Souls' Collision | ✔

B A R E L Y A L I V E

~ Chapter Sixteen ~

The wolves didn't enjoy Liz's absence at all — mostly because it made their leader irritable.

"She's been gone too long."

"Sir, it's been twenty minutes."

"She's been gone too long," Red repeated, slower, getting right up in a stoic Abraham's face. "You don't know her like I do. I'm telling you something's wrong."

The group looked like a bomb had been dropped in the middle of it. Since Liz left the warriors had dispersed, hung around the area like clothes left to dry. Some were sat leaning against the trunks, some were sculpting snowballs — some even napped on the branches of the strongest trees, letting their limp hands hang down like vines.

Red was currently eyeing one of them with a distasteful gnarl rising through his throat.

"With all do respect, sir, you said this ten minutes ago — and then five minutes before that."

"Are you challenging my judgement?"

"Err, no. I'm simply commenting on the fact that you're unusually erratic in the presence of miss—"

"There she is!" Red interrupted, hurrying closer to the tree line and watching his human come trudging down the main street. She was beautiful, amazing — and, most importantly, alive! He turned to his group. "She did it! She's alive. Isn't she amazing? Oh, just look at her — but not too closely or I'll tear your eyes out."

The sudden commotion made a warrior that'd been snoozing on a branch fall off. The snow flew around him as he hit the ground. His packmates shared looks behind their alpha's back. Ryssen whispered, fearful, "Am I missing something?"

Red was so invested in his human that it took a few seconds before he registered a second, non-human, person walking closely beside her. She had a firm hold on his upper arm and the way her right hand was hidden behind his back told Red he wasn't coming with her willingly.

His next words got caught in his throat.

It was his brother; his long lost brother in the hold of his mate.

The sight was so overthrowing that Red almost didn't notice how the two guards previously posted by the gate had disappeared. And the way the woods seemed unnaturally quiet behind them.

Almost.

He swung around just as a club came flying at his face.

With trained calm he caught it and briefly met the bloodshot eyes of his attacker before snatching it out of his hands. He spun it around and swung it at his head.

One hit and he fell to the ground.

Red looked up to realize that they weren't alone. A stampede of gangsters, lowlife of Akra, had appeared, and were quickly outmanning his warriors. There were more than a dozen, and more were pouring from the trees each passing second. They had been hiding there for a while, hoped to catch the group of tired wolves off-guard.

If he didn't help, they wouldn't be able to ward them off. But his mate was still nearing, she would wander right into the danger if he didn't warn her.

Red was torn, and he didn't have much time.

The decision was made for him when someone came charging at his knees with a steel rod.