Reed met his gaze but didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. Understanding lit his eyes. They’d run if there were too many, if there were no other options. At least they’d try to run through the snow drifts. They had too much to lose now.
Reed would protect him and Hannah at all costs. Josh didn’t know why he was aware of these unexplored feelings at the moment, or why there was even a l, but there was something here worth swallowing some pride. They’d run and trek through the snow to save their lives and save each other. That was how it had to be. Though Reed might not need it, Josh would be by the wolf’s side through thick and thin, protecting his ass as well.
Josh walked out the door first and onto the patio, crouched low to duck for cover if needed. Shit, with all the snow, they couldn’t see anything. Hannah mumbled something under her breath and the snow moved in drifts and made pathways. Hannah fell in behind, sandwiched between him and Reed. He was a fucking idiot. Reed had wanted to go first, but Josh ignored all of his previous internal ramblings and went through the door first anyway. Stupid. What role did a mere human play in a war of supernaturals other than for cannon fodder and playing the role of the redshirt?
Cold wind lashed against his skin. Though it was daytime, the sun didn’t peak through the clouds. It was light out, but still pretty dark. The blizzard warred in full force, causing limited visibility in the falling snow. Shit, if only he possessed Reed’s eyes. Another reason he shouldn’t have been a prideful prick and let him go first.
Dammit
.
Josh heard the growl a split second before Hannah pivoted and used her amazing powers to send a dirt-filled snow-drift smack into two wolves. They yelped and tried to dig themselves out. She buried them deeper.
That’s my girl
.
Josh looked behind him, squinting through the snow. Reed glanced around then cursed under his breath. The sexy man quickly rid himself of his clothes and stood naked in the middle of a fucking blizzard.
“I need to change; too many wolves.” Reed shook his head but didn’t blush, apparently either too cold or comfortable with his nudity.
And the man didn’t have anything to be ashamed of. Lean, like a swimmer, and yet still muscular, Reed’s golden skin formed a stark contrast to the white snow. Josh risked a glance and saw his dick.
Fuck.
Yep, no need to be ashamed there. Long and thick, maybe not as thick as his own, but they’d compare later. What would Reed do with that thing? There was no way it would fit. Okay, he really needed to get his mind out of the gutter.
Reed cleared his throat, and Josh looked up, feeling only slightly guilty. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hannah’s with a guilty expression on her face. They were all goners.
Reed crouched down low and, before Josh’s eyes, changed to a sandy-colored wolf with rust-colored streaks woven into his fur. The wolf opened his mouth in almost a yawn, showing off some long and dangerous looking teeth.
And all Josh had was an aluminum bat, since he was out of ammo and his knives were back at the compound. He’d lost most of them during the fight and after the demon had bitten him, he hadn’t been in the right mind to remember to pick them up. Something he’d never do with a clear head.
In a tangle of fur and limbs, Reed jumped into the fray, taking down two opponents. Vicious growls erupted as blood seeped from wounds on both sides. Snow continued to fall, making it hard for Josh to see exactly what was going on and if Reed was okay.
Josh stood by Hannah’s side, protecting her from wolves getting too close. She might be amazing with her magic, but if she missed just one wolf, she’d get hurt just as badly as a human. Josh couldn’t take that. A muddy brown wolf leaped from the bushes toward Hannah, and Josh swung with the bat. The metal clanged against the side of its head, the sound of its skull crushing echoing in his ears. The vibrations from the connection of aluminum to flesh and fur ran up his arm, jarring the bite. Josh cursed under his breath at the pain.
“Josh, behind you!” Hannah yelled over the growls and wind.
He pivoted, hitting the gray wolf in the flank as Hannah used her power to bury another wolf. Shit, the wolves kept coming, with no end in sight. What should they do? Was it time to run?
Out of the corner of his eye, he checked on Reed. The sandy-haired wolf fought off two of the mangier wolves, growling and biting. Josh wanted to help, to see if he could hit the other wolves away, but he couldn’t leave Hannah’s side. Was this what it meant to be in a group of three? To constantly be in the middle, trying to choose between mates?
Reed twisted his head towards Josh, caught Josh checking on him and glared, before turning back to his fight. Okay, apparently Reed could handle himself.
A chocolate brown wolf with black ears and the left side of its face black, stared at him. His green eyes looked familiar to Josh, but he couldn’t quite place why. Startled, Josh raised the bat, ready to swing at the wolf, but something tugged at his sleeve. He looked down at Reed’s pleading eyes, as Reed shook his head.
What the fuck?
Wolf-Reed yelped at Josh then barked at the other wolf. They really needed to find a system to talk when Reed was in his wolf form. The other wolf gave a nod then turned his back to Josh, blocking him from the fight.
This stranger was going to protect them? How did Reed know him? Was he part of his Pack?
Josh looked toward Hannah, but she shared his confused look. Josh shrugged, no time to deal with it. He’d take any help he could get.
A growl sounded behind him. Josh turned quickly to see a wolf coming at his face, teeth bared. He slammed his bat into the wolf’s side, and it let out a yelp. He pivoted, hitting it again with all his strength. The wolf went down and Hannah buried it in dirt and snow. Teamwork at its best.
Wolves came from all directions. Josh worked with Hannah in tandem, fighting them off, killing those who dared too close. Despite the freezing temperatures, sweat rolled down his back. His vision darkened as his arm throbbed. A wolf came from behind a bush and bared its teeth at Hannah, ready to pounce. Before he knew it, he was at her side, beating the fucking thing to a bloody pulp.
Josh looked around and exhaled. They seemed to be winning—for now. He took what he could get and grabbed Hannah’s hand.
“We need to run. Now.”
Hannah nodded, gripping him tightly. The other wolf, Reed’s friend, stopped in front of them and beckoned them with a nod. Apparently they were following this stranger to a safer place. Anything sounded better than the debris of dead wolves and enemies they were currently facing.
They trailed the dark brown wolf as Josh looked for Reed, the man he’d kissed like his life was on the line less than an hour ago, followed with a slight limp and blood on his paws and flank.
Some fucker hurt Reed. Made him bleed.
Oh, Josh was gonna kick some ass. That was for sure.
Thank God, Hannah looked unharmed, though she was quiet and out of breath. It could have gone worse, and they weren’t out of danger yet.
He pulled Hannah through the trenches, the snow up to his knees. A wolf howled over the blowing wind, and she tightened her hand around his. Reed and the other wolf had almost no problem navigating through the snow, and Josh was glad he only had to pull one person. Off in the distance, a tan SUV came into view. A godsend in the middle of an icy hell.
Cold had leached through his jeans, numbing his legs, but he held on, praying he’d make it before Hannah froze or the other wolves came back. Once they made it to the car, Josh wrenched opened the door, thanking God the other wolf had left it unlocked. Using whatever strength he had left, he set Hannah into the back seat and tossed the bat in behind her, careful not to hit her.
He looked at the two wolves at his feet and, after nod from Reed, got into the back, holding Hannah close to his side for whatever warmth they could find. Josh watched as both Reed and the other wolf change back into human forms. The other man looked a lot like Reed. Too cold and full of painful adrenaline to stare at any naked bodies now, he handed Reed the clothes that he had carried for him. Josh looked in the back of the SUV and found another set. He gave them to the stranger who helped save their lives.
“Josh, Hannah, this is my brother, Adam.” Reed motioned to the stranger. Taller than Reed, and a bit bulkier, he had the same green eyes but had dark cropped hair. They could have been twins.
Adam pulled his brother into a deep embrace.
“It’s good to see you, Reed, but let’s get the fuck out of here before someone comes back for us,” Adam grunted.
“Sounds good to me, this is Josh and Hannah.” Reed nodded towards them sitting in the back seat.
Hannah squeezed his hands, tense like he was, waiting for Adam’s reaction.
Before Reed could think or feel bad, Josh spoke up. “We’re his mates. No need to be embarrassed. But it’s fucking cold out there, and I’d like to get away from those maniacs out there and get somewhere warm.”
Adam stood there a moment longer as a pained look flashed across his face. But as quickly as it came, he brushed it away, putting on a blank mask.
“Get in the car; we need to get moving.” Adam grunted again and went around to the driver’s side, keys in hand.
Reed leaned into the back seat and kissed Josh then Hannah, surprising them both—and Adam. He gave an apologetic look when he backed away and jumped into the passenger seat.
“It will be okay,” Hannah whispered in his ear, even though the wolves would hear them. She took his face in her hands and kissed him softly.
Josh smiled and watched as they passed the trees outside of the Jeep’s window as Adam hightailed it out of the forest. Away from their cabin and captivity.
And to think, only yesterday he’d been enjoying a reindeer hotdog with caramelized onions and cream cheese. He’d closed his eyes on a bench and heard two kids talking about people he didn’t even know.
Now he had two people that might be his mates, one a beautiful woman with soft curves and the other a man who made him hard like no one before. A crazy Pack of werewolves were after him, bent on killing him and the two people he was falling for. He’d met a member of Reed’s family with a pained look and was now on the way to meet another Pack to explain one of their sons might be in a three-way relationship with a man and a woman.
It was odd how things could take a turn so quickly. For the better or worse, Josh didn’t know. But it didn’t seem too complicated, right?
Fuck
.
Chapter 12
Tall trees blurred as they passed them as Hannah sagged against Josh’s side. No one spoke, either too tired or finding it too awkward to deal with the emotions running through the air, which became so thick it lay heavy on her tongue.
Her body ached from all the magic she’d poured from her system, protecting herself and the men in her life.
The way Josh had introduced them to Adam as Reed’s mates made her feel warm and soft inside. Whatever doubts he might have, he believed in at least something concerning them. Reed had said their names with such caring and affection, Adam would have known exactly who they were from his voice alone.
And Adam. Poor Adam. The look of pain in his eyes when Josh spoke had hurt her heart. Something bad had happened to Reed’s brother, something no one should go through. What it was she could only guess, but she didn’t know for sure. Hannah knew there would always be a barrier between them and Adam for that reason alone. And she didn’t know if she could blame him for it.
“How did you find us, Adam?” Reed asked.
“I didn’t really.” Adam answered. “I sort of stumbled across you. I’d been looking since they took you, but I couldn’t get onto the Central’s land and find you. Then after I drove around to the other side of the territory to find another way in, I came across your scent.” He took a deep breath and his hands tightened on the wheel. “I’d never been so relieved.”