charge.
The big black female seemed to smile as I ran at her. She stood her ground until the last second, then she sprang at my throat.
Because I was mid run, I couldn’t defend myself. She grabbed onto the ruff on my neck and clung on, shaking her head and growling. I saw the white wolf leap at Zavier and even though he had waited for the optimum moment, he missed his first swipe and the white wolf took him down.
While I rolled on the ground with the wolf, I heard Adara screaming. The gray wolf, the alpha male, was still determined to pull my children from the tree.
As I struggled under the alpha female's flashing jaws I tried to calm down. I needed to assess this situation like a man and stop reacting like a beast. My primal force was tearing through my blood and there was no hope of getting my bear under control, even if it was the best way to save my children.
Her grip on my rough was like an iron trap and no matter how hard I shook, she just didn’t let go. Blood was staining my white fur.
I tried to get closer to the tree, to at least put myself between the children and danger. The female knew what I was doing and went mad, shaking her head and dragging me to my knees. I let out a moan of helplessness as I saw Zavier struggling in the mud himself, dark blood starting to stain the ground.
From where I struggled on the ground, I saw the gray wolf leap, scrabbling at the bark with its claws. Egan had Adara up above him and was holding her there, out of danger. When the gray wolf leapt, snapping, it almost grabbed his arm.
“Dad,” he wailed, and it was the saddest, most defeated sound I had ever heard.
I dragged myself up, screaming with new fury. It galvanized my muscles and made my blood hot.
Just as I got to my feet a huge black shape swept in front of me.
Daire!
He roared as he charged into the grey wolf. The beast yelped and skidded across the ground. Daire kept coming, swiping and snarling.
I shook as hard as I could, swiping at the bitch who hung from my neck like a Halloween costume necklace. Blood stained her muzzle, my throat and the ground around us. I swiped hard at her and finally connected, hurling her into the nearby bushes.
Zavier rolled under the white wolf and as he rose, he flung his opponent away. Now the three of us stood as one, panting and staring down the wolves. Daire stood between us, bloodied and broken but not taking his eyes off the wolves.
“Get the kids,” he growled.
“Daire, you’re hurt—” Zavier tried to protest. Daire didn’t look away from his enemies.
“Get the kids. And get the fuck out of here.”
I didn’t need to be told twice. I went straight to the tree and got my claws as far up the trunk as I could. Egan helped Adara to get down first. She fell into my arms and I cuddled her tight, relief sweeping through me.
“I’ve got you, baby girl. I’ve got you.”
“Let me help.” Zavier appeared beside me, and I handed Adara to him.
“Egan.” I lifted my arms and watched him climb toward me. “Fos ton mation mou.”
I could hear his quick breaths as he climbed quickly toward me, sliding the rest of the way. He cuddled into me, crying. I held him as tight as I dared, amazed that this little boy had been so strong, so courageous. I turned to look at Adara, held tight in Zavier’s arms.
“Adara, angele mou.” I kissed her with my damp bear snout.
“Daire!” Yelled Zavier, his voice thick with despair.
Daire was standing between the three wolves. He turned to look at us over his shoulder, his blue eyes gleaming.
“I told you to run!”
He turned back to the wolves. A look passed between me and Zavier. We weren’t going to leave him. We both tightened our grip on the kids and planted our claws. None of us had a fucking clue what we were going to do, but we weren’t going to leave him alone. It was almost as if he was trying to sacrifice himself.
For me? For my babies?
No.
For Whitney.
A turn of my head told me by scent and sound that she was still at the cabin. Her scent was thick and tinged with fear. I swallowed down my worry about what we were going to