Resolve whipped through her veins. She could do this.
No, she would do this.
Kate examined the ground around her for anything she could use as a weapon. She settled on a sturdy, broken tree branch. She held the thick stick in her hand, testing its weight and grip. It would have to do. It wasn’t as if she had a lot of options.
Easing into position, she waited for her enemy to present an opportunity, any point of vulnerability she could use to her advantage. Thankfully, the dickhead didn’t make her wait too long.
He moved to Stephen’s side and squatted to retrieve the darts embedded in his fur. With his gun lowered and his attention focused elsewhere, the man presented the opening she sought.
Gathering her nerve, Kate held the tree limb in a death grip and launched herself out of the bush. Caught off guard, the idiot reared around just as she swung the branch, connecting with the side of his head.
The man fell back on his ass and clutched his bloody temple. “You bitch.”
Kate wasted no time, snatching the rifle that fell from his grasp onto the ground and aiming it at his chest. “Want to say that again?”
“You think this will stop us? This town and you people. You’re freaks.” He nodded at Stephen. “You and his kind need to be exterminated from this world.”
She raised the weapon and took aim.
“Wait.” He lifted his hand in front of him.
But Kate didn’t. With a squeeze of the trigger, a dart flew into his shoulder. She ran to Stephen and knelt beside him. Laying a hand over his furry chest, she was relieved to feel the slow thump of his heart beneath her palm. Of course, she had no idea how long the drugs would keep him under.
Well, crap. She had to get him out of there before the others showed up.
Certain the hunter was unconscious, Kate grabbed the rifle once more and searched through his gear for ammunition. Once the weapon was reloaded, she stuffed the extra darts in her pockets in case she ran into trouble with his buddies on the trek to her house.
Slinging the rifle strap over her shoulder, she bent down and wrapped her arms around Stephen’s middle. She attempted to lift him, but in his Wolf form, he was too bulky to carry. Resigned, she blew out a breath and hoisted his front half under her arms.
After the first few steps with his back half dragging the ground, she realized it was going to be a long walk.
***
When Stephen swam into wakefulness, his first thought was of Kate. Alarm slammed into him. Without a second thought, he shifted to his human form and bolted upright, his forehead smacking into something solid. An explosion of pain burst behind his eyelids, and he grimaced.
“What the fuck, dude?”
Cracking his bleary eyes open, he squinted at Jace, who stood over him, scowling and holding his chin in both hands.
Stephen swallowed against the dryness in his throat. “Where’s Kate?”
“I always knew you had a hard head, but damn, man.”
Ignoring his friend, Stephen shoved the covers off and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. “Where is Kate?”
Jace threw up his hands to stop him. “She’s downstairs in the kitchen.”
“What the hell happened?” Stephen rolled his shoulders, groaning from the ache in his upper body. Shit, had a bull trampled his chest then sat on him for good measure? He glanced around, and it dawned on him he was in Kate’s bedroom, in her bed. “How did I get here?”
Throwing the blanket over Stephen’s naked lap, Jace plopped down on the edge of the bed beside him. “My sister brought you.”
Stephen’s mouth dropped open. “Kate?”
“Yeah, the last time I checked she’s the only one I have.”
He ignored the smart-assed comment. “Is she alright? Was she hurt?”
If he hadn’t passed out, he more than likely would’ve expired from heart failure when he’d seen her frightened face in the bushes. And he hadn’t been able to do a damn thing to help her.
He grabbed Jace’s arm. “Tell me. Is she okay?”
“Jesus, chill out, Stephen. She’s fine.” Jace spoke in a soothing tone. “I wouldn’t lie to you about that.”
Stephen’s shoulders slumped in relief. “What happened to that asshole? Did the pack get him?”
“Something like that. Kate laid him out with one of his darts. Then she carried you through the woods.” Jace snorted. “Well, more like dragged. Gee came by to check on you at Kate’s insistence. But he said you’re fine. Just needed to sleep off the drugs.”
No wonder his upper body hurt like hell. He lifted his arm, stretched then winced at the twinge of pain. “What about the other two from last night?”