THE AWAKENING

Tieran and Cassandra surveyed the scene, growling in warning to anyone from Ulster’s clan that if they dared challenge either, they would die like their Alpha, gurgling on their life’s blood.

A scattering of yips and howls filtered through the moonlight as the battered remnants of Ulster’s clan melted into the forest, running for their lives.

Within minutes all that remained were the dead, injured, or exhausted Clan Barrachius. Victory was bittersweet.

Tieran padded over to a fallen wolf and nudged the large body with his muzzle. A whine of sadness followed. Cassandra felt Tieran’s pain as he checked the bodies littering the forest floor. Blood stained the pine needle carpet and filled the air with the scent of death.

With an anguished howl, Tieran changed from beast to man until he stood before the scene smeared in blood, both his own and others, and Cassandra followed suit.

“How many?” she asked quietly.

“Ten,” he answered, looking to the large wolves licking their wounds. “We must get them back to the compound or else that number will increase.”

“Are they able to run?”

his worry for his clan mates. He would not

go

one of Ulster’s band will wait for this exact opportunity to retaliate for their

stubbornness. “Besides, it’s my fault that they are

Tieran disagreed, dismissing her as he walked away to discuss the situation with one of his clan mates who wasn’t as badly injured as the others.

opposite. Cassandra growled low in her throat and Tieran’s head whipped around in surprise at

stop underestimating me,” Cassandra warned before

settled into her familiar animal skin before Tieran

easily putting distance between her and

went unerringingly along a dizzying path, her padded feet eating up the miles as if they

guarding the entrance. Her chest heaved from the exertion but she managed to transform into her human form to gasp the words, “We were attacked.

into their brains and their startled eyes told her that she’d