“Now look who’s here,” Steen sneered. “A blast from the past.”

  Luke inhaled slowly, telling himself not to get riled up.

  The kids, Carly’s voice hissed in his mind. We have to keep these assholes away from the kids.

  Luke’s eyes darted to the plains far, far below. The second he spotted the kids, his blood ran cold. Ty Hawthorne had sent a contingent of his best men to Colorado as backup in the event of a rogue attack on North Ridge. Evidently, the rogues had given up on that goal but had focused on another — revenge on Twin Moon pack for foiling their plan. A hit-and-run attack of the most cowardly kind.

  “Out. Get out.” Luke jerked a thumb over his shoulder, planted his feet wide, and crossed his arms

  “Yeah. Get the hell out, Craig,” Carly said.

  Luke glanced at her. You know this jerk?

  I wish I didn’t, she shot back.

  Craig laughed and addressed Luke as if Carly weren’t even there. “Yeah, I can see why you’ve been hanging around this ranch. Smells like they have some good pickings here.”

  Luke tensed.

  Craig nodded to himself. “We’ve been scoping them out, haven’t we, boys? That Audrey sure knows how to take care of a man.”

  Luke ground his teeth and shifted a step farther, edging around the group, hoping Carly would seize the chance to run.

  “Which one are you after?” Craig asked, talking about women like so many hunks of beef. “The tall one? That feisty brunette? Such a sweet thing. Though I do prefer blondes, myself.”

  Luke managed to keep his eyes off Carly, but he couldn’t stop the twitch in his jaw. Just a little twitch, but Craig caught it. He looked between Luke and Carly, sniffing deeply. A moment later, his demeanor went from cocky to outraged.

  “Bitch.” He turned to Carly. “Have you been sleeping around behind my back?”

  Luke clenched his fists so hard his nails sliced into his palms. He’d never been so close to jumping into a mindless attack, but he had to stay in control if he was going to win this fight.

  Craig spun back at him, sputtering. “You’ve been sleeping with my woman?”

  “She’s not yours.”

  Craig sneered. “And what makes her yours?”

  “She’s not mine,” Luke shot back. It hurt to say it, but it was true. “She’s her own person.” Luke pinched his lips together and looked at Carly, who was staring at him.

  He let out a heavy breath. No matter how much he wanted Carly, she wasn’t his and never would be. She’d made that perfectly clear when she stomped away.

  Craig advanced, practically snarling. “After we’ve taken care of you, I’ll take care of her. I guarantee I’ll take very good care of her.”

  Luke’s blood boiled, and he rolled his shoulders, preparing to shift to wolf form and tear the bastard’s throat out. But the rogues spread out — all eight of them — making his mind spin. How the hell were he and Carly going to overcome those odds?

  “Like I need to be taken care of,” Carly scoffed.

  Then another voice called out, and everyone whipped around.

  “Hey! What’s going on?”

  For a heartbeat, Luke’s hopes lifted. He could use some backup for sure. But, man. It was Kyle stomping up the road, leading a fidgety black horse wearing a bridle but no saddle. Kyle, who hated him to the bone, no matter how hard he tried to prove himself.

  “You okay, Carly?” Kyle’s eyes shifted to the rogues. When they skipped to Luke, they retained the same hard look, as if Luke was one of them.

  Luke gritted his teeth. When would Kyle understand that he meant no harm? That he was one of the good guys?

  When hell froze over, he guessed.

  “I’m fine,” Carly grunted.

  “I got this, man,” Luke said, pointing down at the plains. “You take care of that.”

  Kyle followed his gesture with a cutting look that turned to one of horror the second he recognized the danger the kids were in. His son as well as his mate.

  I said, I got this, Luke said, gathering all his willpower to force the words into Kyle’s mind.

  No, he was nowhere near as confident as he sounded. But if Kyle could help Carly get away, it hardly mattered what happened to him. Kyle and Carly could rush back to the ranch and raise the alarm while Luke held off the rogues as long as he could.

  How long do you reckon that might be? the dark voice of doubt murmured in his mind.

  A dozen possible outcomes flashed through his mind, and they all ended with him dying under the onslaught of so many rogues.

  Are you really ready to risk your ass for a pack that’s just cast you out?

  Luke thought about it a second. Yes. Yes, he was. Twin Moon might not be his pack, but it was a worthy cause. Worthy enough to risk everything for.

  I can hold them off. Go, he urged Kyle. Take Carly. Protect your family.

  Kyle looked at him with a startled expression, then tilted his head.

  Why should I trust you?

  Luke scowled. You don’t have to trust me. Just get Carly out of here and raise the alarm. Go!

  Kyle glared at him, then the rogues.

  Luke wanted to shake him and yell. No, I am not plotting anything behind your back. Yes, I have enough honor to do the right thing. Just go, already!

  Sweat broke out over Kyle’s brow, and Luke could see him warring with himself. Clearly, Kyle was used to being the honorable one, but his family was in danger.

  Just go! another voice insisted — Carly’s.

  No way, Luke told her. No way do you stay.

  No way do I go, she barked.

  Come on, Carly, Kyle pleaded.

  She planted her feet in a clear signal. You go. Luke and I will hold them off.

  Luke’s inner wolf grinned. “Luke and I.” I like the sound of that.

  Yeah, he did, too.

  Kyle gave him one last, hard look, then sprang onto Diablo’s back and thundered away.

  “Shit! Stop him!” Steen yelled. “He’ll warn the others.”

  “Let him warn them,” Craig scowled. “I have what I want.” His greedy eyes landed on Carly.

  “Like hell you do.” Carly stepped forward, her eyes aflame.

  “Carly, wait—” Luke shouted, suddenly aware of what she was about to do.

  Stop me, her eyes screamed. She rolled her shoulders, hunched, and shifted.

  For a second, Luke was breathless. Immobile. Craig and the others were too, and thank goodness for that. In one quick flash, Carly went from lithe, confident woman to raging wolf. Her back hunched. Her shirt split down her back, and gloriously smooth skin showed briefly before fur broke out all over it. Fur the same golden hue as her hair. She shook her body once, taking his breath away.

  Are you with me or not, Hot Stuff? she growled as she launched herself at Craig.

  Luke shook himself out of his stupor and stepped forward.

  Hell, yes.

  His wolf ripped right out of him, taking over from one stuttering heartbeat to the next. His canines tore through his gums, extending as he turned to take out the nearest rogue, and his jaw narrowed painfully into wolf shape.

  Nowhere near the pain these assholes are going to feel, his wolf murmured as all hell broke loose.

  Carly knocked Craig over, but the intruder managed to roll clear. Two of his followers shifted and pounced on Carly, but they were too slow. She leaped backward, snarling wildly.

  Luke barely tasted the blood of the first rogue he killed, nor that of the second. His pulse hammered as he struck out at one opponent after another, trying to work his way closer to Carly.

  “Kill him!” Craig yelled, rallying his men. “But don’t hurt the woman. She’s mine.”

  A second later, Craig shifted into wolf form. Carly snarled. Luke roared, swiping at the nearest rogue. No way was he letting anyone drag Carly away. No way.

  Adrenaline carried him through the next minute, giving him a high. But the enemy fought back in twos and threes. Steadily, the rogues — lean, mean wolves hardened by a lifetime of fighting — regained the upper hand, pushing him and Carly closer and closer to the cliff’s edge.

  He gritted his teeth and fought on. For Carly. For the kids. The longer he kept the intruders busy, the longer Kyle had to get the kids to safety.

  Steen darted forward. Luke slashed at the rogue’s muzzle with his claws and immediately turned to repel the next attacker. It barreled at him with its nose low, protecting its throat. Luke feinted left, then shoved the beast right. The wolf’s momentum carried it toward the cliff’s edge, and it scrambled desperately for some hold before tumbling out of sight.

  The wolf screamed as it fell, reminding Luke just how long that drop was. How lethal.

  Carly grunted. Three down, five to go.

  The other wolves paused momentarily, staring at the spot where their comrade had fallen. Luke half expected a thump when it smashed into the ground, but there was nothing. Just a deathly silence and the eerie whistle of the wind.

  Luke peeked over a shoulder at the kids. It was hard to tell through the sweat in his eyes, but the kids appeared to have clustered around the wagon again. Had they been warned? Was help on its way?

  With a snarl, Carly jumped into a counterattack, and Luke snapped his focus back to the fight.

  Craig let out a bellow, and the other wolves growled, pushing forward as one. Two of them slammed into Luke at the same time, gaining precious ground. The earth crumbled under Luke’s rear foot, and for one terrifying moment, he clawed at thin air. It wasn’t terrifying in the sense of his own death — just knowing that if he fell, Carly would be on her own. She could fight like a banshee, but even she couldn’t beat so many rogues on her own.

  Carly butted one of the two rogues, giving Luke enough time to get all four paws earthbound again. But crap, had it been close. His pulse raced in a staccato beat, and he let out a roar that echoed off the hill behind them.

  Will not let my mate down, he howled, powering forward again. He slashed at the side of the wolf facing Carly, then shoved it off the cliff.

  Get them, Craig bellowed.

  Luke grinned at the frustration in his foe’s voice. He and Carly were doing a damn good job holding back the remaining wolves, but how long could they hold out?

  Long enough, his wolf promised. As long as it takes.

  Every second bought Carly an extra chance. Kyle would rush to the kids first, but he’d get word to Carly’s family, and they’d come racing for her.

  As long as it takes, Luke promised himself.

  But the wounds he’d sustained sent red flares of alarm through his body. His right shoulder had been torn open, making him feel lopsided. One ear had been sliced lengthwise by the enemy’s fangs, and blood trickled over his snout, stinging his eyes.

  Every second counts, he told himself, squinting into the midday light.

  A rangy wolf with a dark coat — Steen — darted forward, making for his injured shoulder. Luke sidestepped and snapped just as a scuffle broke out behind him.

  No! Carly yelped as three more rogues pushed forward in a coordinated attack.

  A two-pronged attack, he realized, with Steen coming his way and three headed for Carly.

  Everything became a blur of sound and motion. The ivory of his attackers’ fangs stained crimson with blood. The flash of fur in shades of brown and gray. Carly’s grunts of defiance as the rogues mobbed her. The crush of pebbles and dry earth under his paws. The void of the cliff’s face just inches to his right.

  Steen was bigger but a little too slow, and Luke managed to sidestep his attacks. But the bastard formed a wall between him and Carly, making it impossible to see how she was faring.

  Steen reared up and tackled him, and they wrestled perilously close to the cliff’s edge. Luke’s shoulder throbbed, but he kept all his focus on the enemy, looking for an opening until finally — there! — the wolf’s neck flashed, unprotected for a split second.

  Luke opened his jaws and snapped, locking the rogue in a death hold. The acrid taste of blood flooded his mouth, and the wolf moaned, then slowly went limp.

  Get off me! Carly’s wolf cries said. No! No!

  Luke held his enemy until the life bled right out of him, then released Steen and spun around, snarling so hard his throat hurt.

  Luke! Carly screamed.

  Mine! Craig howled, helping the two rogues who’d overpowered her. They dragged her forward by the paw as she wrestled and lashed out with her free limbs.

  Not yours! Luke growled, barreling forward. In his mind, the real-life image of Craig merged with an ugly image from his memory — Greer, the ruthless alpha of North Ridge pack. Greer, coming to claim whatever he deemed his.

  Get him, Luke urged his wolf. Let Greer feel our revenge.

  He’d once met an old coyote shifter who’d had a theory that all evil was connected. That an attack on one manifestation of evil could make itself felt on all evil.

  Luke pushed forward, hoping to hell that was true. Because he was about to rip Craig to pieces, and he wanted Greer to feel that pain all the way from his grave.

  You die, he roared, launching himself at Craig.

  They slammed together a second later, then broke apart, both reeling from the impact.

  Luke! Carly cried as one of her attackers bit deeper into her leg.

  Luke blinked the stars out of his eyes just in time to see Craig leap at him. On a good day, Luke would have pivoted at the last second then whipped around to grab Craig by the neck. But Craig had been staying at the periphery of the fight, saving his strength, while Luke had been fighting for dear life. Was his timing sharp enough to pull off that move?

  Concentrate! his human side yelled at his wolf. Get Greer!

  The thought caught in his mind. Was that Greer or Craig?

  Whatever, his wolf snarled, shifting its haunches for the move he had to get exactly right.

  Craig came at him with jaws gaping wide, but Luke kept his focus on the wolf’s shoulders. The angle, the distance, the speed—

  Now! he urged his wolf.

  His rear leg nearly gave out on him, but he darted aside then twisted and buried his teeth in the side of Craig’s neck. Craig howled in pain and rolled, crushing Luke, who refused to let go.

  Craig is Greer. Greer is Craig, his wolf chanted, releasing his jaws just long enough to work his way closer to his foe’s neck. He clamped down hard, and Craig twisted under him.

  Kill him. Kill him, he told himself, feeling the blood flow.

  Craig choked and kicked.

  Mercy… Mercy…

  Luke snarled. Had Craig ever shown anyone mercy? Had Greer?

  This is for Carly. For my sister. For every victim Greer ever claimed, he told himself, giving a mighty shake until he heard Craig’s neck snap.

  Luke nearly flopped to the ground, but he dragged himself up to help Carly. Two wolves remained, and they were hustling her away.

  No, they won’t, his wolf growled, attacking the one with its jaws clamped around her leg.

  The rogue howled and released Carly, who immediately rolled to her feet. Luke used his remaining strength to bulldoze the nearest wolf over the edge and into oblivion, while Carly fought in a series of lightning-fast bites and slashes.

  But damn. They were fighting on the edge of the cliff now. The sheer, crumbling edge.

  Luke saw it all in slow motion as he turned to help. The wide whites of the last rogue’s eyes. The flaying motion of its front legs that swept Carly sideways, toward the precipice.

  The rogue reached forward as its rear legs went over the cliff. It clamped its jaws over Carly’s rear leg in a last-ditch effort that said, If I die, you die.

  Carly scrambled to get free, but the wolf was too big, and Luke’s exhausted wolf was a tick too slow. The rogue disappeared over the edge, dragging Carly with it.

  No! Luke howled, stretching forward. No!

  Luke! Carly’s eyes went wide as her paws scratched helplessly at the loose soil.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The world tipped sideways, and thin air pulled at Carly’s limbs.

  If I die, you die, the rogue clamped to her leg snarled as he dragged her over the edge.

  She wanted to turn and spit at him. You’re the only one who’s going to die, asshole.

  She gathered all her energy for a mighty kick the way she’d seen Luke summon the last of his energy to fight Craig. Luke, who’d fought with the strength of ten wolves, exactly the way her brothers had fought for their mates.

  Mate, her wolf whispered. Mate.

  She took a deep breath and kicked with her free leg, dislodging the rogue. He screamed and clawed at thin air as he fell. And fell and fell and—

  The rogue’s cry was cut short by a heavy thump.

  Carly yelped, finding herself sliding after him. The wind whistled beneath her, pulling at her legs.

  The world decelerated into super slow motion, and all sound faded away as she observed her own doom in a surprisingly detached way. Her wolf claws raked parallel lines into the earth, unable to find a grip. Luke’s eyes went wide, and his lips moved as he lunged for her.

  Shift, his voice boomed into her mind. Shift!

  He seemed so panicked. So scared. And shit, so was she.

  Because you’re about to die, you idiot, her wolf screamed.

  Which was strange, because she’d brushed shoulders with death before. Why was this different? Why was she so scared this time?

  Because you have so much to lose now, her wolf cried as her fate unfolded, one agonizing millisecond at a time.

  Another inch of her body slipped over the edge, tipping her center of gravity as her mind spun with a dozen I’m-not-ready-to-die thoughts she’d never had before.

  My mate. My future. My life, her wolf mourned.

  Luke’s eyes flashed, and she saw the same regrets there. The heart-to-heart talk they’d never had the courage to have. The hand-in-hand walks, living life at a slower, stop-and-smell-the-roses pace. The challenges they’d never take on together because it all ended right here.

  Shift! Luke yelled, reaching for her. Shift!

  His paw uncurled and became a hand, and his fur receded into a field of skin covered with dirt and blood.