better word.”
Tim glanced down with a So? It’s just your necklace look, but a second later, his eyes went wide. “A pearl. A pearl of…” His hoarse whisper trailed off.
Pearl of what? She shook the question away, because that didn’t matter now. “I’m scared of all this shifter stuff. But I’m not scared of you.”
He held her arms, looking her over, and a smile slowly spread across his face. “Maybe I ought to be scared of you. You and that stick.”
She helped him to a sitting position and looked around nervously. Jonathan’s dead body was splayed across the sand, as were the bodies of Lamar and the other bear. The two injured wolves had fled, but who knew when they’d come back?
The sound of a truck’s engine carried from beyond the woods, and Hailey cringed. “God, no.”
Tim creaked to his feet and sniffed the air, alert for any sign of danger. But a moment later, a low hoot reached their ears, and he relaxed. Then he cupped his hands around his mouth, hooted back, and then turned to explain.
“That’s Connor and the others.”
Hailey exhaled then panicked when Tim sank back to the ground.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded wearily. “I just need to sit for a second.”
A minute later, several men stepped into sight, and one of them whistled. “Holy crap.”
That was Dell, and Tim held up two fingers in silent reply. The second he did, Dell, Chase, and one other man — Hunter — stalked off, tracking the missing wolves. Hailey’s eyes drifted over the carnage on the beach, and her stomach turned. All that death and destruction… While it had been caused by Jonathan’s wild ambitions and Lamar’s unfettered greed, she still felt guilty. Wouldn’t it have been better if none of this had occurred?
She shook her head, answering her own question, and went back to hugging Tim. Yes, but no. Without the greed of those evil men, she never would have found Tim.
“Destiny,” he whispered, reading her mind.
She looked up and into his eyes, tilting her head. Was there really such a thing?
He nodded and cracked a tiny smile. “Destiny. I’ll tell you all about it…”
“Later,” she said immediately, hiding her face in his shoulder again. “Much later. Please. This is about all I can handle right now.”
“Later,” he whispered in her ear, holding her close.