One Second (Seven Series Book 7) (38 page)

Swanson tossed his gun down and pulled his bandana off. He didn’t have a single hair on his head. “There’s a breech on the east side. If those men were in your pack, then you have my condolences.”

My relief was quickly replaced with regret that either Lorenzo or Axel had lost more men.

Austin and Swanson approached each other, walking in circles. The men began dropping their guns to the ground, their animals feeling the itch to fight.

Naya, Wheeler, Maizy, Reno, and April all circled the fire with their backs to it, forming a ring enclosed by a much larger one. Realizing I was in a dangerous situation since I couldn’t shift, I backed up close to a gun that was in my line of vision. At this point, I wasn’t going to risk diving into a tent and digging through my pack for my own.

Some of the wind blew smoke from the fire my way, and I blinked as it stung my eyes. Our adversaries began shifting one at a time. Their wolves held their positions, waiting for their leader to make the first move. I counted sixteen against our group of seven.

Austin and Swanson continued circling to my right, and when Austin came into view, he flicked a glance my way. His look didn’t say run—it said fight. Running would only incite the instinct to chase, so I nodded.

A smile played on Austin’s lips, which caught Swanson off guard. “Ladies first. Naya?”

In a fluid movement too fast to track, Naya shifted into her black panther. The wolves barked, and some fell back a step.

“Son of a bitch,” Swanson hissed.

Austin lowered his chin and lunged, shifting midair.

Swanson did the same, and the two clashed, millions of years of evolution tangled in a mass of muscled bodies.

I grabbed a rifle and held it up, picking off a wolf to the right. He yelped and fell to his side. There were too many of them, and some were beginning to notice me in a not-so-nice way.

Reno clapped his hands together. “Let’s do this!” he roared.

Our pack shifted, save April. She took a combative stance—her hands extended with energy dripping from her fingertips. When a grey wolf lunged, thinking her easy prey, she grabbed his neck, and he cried out, convulsing and falling to the ground. Part of his tail landed in the fire and began to smoke.

Naya’s panther faced three wolves that were nipping at her legs—no doubt the daredevils of the group. She looked ready to maul them.

I held my breath, trying to slow my heart. I could hear my blood rushing in my ears, and I didn’t want to pass out. I aimed the gun to the left, firing at a white wolf in the back. He went down but shifted to heal. I hesitated—the human side of me saying it was wrong to kill another human. When he rose to his feet and stared me down, I narrowed my eyes and fired again. He shifted as he fell, and then his wolf sprang to his feet and rushed toward me before I could fire again.

If only I had my dagger!

My internal voice screamed as he jumped, and I only had time to use the long barrel of the gun as a barrier between his sharp jaws and my neck.

A black shadow slammed into him from the right, tearing at his throat until he stilled. I stroked my hand across Austin’s black coat and eyed Swanson’s dead wolf.

“Four down, Austin,” I said, holding up four fingers. “At least that I can see.”

His wolf bumped his nose against my belly and ran into the melee.

I shot at another wolf and missed. “Dammit!” I wondered how far the sound would travel. Would William’s group hear us?

Naya’s panther savagely ripped at a wolf’s limb, causing a stir among the others. That’s when I noticed the ones who weren’t fighting one of our wolves were surrounding Naya. She’d killed two, but they were ganging up against the bigger threat. Wheeler’s wolf valiantly took them on one at a time, but not nearly fast enough.

April flashed to a second wolf coming up behind Reno and grabbed his hindquarters, throwing a burst of energy into him. He wrenched away before getting the full brunt of the energy blast and jumped on her back, knocking her onto her stomach. She disappeared on the other side of the fire, her scream sending a wave of terror up my spine.

Wolves snarled, snapped, and growled all around me.

She leapt to her feet, waving her arms at me. “I’m okay! It’s just a scratch.”

One of the wolves had gotten ahold of Naya’s neck, and her panther was struggling. She turned away and ran into the woods, clearly injured.

I raised my gun and shot one of the wolves. When he flipped over and yelped, it caught the attention of his surrounding unit.

While they sniffed the body, I slowly moved to the right and hurried after Naya. I stumbled over the twisted limbs and bushes until I found a cleared path.

“Naya!”

Her panther cried in the distance, and it was heartrending.

The woods thinned out as I neared the creek up ahead, moonlight rippling off the waters. I glanced back to make sure no one was trailing behind me.

Naya shifted to human form, weakened from a tremendous loss of blood, which was pooling around her and soaking into the dirt. She shifted back to her panther for more healing power.

I wanted to run to her, but falling on my stomach was not an option.

One of my laces caught on something and forced me to stop. A branch had snagged the material so I couldn’t free my foot. I kicked my leg and tried to pull it back, but I couldn’t bend forward to see. I set down the gun and cursed.

“Shit. Now is
not
the time!” I yelled at my boot.

Something ran by me so fast that I clutched my heart. A wolf was barreling toward Naya just as she shifted to human form. She weakly turned, held up her arm to shield her face, and cried out.

Wheeler’s wolf slammed against the aggressor’s side just seconds before he reached Naya. Wheeler moved with precision, driving the wolf farther and farther away from her as they fought.

Naya collapsed, weakened from the shifting and injuries I couldn’t see from my position.

I was struggling to free my boot when a second wolf throttled past me. As soon as the dirty-brown wolf reached a shower of moonlight, I recognized that he was identical to Wheeler. That’s when it occurred to me that the wolf that had saved Naya was actually Ben.

The two brothers fought as one, united for the first time in years. It was spectacular to watch, as if they could read each other’s minds.

A beautiful blue roan emerged from the other side of the creek, his hooves crashing against the calm waters. Ivy’s braid flapped in the wind, her face filled with generations of strength and courage. She charged through the water on her steed toward our pack, nothing but his mane in her hands.

“How many left?” she yelled out, fast approaching.

I had to stop and think. “Maybe ten.”

She breathed heavily, dismounting so gracefully that her feet made no sound when they touched the dark earth. “Those are good numbers.” Without another word, she bent down and worked at the stick trapping my foot. “This tree really doesn’t want to let you go.” She glanced up at smiled warmly. “Sometimes trees know a thing or two. I think this one was trying to protect you.”

“Well, tell your friend I have some wolves to kill, so if he would kindly remove his finger from my shoe, it would be greatly appreciated.”

She tugged hard, and the branch snapped, scraping some of my leg when it pulled free. Ivy took my hand to pull herself up since she was without her cane.

I glanced toward the east. “We heard they came in from that direction. Was it your men who were attacked?”

She shook her head. “No. I came alone to get Lennon. His brother is concerned, and I’m afraid he might try to sneak out and return to your pack.”

“It must have been Axel’s group then.” I glanced upstream. “I’m not sure exactly where William’s camp is, but Lennon is with them.”

She shook her head and turned back to the wolves. “Naya must have fought bravely.”

I felt a pull leading me back to the campsite. “Austin needs me.”

She touched my belly. “Austin needs you to be safe.”

We both turned a sharp eye toward the creek when an ominous sound came from beyond the tree line.

“Wolves,” she whispered.

Wheeler and Ben had taken care of the rogue, and now they were both standing guard on either side of Naya.

“Hurry!” I said, pushing her forward.

“Come with me,” she whispered.

“You know I can’t do that. I’m the female alpha, and I have to stay with the pack just as you would yours. Take Naya and go.”

She led her horse to the creek, a slight limp in her walk.

The sound of wolves grew increasingly louder. My God, they were coming for us.

Ivy knelt beside Naya, coaxing her to stand. With help, she got her mounted on the horse, and Naya fell forward across Trouble’s neck. The horse whinnied and pawed the ground, waiting for Ivy to get on. Ivy found a tall stone and stood on it. She clucked her tongue, and Trouble got close enough for her to mount.

“I’ll return with help!” She kicked her heels, and they headed south, following the creek.

I stepped closer to the clearing and then found a place to conceal myself, one where I could mount my gun on top of a fallen branch to steady it while I took aim.

From my vantage point, I had a good view of the woods across the shallow creek, and I kept my gun steady. My aim wasn’t bad, but I sucked at long distance. If as many wolves as I heard were coming, then my gun would be of no use. All I could do was protect my packmates for as long as I could until they found me.

A pain lanced my side and I grimaced, sucking in a sharp breath. It radiated to my back and latched on like an iron claw. I hadn’t felt menstrual cramps in almost nine months, but they didn’t compare to this.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” I whispered to the baby. “Everything’s fine.”

But it wasn’t fine.

Judas emerged from the shadows, moonlight reflecting off the hundred eyes of the wolves who followed him.

“Come out, dearest daughter. There is much to discuss.”

I felt the brush of Austin’s black wolf against my side before I saw him.

“What do we do?” I asked, my eyes still watching Judas as he crossed the shallow water.

It was an eerie sensation to see recognizable features of my own face on someone else, and yet we had nothing in common. Despite his shaggy beard and tattered appearance, he approached as a man who had victory within his grasp.

The rest of our pack trickled in from the woods behind me, joining Ben and Wheeler’s side. The twins briefly rested their heads on each other’s shoulders in an embrace that made my wolf’s heart simultaneously weep and sing. It was their first reunion in years and might end up being their last.

Judas neared the bank with fearless resolve, and perhaps that confidence came from the sea of wolves following close behind. The creek was only knee-deep, and the wolves were thirsty to fill those sparkling waters with blood.

April had flashed by and stopped briefly to look at me. The barking of her mate drew her attention away, and she joined his side.

Austin and I were obscured by shadows and trees, but Judas knew we were watching.

“Tell them to back off,” Judas bellowed. “And leave your weapons behind. I’m here to offer peace.”

Austin shifted to human form and stood motionless. “Stay behind me, Lexi.”

I placed my hand on his back and became his shadow as he approached Judas.

Austin threw off his alpha power in a single command. “Stand down.”

The wolves didn’t understand language, but they obeyed the alpha magic woven in the tone of his voice. They refrained from attacking as Judas made it to the bank.

He wiped his wet hand across his mustache and beard, pulling at the ends.

“Is this all that’s left?” Austin asked, motioning toward Judas’s wolves.

Judas widened his stance. “I might have lost the battle, but I’m not losing the war. I want your land so I can have a position here. I’m going to use your pack as a reminder to everyone that we’re not finished.”

“Oh, you’re finished,” Austin said, voice clipped. “Done.”

I couldn’t see Judas smiling beneath his beard, but I saw it in his eyes.

“Do you think your band of misfits can take on all of us?” he asked, his arms extending wide.

I stepped forward to confront Judas. “Can’t you see you’ve lost? There’s no shame in admitting defeat. The only shame is claiming victory where there isn’t any.”

He shook his head, eyes on our pack. “I see no victory here.”

“Maybe not, but killing us will accomplish nothing. You’ll lose more men in the process, and none of the Packmasters in this territory will let you stay on our property for long. You can bet on that.”

He tucked his left arm around his midsection and stroked his beard with his right. “I’m willing to negotiate for a trade, but I’m not going anywhere unless I’ve reaped a few spoils.”

Austin cut in front of me so fast, I almost stumbled backward. He sliced his hand in the air and said, “That’s where this conversation ends.”

Judas inclined his head. “As you wish. May your pack die a good death.”

“Not so fast,” someone called out from the left.

My jaw slackened. More men than I could count advanced toward us on land and water. Charlie led the way, and familiar faces stood out in the crowd. Atticus, my new Vampire employee, was not far behind. Also, a tall Chitah I recognized from pictures Ivy had shown me of her son’s adoptive parents. Two of Lorenzo’s men came into view—a dark-skinned man named Moreland and another I’d never met but had seen at a few peace parties. I even saw one of the regulars at Howlers whom everyone knew was a grizzly bear.

Charlie met eyes with Austin and inclined his head. “A group of us tracked their movement when they began to retreat. It seems we picked up a few supporters along the way.”

I gripped Austin’s bicep, watching in disbelief as Breed stood side by side—united by a common goal. I’d never seen anything like this before, and I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see anything like it again, but it was beautiful.

“Why would all these strangers put their lives at risk for us?” I whispered. “They have nothing to gain and everything to lose.”

Austin looked down at me over his shoulder, his brow heavy. “Fate tells them to,” he said quietly.

The group slowed when they neared our pack. The wolves were circling, barking—eager to taste flesh and bone. Some of the Shifters from Charlie’s group began shifting into their animals, and I became nervous that they might attack our wolves.

“April, keep them back!” I shouted.

She tugged at the fur on Reno’s neck. “Charlie, they’ll kill each other.”

He smiled. “There are enough of us to keep that under control. We worked out a plan along the way.”

Rage manifested on Judas’s face. The veins in his forehead protruded, his face reddened, and his lips peeled back like those of a feral animal.

My attention snapped away when I heard a bizarre scream coming from my right. A wolf who looked as mad as a hatter was heading our way, eyes wide and full of crazy. Denver’s grey-and-white wolf ran in our direction, his body almost in a curl each time he leapt off the ground.

I chuckled. “That is one crazy-ass battle cry.”

Denver’s wolf bypassed us and skidded to a halt in front of Maizy’s blond wolf. He licked her snout and then turned in a circle, licking his fangs as he eyeballed everyone within sight. Nobody knew what to make of Denver’s wolf because he used body language to confuse his opponents. The tail wagging was really setting some of them off.

The two Packmasters faced each other, each waiting for the other to back down. Judas wanted to save face with his men and claim at least one piece of land, but I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“Surrender and leave!” I yelled at Judas. “We have Vampires and Chitahs on our side. You can’t win!”

Judas drew in a deep breath and galvanized his men into action with a single word. “Attack!”

His wolves exploded into action, water spraying everywhere as the opposing sides clashed. Arrows splintered through the darkness, striking their intended targets with unmatched precision. Katharine and Trevor were fast approaching from the right, firing arrows with the rest of the pack alongside them in wolf form. To my relief, I didn’t see Lennon, and I knew William would have insisted he stay safely behind.

Our pack became a wall of blood, brotherhood, and badassery.

Jericho’s wolf sank his teeth into a large male and gave him a violent shake, blood spraying everywhere. When the enemy collapsed in the struggle, Izzy’s white wolf peed on him before rushing to April’s side.

April wasn’t foolish enough to jump right in, since a wolf could take down a Mage by tearing off their hands. The tall Chitah moved like a predator—his upper and lower fangs descended, his amber eyes so sharp and penetrating that every wolf who dared to look at him flinched. He fought like a skilled warrior—snapping the neck of a wolf before pulling another by his tail.

Austin and Judas were statues, staring each other down amid the calamity all around us. The sky was a blanket of soot surrounding a light that gave no warmth.

“Call your men off,” Austin said. “You’ll lose every single one.”

Judas shrugged indifferently. “They’re not really
my
men. They’re just men who follow me because they want something. Those kinds of men are so easy to find—so easy to replace.”

I averted my eyes, wondering how quickly I could get to my gun.

“Now, you aren’t thinking about shooting your own father, are you?” Judas said, mocking me. He clucked his tongue. “You know as well as I do if you make a run for it, you’ll have at least two wolves coming after you.”

A grizzly roared, and a heavy splash sounded in the water.

Judas took a step forward. “I’m still willing to negotiate.”

Austin became a shield, protectively curling me behind him. “You can’t have my land, and you can’t have my woman.”

“Which means more to you?”

I peered around Austin’s right shoulder.

Judas was smiling at the ground. “It’s not her I want.” He flicked an irreverent gaze up to Austin. “You and I both know she’s carrying an alpha, and I’ll finally have something that’s mine—an alpha who will heed my command for no other reason than my being his father. You can’t buy that kind of loyalty.”

“You’re not the father!” Austin roared.

Judas sneered. “I’m close enough.”

Pain lanced my side, and I cradled my stomach as if my touch could soothe the frightened baby within me. I remained calm, slowly inhaling and breathing through the discomfort.

Austin’s voice trembled with fury. “You’ll never touch her. You’ll never touch my child.”

“I’m not leaving here without that baby. We both know it’s ready to be born. An alpha is strong and will survive my cutting it out.”

“Over my dead body!”

“As you wish.”

Judas pulled out a gun, aimed, and fired.

***

Austin braced himself when the gun appeared. He was too far from Judas to rush him, and shifting would expose Lexi, making her vulnerable.

He had to take the bullet.

That’s what a man did for his life mate—the mother of his child—the love of his life.

The bullet pierced his flesh like hot fury, searing through the skin below his right pec and channeling through his chest cavity. The pain was immense but irrelevant. The only danger was if it had pierced his liver or ricocheted off bone and punctured another vital organ. These were injuries he could heal from, but not if the bullet was still inside him. A wave of relief struck him when hot blood ran down his back, indicating the round had made a clean exit. Packmasters challenged each other in wolf form, so at least he would heal some during the shift.

The moment he looked up at Judas, fear struck him like an Arctic wave.

Judas lowered his gun, and his jaw slackened.

Austin slowly turned around. Lexi’s eyes glittered with pain, her mouth open in disbelief as her fingers grazed over a hole in her shirt where blood was soaking into the fabric.

Not his blood.

Hers
.

The bullet had gone clean through Austin and struck Lexi in the right shoulder.

Lexi’s knees buckled, and she fell. He caught her and gently set her down, kneeling before her and brushing her hair away from her ashen face.

“It’s gonna be fine,” he said. “Just breathe slowly.”

She grimaced and curled into a fetal position. “It’s coming… I can’t stop it.”

When Austin snapped his attention back to Judas, the wolf inside him became one with his spirit, and they were both enraged. The two had collided in an explosion of emotions that took him to a primitive place in his mind—a dark place from where few men ever returned.

Austin could see by the remorse in Judas’s eyes that he hadn’t meant to hurt her, and that’s what pissed him off the most.

Moreland, one of Church’s men, knelt beside him. “I’ll take her to Church; he knows healing magic.”

“There’s no time,” Austin said through clenched teeth.