I pushed myself up off the ground as my bones began to knit back together. I groaned as my ribs snapped back into place. “He’s—is he—”
Ox brushed a bloody lock of Rico’s hair off his face. “I can’t lose you. I won’t.”
Ox tilted his head back, neck popping as his face elongated. His fangs dropped, reflecting the morning sunlight.
And then his head snapped forward, fangs sinking into Rico’s shoulder.
The bite of an Alpha.
And as Rico’s shoulder crunched, I heard Ox in my head saying you are pack you are brother you are mine.
you
are
wolf
At first nothing happened, and I thought we were too late.
Ox pulled away.
Rico’s bond, his tenuous string, faded.
“No,” I whispered. “No, no, no—”
The string vibrated as if plucked.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Rico jerked as Ox held on to him. His mouth fell open as he began to seize, feet kicking out, causing motes of dust to rise and catch the sunlight.
Rico’s dark eyes snapped open.
The blood in the whites of his eyes receded.
And then, there, in this house, in this place so far from home, came the bright flash of orange.
beast
“Kelly,” I said.
&
nbsp; Ox nodded. “Led Robert away. Gave me time to get to you.”
“Is he all right?” I was frantic, trying to parse through the bonds, but they were all so loud and bright that I couldn’t focus.
“No. None of us are. It’s time to end this.”
“Oh, fuck me.”
We turned.
Rico was bent over, hands on his knees, hair hanging down around his face. He was covered in blood, but the wounds were closed. He lifted his head, nostrils flaring, eyes shining. “Is this what it’s always going to be like?” he demanded. “I can hear everything. I can smell everything. And lobito, I have to say, you do not smell good to me right now.” He stood upright with a grimace, hands going to his lower back.