spooky, almost alien landscape. Her throat went dry as she cursed her instincts. She’d just called the man who’d told Rafe she was going to end up raped, tortured, and murdered—maybe even by Rafe himself.
“You there, girl?” The snow muffled his gruff voice. “Listen to me. Turn off the radio, go back to bed, and trust that Rafe will protect you. He’s the only chance you’ve got.”
A mournful howl in the distance snapped Katie out of her temporary paralysis. She snatched up the radio and twisted the knob to power it down, then walked in a small circle, scanning the woods. She could try to call Dale or Alpha and hope for a better result, attempt a blind walk out of the woods, or simply make her way back to Rafe’s cabin. Her jaw chattered as she struggled with indecision. Another howl cut through the stillness of the night, much closer than the last.
All at once, she realized that her biggest danger might not be getting lost. Despite the weather, she wasn’t alone in the woods. She hadn’t realized that the Sierra Nevada mountains even had a wolf population, but now she worried about a whole new threat. She would have to walk for hours to find help. What were her chances that the wolves she was hearing wouldn’t find her before then?
Shit. Katie turned back in the direction of her own footprints, determined to retrace her steps. She was disheartened to see the deep imprints from her boots already filling with drifting snow, becoming less and less visible every second it took her to slog her way through the powder. She’d only taken a few steps when an ear-piercing howl rose up all around her. The sound bounced off the trees, making it impossible to pinpoint the source. Her heart thundered in her chest and she stumbled before she regained her balance and continued her frantic high-stepping through the snow.
It was official. This was a very, very bad idea.
A large white wolf leapt out from behind a tree in front of her, blocking the path made by her disappearing bootprints. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Only a puffy white cloud of terror, which floated away uselessly into the atmosphere. Unable to move, she stood frozen in place and waited to see what would happen next. Maybe it would decide to go away if she didn’t move. Part of her yearned to bolt in the opposite direction, but she could never outrun a wolf and even if she did, she would only end up more lost.
The wolf stared at her. She averted her eyes, not wanting to challenge it in any way. The hair on the back of her neck stood up at movement in her peripheral vision. She turned her head, horrified at the sight of another wolf—this one gray—standing even closer than the first. Before she could react, the gray wolf surged forward and caught her leg in its mouth. Her many layers of clothing offered some protection, but sharp teeth tore into her flesh deep enough to pull a hoarse cry from her too-dry throat. Burning agony shot through her calf as the wolf jerked her violently enough to throw her off balance and into the snow. It released her leg only to reclaim it seconds later in an even fiercer grip. He shook his head back and forth, ripping her flesh.
The bloodcurdling horror inside her finally burst free from her mouth in a scream that sounded like it came from a stranger. The surreal vocalization of her own fear and suffering echoing through the desolate cold frightened her even more than the malevolence in the wolf’s soulless eyes. Just when she thought he was going to tear her apart, the wolf retreated. Her stomach turned over at the sight of blood oozing from a ragged tear in her pants.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She scrambled to her feet and took a slow, hobbling step backward. She didn’t want to encourage the wolves to chase, but she was too frightened to play dead. Both wolves drew closer, making her tremble so violently that she nearly lost her balance again. The wolf that had bitten her advanced, baring blood-stained teeth in a terrible grin.
Then the impossible happened. In one fluid, surreal motion, the wolf’s shape changed. Fur receded, smoothing into tanned skin. Paws turned into hands and feet. Rising up on its back legs, the wolf became a man.