Wolf's Hunger (Mafia Monsters #5) - Atlas Rose Page 0,31

feet. Lightning ripped across the sky, blurring the day with a flash of neon white. A howl tore through the air, so loud and clear it stood the hairs on the back of my neck.

The midnight Alpha whipped its head toward the sound as a thunderous surge of power ripped from me and slammed into the white Wolf, forcing it to move.

It lunged, mouth open and fangs bared, and barrelled into the midnight beast. My ears were filled with savagery and the gnashing of teeth. Eyes were wild as claws slashed the air. End over end they tumbled as a splash of red sprayed against stark white. Blood. That’s what it was. Blood…and the white Wolf howled with pain. Still it lashed out as I desperately drove that vengeful power into the beast.

Fight.

I clenched my fists and ground my teeth.

Fight for me.

A bark tore from the Alpha as it rolled away. The white Wolf pushed itself to stand, one paw curled under its body. But the air hummed with Unseelie power. It pulsed and throbbed like a living, breathing thing, and the midnight beast felt it.

“Carina!” Church roared. “Carina, where are you?”

I tore my gaze from the two Wolves and screamed, “I’M HERE!”

Seconds. That was all it took for the black Alpha to disappear, tearing through the trees to my left, head down, paws barely hitting the ground as he ran, leaving the injured white Wolf and me behind.

Church was terrifying, lunging through the air to slam into the white- beast. The Wolf never stood a chance. Transfixed again by the Unseelie power that spilled from my chest, he was battered by fists and fury as Church landed blow after blow.

The beast’s jaw snapped shut as Church drove his fist upwards. He wrapped his strong arms around the Wolf’s throat and twisted, slamming it to the ground with a sickening smack. Hard breaths consumed Church as he climbed to his feet and turned his head, looking for me.

Our gazes met, then he broke the stare, looking at the ground, then he turned to the Wolf once more. “You rise, and I’ll kill you,” the male warned, his knuckles coated red with Wolf’s blood. “Stay there, and I’ll let you live.”

Terrifying howls of pain came from high on the rise above us. Church stilled, sucking in harsh breaths as he listened. “Sounds like the others in your pack aren’t as lucky.”

He took a step backwards, watching the Wolf the entire time as he neared me. “Carina, are you alright?”

Warmth ran down my arm in rivulets. The bite was deep, deeper than I’d thought. I licked my dry lips as the forest swam around me. “Fine,” I whispered. “The others?”

Church swung his gaze toward the rise. He turned his head toward me at the last minute, and that’s when I saw it, red marks around his throat…like the span of a hand. Terror punched through me as I stumbled forward and reached for his neck with my uninjured hand. “What happened?”

His brow furrowed and his brown eyes darkened. He almost lifted his hand to mine, then sparks brightened in his eyes. “Nothing,” he snapped, and stepped away from me, his cheeks flushed and his breaths panicky.

The white Wolf gave a whimper and tried to rise to its feet. But it was hurt…badly. Still, all I could see were those marks on Church’s neck…and the way he refused to meet my gaze. Like he was embarrassed…disgusted, even. “Church,” I murmured as blood dripped from my arm onto his shirt.

My knees trembled a second before they gave way. Church was there, catching me, sliding his arms under my knees and cradling me against his chest.

Green blurred to gray as I tried to hold on.

“All my goddamn fault,” Church groaned as his long strides jostled me from side to side.

“Not your…fault.” I gritted out the words, forcing color back into my vision. I gripped his shirt, my hands trembling with the strain. “You hear me?”

He met my gaze, but said nothing as the growl of an engine grew louder.

“Carina!” Phantom roared.

I tore my gaze from Church to find the Alpha. Terror filled his gaze. He was covered with blood, and filled with rage.

“I’m alright,” I called. “Church, you can put me down.” The male did as I asked, lowering my feet gently to the ground as my Alpha strode toward me with lightning in his gaze, then he saw the blood running down my arm.

The wince in his gaze made my throat tighten. “What the