Moonrise | Paul Lahote

4

When Sam phased and lunged after Jenna, Paul didn't think. He just moved.

The door tore right off its hinges as Sam slammed into it. Jenna shrieked as she disappeared under it, hitting the ground with an audible thump. Before she had time to recover, Sam was crouched over her, growling in her face.

At the sight of his imprint in danger, a tidal wave of fury washed over Paul.

With a roar, he leaped after Sam, shifting in midair. His clothes rained in tatters as he slammed into his Alpha's side in full wolf form. The two rolled through the foyer, snarling and snapping at each other.

Sam growled at him, ordering him to submit. Paul raked his claws against his snout in response.

Sam opened his jaws and lunged for Paul, trying to get his teeth around his neck, but Paul dodged, darting around to snap at his side. Sam jumped, and the two tumbled, rolling over each other as they clawed for control. Sam's claws found purchase in Paul's fur, leaving long gashes in his side. Paul barely felt the pain as he lashed out and caught Sam in the back, howling in victory as he dug his claws in.

A blur of brown filled his vision, and then Paul was being ripped away. He hit the wooden shoe cabinet behind him, and it collapsed into a pile of splinters.

Paul lifted his head, narrowing his eyes at this new threat. A brown wolf–Jared–stood between him and the danger. Jared's eyes were filled with fear, but under that was a layer of resolve. He rose and slammed his front legs onto the ground, as if saying, snap out of it!

Taking advantage of the distraction, Paul dashed over to Jenna, who was still lying on the ground, completely dazed. He crouched before her protectively, glaring at Sam. His ears were flattened with hostility, and his eyes were cold with pure, animalistic fury.

Sam shrank back slightly. At that moment, he knew it didn't matter that he was the Alpha—right now, there was no human within Paul whatsoever. if he so much as touched Paul's imprint, Paul would rip him to shreds or die trying.

There was a sharp intake of breath. Paul spun, ears pricking with concern. Jenna, his imprint, was staring at him with eyes wide as moons. Her breathing was quick and harsh, and Paul could hear the fierce pounding of her heart.

He let out a low, gentle whine, trying to calm her down. She flinched at the sound. It seemed to snap her out of a daze, and she scrambled backward away from him. Paul took a hesitant step after her, and she threw her hands up.

"Don't," she said, her voice shaking as much as her hands. "Don't come any closer."

Her words speared through Paul's heart, tearing it in two. He stumbled backward, a whine ripping from his chest. His imprint wasn't afraid of him, was she?

The look of pure terror in her eyes told him otherwise, and Paul felt his heart sink. With a dejected howl, Paul turned and dashed out the remains of the doorway, trying to leave that pair of dark eyes far, far behind him.

***

"Okay, okay, hold on." Jenna massaged her temples. "You're telling me that the Quileute legends are real?"

"Yup," Jared said cheerily.

"You're insane."

"Nope. At least, I don't think so."

The four of them—Jenna, Jared, Billy, and Emily— were seated around the dining table while they broke the news to Jenna. The two wolves, who had once been boys–Jenna was still trying to wrap her mind around that–had run out, and there were no signs of them returning.

"So we can turn into wolves."

"Not 'we'. Just me, Sam, and Paul."

"Just you three?"