THE AWAKENING

She felt no fear.

Her bared fangs dripped with saliva as she hungered for Ulster’s blood. Beside her Tieran, her Alpha and One True Mate, stood on all fours beside her with an identical snarl as Ulster and his clan advanced like a dark, evil force invading every crack and cranny, seeking out weakness.

Cassandra and Tieran were outnumbered but stared death in the eye without flinching. Ulster would hound them until he snatched victory from their jaws and that would likely mean the death of one of her pups.

A new and frighteningly powerful emotion swept through Cassandra as she held her ground, refusing to yield in the slightest to the rival clan.

I will not surrender my babies to you. I would rather die first.

Ulster’s thoughts, harsh and guttural, poked at her brain, intruding. I will take what is mine. Kill the other.

The growls echoed in the forest as Ulster’s clan closed in.

A howl ripped through the air. Tieran answered with a sharp, answering howl.

Within seconds the males of Clan Barrachius appeared from within the dark canopy like one solid wall of coiled muscle and pelt to flank Cassandra and Tieran, bulking their numbers and increasing their odds of survival.

Cassandra’s wolf lips twisted in a parody of a smile as Ulster lowered his rangy head with a growl, surveying the increased numbers.

Turn tail and run, you bastard so I can run you down like the rabid dog you are.

Ulster didn’t run.

the fight. He had blood lust

his bright gaze was centered on

Mine!

launched straight for her, crashing into

night air as wolves tore at one another, crunching bone and tearing

Ulster’s back and sinking

disgusting and rotten only moments

above and beyond the rest of the clan and within seconds Ulster yelped as she

landed on the ground with a clumsy stumble, nearly losing her footing and rolling to her back.

snapping it, but Cassandra used her mental

and let go, dropping to the ground

in a thousand different places but she refused to give up or stop.

bone threatened to crack but within seconds Cassandra sent the beast to join his brethren, writhing in agony as she shredded his mind with the

realized Tieran had things well

every moment of pain he received. She remembered the poor, abused women stuck in Clan Janus and she knew that if Ulster were gone she could persuade the women

Ulster had to

as the fight began to wan and victory seemed imminent. The dead and dying from both sides were scattered about the clearing and Tieran stood over Ulster,