Cricket dodged the bigger wolves and dashed toward the woods.
Agrippa growled. “Bitch will die!” She shifted and dashed after her.
Slade killed two lycans before shifting. He leapt off the stage and barreled into startled wolves. They acted confused, not knowing if they should respectively bow to their prince or challenge an enraged alpha.
Wolfstrom shouted, “Capture my son and let his mate kill the runt.”
Ignoring the incoming werewolves, he chased after Agrippa before she killed his Abella. The exceptionally large alpha bitch would make mincemeat out of Cricket.
Fuck. He had a plan. A stolen keycard. A rope in his room to repel down the mountain with Cricket, but all went to shit, when his so-called lord and master commanded him to slowly murder her. How would they escape with an entire pack in hot pursuit?
Slade caught Agrippa’s foul scent and Cricket’s sweet aroma. His Abella headed toward the bridge over the moat. They kept the bridge up at all times. Did she figure out a way to lower it?
A loud whimper shattered the night.
Slade skidded to a stop. Abella. No! He released a primal growl and bolted toward the cry.
Life no longer mattered. He’d kill Agrippa, kill Henrik and rip the flesh off Wolfstrom. Stop their evil plan. Honor Abella by completing the mission.
Behind him, the yaps of a pack convinced him to run and attempt to scale down the mountain.
A prone white wolf lay on the trail. Agrippa. Her neck broken. Cricket killed a bear, but a healthy powerful female in the prime of her life?
A large gray wolf leapt in front of him.
Slade growled, but caught the familiar scent. Nikolay the captured Siberian werewolf.
He snapped in his Russian accent, “Quick, bridge down. Escape!”
“I must find my companion.”
“Your comrade is on other side of bridge.”
“But, how…?”
“As you say in America, piece of cake.”
They ran toward the bridge. Between the bright full moon and their wolf night vision, they easily navigated the path.
At last. As they drew closer to the bridge, his heart soared in joy. Cricket had made it across the lowered bridge. She bounced up and down wagging her tail like a puppy anxious to play. Oh, yeah baby, we are going to play. His gladdened heart re-energized his sore muscles, and he ran faster. Nikolay had no problem keeping up with him.
Fuck. The bridge began to rise.
“Jump,” snarled Nikolay.
They leapt and clutched the side with their claws just as the bridge went vertical.
Slipping.
Cricket yowled, “Hang on!”
Her voice the only encouragement he needed, Slade pulled himself up and dragged his claws over the wood.
Nikolay on the other hand slipped and hung on by one claw.
Slade turned. “Quit slowing us down.” He grabbed Nikolay by his nape and hauled him over. They tumbled down as the bridge locked into place.
Wolfstrom’s pack reached the edge, growling and howling.