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.

far to surrender the fight. He

bright gaze was centered on Cassandra

Mine!

in Cassandra’s brain seconds before Ulster launched straight for her, crashing

air as wolves tore at one another,

Ulster’s back and sinking her teeth

fur tasted dirty, as if he’d rolled in something disgusting and rotten only moments earlier

and within seconds Ulster yelped as she tore out a chunk of his flesh with

with a clumsy

on snapping it, but Cassandra used her mental

let go, dropping to the ground

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

much was on the line to give into the pain and fear. Another beast clamped onto her leg and she howled in pain as the bone threatened to crack but within seconds Cassandra sent the beast to join his brethren, writhing

whirled around, afraid for Tieran but she skidded to a halt when she realized Tieran had things well in hand — or well in teeth — as Tieran tore into Ulster, the sound of

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 to join Clan

had to go.

to wan and victory seemed imminent. The dead and dying from both sides were scattered about the clearing and