The faintest trace of her drifted to me on the air and I took several long strides in the direction of the road, my eyes locked on the tree line.
“Dom?” Caleb’s uncertain voice merged with Trent’s as he picked up on the spike in my anxiety.
“She’s here,” I answered them, the words echoing in my head oddly as I sent them mentally and verbally. Horror had taken root as I realized the only thing that would send Jess scrambling through dense underbrush. “They’re coming.”
“Dom,” Caleb hurried to catch up with me as I strode forward, my eyes searching for the place she would come through. My heart thundered in my ears as I picked up the sounds of multiple bodies.
“Dominic!” Sheer panic filled her voice as my name tore from her throat. I spun around, realizing I’d misjudged where she was coming from. I stood still, my head tilted as I tried to determine how many were out there, as she raced toward me.
She launched herself at me, not slowing in the slightest, and I easily caught her.
“What do you want to do?” Caleb asked urgently, his gaze locked on the forest.
“Bastards,” I growled, knowing they’d caught her scent and they wouldn’t stop until they’d found her. Anger thrummed through me as she shook in my arms, her fear infectious.
“Please don’t let them hurt me,” she choked hysterically, her face buried in my chest as I supported her weight. She felt tiny in my arms, fragile, and it was all I could do not to crush her to me.
“Shhh, you’re safe now,” I promised, my hand stroking her hair, and some of her trembling eased.
“Hanley,” Caleb repeated. “We fight?” He searched my face, expecting my agreement, but the woman clinging to me for protection changed everything.
“No, not the place,” I answered, tightening my arms around Jess. I wouldn’t risk her safety unless there was absolutely no other choice. Caleb blinked in surprise, but nodded acceptingly as I pried Jess from my chest.
“Can you hang on to me?” I asked her, my gaze searching as I wondered if she’d gone into shock. It took a moment but finally she nodded and I twisted until she was on my back. Her legs hooked around my hips automatically as her hands settled around my neck.
I gripped her legs tightly and started running as Caleb kept pace. “Head toward me,” I ordered Trent over our link and he scrambled to shift. I felt the moment he transformed into his wolf and guided him to protect our flank.
Some of the tension eased out of me once I knew he was on the way and her head tucked into my back, trusting me completely to keep her safe. The sound of pursuit faded as we ran faster than any human could. The Hanleys could shift into wolf form to trail us, but I knew they’d picked up our scent and would think twice about attacking. Trent would throw them even further off as he came up behind us.
We came to the path home and I slowed my pace, nodding to Caleb. “Inform the….” I broke off before I said Pack, not wanting to alert Jess. Caleb’s eyes widened as he glanced at her on my back and then slide back to me as he started toward the path. “Inform the others. About Hanley,” I commanded, overriding his inclination to argue. He thought he should watch my back, not knowing I had Trent doing it. I shook my head and Caleb shot down the path as I continued with Jess, now at a slower jog that wouldn’t jostle her as much.
I didn’t loosen my grip on her, enjoying having her body plastered to mine. She was alert now and I took a chance that she could explain. “What happened?” I asked, working to keep my voice steady as rage threatened to make it an unintelligible snarl.
“I was walking,” she croaked, fear vibrating in her throat, and she took a moment to clear it. I waited patiently, keeping my stride even as I planned the slow agonizing deaths of the ones who’d terrified her. “They drove past me….one of the guys was howling out the window…” A growl rumbled in my chest at how close she’d been to them. “They stopped and then I saw they were turning around. I ran into the woods. I thought they might not follow me there.” Her voice shook and I found myself squeezing her legs comfortingly. The action came naturally where she was concerned, but I didn’t give myself too much time to think about it as Trent reported, “They’re gone. Went back to their truck. I’m trailing them now.”
“Stay with them, but do not cross onto their pack lands.” I sensed his agreement as the motel came into view and she loosened her hold around my neck.