Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
As was my wolf’s: She is mine!
He ran after her like he was being chased by the hounds of hell. He was much larger than her and had a longer stride. He gained slowly, nearly on her now, ready to sweep her back legs out from under her and tackle, but just as he was reaching her, she changed direction and put on a burst of speed.
“Damn it,” my wolf said, delighted anticipation coiling within him. “Our Little Wolf is making me work for it.”
He did love a good chase.
He blocked out her ability to feel the bond and then used it to spread out the pack, who’d all started to lag behind us. Some shot out right, intercepting Aurelia when she attempted to turn that way. She flitted between them, nipping and bashing into them with her body, doing just enough to work her way through and out the other side.
Another section of the pack I’d sent right didn’t head her off in time. She streaked past them, Dante barking at her as she went.
I changed my course and sent some of my fastest runners to cut into her path. She ran smack into them; they jumped out from the brush and difficult-to-spot hidey-holes. Tanix caught up to her, positioning himself so that she would slam into his side. Given he was larger and stronger, she should bounce off, which would allow the rest of them to easily surround her and keep her put until my wolf came to collect.
Right before impact, though, just as Tanix braced himself, she startled and leapt over him. Slight pain reverberated through the bond—she might have landed a little awkwardly—but then she was off again, moving toward my left. I could hear Tanix’s annoyed howl from here.
“If we didn’t have a bond with her, we’d be hard-pressed to keep track of her once she sprinted away from the pack,” my wolf said, his pride glowing stronger. The challenge heightened his anticipation; his strong desire pumped through us.
“She has spent her entire life running or hiding. She has developed a sixth sense in regard to danger and anything like it. It shows.”
“It does, thank the gods. It’ll be easier to protect her.”
She took off toward that town she’d run through earlier, curving away when she was nearly there, and ran into Nova and her team. Nova spread out, not running at her but with, closing the distance little by little, slowing Aurelia down. It was a damn fine strategy. Her promotion ceremony was set for a week’s time. She’d earned the increase she’d get.
Aurelia was nearly stopped, the circle closing in, her heart not speeding up.
“She’s not concerned,” my wolf said, running for all he was worth in that direction. “Why is she not concerned?”
She proved why in the next moment when she darted toward who I knew was the weakest member of that squad. I felt pain and panic from that wolf, and then Aurelia was through again, running off into the wood.
“Clearly she is learning well during your fight training,” I told my wolf.
“Indeed.”
The rest of the pack was already moving into position, fanning out around her and then tightening their circle. Once they got close, I’d pull the stronger wolves to the front and block her in, positioning the others behind in case she jumped like a little fawn.
The dragons circled overhead. They watched my strategies from above so they would know how to train the other dragons to work with them.
Aurelia hit the first wall of my defense, and I could tell through our bond that she was calculating a way through. That came up empty, though, as my strategy was tight. She changed position, quickly coming up against another wall of wolves.
Finley roared, swooping down and then back up. She roared again, her rage plain, before a burst of fire shot out above the tree line.
Understanding surged through the bond. A moment later, my wolf’s communication with the pack was instantly severed.
“Fucking dragons,” my wolf mumbled.
“What just happened?”
“We’re playing a game. Finley just coaxed Aurelia into playing dirty.”
“Like we are?”
“Exactly like we are.” He worked to get the communication back up as he tore off in her direction. He tried to wrestle control away from her wolf, but she wasn’t trying to control anything; she was just blocking his attempts to do so. His power smashed into hers, grappling, ripping at it. She allowed him to get hold of it for a moment—she didn’t waste the energy needed to hold on—but only allowed him a glimpse of where everyone was before she deadened him again.
“Fucking Little Wolf,” my wolf grumbled, frustration mixed with pride. His anticipation grew; her location was not far.
She hadn’t trained as extensively as we had. She couldn’t run as far, and she’d been chased and corralled. She was losing steam fast.