Saul could hate me. It wouldn’t make a difference. He didn’tknow.
I took a step forward. A step back. My muscles quaked from the internal battle.
Madness. This had to be madness.
Fear cut through the fog. I seized control. Forced the hunter back to my brothers.
If I risked myself, I risked them too.
There was also the memory of Jacques, his silvery words slithering over my skin.
I retreated from the road, my heart rumbling with the distant thunder. I must have stood there longer than I realized. Already the moon was skimming the tops of the trees, the night fading as quickly as it came.
My mind came back in pieces. What possessed me—possessedhim?
I didn’t have time to figure it out. A snarl cut through the air, echoing across the Bayou, and I knew what I would find before I crossed the line into Eli‘s property.
Blood coated the air with a coppery tang—my brothers’ blood.
Saul had his jaw locked around Eli‘s neck.
I didn’t think, just moved, crashing into Saul with the full force of my weight. He dislodged from Eli, landing on four feet andbaring his teeth. I was already shifting, whirling to swing my arm out and catch Eli with my fist before he could rejoin the fray.
Both wolves shook out their fur. The hunters slipped away.
Saul collapsed onto his knees, chest heaving.
Eli wasn’t nearly as winded, despite the blood trickling from his neck.
My gaze jumped between brothers. “I leave you assholes alone for one full moon and you try to kill each other?”
I passed Saul to open the door to Eli’s utility room. I found a random handful of jeans in the dark and threw a pair at each brother. There were too many dicks out for this conversation.
“Where have you been?” Saul snapped. “Both of you! This is unacceptable.”
“Sorry, Daddy. I didn’t mean to break curfew.” I kept my voice even. “I think you’re the one that has some explaining to do, Kujo.”
“Here’s the cliff notes: I bonded, and Saul took that personally, so he decided to kill me. But only after killing this asshole!” Eli pointed an angry finger at Saul, then at the body lying on the ground near my feet. “This asshole who’s a sheriff’s deputy, by the way. He had information I needed.”
Eli bonded.
Bonded.
The ground dropped out from under me. Air refused to enter my lungs.
He bonded.
But Barbeauxs didn’t bond. Couldn’t. That was what Saul said.
Yes. We could.
My brothers were still talking. I answered. I didn’t know what I was saying because all I could hear was one repeating word.
Bond.
I never needed a break from my routine.
I was looking for her.