Tuesday Teaser

Garrett put his hand on her shoulder and eased her toward the door. “What’s the shortest path to the creek?”

“The shortest isn’t the best,” he said. “If we head toward the upper ridge first, we can lose them in the brush. Remember how it smells up there?”

Garrett nodded and his nose crinkled. “Which way?”

“Run straight for the woodshed,” Jacob said. “There’s a path just behind it. When it veers to the left, turn right, through the brush. There’s no path but keep a straight line and we’ll be fine.”

Rayna nodded and peeked out the door. The shed was on the left side of the house, half hidden by a dense growth of trees. Her heart was in her throat and she swallowed to get the lump forming to clear. Garrett gave her one last look before placing his hand on her back and nodding to Jacob, who slung the door open.

Her feet hit the planks on the porch hard and she jumped the step to the ground, running hell bent for the woodshed. When she was behind it, she turned her head to see if Garrett was indeed following her and froze. She had a perfect view of the front of the cabin and what she saw nearly stopped her heart. Dozens of people were lined along the trees and the number of wolves was too numerous to count. Seeing them the night before had scared her, seeing them in the light of day terrified the hell out of her. They ranged in colors from black to red, gold and brown. They were all huge; those on four legs were crouched low to the ground and the ones standing erect towered to dizzying heights.

Jacob finally ran behind the shed, Garrett right behind him. She turned, running for the trail and hoped like hell Garrett was still with her. She’d kick his ass if he ditched her now.

Jacob took the lead and she could hear the heavy footfalls of Garrett behind her. She ran until her lungs ached from the effort and her muscles burned from exertion trying to keep up with Jacob with not much luck. He darted through the vegetation like a spry rabbit, dodging trees and logs, jumping them with an ease born of a creature used to the forest. A fallen tree limb buried in the underbrush caught her foot, tripping her, and she tried not to scream as she fell. Garrett caught her before she hit the ground.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She panted for breath and nodded her head at him. He wasn’t even winded, she noticed. He smiled and said, “Do you trust me?” She wanted to say, “Of course,” but couldn’t get enough air into her lungs to do so.

He winked at her and she managed a small squeak when he grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. She barely got her arms around his neck before he was running again.

Rayna held on, burying her face in his neck as the trees sped by in a blur. Her stomach felt queasy as she watched them and eventually closed her eyes as he raced through the forest.

The faint sound of running water reached her long minutes later and Garrett slowed before coming to a complete stop. Rayna lifted her head, looking behind them and saw nothing but forest. Looking at Jacob she saw him turning in a circle with an odd look on his face.

When he turned toward them, she knew something was wrong. “What is it?”

“Shh,” Garrett said, his hold on her tightening. He turned his head, scanning the forest and her heart raced when he eased her to the ground. “Go to Jacob,” he said, quietly.

She didn’t argue. Jacob grabbed her arm the moment she reached him and pulled her close to his body. Like Garrett, he was barely winded but he held himself as stiff as Garrett was. They sensed something she couldn’t.

Looking up at him confirmed it. His gaze was fixed over the rise, and she turned her head to look. Movement in the trees, brief flashes of shapes darted amongst the brush and when she saw the first wolf jump toward them, she screamed.

Jacob grabbed her with both hands, one over her mouth, before he turned, looking behind him and started pulling her away. She screamed into his hand, her heels scoring the ground as the area filled with wolves. When the first howl echoed through the trees, she looked toward Garrett, her eyes widening as she encountered a sight she never wanted to see.

He was changing. Shifting into the wolf.

Tears burnt her eyes as she watched his bones shift under his skin, lengthening and reshaping, his flesh convulsing as the clear liquid she’d seen on Bryce dripped and slid off his body. Thick hair grew in wild patches, racing down his limbs, his clothes ripping as he grew larger. His face contorted, his mouth elongating as teeth sharp enough to break bones sprang forth. He lifted his head and howled, the sound causing every hair on her body to stand on end. She was crying in earnest by the time Jacob picked her up and darted through the trees, away from Garrett and the dozens of wolves he faced alone.