“Are you certain we have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves, Cole?” Church joined his side, turning his gaze out the window.
“One thing you don’t know about my pack is how damn much they love laser tag.”
***
The only way Austin could watch Izzy while remaining undetected was to shift and lie low in the grass. An alpha could share his thoughts with his animal, making sure they stayed on the same page.
His wolf stalked through the high grass until he reached a nearby creek, his senses alert. He approached the edge of the clear water and rolled in the dirt, using earth and dried leaves to conceal his scent. He pawed the ground and writhed until dirt was sifting through his fur.
Austin didn’t like using Izzy as bait, but these tactics were necessary to gain a foothold in this war. He’d learned a lot about extreme (but necessary) measures from his former years as a bounty hunter. Besides, Izzy only looked meek—when in reality she was fearless and fast on her feet.
His wolf sneezed and shook his head. Izzy would be coming at any moment to the spot where the girls had been playing. Austin continued to lie low in the high grass near a line of trees.
Izzy approached, whistling a tune and holding a bird feeder as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She paused beneath a maple tree, studying the branches while letting the feeder swing between her fingers. A bird fluttered skyward, shaking a few leaves to the ground. The gentle sway of high grass created a soft hiss as a brisk wind rustled through it. The wind reversed direction only for a moment—long enough for Austin to lift his nose and make sure he didn’t pick up any scents behind him. Austin had instructed Izzy not to shift, concerned her wolf might inadvertently kill the rogue they meant to capture alive.
Izzy began singing one of Jericho’s songs while she hung the feeder on the branch, making enough noise to wake the dead. She had a sense of humor, but she’d changed out of the bunny slippers and put on jeans and a sweatshirt doused in enough perfume that Austin was certain the wolves in Oklahoma could smell it.
He froze when he spotted a rogue up ahead. The white animal crouched low to the ground, stalking its prey. Austin tasted the air to catch his scent, but he was too far.
Izzy seemed oblivious as she continued singing, briefly peering over her shoulder at Austin. She had her fingers wrapped around the branch, preparing to loop on the feeder.
Meanwhile, just yards away, the rogue bared his sharp canines and stealthily advanced.
Austin patiently waited for an opportune time to strike.
The leaves rustled in the branches overhead, masking the sound of the approaching enemy as he stepped out of the thicket of trees and into the open.
Austin’s heart raced at a dizzying beat—pounding against his rib cage like a drum. He lowered his head, nails digging into the soft dirt, every muscle rippling with waves of energy.
The wolf charged, his paws kicking up dirt behind him as he moved like a bullet toward Izzy.
With lightning speed, she swung her legs up and straddled the branch. The wolf bit her pant leg, and Austin exploded into action.
Izzy shouted at the wolf, but Austin couldn’t understand what she was saying without concentrating. The second she shook him off and stood on top of the branch, Austin collided with the wolf, rolling end over end.
Austin felt a puncturing bite in his shoulder, and he yelped, returning the bite threefold.
While they circled each other, a second wolf caught his eye, skulking near a bramble patch that was usually dense with blackberries in the summertime.
A sharp crack sounded, and Izzy yelped, hitting the ground with a thud and landing on her back. Her hair splayed around her head like a halo of fire.
Austin shifted and seized the wolf’s throat. “Shift,” he commanded, channeling as much power as he could into his words. It was a risky move since there was no guarantee the wolf would comply—especially with blood in his mouth. As soon as the rogue shifted, Austin punched him in the face three times and knocked him out.
Prince and Church ran down the hill, eyes scanning the perimeter. When the second wolf caught their scent, he turned from Izzy and fled.
Church reached the bottom first. “I’ll track him!” he shouted, his body changing shape from man to wolf in a graceful shift. When his grey animal’s paws hit the ground, he took off at breakneck speed.
Prince rushed toward Izzy and knelt down. “Are you injured?”
She scowled, looking at the fallen branch behind her. “I think I broke my tailbone.”
While she did a quick shift to heal, Austin unraveled the rope Prince had brought and tied the rogue’s hands behind his back. He was a lanky fellow with scruffy hair on his chin, gaunt features, and a swelling eye.
It was a quick trip back to the house. Once inside, Austin dragged the hostage into the adjoining heat house.