Screaming, Eva turned and bolted into the trees that towered either side of the road. Her body protested, having already been pushed to its maximum, and even with the extra kick of adrenaline coursing through her system, Eva had no chance of outracing her pursuer. Her breath left her on a startled scream as she was lifted roughly from her feet. Kicking and yelling, Eva thrashed against her attacker’s hold as he yanked her toward the road and his van. She yelled behind the sweaty hand covering her nose and mouth, dug her nails into the arms forbidding her escape, and as he fumbled for the latch to open the door, Eva braced her feet against the van and kicked off, sending them crashing to the ground. The impact jarred through her body, grazing her elbows and tearing skin. Pushing past the pain, Eva scrambled to her feet and fled back into the forest.
“Help!” she cried. “Help me!” She wasn’t sure how far out from the wolf’s territory she was, but she screamed on instinct anyway, terror coating her tone. “Please, help me!”
“Come here, bitch,” the man yelled, chasing after her.
He was closing the space between them, crashing noisily through the trees. Catching her arm, he dragged her to a stop, his fingers pinching painfully into her skin.
“Get off me!” Eva shoved at his chest and lashed out at him, her nails leaving a bloody trail across his cheek.
Face twisting with rage, he slapped her, the impact sending her backward as it rattled through her skull, a wave of dizziness following. Eva swayed on her feet, her legs threatening to buckle as he tugged her sharply forward.
Her fight was leaving her, her vision blurry as she struggled to regain her footing. Eyes widening, Eva blinked rapidly as a shadow of a man appeared from the trees. There was no time to catch her breath and scream. One minute the man was pulling her, the next his eyes went wide, a gurgled rasp leaving him as a line of red seeped across his throat, the sharp tip of a claw tearing into his flesh.
Arms, gentle but strong, caught Eva as her knees gave out, and she was lifted from the ground, her hands coming to rest on a muscled chest. Eva’s sight focused enough to make out the features gazing down at her. John?
“Are you hurt?” John murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“J-John? I—” She sucked in a breath, attempting to settle her galloping heart. “—fine. I’m… nothing serious.”
“Are you sure?” His fingers hovered over her already swelling cheek.
“Bruises and a few cuts. I’ll live,” she said more firmly.
As the adrenaline left her system and her heart rate calmed, Eva became very aware of the bare skin under her hand and the large muscles mere centimeters from her head.
Thank God he’s wearing jeans!
“You can put me down,” Eva mumbled, needing to put some distance between herself and John. Embarrassment was creeping slowly across her cheeks.
He froze, his gaze searching her face before a ghost of a smile lifted his lips. “You’re fine where you are.”
The words seemed to vibrate through his chest, erasing the last threads of fear clinging to Eva as her body reacted to the intensity in which he looked at her.
“John.”
A full grin took over his face. “Eva.”
“Put me down.”
His grip on her tightened momentarily, his startling yellow, wolf eyes dropping to her lips. For a moment, Eva thought he was going to kiss her. Her heart fluttered for far hotter, crazier reasons, and then he was placing her feet on the ground, his hand on her back the only contact between them, leaving Eva strangely empty.
“Did you run all the way from town?” he asked.
Eva nodded, struggling for speech. She couldn’t explain her body’s reaction to him. He’s a wolf, she reminded herself. Do not become attracted to a wolf.
Whistling low, John gave her an approving smile. “That’s a good distance.”
Eva shrugged, answering on automatic, “Running clears my head.”
He nodded. “And you’ve had a lot on your mind lately. I get it. Running helps me too. Only I prefer to do it on all fours.” Stepping away, John crouched over the man he’d killed. “What did this asshole want with you then?”
“Do you normally kill people?” Eva found herself asking. In her world, it was a crime, but he’d executed him without pause.
Looking up, John met her gaze with a frown. “He was trying to hurt you, Eva. What should I have done?”
“Called the police?” Even before she’d finished her sentence, Eva knew her answer was crazy.
“Getting the police involved tends to lead to the discovery of who we are, which never ends well. Besides, we’re at war. He probably mistook you for a wolf. Have you been running the same route?”
“Yeah, why?”
“Same time?” She nodded. “You’re not safe in town anymore, Eva. They’ve connected you to our pack.”
“How do you know this has to do with whatever is going on in your world? He could just be a random creep. We get those in my world, you know.”
John stood and closed the space between them, making Eva’s senses flare to life. “Your world, my world… your brother’s one of ours, Eva, which makes you one too.”
“I’ve a life to get back to,” Eva murmured. His close proximity sent her nerve endings misfiring. Everything about John was overpowering, including the emotions he awoke in her. They confused and frightened her and weren’t something she had the luxury to dwell over.
“Not anymore, you haven’t. You’re bound to pack lands until this whole mess is cleared up. Can’t have little Zackary’s
