Animals ✔

Chapter 18

Dusk has fallen as the pack members who will fight tonight gather on the training field, waiting for us when we arrive. The crowd is bigger than I expect, maybe forty strong, and they bow their heads to Tiberius as he approaches.

A few of them meet my gaze, staring between Tiberius and I with knowing looks. Although it's a little uncomfortable that all of these people can, apparently, smell my sex life, I grin back at them.

I have no idea what happens next. Do we wait for the Black River pack to counterattack? Or do we gather our allies and face them on their own turf?

How many of us will die tonight?

I watch Tiberius as he speaks to the crowd. What will happen to the two of us? What will happen when all of this is over?

With all the uncertainties hanging over my head, I do the only thing I can and bask in the present. Who knows how long we have left?

Nora's familiar face stands out in the crowd and she nods toward me. I don't hesitate to return the gesture, glad that she's here. As a lone wolf, I wasn't sure she would fight with us.

But I shouldn't have doubted her.

My thoughts run away with me as Tiberius speaks, assigning groups and pulling them aside. We're launching a tiered attack, sending in groups from the east and west before closing the gaps. Each group is given their own assignment, each group told to keep it to themselves.

With our wolves watching their camp, no one should have been able to attack Jenna. But somehow, they did, and Tiberius thinks that means there must be a traitor in the pack. To combat this, he decided to tell each group only their role in the attack.

If there is a traitor, we'll at least know what group they're in, depending on how the Black River pack respond to our attack.

The crowd begins to dissipate, most people heading towards their rendezvous point.

Tiberius comes to me as the field clears. He grabs my hand and pulls me closer to him. "Colin is going to stay with you in the fight," he tells me.

I frown back at him. If Colin comes, my entire plan falls apart.

"I don't need a babysitter," I glower.

Tiberius had already decided that I would hang back from the battlefield. I would prevent any wolves from escaping, and provide back up from higher ground. It would be easier for me to fight from a distance-and it was the only way to convince Tiberius not to do something stupid, like try to lock me up somewhere until the battle was over.

And I had let him think he'd won that battle.

"Colin is one of our strongest fighters," I continue, shaking my head. "Leaving him with me doesn't make any sense, Tiberius." I press my palm against his face, willing it to get hotter and hotter-not hot enough to burn him, just to feel uncomfortable against his skin.

"I can control it now," I pull my hand away from him. "You'll need Colin with you. The pack will need him."

A low rumble comes from his chest. "No, I won't leave you alone," he glowers down at me and I sigh, about to tell him exactly what I think of that when Jon interrupts us.

"I'll stay with her," he volunteers. I purse my lips. This over-protective stuff is getting old real quick. I fold my arms across my chest.

At least Jon is better than Colin.

"I don't need a babysitter," I remind them both.

They ignore me, staring each other down until Tiberius finally sighs deeply, running a hand through his hair and turning to look back at me. "Fine."