Chapter 182


    Ryker smiles at me, the expression amused and victorious.


    He obviously enjoyed ug htering his way through those unknown wolves, and no doubt he now


    thinks I owe him.


    Except all I can think about is thest night I saw him.


    The night he helped Liam betray me.


    Some of the fury I’ve been keeping bottled up since I woke up and realized the extent of my losses


    screaming up within me in a rush of heated anger.


    Before I know it, I’ve partially shifted and lunged at him in a blind rage.


    I collide into him and we go down to the forest floor, but as I go to sh my ws through his flesh, he


    reaches up and catches my wrists.


    “So feisty! I knew you had the soul of a warrior, but not many Alphas would dare attack me.”


    He’s not offended or pis sed off. All I’ve managed to do is entertain him, which makes me even angrier.


    “Do you have any idea what you cost me that night?” I snarl at


    him.


    At this, the smile slips from his face and he nods.


    “I’m sorry for your loss, Luna. If I could go back and change things, I would.”


    The howls of the Roberts and Rathborn wolves are closing in,


    almost upon us, and I give half a thought to tying him up in a basement and not letting him go until I


    feel better about what happened that night.


    Which will be never.


    However, he rolls suddenly, putting me underneath him.


    “What are you doing here?” I ask him again, less heat to my


    words this time.


    I let my emotions get the better of me and foolishly attacked a dangerous, Old Country Wolf. He could


    N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    have easily killed me if


    he’d wanted.


    He leans down, and my heart sk ip s in wild panic-and maybe something else-as for a second I think


    he’s going to kiss me.


    “I’m here for you, Leah. That’s all you need to know right now.”


    With that, he rolls off me, and by the time I nce over, he’s shifting back into wolf form and streaking


    off into the forest.


    I sit up just as a huge group of wolves burst into the clearing.


    James immediately shifts andes sprinting over to me,


    Adam not far behind.


    “Leah, are you okay?!” James demands as he drops down next to me,rge handsnding on my


    shoulder as his panicked


    gaze tracks over me. “Where are you hurt?”


    “Most of it is not my blood,” I tell him in a thick voice, feeling a bit faint after everything that happened.


    Maybe Adam was right, da mn him, and I’m pushing myself


    too hard.


    “But I did get bit on my shoulder,” I continue, the sting of it making itself known.


    Adam leans around me to have a closer look.


    “It’s already healing,” he confirms. “But we should get your back to the house so we can check you


    over properly.”


    A few of the other guys have shifted, and they’re ncing


    between me and all the dead wolves that are easily twice my


    size. They’re staring at me in awe and whispering among


    themselves.


    James seems to pick up on it, and then nces around, as if


    he’s been so focused on me before now, he didn’t even notice


    the carnage.


    “Leah,” he says in a strangled voice. “How the hell did you


    survive?”


    “I don’t know,” I tell him honestly, as he and Adam help me to my feet.


    James’ nostrils re and for a second I wonder if he can scent


    Ryker. However, if he does, he doesn’t say anything.


    Meanwhile, I don’t volunteer the information. I don’t think


    James would be happy to learn about Ryker, especially


    considering the way James had reacted to Tobin, and Ryker is arguably much worse.


    Besides, what Ryker said to me, I need to figure out what he


    meant by it.


    I’m here for you, Leah.