So she knelt there beside the girl who was like a sister to her as Liam’s face twisted into an animal snarl. Ethan and Kathryn were behind him, so they couldn’t see the creature he’d become, but they must have heard the growls and had to know that something bizarre was happening.
“You always thought you were better than me, always looking down your snout at me when I asked you and the others to do the things that were necessary for us to survive,” Liam sneered. “And then, when we get here, when we finally have a chance to be part of something that would let us stop scratching in the dirt for pennies and nickels, you decide you know better what the pack needs. You decide to betray me with that fucking cop! Well, his ass is dead now, and yours is about to be.”
Jayna’s heart thudded to a stop. Liam was lying. Eric couldn’t be dead. She was so busy convincing herself of that, she didn’t realize Liam had closed the distance between them and put the barrel of the gun against her forehead.
She held her breath, bracing for the bullet that would take her life, when someone shoved Liam aside. She blinked, staring up at Moe standing in front of her and Megan. Joseph quickly moved to stand at Moe’s right, while Chris took up position on Moe’s left. Jayna didn’t have to see the guys’ faces to know that they’d shifted. The look of shock on Ethan’s and Kathryn’s faces told her that. Not that it mattered. The Stones weren’t going to make it out of there to tell anyone what they’d seen.
“Get out of the way,” Liam growled as he altered his aim and pointed his weapon at Moe. “This is between Jayna and me. I know she’s the one who turned you against me. She’s the only one who has to die.”
Moe didn’t move. Neither did Joseph or Chris.
“She didn’t turn us against you,” Moe said. “You did that all on your own. And if you want to kill Jayna, you’re gonna have to go through us.”
Liam growled, but Jayna knew he’d shoot them without even thinking about it. She wanted to stand up to protect them, but she was terrified of leaving Megan’s side. She looked down at her friend and was surprised to find Megan looking up at her.
“Stop him,” she whispered. “Don’t let him hurt anyone else. Please.”
Fresh tears pricked Jayna’s eyes. Typical Megan. Always so selfless.
“This is all very touching,” Kostandin said. Stepping forward, he pointed his gun at Moe, then thumbed back the hammer. “But the she-wolf will not be helping anyone. Liam may have come here thinking he could take back his pack from her, but I came here to kill every last fucking one of you.”
Jayna jumped up and lunged for Moe just as the kitchen door exploded off its hinges and disappeared into the night. Jayna was still trying to figure out what had just happened when a blur of movement caught her eye. Her heart surged as Eric’s scent filled the kitchen, but before she could even blink, he’d grabbed two of Kostandin’s men and disappeared outside with them.
Gunshots echoed in the night, making Jayna jump. Terrified shouts quickly followed, then a loud, menacing growl. After that, an eerie silence descended over the whole farm. Even the horses out in the barn seemed to be holding their breath.
Then, a single gunshot sounded from outside, and one of the Albanians over by the granite-topped island crumpled to the floor without a sound. The eight remaining Albanians aimed their guns at the row of windows over the sink and started shooting while Kos turned to fire at Moe.
Jayna knocked Moe to the floor, then threw herself at Chris and Joseph, taking them down too. She glanced over at Ethan and Kathryn. The couple was on the floor, wedged up against the other side of the island, Ethan shielding his wife with his body.
More bullets whizzed through the opening in the wall, sending Kos and his men scattering. Leaving the guys with Megan, Jayna used the distraction to herd Ethan and Kathryn toward the living room. Joseph and Moe showed up to take over for her before they got more than a few feet.
But then Kos caught sight of them. He shouted for two of his men to stay and finish them off. “The rest of you, come with me. We’re going to kill that asshole cop right now.”
Jayna froze. Eric may have been an alpha werewolf with SWAT training, but she was still terrified at the thought of him taking on Kos and the six Albanians by himself. But right then, she had to push her fears for Eric out of her head. If she didn’t find a way to get her pack and the Stones to safety, she wouldn’t be around long enough to worry about what happened to Eric.
But when she went back to grab Megan, all she found was a trail of blood leading out of the kitchen. For a moment, she thought Chris had gotten her to safety, but he was helping Moe and Joseph with Ethan and Kathryn. Crap.
That was when Jayna realized the front door was already wide open. She didn’t have to get a whiff of the two distinct scents leading in that direction to know Liam had taken Megan.
Heart in her throat, Jayna jumped up and ran for the door, ignoring the bullets zipping past her head and missing by mere inches.