Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [111]
The moon was rising.
Fighting to hold her hands steady, she slipped the knife between the ropes that held his wrists and sawed as fast as she could.
“Hurry, hurry,” Braden coaxed, a thin sheen of sweat breaking out over his skin.
A ripple ran the length of her spine, seizing her muscles. Her grip on the knife slipped and she accidentally cut into the flesh of Braden’s wrists. She forced herself to concentrate and regripped the handle, plunging the knife back and forth.
A howl cut the air at the same time the ropes snapped apart. Chase burst into her peripheral vision, a wolf at his back and one at his throat. Alek had entered the fight.
Chase rolled away from the snapping jaws at his throat and wrestled off the wolf at his back. Before he could regroup, Alek lunged, broadsiding him and propelling him away from Markko who turned toward Beth.
“Change, Beth.” Braden pried the knife from her hands and bent to saw through the ropes around his ankles. “Now!” He commanded.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Markko prowled forward, his eyes, two burning gray orbs, piercing her. He pulled his lips back from his teeth and snarled.
Even in human form, every instinct told Beth to drop her head, protect her neck and back away. She stood her ground. She was the only thing between him and Braden. Markko didn’t hesitate—he lunged, jaws wide, aiming for her neck.
A violent shudder raced through her, pulling at her muscles as the wolf fought free. She fell into the spasm—didn’t think, didn’t breathe—and allowed the wolf total control. She shifted in the heartbeat it took Markko to slam into her, rolling them across the ground.
Beth came up from the roll on all fours, completely transformed, the wolf at the forefront of her mind. She matched Markko’s steps as he circled her, the two of them moving in a semicircle around each other.
Markko plowed into her, driving her back. The air rushed out of her lungs and she braced for the jaws she expected to close around her throat. Nothing happened. She pushed herself to her feet and turned, watching Braden lose his battle against the pull of the moon and shift, his feet still bound together. He managed the change, though his hindquarters torqued obscenely halfway through, ripping a cry from his throat. Completely transformed, he tried to kick his way out of the ropes tangled around his legs.
Markko charged him.
No!
Beth tucked her fear behind the wall of instinctual rage that blanketed her mind.
Teeth bared, she leaped for Markko’s back, wrenching his head enough to throw off his aim. His jaws sank into Braden’s shoulder, narrowly missing his vulnerable throat. Locking her jaws around Markko’s ear, she jerked her head, shredding the soft tissue in her teeth. Markko howled and reared in pain, throwing her off. She regained her feet immediately and spat the lump of bloody flesh on the ground.
Markko turned the brunt of his rage on her and barreled into her, snapping at her face and ducking his head, trying to get his jaws beneath her head and around her neck. He caught her along the top of her shoulder; his teeth pulled through flesh, her coat providing little protection. Her shoulder throbbed and blood matted her fur as she backed away, keeping her body between Markko and Braden, trying to buy him enough time to free himself.
Markko charged again, breaking to the right and throwing the force of his bulk into her shoulder, driving her to the ground. The momentum forced her to her back, exposing her neck and belly to Markko’s jaws. He sank his teeth into her fur, cutting into the muscles around her neck.
Beth thrashed and kicked, trying to dislodge him or wiggle away. He growled into her shoulder and shook his head violently, grinding the flesh between his teeth. He spread his back legs, bracing his weight over her and tried to reposition his jaws.
Beth