It’s more like three, four times a wolf’s size, its back covered in rippling thick muscles, its arms unbelievably huge with muscle, strong human limbs, covered in that same glistening silver fur.
Then the wolf collapses onto all fours, walking slowly toward Jerry, growling low and threatening.
CHAPTERTEN
Ramsey
Stop, stop, stop.
The human is on his back, his scents lacing the air. He’s pissed himself, and his tears reek of salt, mixing with the rest of him, his false bravado, his meanness, and his genuine terror.
But Ruby’s terror smells even more potent, washing through me.
This is my fault.
When I visited her apartment, that was not the first time I failed to keep my distance. I’ve followed her far too often, driven by my wolfish urge, the knowledge that this woman is mine.
This human ismine.
I will myself to stop, but then the human cries out and leaps to his feet, leveling the most pathetic gun I’ve ever seen.
It’s a joke that this weak, skinny punythingwould try to hurt my woman. I’ve got all the power of the wolf behind me. All the rage within me, knowing I would kill and die to protect her and what we’re building.
With a snarl, I leap forward, trapping him with my body. He tries to raise the gun, but he can’t. He shoots three times,bang-bang-bang, but the pistol is too weak.
I feel the bullets biting into my thick flesh, and my muscle, but they don’t reach the bone. While we can die from too much trauma the wolf is stronger than a human and can take a beating.
The pain seems distant. I know there will be scars, three marks on my stomach, but that’s it.
That’s all this bastard can do.
Stop, I warn myself, but then I remember why I jumped.
I remember how vulnerable she looked, my woman, when that bastard aimed the gun at her.
I remember how her scent changed, like a warning siren blaring through me, telling me my only objective for the rest of my life is to keep her safe.
My canines tingle right at the tip, telling me to bite down and taste blood.
I’ve never killed anybody.
Several times, I’ve had to fight, but I’ve never killed a defenseless person like this.
He’s a monster.
He was going to do worse tomy fucking woman.
Suddenly I can’t contain it. I bare my teeth and snarl in his face.
He cries out, and new urine stinks up the air.
The gun makes a clattering noise as he drops it. It probably sounds insanely quiet to human ears.
I snarl even deeper, bringing my teeth to his face and letting him feel a wolf's boiling breath on edge.
“My woman,”I say.
Of course, Ican’tsay that. I’m growling wordlessly, but that’s what I imagine I’m saying.