relieved when she didn’t smell the acidy sweet smell of the Onyx Pack’s mutants. The half-animal, half-human creatures were not only gross; they were more powerful than she was.
The scent she did pick up belonged to a human, but there was another scent she couldn’t place, though it seemed familiar. The pounding of shoes hitting the earth grew closer, and she ducked behind the tree, unsure of what the human was doing in this part of the Smoky Mountains.
A human male ran past the tree, turned to look right at her as if he knew all along she was there, and pointed a gun right at her. Sarah gasped and fell to the ground a split second before he fired. Scrambling on hands and knees, she crawled around the tree and froze as another man barreled past her toward the human. The new man wasn’t a man, but a male puma shifter.
And she knew him.
Damian Palmer.
No, not possible. Damian had been in the car with Walt at the time of the accident. He’d died right along with his best friend. She’d seen his body, damn it.
She slowly moved so she could peek around the oak. The puma had the human pinned to the ground with one hand around his throat, trying to take the gun with the other. The human pulled a knife from his boot and, before Sarah could warn Damian, stuck him in the side. It gave the human enough leverage to knock the shifter off him.
The human turned, and Sarah didn’t waste time to see what he would do. She just reacted and ran into his back, knocking him off balance. It also knocked her off balance, and she tumbled to the ground. She started to push herself up but froze at the sight of the human’s shadow falling over her.
Shaking, she peered up and into the barrel of the gun.
She braced herself, knowing this was it. Her only thought was of her kids and grandkids. It had been a few days since she’d talked to them. A tear fell down her cheek, and the human paused as if confused. Then Damian tackled him to the ground. They rolled on the ground, fists pounding into each other as they fought for control of the gun until a shot went off, echoing through the forest.
Damian went limp, and the human pushed him off. Sarah stifled a cry and swallowed. She wanted to go to Damian, see if he was okay. He was a shifter, and as long as it wasn’t a shot to the heart, he’d live. Sarah hoped. Her heart broke all over again.
Sorrow, anger, and adrenaline rushed through her, and she charged the human man. The surprise on his face told her he’d underestimated her. Ha! That was his mistake. Even submissive shifters were stronger than humans. She was no submissive; she was a maternal female. She protected those she cared about. Even though she was pissed as hell at Damian for making her believe he was dead for the last five years, she’d protect him any way she could.
He had been her best friend once.
But she’d deal with Damian later. Right now, she had a human to disarm.
She hit him full force, and they fell to the ground. He punched out, catching her in side. Pain shot through her ribs, but it only fueled her anger and her inner puma’s rage even more. She growled and allowed her fangs to drop. The human paled, and she breathed in the fear rolling off him.
With quick and efficient movements, she grabbed his head in both her hands and twisted. The man went limp under her.
She rushed over to Damian and knelt down beside him. His breathing was labored, but he was awake. He met her gaze with hazel eyes, and something deep inside her stirred. Heat twirled in her abdomen and headed south. She shook off the strange reaction to the male she’d buried with her mate and offered a weak smile. “I don’t have to tell you how pissed I am at you.”
He coughed then winced as if in pain. She peered down at his chest, and her heart stuttered a couple of beats. His shirt was soaked in blood. He lifted his hand and touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She grabbed his hand and squeezed.
“I’m going to have to
The scent she did pick up belonged to a human, but there was another scent she couldn’t place, though it seemed familiar. The pounding of shoes hitting the earth grew closer, and she ducked behind the tree, unsure of what the human was doing in this part of the Smoky Mountains.
A human male ran past the tree, turned to look right at her as if he knew all along she was there, and pointed a gun right at her. Sarah gasped and fell to the ground a split second before he fired. Scrambling on hands and knees, she crawled around the tree and froze as another man barreled past her toward the human. The new man wasn’t a man, but a male puma shifter.
And she knew him.
Damian Palmer.
No, not possible. Damian had been in the car with Walt at the time of the accident. He’d died right along with his best friend. She’d seen his body, damn it.
She slowly moved so she could peek around the oak. The puma had the human pinned to the ground with one hand around his throat, trying to take the gun with the other. The human pulled a knife from his boot and, before Sarah could warn Damian, stuck him in the side. It gave the human enough leverage to knock the shifter off him.
The human turned, and Sarah didn’t waste time to see what he would do. She just reacted and ran into his back, knocking him off balance. It also knocked her off balance, and she tumbled to the ground. She started to push herself up but froze at the sight of the human’s shadow falling over her.
Shaking, she peered up and into the barrel of the gun.
She braced herself, knowing this was it. Her only thought was of her kids and grandkids. It had been a few days since she’d talked to them. A tear fell down her cheek, and the human paused as if confused. Then Damian tackled him to the ground. They rolled on the ground, fists pounding into each other as they fought for control of the gun until a shot went off, echoing through the forest.
Damian went limp, and the human pushed him off. Sarah stifled a cry and swallowed. She wanted to go to Damian, see if he was okay. He was a shifter, and as long as it wasn’t a shot to the heart, he’d live. Sarah hoped. Her heart broke all over again.
Sorrow, anger, and adrenaline rushed through her, and she charged the human man. The surprise on his face told her he’d underestimated her. Ha! That was his mistake. Even submissive shifters were stronger than humans. She was no submissive; she was a maternal female. She protected those she cared about. Even though she was pissed as hell at Damian for making her believe he was dead for the last five years, she’d protect him any way she could.
He had been her best friend once.
But she’d deal with Damian later. Right now, she had a human to disarm.
She hit him full force, and they fell to the ground. He punched out, catching her in side. Pain shot through her ribs, but it only fueled her anger and her inner puma’s rage even more. She growled and allowed her fangs to drop. The human paled, and she breathed in the fear rolling off him.
With quick and efficient movements, she grabbed his head in both her hands and twisted. The man went limp under her.
She rushed over to Damian and knelt down beside him. His breathing was labored, but he was awake. He met her gaze with hazel eyes, and something deep inside her stirred. Heat twirled in her abdomen and headed south. She shook off the strange reaction to the male she’d buried with her mate and offered a weak smile. “I don’t have to tell you how pissed I am at you.”
He coughed then winced as if in pain. She peered down at his chest, and her heart stuttered a couple of beats. His shirt was soaked in blood. He lifted his hand and touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She grabbed his hand and squeezed.
“I’m going to have to
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