Captured - Cara Wylde Page 0,5

we were fast and strong. Soon, we picked up Chase’s scent and followed it through ravines and rushing mountain springs. As we made our way down the mountain, we soon reached the border. Thorn stopped in his tracks and hesitated. Normally, we wouldn’t set foot outside of our land. Wolf shifters were territorial. We marked our borders, and then we kept to ourselves and our packs as long as we weren’t disturbed and our borders were respected. Thorn turned to me and Reid. I growled at him, baring my teeth. We’d all caught it – the scent of Chase’s killers. They’d crossed onto our land first and took down our brother. All three of us could smell their sweat in the air, the gun oil, their joy as they’d shot down blood of our blood.

How hadn’t he seen them? Smelled them? Sensed them?

I’d always thought it was impossible to shoot a shifter. That was why we hadn’t worried much about the hunters coming out here every summer. We lived up in the mountains, in a valley between two mighty peaks, and we tried to interact with humans as little as possible.

Thorn shook his head. He was big and heavy as a wolf. He was also clumsy, always moving like he didn’t know what to do with his bulky limbs. That was true of him when he was in his human form, too. I growled again, and he growled back. He didn’t like where we were going and what we would do once we got there, but he had to understand there was no other way. It had to be done. Reid didn’t have the patience to argue with Thorn. He was on my side, so he simply bumped into Thorn’s side as he pushed his way over the border. Thorn barked at him. Reid paid him no mind, running toward the cabin on the shore of the lake at full speed. I followed him, and soon heard Thorn make his way down the hill too. He knew this was necessary. Sometimes, the only answer to violence was more violence. Or the human scum was never going to stop hunting innocent creatures of the forest.

It was getting dark. That suited us just fine. We approached the cabin from the west, and immediately realized it wasn’t exactly a cabin. It was a big house, almost as luxurious and imposing as a mansion. A boat swayed languidly by the dock, and no one seemed to be outside. Here in the mountains, nights tended to be chilly. They had all gathered inside, apparently, because we could hear them laugh and chat over the dinner table. Reid wanted to go in, but I stopped him. He grunted displeased. I looked into his green eyes, and he calmed down. He was breathing heavily, his nostrils flaring as he took in the scents coming from the house. I knew how he felt. I knew it was hard to stay put and wait for the sun to set completely when the scent of death and decay mingled with the smell of grilled pork, roasted potatoes, and apple pie. The humans celebrating inside their luxurious residence, by the fire, were disgusting. Animals. No, we were not the beasts here. They were.

When the sun disappeared behind the mountains, I stalked to the front door, while Reid and Thorn rounded the house and found two additional entries. We were going to surround them and strike fast. We weren’t going to give them time to reach for their hunting rifles. We were big, strong, enraged. They didn’t stand a chance. We broke into the house at the same time, bursting through the doors, sending wood splinters everywhere. They screamed when they saw us. Four men and three women. We went for the men first, and in seconds, blood splashed on the walls and torn limbs littered the marble floor. The women screamed and wailed like banshees. Thorn hoarded them in a corner, growling at them, saliva dripping down his fangs. He was as big as a horse, and none of the three women dared to fight him. Reid got the two younger males, and I got the middle-aged ones. He killed them quickly, but I only mauled my victims. I didn’t want to end this too quickly. I had better plans for tonight. Our brother deserved to be avenged properly.

I pushed the two males with my snout, and they huddled into each other. One was missing a leg from the knee down,