Rafe caught a glimpse of steel in her hand as he leaped past her, landing on the man who’d threatened his mate. His Wolf’s powerful jaws locked onto the rogue’s throat, ripping it to shreds before slashing his chest with his claws. His beast took no chances, shredding the man’s torso in seconds and wrenching his still beating heart free, dropping it on the ground and attacking the next threat.
He could hear Jacy’s own attack. His Beta was ferocious when riled and Rafe knew he would show no mercy. Neither would he.
Rafe managed to kill two in human form before they had a chance to transform. When he turned around after his second kill, he came face to face with a huge brown beast. It’s fangs snapped at him, a snarl erupting from its throat as it launched an attack. Rafe’s powerful beast met it head on, soaring high to clash mid-air, teeth and claws meeting in a battle for the ultimate prize: life.
As soon as they met in battle, Rafe knew this rogue had had more than his fair share of fights. His dirty tactics annoyingly nasty, but Rafe’s beast dealt easily with everything thrown at him and soon the rogue lay dead in a pool of blood.
His head spun around, looking for the next threat. Jacy had killed two, one wolf, one human-form, but the remaining rogue held his mate firmly in front of him, a shiny blade in his hand. His blood turning to ice in his veins.
The dirty scumbag held the knife against the pale white skin of her throat. Rafe stalked forward, snarling and pawing the ground in anger. The man shook his head, sneering.
“Stay there or she dies,” the man spat out as his arm around her throat tightened.
“No,” the girl, his mate, choked out. “Don’t kill him, we need him to get information about . . .”
“Shut the fuck up!”
Rafe watched as the rogue grabbed her hair, tugging her head back violently and spitting into her face. The look of revulsion on her beautiful features causing his beast to go into a frenzy of bloodlust.
A roar of stifled fury tore through the forest, his beast shaking with pent-up anger. He lifted a front paw, slamming it down onto the ground, leaves and dirt spraying up as he tried to keep the rogue’s attention fully on him. His Beta was limping, the rogue smirked as he watched Jacy finally fall to the ground and crawl away almost had Rafe attacking.
“Don’t worry,” Jacy spoke to him through their link but he barely heard the words as his Beta hauled himself away.
Rafe’s beast paced back and forth, head swinging low and growling. “Stay there, mutt.” The rogue sneered, tugging his mate against his body and forcing her to walk backwards.
A yelp of pain from her caused Rafe’s heart to physically ache for her and it was then he noticed how she held one of her feet. Only the toes touched the ground and she could not put any weight on it at all, hopping as the rogue used her body as a shield.
Her face was pale and drawn as she hissed through clenched teeth. Pain obviously running through her. Seeing his mate suffer was like a knife to his heart as he paced.
“This is how it’s going to go down,” the man bit out, his eyes never leaving Rafe. “I’m going to leave and I’m taking her with me, as collateral, and if you follow then I’ll slit her neck so quick you won’t know it’s happened until her blood soaks the earth. So, you mangy mutt, back off, now.”
Rafe’s fur rippled across his body at the mere thought of losing sight of his mate. Her eyes were wide as she locked onto his, hers were the most beautiful shade of grey he’d ever seen. She pleaded with him in that look and he knew he could not allow the rogue to take her.
But how was he going to rescue her without harm?
Jacy’s voice almost gleeful as he whispered inside his head. “Countdown begins . . . now. Get ready, Rafe.”
Rafe shook his head, trying to clear it and also look for his Beta. Where the hell was he? He’d looked badly injured as he’d crawled away.
“Three, two, one – go now!”
Jacy yelled through their link as he hurtled through bushes behind the rogue, his jaws clamping onto the man’s shoulder, the one attached to the arm holding the knife.
Rafe sprang forward, transforming mid-stride and snatching his mate from the arms of the fucker that held her captive. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms as Jacy pinned the rogue to the ground, his jaws at the man’s neck.
“No!” the woman in his arms yelled, waving an arm around. “Don’t kill him. We need him.”
“Jacy, do as she says,” Rafe ordered as she looked up into his face with thanks written all over her pale features.
“I’m Tasha and my Pack has been destroyed.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “We need to figure out what’s going on or all Wolves could be in danger.”
She gasped out the last words before falling into unconciousness.
Rafe tightened his grip, holding her firmly against his naked body and fought not to take vengeance on the rogue lying bloodied before him.
“Jacy,” Rafe ground out, jaw clenching and unwilling to utter the words he knew he must.
Jacy’s head turned to Rafe, blood dripping from his jaws, his eyes questioning.
“He’s our prisoner.” Rafe shook his head in disgust. “Transform and escort him back to camp. I’ll contact Levi and get him to send out some guards to help.”
His beast moved off the rogue, nudging him to get up. When the man lay still, Jacy nipped his thigh.
“I suggest you do as you’re told, otherwise my Beta will inflict a hell of a lot of pain on you but he will not incapacitate, or kill you. It’s your choice.”
Rafe didn’t bother waiting
