Chapter 76

Ansel tore through the first wolf. Then the second. He left both dead in pools of blood. He made his way toward the kitchen, where he saw the light on, and could make out the smell of fear. The hostage.

A growl came from behind him. Before he could react, a large wolf lunged onto his back, and began biting at his neck. Ansel struggled to get him off. From the kitchen, he could hear Henry’s wolf growling, the sound of claws scraping, and of furniture upturned, and then came Henry’s loud whimper.

Rage poured through him. Ansel threw the wolf off. The big, silver wolf lunged again, but this time, Ansel was ready. He darted just enough to the side to avoid the full brunt of force as the wolf came at him. He reached for him with his teeth, caught him by the neck, and in one movement, shook him so hard that his neck snapped.

Ansel raced into the kitchen where he found Queen Mia’s advisor tied to a chair. A werewolf in human form was nervously holding a knife against the advisor’s neck.

Worse, Henry was covered in blood and limping, trying to fight a massive, red-colored wolf.

Ansel growled and the red wolf looked up. He bared his teeth and snarled at Ansel. Ansel charged at him. He landed on top of the wolf and went straight for his neck. The red wolf flipped over, knocking Ansel onto his back, and slashed his claws deep through Ansel’s chest and belly. Even in the adrenaline, he registered that pain. He snapped at the wolf’s face, getting a bite into his snout and one near his eye.

Then, the wolf yelped. Henry had gotten back up and put a vice grip onto the red wolf’s neck. Ansel pulled himself and ripped into him. The wolf’s eyes closed and he fell into a slump on the floor.

“Don’t get any closer.” The man holding the knife was trembling. His eyes were wild and crazed with fear. Ansel knew that within a split hair of a second, he could sever the hostage’s artery, and he’d be dead within moments.

“Back off!” The Were’s hand was shaking. The advisor he was holding captive was pale and bruised. He shut his eyes tightly, in fear.

Henry.

They mindlinked to coordinate.

I’ll distract him. You take him down.

Ansel edged closer, snarling, while the man began pressing the knife harder against the advisor’s neck. Beads of red blood appeared.

Ansel wanted to dominate his view, terrify him, embody his worst nightmares. He wanted to become his sole focus. His hackles were raised and his growl was low.

The man’s eyes widened, his pupils enlarged. Ansel stared him down, forcing him to keep eye contact.

Slowly, Henry was creeping closer, coming around the edge of the room. Then, without words, they both knew they had him. Henry clamped his jaw onto the man’s leg, dragging him down in one fell swoop as he screamed.

Ansel and Henry shifted back. Their clothes were torn and bloody. They were covered in gashes and bites. Henry wrangled with the Were while Ansel freed the advisor and ungagged him.

“Oh my goddess. Thank you. Thank you,” he said, and began to cry.

Ansel used the ropes to tie up the abductor. He mindlinked for the gammas to come and help in the arrest - and fetch Ansel’s car.

While they waited, they did their best to tend to their wounds and to the advisor’s. He was dehydrated, injured, and clearly in a weakened state after hours of torture.

When the gammas arrived, Ansel gave directions, and then he and Henry stepped out onto the porch.

Crickets chirped to their mates under the stars. Ansel felt exhausted and sore, but his mood was brightened by the temporary high of victory.

“Get the advisor back to Queen Mia,” Ansel said to a disappointed, rather ruffled version of Henry.

Henry groaned. “Am I ever going to get to eat?”

Ansel smacked his arm.

“Ow!”

“I warned you.”

“I feel like you owe me a giant breakfast,” Henry said, rubbing his arm. “I’d ask for a day off, but we’re about to have some shit to deal with.”

“I’ll brunch with you at Denny’s,” Ansel said. “But get that poor schlub back to Full Moon. You’re the only one I trust to do it.”

“The gammas can get him there. Is it because you do want me to negotiate with her?”

Ansel chewed on his tongue, deciding. “No,” he said. “Just make it clear to her. I rescued him, personally. And I am holding the one man alive who abducted him - who’s been torturing him - and who holds whatever secrets were spilled.”

Henry grinned. “I like that.”

Ansel nodded. “She’s slippery. One thing’s for sure, though, it’s not going to work if it’s me talking to her. We’ll see what happens… And take my car,” he said, as two gammas pulled up in the car they’d ditched.

“Surely, you’re not walking back? That’s lengthy, even for us.”

“I have nothing I want to rush back to,” Ansel said. “I’ll just let Jeff enjoy the night.”

Ansel turned to leave.

“Oh, hey, Ansel,” Henry said.

“What?”

“You just -” Henry reached over and wiped a smudge off Ansel’s face near his mouth. “There. Actually, wait. No, there’s more.”

“Quit touching me,” Ansel said. He paused. “What would your wife say?”

Henry broke into a belly laugh. Even Ansel was surprised by his own light heartedness.

“Well, Maggie’s a little naughty. She likes cute guys together.”

“Do you really think I’m cute?” Ansel winked.

“Of course I do… sir…” Henry’s voice dropped off. He was staring at Ansel’s mouth again and reaching for it.

Ansel batted at him. “Fuck off, Henry.”

“You have dried blood all around your mouth,” Henry said. “You look like a vampire!”

Ansel walked off, wiping his face on his shoulder. The dopamine high was starting to fade. He let Jeff take the lead and they darted through the edge of the woods, listening to the frogs croak, crunching through fallen leaves, and breathing in the musky, earthy smell of the forest floor. Ansel pushed Karin out of his mind and just let himself be wild.