I’m coming for you, Anna. Adam’s voice sounded again. He’d tried talking to me multiple times, but I’d been so focused on Eve I couldn’t remember what he’d said. Panic mixed with anger rushed through my veins. Charging forward again, I caught Eve by surprise and sunk my teeth into the back of her neck. Thrashing my head back and forth, I tore a chunk of skin away from her body, spitting it out. Eve roared and she and Jeremy rushed me. One of them, I couldn’t be sure which, sprang onto my back, while the other gripped my leg between their teeth, causing me to lose my balance. My body fell to the road, the weight of the wolf on my back slammed me down that much harder.

Suddenly the weight on my back was gone. Scrambling to my feet, limping from two strikes to my hind legs, Adam had taken over with Jeremy. Adam was two times the size of his opponent, but that didn’t stop the naïve wolf from thinking he could best an alpha. Eve’s citrine eyes widened, not expecting Adam to show up. Her panic changed her demeanor. Before, she’d been playing with me, having some fun. Now her murderous intent was as clear as day, and I was her sole focus.

Racing toward me, Eve was all growls, snarled teeth, and focus. She barreled into me like a freight train. Our bodies were intertwined in paws kicking forward and mouths snapping. I bit any semblance of gray fur I could reach. Eve yelped but bit me back.

I got my teeth around her muzzle when her body was torn away from my grasp. I was in a fury of vengeance, sprinting after her. It wasn’t until I was yanked back that I realized there were more than ten of our wolves in the middle of the road. Looking over my shoulder, Joe held me by the tail. I bobbed my head up and down, and he released me. Some of my fiery anger died and I searched for Adam. He had Jeremy by the scruff and with one powerful tug, Jeremy’s body was slammed against the road and his throat was ripped out.

My eyes traveled to the left. Asher held Eve by the throat, waiting for Adam’s command. As Adam walked over to them, he flicked his eyes toward me, staring until he had to look away. Clasping Eve’s throat, Adam yanked his head to the side and Eve’s body collapsed. It was amazing how quick he’d ended their lives when I’d had trouble just keeping up with them. I guess that’s why he was an alpha.

Shifting, I rushed toward Chelsea. I examined her legs. There were three bites, two on one leg and the third on her hip.

“Chelsea…Che lsea wake up.” I tapped my friend’s face. Worrying when she didn’t respond, I checked her pulse. It was steady and strong. I released a relieved breath that she passed out. Untying the rope, I lay her body down, hating that she went through this because of me.

“It’s not your fault,” Adam said from behind me.

I couldn’t turn around, ashamed he had to rescue me and abandon the wolves who’d volunteered their time to fight on his behalf.

“Look at me, Anna.”

When I didn’t turn, Adam stepped in front of me, tipping my chin up. He studied me for a while, emotions running wild across his face. I expected him to yell, scream, and tell me how stupid I’d been to disobey his orders. I braced myself for his wrath, fully intending to tuck my tail between my legs and accept his verbal lashing.

No harsh words came though; Adam’s arms encompassed my waist as he lifted me up and kissed me until I forgot who I was and what had just happened. The surrounding wolves released celebratory howls, their excitement piercing through the night and filling my heart with pride. For the first time in my life, I didn’t fear the future or the man I planned to share it with.

Epilogue

Four days passed after the battle. Eve and Anthony had ambushed the main house not thirty minutes after Elle and I left for the airport. They found out we had their blueprints and decided a surprise attack was their best option. Adam thought the fight at the house was a distraction so that Eve could trick me into meeting her and finally kill me. Adam and the other wolves had their hands full which is why I made it to Chelsea before they did. I’m sure Eve thought that once I was dead the Everwood’s alpha would be defeated, making taking over the pack easier.

When I’d complained that I had Eve and could have killed her myself, if for no other reason than to save face, Joe happily reminded me I had to walk before I could run with the big dogs, or wolves rather. I may not have liked it, but I agreed with him. As much as I would’ve loved to be the one to kill Eve, the important thing was she was now dead and wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone else.

The main house suffered some damage from the battle. A couple fights had broken out inside and ruined some furniture, walls, and electronics. Adam had one of his construction crews working on it non-stop. The leaders all apologized, even Nicholas, about almost shipping me off to Idaho and convicting me of murder. It’d take me awhile to put my trust in that group again, leaders or not. All but Wade left a couple days ago.

Anthony fled and though Adam didn’t seem worried about him coming back, I wasn’t so sure. He did love Eve after all and his brother had killed her.

As for me and my dislike for humans, Wade had taken me to town to test a theory of his. I’m happy to say that I didn’t growl or bite one person that day. The humans didn’t even bother me anymore. When I asked Wade why, he’d replied, “It was Eve’s hatred bleeding through your link the entire time.” Since Eve had turned me we were bonded. Somehow I felt her emotions and thought of them as my own. Yet another reason to celebrate her death.

Chelsea received some nasty bites, but she survived and now shared the same affinity for the moon as the rest of us. I suspected she was the reason Wade hung back. He’d been pretty affected by her at their first meeting. I still felt horrible that I was the reason for her turning hairy every full moon, but she took it a lot better than I expected. In time she’d come to love being part of our pack just as much as I had.