“Hell, I need to go.” He met Shane’s eyes. “One of the elders needs me. Are you okay going home by yourself? I can drop you off on my way.”
It wasn’t a long walk, and though you could drive place to place, most walked to preserve the den’s natural landscape. However, that wasn’t what Shane was talking about. The others were not only worried about retaliation from Montag but also about threats within the Pack regarding Shane’s existence. Just because they’d destroyed the samples, didn’t mean it was over. Shane himself was proof that there was something out there that could change the ways of the wolves forever. And not everyone wanted him to live to become more than he already was.
Shane shook his head. “Go. Someone needs you more than I do. I’ll go straight home.” And didn’t that grate on him. He didn’t have a babysitter so he had to go home and wait.
Brandon took off with a nod, leaving Shane alone. He sat there a few more moments, taking in the sounds around him. He’d never really paid attention to nature as he had been recently. Was it because of his wolf, or because he had the time to do so now? He wasn’t sure, but like with everything else lately, it was a change.
Deciding it was time to head home, he stood up but not before he heard the sounds of crunching leaves behind him. He turned, but he wasn’t fast enough. Someone took out his feet while another punched him square in the face. He rocked back, the pain shooting up his face and down his spine like sharp blades sliding into his skin. Whoever it was had used the full power of their wolf. Shane wasn’t wolf yet, despite how his body had changed. He was no match for these three on his own, but he’d be damned if he went out without a fight.
He punched back, getting one man in the shoulder. Shane grunted, knowing he’d probably just broken a few fingers. Hell, these guys were like solid steel, and there was no way he’d live through this without a miracle.
They got him down on the ground and on his back. Someone held his legs, while another had his arms, and the third punched him over and over. Shane yelled out but choked on his own blood.
“If you’re dead, we’re safe,” the man on top of him grunted. “If you’re dead, they can’t kill us.”
Shane didn’t think that was the case at all as nothing could ever be that simple, but he didn’t say anything. Couldn’t. He tried to fight them off, but nothing worked.
He was dying.
This wasn’t how he wanted to die, but hell, he’d already been close to the brink far too many times recently. But before he could take his last breath and keep fighting, the heavy weight on top of him was taken away.
Growls sounded around him, and the immense power of a strong wolf hit him like a bag of bricks to the chest. He tried to get up but he couldn’t, his limbs were far too weak. Instead, he opened the one eye that hadn’t swollen shut and blinked.
Bram stood above the three attackers, blood covering his forearms but other than that, not a single scratch on him. He looked powerful and…fucking hot as hell.
Probably not the best time to be thinking that, though.
“What the fuck?” Brandon yelled as he ran back to Shane’s side. The Omega fell to his knees and looked down at Shane. “Holy hell. I need to call Walker. Now.”
Bram growled from Shane’s other side, a low rumble, dangerous, deadly, and full of promise.
“The three assholes are down for the count. I didn’t kill them, but it was close.” Bram flexed his hands, the claws Shane hadn’t noticed initially sliding back into his fingertips. Shane wanted to learn how to do that.
He must have been wearing his thoughts on his face because both Bram and Brandon seemed to understand exactly what he was thinking.
“You’ll learn,” Brandon said softly, though there was heat in his eyes. “I’m going to fucking kill those idiots for doing this to you.”
“You’ll have to wait in line,” Bram bit out. Shane watched as the other man sniffed the air. Bram seemed to be really close to his wolf at the moment. “Walker and Gideon are on their way. As are a few others. I want to know what happened and why the fuck you thought it was okay to leave Shane alone like this.”
“Not. Brandon’s. Fault.” Shane winced with each word, and Bram shot a glare at him.
“Stop talking. You punctured your lung with a broken rib, or at least that’s how it sounds.”
Shane lifted a lip to mock growl, but it came out more like a wheeze. He blinked a few times, the dark spots in his vision getting larger. He passed out in pain before he could thank Bram for saving his life…again.
****
Charlotte was this close to punching someone in the face if she didn’t get some answers.
“What do you mean, you left him there?” Her voice might sound calm, but she was nowhere near calm inside, and she had a feeling Brandon knew it.
The Omega’s jaw tightened. “My elder needed me. It’s my duty to protect those who can’t protect themselves. Shane was close to his house, and should have been safe.” The Omega let out a curse. “But he wasn’t, and I want to rip the limbs off those bastards.”