Autumn Feast - Charlie Richards Page 0,51

the front lawn moved toward the house.

By the dark mother! It was wolves. “Eryk, tell Rory to get the kids in the basement. Rocco, out the east side. I’ll take the west.” They needed to flank the enemy and ensure none were sneaking in from the sides, but the bulk of the pack were coming straight on to the front. “Come back here with Rory once the women and children are safe.”

All three bucks ran. The children would be safe below with Isla and Emma for the moment, but if they didn’t stop the wolves, that wouldn’t last.

As Donner headed out to flank the west, he tapped the screen of his cell phone. They needed reinforcements. In a few rings, Martin Silva answered. “Donner?”

He popped it to speaker and breathed out, “Wolves. Here.”

“How many?” Martin sounded pissed. He growled a little before cursing. “Damn Pritchard!” Martin was the head of the council and a wolverine shifter—no relation to Pritchard, the wolf king, and his bastard hounds. Martin had proved a solid ally in this war.

“Don’t know. Maybe a dozen. There’s going to be a fight.”

“On my way!”

Donner was out of time. After he disconnected, he tucked the phone back in his pocket and ripped off his clothes, leaving them wherever they fell. Then he shifted. His regal antlers stretched out from his head. Arms and legs melded into dangerous weapons of pure muscle that ended in sharp hooves. He galloped into the fray without hesitation.

He was on the wolves in seconds. These weren’t the scrawny survivors he’d fought over the past year to get where they were. No, these were healthy, strong beasts with speed and agility and teeth. Very sharp teeth. They’d brought the fight to the deer, and Donner would end it. He lowered his head, goring two in their sides, simultaneously. He jumped and turned, kicking out with hind legs to crack a couple of skulls. He fought with madness and fury.

Donner glanced across the lawn. The setting sun made it difficult to see, but Eryk was closest to him and holding his own. He stood almost as tall as Donner, his rack nearly as full, and he used similar tactics to stab with his antlers and smash with his hooves. The double toed hoof of a deer wasn’t exactly made for fighting, but it got the job done.

He leaped over an attacker. It turned and snapped at his flanks. He could outrun it, but he no longer considered running an option. He wanted the wolf dead. How dare they attack on the holy Mabon, the autumn feast?

Donner lowered his head to attack again. He heard Rory’s bellow in the distance—unmistakable. His mate would be giving them hell. Rory was a gorgeous red deer, true to their breed. Not as tall as Donner, even in deer form, but he was stocky and solid. He maneuvered around the pack, managing to capture a few wolves between them. They charged together.

They were causing a lot of damage to the pack relatively quickly, but it wasn’t enough. A dozen more wolves loped up the field into the fray. Donner had only a second to worry about them before a snarling beast charged him. Rory danced to the side and body checked it at the last second. Then it caught Donner’s hoof to the side of its head.

The sun had nearly set when another bellow echoed through the night. One of the others was in trouble. Donner and Rory fought side by side toward the center of the battle, but they couldn’t help their herdsman. If one of them fell, it would be over fast. Donner sent a quick prayer to the Child of Light to hold his new family safe.

In the distance, he heard the roar of engines, maybe a truck. Is it Martin, or more wolves? He couldn’t do anything about it. He had to keep his head in the fight.

Two trucks drove up the small road leading to Donner’s estate. His heart pounded furiously in his chest with uncertainty, hoping it was Martin with reinforcements. Donner turned and struck another wolf. He was ready for more, poised with his antlers in attack mode.

Blood spilled across the battered lawn as if the ground were another casualty, with the dirt and grass upturned and wolf bodies scattered over it, making it hard to maneuver.

A gunshot rent the air. Silence loomed in the echo. A man stepped out onto the lawn. More joined behind him. “We’re all armed!” Martin called out.

Donner