Chapter 126
Xena’s POV
A strong gust of wind blew past, and I caught that scent. My body froze instantly, every muscle on high alert. I felt my heart race, my throat tighten, as that familiar dangerous aroma nearly made my blood congeal.
“XE–7” Ryder began to speak, but I held up my hand to stop him.
“Do you smell it?” I asked through our mind link, fear coiling like a serpent around my heart, but I forced myself to remain calm.
“No?” Ryder looked worried. He glanced around, his body tense, ready for action. Confusion was written all over his face, but he trusted my judgment. “What do you smell?”
“Rogues.”
Ryder’s gaze snapped to mine. I could feel his wolf instantly become alert inside him. I pointed toward the boundary wall, motioning for him to take a look. He must have caught my thought, silently walking over. He leaped up, using his fingertips to pull himself to the top, barely peeking over the wall. As soon as he looked, he dropped back to the ground, gesturing for me to crouch down.
“You’re right, his voice was low and tense.
I crouched behind a tree, able to hear them just on the other side of the wall. My heart pounded as I analyzed every possible escape of fight route.
“Stay down, I’ve called for the warriors,” he said.
“How many?” I asked.
“A dozen or so.”
Damn. We could handle a few, but not that many. “Hmm.” I bit my lower lip, considering our options. Each one seemed worse than the last.
“You need to go back quietly,” Ryder told me. The sound of Rogues scraping against the wall echoed around us, like the nails of death dragging down my spine.
“I’m not fucking leaving! I won’t leave you alone to fight them!” I countered, fear replaced by anger.
“I will not allow you to be in danger!”
“We need to shift before they get here,” I told him. Not even giving him a chance to explain, I closed my eyes, summoning my wolf forward. I felt the change surge through me like a tidal wave, fire burning beneath my skin. Bones began to fearrange, muscles tearing and reforming, sharp pain flashing then disappearing into an unprecedented sense of power. My senses became extraordinarily acute, my nose catching the putrid scent emanating from each Rogue, my ears hearing every uncoordinated heartbeat.
My body completely transformed into a wolf, my fur standing up like steel needles, claws extending from my paw tips. Una’s silver fur shimmered in the sunlight. I could feel the power flowing through my veins, muscles taut, ready for battle.
Turning my head, I saw /
Ryder had shifted too. His wolf was enormous. Matching his dark green eyes, his wolf was pitch black. Just as he shifted, a Rogue had climbed the wall and landed on the back of his neck.
I didn’t even think; my wolf leaped forward. Jumping straight at that Rogue. Sinking my teeth into his neck, Una’s fur turning red with blood pouring from the dying Rogue. Fear and adrenaline raced through my blood.
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Chapter 126
The area immediately filled with growls. I kicked away the dead Rogue as more Rogues climbed over the wall. Ryder was fighting three at once, while two had already surrounded me.
1 charged toward the first Rogue with lightning speed, my claws tearing through his throat, warm blood splashing onto my fur. The second Rogue tried to ambush from the side, but my reaction left him stunned. I spun to avoid his attack, clamped my jaws around his arm, felt the crisp snap of bone between my teeth, then violently whipped my head, hurling him toward the wall.
Suddenly, a massive weight crashed onto my back, nearly toppling me, and a sharp pain shot through my neck. A sense of mortal dread instantly spread throughout my body. Una tried desperately to break free but was pinned down firmly.
A Rogue jumped down from the wall, walked in front of me, and shifted back to human form. “Don’t fucking kill her!”
The teeth on my shoulder immediately loosened. The man began barking orders, “This is what we want! Grab her!”
Una had entered panic mode. This made her extremely dangerous, and she began attacking indiscriminately. The Rogue on her back was flipped to the ground, his throat slashed open by her claws, then she lunged at the currently human–formed Rogue, slicing his neck. Not even waiting for him to die, she pounced on the next one. Grabbing his thigh in her jaws, she flung him away, smashing him against a tree.
Before he could fall, another wolf raced toward him, sinking its teeth into his neck.
Our warriors had finally arrived. Then I heard more howls coming from the direction of the pack house. I could feel a wave of relief washing over my entire body.
Keep one alive!” I shouted to Ryder. I watched our warriors contain the threat. Ryder was biting a Rogue’s shoulder; he immediately withdrew his teeth and knocked the Rogue unconscious with his front paws. The warriors were doing the same.
I recalled the Rogue’s words. What did he mean when he said they wanted me? Was this some failed attempt to kidnap me? I mean, they only sent a dozen Rogues? My wolf paced, eyeing each unconscious Rogue lying in pools of blood.
“Xena.” Ryder’s voice interrupted my thoughts, and my head snapped toward him. He had shifted back to human form, wearing shorts. He held up a shirt, motioning for me to take it. The warriors began shifting back to human form, putting on their own
shorts.
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