an opening.
The one shifter still in human form lunged toward Diego’s mate. It was the alpha – Seth , the human part of Diego thought – and he caught Carla by the upper arm, yanking her toward him with a fierce grip. He pulled her around to shield himself, one arm across her throat. Diego roared again and clawed at the ground, but he didn’t dare do anything that might put his mate in danger.
“Stay back!” the alpha wolf shouted. “Leave, and I’ll let her go – ” his threat broke off suddenly in a yowl, as Carla bit down hard on his hand. His grip must have loosened, because she broke away and managed to put a few feet between them.
That was all the opportunity Diego needed. He sprang forward, slapping at the alpha wolf with a paw the size of a dinner plate, his claws fully extended. He put enough force behind the blow to send the alpha flying several feet before he hit the ground with a thump. He rolled over and over, and by the time he came to a stop, he had become a wolf. Diego had hoped he would knock him unconscious, but the wolf climbed back to his feet, shaking his head before crouching down in preparation for a leap.
Diego had given too much of his attention to the alpha. Another one of the wolves lunged at him from behind, getting his fangs into Diego’s hind leg. Roaring with anger, Diego spun and knocked that one off, but then it seemed as though wolves were coming at him from every direction.
Diego turned from one side to another as swiftly as he could, swatting at any wolf within reach and occasionally managing to catch one in his jaws. There were four wolves and only one bear, but wolves weren’t meant to take on grizzlies. He had them outclassed in every way: weight, reach, speed, and most definitely strength.
Diego let his bear’s instincts take over, and stopped thinking like a human. In the animal world, there was only action and reaction; smells and sounds that told him more than eyes could. There was a flow to the battle, and he felt as though he could sense each attack before it actually came.
Lost in that space where only the present moment existed, it was hard to tell how much time had passed, but Diego thought it had only been a minute or two before the fight was over. He had won.
The wolves backed up out of range. Each one limped or favored one side, and blood showed through their fur where they’d been scratched or bitten. Diego reared back up onto his hind legs, all nine feet of grizzly bear towering above his enemies, and roared out his triumph.
One wolf whined pitifully, his ears low and his tail between his legs. They all moved away cautiously, afraid to turn their backs on him, and then turned and ran over the crest of the hill.
Diego thudded back onto his feet and slowly began to take stock of his injuries. He was winded, he’d been nipped in at least a dozen places, and his head hurt. Nothing too bad, but before he could take care of himself, he needed to make sure that his mate was okay.
Unlike the wolves, she hadn’t run away. She stood halfway up the hill, well out of range of the fight. Her hands were up by her face, covering her mouth in shock. He could smell fear coming off of her, but at least she was still there.
Diego took a slow, careful step in her direction. His mate lowered her hands, staring at him. “Diego?” she whispered.
He couldn’t speak while he was in bear form. All he could do was walk slowly forward, trusting that his mate would recognize him. She stood strong, making him proud. She even took a few steps toward him. She reached out one hand – she was shaking slightly, but she set it on his broad shoulder without flinching. When he stayed still, she began to stroke him, running her fingers through his fur.
“Oh my God,” she said, speaking more to herself than to him. “You’re real. This is really happening.”
Her touch was so soothing, it felt like it alone could heal him from the fight. Diego tossed his head, pressing his
The one shifter still in human form lunged toward Diego’s mate. It was the alpha – Seth , the human part of Diego thought – and he caught Carla by the upper arm, yanking her toward him with a fierce grip. He pulled her around to shield himself, one arm across her throat. Diego roared again and clawed at the ground, but he didn’t dare do anything that might put his mate in danger.
“Stay back!” the alpha wolf shouted. “Leave, and I’ll let her go – ” his threat broke off suddenly in a yowl, as Carla bit down hard on his hand. His grip must have loosened, because she broke away and managed to put a few feet between them.
That was all the opportunity Diego needed. He sprang forward, slapping at the alpha wolf with a paw the size of a dinner plate, his claws fully extended. He put enough force behind the blow to send the alpha flying several feet before he hit the ground with a thump. He rolled over and over, and by the time he came to a stop, he had become a wolf. Diego had hoped he would knock him unconscious, but the wolf climbed back to his feet, shaking his head before crouching down in preparation for a leap.
Diego had given too much of his attention to the alpha. Another one of the wolves lunged at him from behind, getting his fangs into Diego’s hind leg. Roaring with anger, Diego spun and knocked that one off, but then it seemed as though wolves were coming at him from every direction.
Diego turned from one side to another as swiftly as he could, swatting at any wolf within reach and occasionally managing to catch one in his jaws. There were four wolves and only one bear, but wolves weren’t meant to take on grizzlies. He had them outclassed in every way: weight, reach, speed, and most definitely strength.
Diego let his bear’s instincts take over, and stopped thinking like a human. In the animal world, there was only action and reaction; smells and sounds that told him more than eyes could. There was a flow to the battle, and he felt as though he could sense each attack before it actually came.
Lost in that space where only the present moment existed, it was hard to tell how much time had passed, but Diego thought it had only been a minute or two before the fight was over. He had won.
The wolves backed up out of range. Each one limped or favored one side, and blood showed through their fur where they’d been scratched or bitten. Diego reared back up onto his hind legs, all nine feet of grizzly bear towering above his enemies, and roared out his triumph.
One wolf whined pitifully, his ears low and his tail between his legs. They all moved away cautiously, afraid to turn their backs on him, and then turned and ran over the crest of the hill.
Diego thudded back onto his feet and slowly began to take stock of his injuries. He was winded, he’d been nipped in at least a dozen places, and his head hurt. Nothing too bad, but before he could take care of himself, he needed to make sure that his mate was okay.
Unlike the wolves, she hadn’t run away. She stood halfway up the hill, well out of range of the fight. Her hands were up by her face, covering her mouth in shock. He could smell fear coming off of her, but at least she was still there.
Diego took a slow, careful step in her direction. His mate lowered her hands, staring at him. “Diego?” she whispered.
He couldn’t speak while he was in bear form. All he could do was walk slowly forward, trusting that his mate would recognize him. She stood strong, making him proud. She even took a few steps toward him. She reached out one hand – she was shaking slightly, but she set it on his broad shoulder without flinching. When he stayed still, she began to stroke him, running her fingers through his fur.
“Oh my God,” she said, speaking more to herself than to him. “You’re real. This is really happening.”
Her touch was so soothing, it felt like it alone could heal him from the fight. Diego tossed his head, pressing his
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