Wolf Bite (The Blue Mountain Wolf Pack #5) - Emma Dean Page 0,4

head on his paws, shifting his position so his neck was her pillow.

There was a good chance she wouldn’t live through the bite given by another shifter in violence. It wasn’t the same as a claiming bite done in love and loyalty. This was something she’d only survive if she was strong enough.

A lot like Amelia – his Alpha Female. She’d managed to survive, and her healing had kicked in pretty quickly too, but she was a fighter and a survivor.

Liam knew nothing about this woman other than she smelled like blood and bourbon and under all that there was a hint of something sharp like eucalyptus and mint. All he had was a witch’s warning and the smell of mate on her.

Fuck, this was not how he’d wanted this to go. Liam couldn’t even consider the possibility that she might not survive this. Despite his reluctance to finding his mate, the last thing he wanted was for her to die.

He wasn’t sure how long she was unconscious for when Alexander and Olivia finally came into the clearing with packs strapped to their backs. They shifted from wolf to human and Noah entered the small clearing right behind them, staying in his wolf form.

“How is she?” Alexander asked, his deep voice soothing and strong as he pulled supplies from his pack.

All Liam could do was look at the man who’d been one of his best friends for over five years now. They’d all gotten each other through some rough shit and somehow this was right up there along with all the terrible crap that had happened before Kai.

“Her coloring is good,” Olivia said. She was dressed in the blink of an eye, and then she started cleaning the female that looked so small with Liam’s wolf form surrounding her.

Alexander was dressed next in nothing but his pants, going to check on the male. “We’re not parked far,” he said gently, running a reassuring hand along Liam’s spine. “We’ll take them back to the homestead and figure out what to do with them there. Same with the bodies.”

“Cascade assholes,” Olivia muttered, glancing over her shoulder to see Noah focused on the forest around them. “Kai can’t ignore this anymore.”

“He won’t,” Alexander said, voice as strong as steel. “This one is healing already. Want to come sniff him, Olivia?”

Olivia sighed and rolled her eyes, but she stood and scented the man, shaking her head slightly. “You don’t have to feel guilty I still haven’t found my mate, Alexander.”

“Just let Lily scry for you like she did the twins.”

Listening to them talk was helping Liam stay calm, even when Olivia didn’t give an update on the girl. It was too soon to tell.

“We’re going to have to walk back,” Olivia said, pointedly ignoring Alexander. “We can each carry one and make it back before dawn.”

Noah shifted without a word and grabbed the extra clothes from one of the packs. “I’ll take one of the dead bodies.”

“I’ll take the other,” Alexander, his dark brown skin helping him blend into the night. He settled a pack on his back before hefting one of the massive bodies over his shoulders. “Olivia, you take this guy and his pack.”

Liam was having a hard time processing. All he could focus on was the scent of his mate’s blood, her limp body, and the erratic beating of her heart. Her skin was starting to steam in the cold air as well, a temperature rising as it fought off the bite.

That wasn’t a good sign.

He shifted, taking her into his arms and settling her in his brother’s before changing and settling her pack on his back. The tent would have to stay, and he kicked dirt onto the fire that was nothing but embers now.

“She’ll make it,” Noah insisted as he handed the woman back to Liam. “I know she will.”

Still, Liam didn’t say anything. He just nodded and cradled her against his chest, refusing to look down at the brutally gorgeous face covered in wolf blood. She’d gotten the shifter good before he’d bitten her.

That was something.

She was a fighter despite her size and Liam had to believe his brother or he was going to lose his fucking mind before they reached the car.

“Who are you,” she muttered, fingers digging into his bare chest.

Liam let out a shaky breath and tightened his grip on her. “Liam. I’m here to help.”

Before he could say anything else, she was unconscious again.

His mate was going to make it.

3

Zoe

Her throat was dry, and