Skye didn’t move, holding her hand out to Kirsty who changed tone, saying firmly. “I’m ordering you as the Alpha’s mate to go to the cellar and stay there until it’s safe. Now, Skye, go now.”
She saw the change, Skye’s eyes lowering submissively as she took hold of Leia’s collar and led her away. Kirsty didn’t wait, rushing to the dresser and loading up the gun and once again thanking the lord her father paid for such an expensive top-of-the range model. At least she should be able to take out a few of these fuckers. “What the fuck are they thinking? Attacking the camp?”
Then it hit her. This was their plan all along. While Kade and the guards were away, they’d come to attack the camp. Kirsty’s mind ran over who she’d met on her little trek earlier: mostly women and children with only a few men.
Damn. They were in trouble but she’d be damned if she would go down without a fight.
She opened the door, made certain the safety was off and stepped out to protect her people and kill as many rogues as she could.
That thought slammed into her brain: her people.
She realized in a split second that something magical had happened since she had met Kade MacKenzie and his Wolves. Kirsty felt, possibly for the first time in her life, that she belonged and she would fight for every person here until she drew her last breath.
She just prayed that Kade and his guards returned before that happened.
Just as she jumped down from the porch, her resolve resolute, she heard little Jimmy roaring, “Get off me! I’ll tear yer throat out, ya mangy mutt.”
Kirsty turned just in time to see a large Wolf with its teeth wrapped around the boy’s thigh, blood spilling from the horrendous wound. She didn’t think twice, raising the gun and sighting the beast. It was huge compared to Jimmy, but he was struggling and she was terrified she’d hit him so she shouted, “Jimmy, down, now!”
The boy’s eyes found hers, widening in shock briefly before he gave her a nod, dropping quickly to the ground a second before she let loose two rounds in quick succession. One hit the beast in the middle, the second straight through its head as it whirled around in pain and anger at being injured. She hadn’t aimed for the head, it was a lucky shot, but one that left the beast stone dead next to a bloodied and injured Jimmy.
Kirsty darted over, staying close to the ground. “Oh, Jimmy, that’s a bad wound, we need to get you some help.”
“Och, I’ve had worse,” the lad replied bravely. “If I can get the bleeding stopped I’ll be okay. We heal quick, Miss Kirsty.”
“Okay, but we need to get you inside,” Kirsty said quickly, a dark furry streak joining them. “Leia! What the hell are you doing out here?”
Kirsty looked to the cabin, Skye’s terrified face peeking out of the door. Kirsty didn’t have time to think, hauling Jimmy over to the stairs and up to the door. “Here, take him inside and stop that bleeding.”
“I’m sorry, Leia broke free. I couldn’t stop her.”
“Just help Jimmy.” Kirsty didn’t have time to talk and with her Shepherd at the bottom of the stairs, guarding them, it didn’t look as if she was going to get her back inside anytime soon.
“Okay, sorry,” Skye whimpered, tugging the bleeding boy inside.
“Stay close, Leia, no heroics, girl. Okay?”
Leia tilted her head then gave her a soft yip as if she understood. “I’m not kidding. If you go all Alpha on me, you’ll get no treats. You hear me?”
Leia’s head lowered, whining. “Good girl, now let’s go see who else we can help.”
Kirsty turned back, scanning the camp, the sights filling her with terror and dread. Rogues appeared to be everywhere, some in Wolf form, others in human. Either way, they were attacking anyone they could, viciously.
She saw Muir wielding his axe, swinging it high before dealing a devastating deathblow to a dark brown Wolf that leaped toward him. The blade almost severed the beast’s head, blood spurting everywhere, covering Muir so that he looked like something out of a horror movie. The man looked scary as hell, his features set in a mask of hate as he glared at the dead rogue.
It was at that moment she saw Fiona at his back, her face white, eyes wide as she locked eyes with hers. Kirsty sprinted toward them, gun at the ready, skidding to a stop and turning her back to stand face out, fearful of attack.
“What the fuck is going on?” she asked, her voice tight but controlled, Leia prowling in front of her, sniffing around the fallen Wolf.
Muir reached out, patting her back. “The rogues must’ve planned this. They’ve waited until the Alpha and the guards were far from home and then attacked. By the way, lass, I saw you rescuing young Jimmy. That took guts, Kade would be proud of you.”
“I only did what I could.” Kirsty shrugged. “That fucker attacked a child! What the hell is wrong with these people?”
“They’re rogues,” Muir said simply, as if that explained everything. “Fiona, we’re going to get you over to the Alpha’s cabin where you can help the lad, and you’ll stay there. We’ll try and get any injured to you. You do not, I repeat, you do not leave that cabin. You hear me, my bonnie lass?”
Kirsty heard Fiona take in a huge breath before she started to argue. “Muir, I can’t hide away when the Pack is under attack.”
“Fi, you’ll do no good if you end up dead!” Muir’s voice rose, fear and worry for his mate clear in every syllable. “Now’s not the time to argue. We need to move.”
Kirsty agreed. “Fiona, he’s right. The Pack needs their Healer and you’re it. Let’s get you to Jimmy, I saw the wound and it’s bad. He needs you.”
“Fine,” Fiona
