Instinctive - By Cathryn Fox Page 0,86

are.”

“What is it? You need your mongrels to fight your battles, Vall? Is it because you’re afraid to get your hands dirty? Or is it because you’re afraid of me? If you want me, come and get me yourself.”

Vall let out a growl of fury and dropped to his haunches.

Strike one.

That’s a good little doggy. Let your anger take over until you can’t fight the shift, Slyck mused silently.

Jaclyn wrapped her hands around his waist and whispered in his ear, “Where’s Sunray?”

Slyck trained his focus on the pack and did a quick count. They were outnumbered by at least twenty, and Sunray was nowhere to be found.

His eyes shot to Vall. “Where’s Sunray?” When Vall didn’t answer, Slyck pushed. “I guess she opted not to run with you after all.” Jesus, he hoped she’d managed to get out of the gate already.

Eyes enraged, Vall snarled, stepped out from the awning, and advanced with purpose.

Strike two.

“Don’t worry about her. I fucked that ridiculous kitty fetish right out of her,” he crooned.

Slyck peeled Jaclyn’s hands from his waist in preparation. “Bummer to learn she only submitted to your wolf to save her kitty friends.”

“Bullshit. She’s mine, always has been, and she wanted to submit to me.” Vall ripped his clothes from his body as anger whipped through him and the pull of the moon became stronger. His bones began to shift, but he continued to fight the inevitable transformation.

Strike three.

Slyck angled his head and instructed Jaclyn to get in the control booth with Drake, but to walk slowly. Any quick movements would attract the wolves.

“Guess she had to turn to her panther friends for companionship since her alpha wolfie couldn’t do it for her.” Slyck licked his lips and offered Vall a coy grin. “And here I never thought I’d ever acquire a taste for puppy.”

Vall twitched, and then unable to fight the pull any longer, his bones began to slide and his skin to stretch.

You’re out.

Running at breakneck speed, Slyck covered the distance between them in mere seconds and pounced on Vall. Summoning every ounce of strength and power he possessed, he drove his fist into the other man’s throat. Vall let out a deep guttural sound right from his belly, then lunged upward. Slyck pounced, gained purchase, and began mauling the hound. The sounds of cartilage popping and bones crunching echoed in the night. Vall yelped and dropped to the ground.

Vall’s snarl fueled the other lycans into action, and they rushed forward, frothy saliva and fresh blood dripping from their muzzles. Slyck could feel a set of fangs slice through his flesh, ripping his skin from his body. Claws dug and teeth clamped, and he feared there was no way in hell he was getting out of this alive, because the wolves would tear his head clear off his shoulders, and rob him of any lives he had left.

As that last image filled his mind, he thought about Jaclyn and how they hadn’t been bonded long enough for her to live on without him. She too would be robbed of her life, and he couldn’t, wouldn’t let that happen. A new energy pumped through his veins, giving him a strength he had no idea he possessed.

It was the strength from their bond.

Drawing on that strength, he tore the rest of his clothes from his body and shifted.

Scowling, Vall barked at his wolves, and then surprisingly, one of his loyal followers turned on him, sinking his teeth into Vall’s backside and spurring the others on. Vall’s low whine rent the air as, one by one, they all turned on him. How was that for love and devotion? Treating his pack like shit and bullying them had finally come back to bite him in the ass.

Literally.

Jaclyn’s stomach knotted and her body broke out in a sweat as she regarded the tumbling weed of fur and claws. The sickening sound of skin ripping and animals howling and the pungent coppery scent of blood saturated the air had her panther itching to surface. But her little panther wasn’t strong enough to take on one dog, let alone a whole pack.

Oh God, she needed to help Slyck. She needed to do something, anything. And she needed to do it fast. But what? How? Her gaze scanned the street until she came to the department store. Guns. The department store had a gun section.

Working to keep herself invisible, she crab-walked to the security gate, where Drake stood guard, fighting off a few stray lycans himself. With