Innocent.

Defenseless.

And the rabbits were unaware of our presence, never mind the fox’s, so they were, in a word, screwed.

My mouth tensed, but I didn’t say anything, because to be honest, I was curious. So curious as to whether or not she could actually use that bow and arrow.

The sight of her standing like that, legs planted, her arms positioned in a way that looked like she knew what she was doing—when I decidedly didn’t—had me rocking a boner, I wouldn’t lie.

Jesus, with no clothes on and like some kind of Amazonian? Her hair fluttering in the soft breeze, but otherwise completely still so nothing could scent her out?

A man’s wet dream, and she belonged to me.

I watched as she pulled her right arm back, then carefully, with a measure that told me this wasn’t the first time she’d used a bow, released the string. The shaft sailed through the air, and the fox shrieked, which prompted the rabbits to hop away as fast as they could with their little legs.

My wolf twitched at the sight of dinner disappearing, but I wasn’t about to chide Sabina, was I? Not when she’d gone all Lara Croft on me to save the rabbits from the fox.

It was quite clear to me that my mate was going to have severe issues with predators preying on…you guessed it…prey. Even if it was a facepalm moment, I wasn’t about to try to educate her as to the ways of the natural world and the rhythm of ecosystems. Dumbass, I most certainly wasn’t.

Even though I was impressed because she’d speared the fox straight through the belly, I asked, “Where did you learn to shoot like that?”

She sniffed. “I worked in carnivals for over twelve years, Ethan. You pick up a lot of random stuff.” Her tone was absentminded as her head tipped this way and that, cocking to the side like she was waiting to hear something.

It was quite a freaky sight, but again, a turn-on.

Just call me a pervert.

I’d accept it.

Everything she did was sexy.

Of course, that was when I knew my hormones were acting for me, and I needed to wake the fuck up.

“Wolves,” I rumbled, my head whipping to the side to catch her glance as she nodded at me, a calm about her that surprised me.

I thought she’d be scared, might run screaming for the hills. But she didn’t.

If anything, she regained that strange stillness that put me on edge while making me wonder what she was sensing that I couldn’t.

Her omega senses were definitely on the rampage today, especially if my alpha ones weren’t picking up on things.

Of course, I was cockblocked.

By myself.

So wrapped up in her that I was being a dumbass.

Shameful, really. My only defense was that after an adulthood of following the rules, I just wanted to live a little.

And if you couldn’t live a little when you’d just claimed your mate, when you’d taken a staycation in some other goddamn realm, then when the hell could you?

Still, it seemed like I’d gotten my wish.

Playtime was over, and our challenge was around the corner.

She’d already explained to me that she believed we were being tested, and seeing the difference in her, seeing how she’d changed from the time we’d entered the circle to this strong creature standing beside me, I had to admit, it was for the better.

I was impressed as hell, but also in awe of her. She was special, and she didn’t even know it.

They said that, every now and then, an omega would come along and change her pack for the better.

Usually, she was a gift from the Mother after too many years of lackluster alphas and omegas, who weren’t up to par.

I’d just never thought that such a creature would be my mate.

I placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, “Can you sense something I can’t?” I paused to listen. “What is it? Thirty of them?”

She tipped her head to the side, her eyes closed. “Yes. I can hear their heartbeats.”

I grunted. “That’s a large pack.”

“I don’t think they mean any harm.”

The insane thing was, I agreed. They weren’t prowling toward us, trying to be sneaky. If anything, they were just traveling toward us.

Coming nearer and nearer.

The question was, why?

Why were they doing that?

I rubbed my chin, uncertain as to whether I should shift or not. I wasn’t getting a dangerous vibe from them, but thirty wolves? No way could I protect her from that number unless we started to hurry away—

“We need to get out of here.” I grabbed her arm and tugged her forward, but she dragged me back, refusing to move another inch.

“No. We need to stay. This is important.”

“How do you know that? I can’t hold off a pack that large. You know I can’t.”

“They’re not here to cause us harm,” she countered, and she sounded so sure that I almost wanted to believe her.

“They must be seeking vengeance.”

“Animals don’t do that,” she said on a huff.

I snorted. “You’d be surprised what animals do when backed into a corner, sweetheart. You’ve taken over this land, your mate killed some of their pack, and so did you—with bullets. Wolves aren’t stupid. They’re far smarter than you could ever realize, because the Mother gives them those talents.

“Are you really sure you want to run up against that?”

“I don’t think we have a choice.”

She sounded resigned and—damn, this pissed me off the most—saddened by the prospect.

Did she know something she wasn’t telling me?

Did she expect all this to go wrong?

I thought I’d lose my mind if that was the fucking truth.

I sucked in a breath, then made the move to haul her over my shoulder, no motivation to do a damn thing other than get her the fuck out of here, to protect her with my last breath, but I didn’t have a choice.

When I swirled around, I saw them.

They were nearer than I imagined, and I knew Austin was right. He’d said that the creatures here were more potent, more powerful than those of our land, and he wasn’t wrong, because I hadn’t heard them, hadn’t even sensed them.

It was like something was putting a block on me.

Was it the Mother?

I’d felt her hand on my shoulder when she guided me toward that tree with the disgusting fruits that had saved Sabina’s life. I wasn’t about to complain about her interference then, but now?

Seriously?

Couldn’t she cut us some slack?

My eyes were on the wolves beyond, and I realized that they were a lot bigger than the natural creatures roaming the Earth too.

Not as large as shifters, but in between.

The eyes weren’t hostile, however, and their snouts weren’t hitched up in snarls. If anything, they were just watchful.

Waiting on me to make the first move.

In fact, when I turned around and saw the massive circle that surrounded us, I noticed they were all like that.

They were all just waiting on…

Not me.

Sabina.

My mouth dropped open at the sight, and when I stared at my woman, I saw she didn’t look stressed. Didn’t look anything.

She was just calm.

At peace.

She tipped her head to the side, as watchful as the beasts, then she murmured, “Why are you here?”