“Someone broke the glass from the inside out,” Palmer said from the broken window.
“I’m going to tan her hide for not staying inside where it’s safe.”
Palmer’s eyebrows rose, but we both jerked to the sound of another howl. We didn’t need to say words. We ran toward the noise, not slowing as we heard Kara’s hysterical laughter. I’d murder the wolf shifter a thousand times over if he’d touched Kara. We caught sight of her and the two men at the same time. I nodded to Palmer for him to take out the man holding her feet while I tackled the asshole sitting on top of her. I launched myself at him. Murderous intent fueled the power inside me. I tackled him with such force we tumbled into the snowy field, rolling over and over again as our fists flew. Elbows jabbed. Knees and feet scrambled for purchase.
We parted and faced off against each other.
“So, you’re the fucker who claimed what’s mine,” he spat.
“She was never yours.”
“I won her fair and square.” He kicked the snow, sending up a spray that didn’t reach my face as he’d intended.
I shook my head. “You can’t win a mate, dumbass.”
He swung at me. I sidestepped with ease and jabbed him in the stomach.
“I always meant for her to be mine.” He clutched his stomach.
I rolled my eyes. This guy was crazy. He was two Lunamoons short of a working brain. Why the hell hadn’t his alpha shackled him before now? Father or not, the alpha’s job was to protect his pack. I punched him in the face, and blood squirted from his nose. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, then he gazed at the blood and grinned.
I flexed my fists. Kara was right. I needed to watch my back around this guy. Insane wolf shifters were unpredictable. He wrenched a knife from his waistband. The falling snow slid down the shiny silver blade. Garth licked his lips.
“Is that how you want this to go down?” I asked. “As a coward with a knife?”
He flipped the knife in his palm. “As soon as I kill you, she’ll be mine.”
“I guarantee she’ll never be yours and you’ll never kill me.”
“We’ll see about that.” He lunged forward with the knife aimed at my heart.
I twisted and shifted. Clothes ripped as the blade caught the edge of my shirt and tore into pieces as my form changed into a wolf. I didn’t waste time. I clamped my jaw on his wrist and crunched the bones. Garth’s cry of pain was worth every bitter tang of his blood. He dropped the knife, and it disappeared into the thick snow. I wrenched his hand, making it hang at an odd angle before letting go to see blood and bone gaping through his wounds.
Garth shifted, but it was too late for him. With one broken leg, he didn’t stand a chance against an alpha wolf. I descended upon him, biting his other front leg first before taking him to the ground and clamping my jaw around his throat, severing the nerves and his carotid artery. I held on until his body lay limp and lifeless, then I released my jaw. I stood, heaving in air, my sides expanding and contracting as Garth’s blood seeped from his wounds to taint the snow in an increasing patch of drenchedcrimson.
Delicate footsteps made their way over to me through the snow. Kara’s sweet scent preceded her form. She paused a short distance from us. Her large, icy blue eyes were vacant and distant. Her body shook, but she didn’t seem to notice.
I shifted. Garth’s blood was sticky on my skin. I hadn’t noticed it on my thick fur.
“He’s dead?” she whispered.
“Yes.” I inched closer to her.
She flinched and stepped back. “He won’t chase me anymore?”
“No, he won’t.” I held my hands out, trying to coax her closer. “Kara, love, come here.”
She whipped her head to the side. “But I’m free now. I can go home. See my dad.” She sniffed.
“Your dad is dead, love.”
Her head snapped back my way.
“I still have to deal with the aftermath of this piece of shit.” I spat on Garth. “Did he hurt you?”
She ducked her head, but not before I saw the blossoming bruise on her cheek.
“That fucker,” I seethed. “I’d kill him again if it were possible.”