The Woodland Packs

I pulled on some jeans and a sweatshirt, though it was pointless. I could feel my wolf stir and Tayte’s speech was a little garbled as he struggled to talk through his shifter teeth.

Our clothes would be shredded soon if the mood continued like this.

“What’s going on, Tayte?”

I followed him down the stairs and Dane met us in the living room.

“Where’s Celeste?” Dane asked.

My brain was empty, free of all thoughts, as my shock rammed into me. “She’s eight months pregnant, where the hell could she have gone?”

The front door opened and Dexter walked in. “She’s not at my place and Claire hasn’t seen her.”

Tayte’s fingers tightened into fists. “Fuck! I knew it. I felt her, but I thought I was imagining it. This is all my fault.”

I grabbed my Alpha’s arm and shook him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

He sighed heavily, running his hands through his hair.

“I… ah, I think Celeste followed me into the woods tonight.”

“Why would she do that?”

Tayte shrugged. “Maybe she was worried about us? Maybe she wanted to help? I have no idea, but I heard a few noises as we walked into the forest and thought we may have been followed. But I dismissed the idea, because who would be that stupid?”

Good point, but dear God, she could be anywhere.

I groaned. “Okay… fine. Where is she? We need to find her.”

Tayte grimaced. “We do. But you need to know something before we go. If she heard what I said to the bears, then she’ll be running away from us.”

“But… why would she do that?” I grabbed him by the shirt. “What did you say?”

I could barely talk now.

My teeth were shifting, my eyes had flashed to wolf’s night vision.

I could only see in black and white, though a red haze was covering me.

Tayte sighed, not looking at me. “I told the bears they could have her once the baby was born.”

I pulled back my arm and punched my Alpha as hard as I could.

Pain cracked through my wrist as Tayte reeled back, blood dripping from his nose.

“If something’s happened to her or that baby, Tayte…” I panted and began to strip.

She was in danger. I could feel it.

I let my wolf tear through me. My black Beta wolf that was almost as big as my Alpha. Today, I would take him down if I needed to.

I ran straight out the door and put my nose into the air.

Blood.

Oh, fuck, no.

I began to run, the other wolves behind me.