An Unwanted Second Chance (JB Tirado) novel Chapter 84

Chapter 84

It took him less time than Patrick to shift back.

Riley threw herself into Kent’s arms, burying her face into his chest to inhale his rich sandalwood scent. He

held her tightly, burying his face into her hair.

“Are you ok?” he whispered. “Are you alright?”

“I’m ok,” she reassured him, nuzzling her face into his warm skin. “I’m ok.”

“I hate to ruin the moment,” Patrick said, standing up, “but we need to get them to safety.”

“How did you find me?” Riley asked, leaning back in Kent’s arms enough to see his face.

“A rogue in the camp said you were going this way,” Kent explained. “We found him with Jaxon.”

She nodded. Of course Maddox would have pointed Kent in the right direction.

More sounds in the woods drew her attention and Riley stiffened in Kent’s arms.

“It’s ok,” Kent said, rubbing her back. “It’s just Rex, Connor’s wolf.”

Riley vaguely remembered Connor, one of Kent’s lead warriors. She turned to see a large tawny colored wolf

appear.

“He’s going to take you and Evan back to the pack,” Kent explained, kissing her cheek gently. “I need to get back into that camp and make sure that woman is taken care of.”

Riley swallowed hard, not wanting to let go of him. “I missed you,” she whispered.

He kissed her forehead. “I missed you too.” He pulled her tightly against him. “I’ll come as soon as it’s over,” he whispered into her hair. “I promise I’ll be there as soon as I can, but I need you to get to safety.”

She nodded against his chest, inhaling his scent deeply before stepping out of his embrace.

Rex knelt down, allowing Patrick to lift Evan onto his back. Riley climbed up behind him, carefully wrapping one arm around Evan and lacing her fingers into Rex’s thick fur.

“Get them to the hospital,” Kent said to the wolf, who nodded in response.

Rex took off quickly, darting skillfully through the trees even with the two passengers on his back. He took a long way through the trees, avoiding the camp in a large loop as he headed back towards the pack.

Riley felt a sense of relief as they broke free from the trees, the town suddenly coming into view. She had a brief moment of thinking that this nightmare was finally over.

She barely registered the large gray wolf until it collided with Rex. Riley and Evan toppled off his back, rolling hard onto the ground. Evan let out a pained shriek as he landed on his already broken arm.

Rex was back on his feet quickly, turning to face the wolf that had just taken them down. Riley gasped when she saw the bright yellow eyes focused on her and Evan. Panic fueled her as Riley turned to pull Evan off the ground. Rex launched himself at Cheree’s wolf as Riley got Evan to his feet.

“We have to get to the houses,” she told Evan, pointing to the town up ahead. “The people there will keep us safe, but we have to run.”

Chapter 84

“It hurts,” Evan cried, but still he started moving towards the town.

“I know.” Riley pushed his good shoulder gently, urging him into a run. “We’ll go to the hospital. We’ll find your mom and dad.”

The promise of his parents seemed to do the trick. Evan began to run in earnest, as fast as his battered five–year–old body would let him. Riley ran at a jog with him, debating if she had the strength to carry him

when she heard the yelp of pain.

She wheeled around to see Rex not far from them, pinned on the ground as Cheree’s wolf tore into his

shoulder, her teeth coming dangerously close to his neck.

“Keep running,” she yelled at Evan. She turned back towards the wolf, running with all her speed. She barely thought as she launched herself towards the wolf, catching her around the middle and sending them both hard into the ground.

Riley rolled to her feet as the wolf did the same, her yellow eyes filled with rage. Rex tried to stand but his leg gave out with a whimper, his body sagging back down to the ground.

To Riley’s horror, Evan had not continued to run, but instead had run back towards her. He froze, seeming to

realize his error, but did not turn back towards the pack.

The wolf growled, crouching low and Riley knew she had no choice. Fighting a werewolf while in human form was a terrible idea, but Riley had to stop this woman from getting to Evan.

The wolf launched herself at Riley and she dove to the side, landing on her back. The wolf turned quickly and dove at Riley, but she was expecting that. She pulled her legs up and kicked out forcefully, connecting with the wolf’s chest. The wolf stumbled to the side and Riley pulled herself up to her left knee just as the wolf lunged towards her again. Riley kicked out with her right leg, her foot making a satisfying crunch sound as it connected with the wolf’s snout. The wolf reared back, momentarily stunned by the kick and Riley hurried to her feet. The wolf lunged again, faster than Riley was anticipating. She had time to throw her left arm in front

of her face.

The wolf’s fangs sank into her arm as she hit the ground with a heavy thud. The wolf snarled, shaking her head so fiercely that Riley was sure the wolf would rip her arm right off. The claws of the wolf sank deeply into her left shoulder, as though determined to sever the limb. She screamed in pain, struggling to get her legs up to kick the wolf off of her.

Suddenly there was a loud growl, a flash of red, and the wolf disappeared from on top of her. Riley gasped, sitting up quickly. A small, red wolf that she had never seen before tore into the gray wolf’s side, biting and clawing fiercely.

Riley staggered over to Rex and Evan ran towards her, crouching next to the injured wolf. The red wolf and Cheree’s wolf circled each other, growling loudly. The gray wolf attacked and the red wolf dodged skillfully.

“It’s ok now,” Evan said, smiling slightly.

“Why?” Riley glanced at his excited face.

“Because mom is here now.”

She watched Cheree’s wolf, confused by his statement until it clicked into place.

“The red wolf is your mom’s?”

< Chapter 84

“It hurts,” Evan cried, but still he started moving towards the town.

“I know.” Riley pushed his good shoulder gently, urging him into a run. “We’ll go to the hospital. We’ll find your

mom and dad.”

The promise of his parents seemed to do the trick. Evan began to run in earnest, as fast as his battered five–year–old body would let him. Riley ran at a jog with him, debating if she had the strength to carry him

when she heard the yelp of pain.

She wheeled around to see Rex not far from them, pinned on the ground as Cheree’s wolf tore into his shoulder, her teeth coming dangerously close to his neck.

“Keep running,” she yelled at Evan. She turned back towards the wolf, running with all her speed. She barely thought as she launched herself towards the wolf, catching her around the middle and sending them both hard into the ground.

Riley rolled to her feet as the wolf did the same, her yellow eyes filled with rage. Rex tried to stand but his leg gave out with a whimper, his body sagging back down to the ground.

To Riley’s horror, Evan had not continued to run, but instead had run back towards her. He froze, seeming to

realize his error, but did not turn back towards the pack.

The wolf growled, crouching low and Riley knew she had no choice. Fighting a werewolf while in human form was a terrible idea, but Riley had to stop this woman from getting to Evan.

The wolf launched herself at Riley and she dove to the side, landing on her back. The wolf turned quickly and dove at Riley, but she was expecting that. She pulled her legs up and kicked out forcefully, connecting with the wolf’s chest. The wolf stumbled to the side and Riley pulled herself up to her left knee just as the wolf lunged towards her again. Riley kicked out with her right leg, her foot making a satisfying crunch sound as it connected with the wolf’s snout. The wolf reared back, momentarily stunned by the kick and Riley hurried to her feet. The wolf lunged again, faster than Riley was anticipating. She had time to throw her left arm in front

of her face.

The wolf’s fangs sank into her arm as she hit the ground with a heavy thud. The wolf snarled, shaking her head so fiercely that Riley was sure the wolf would rip her arm right off. The claws of the wolf sank deeply into her left shoulder, as though determined to sever the limb. She screamed in pain, struggling to get her legs up to kick the wolf off of her.

Suddenly there was a loud growl, a flash of red, and the wolf disappeared from on top of her. Riley gasped, sitting up quickly. A small, red wolf that she had never seen before tore into the gray wolf’s side, biting and

clawing fiercely.

Riley staggered over to Rex and Evan ran towards her, crouching next to the injured wolf. The red wolf and Cheree’s wolf circled each other, growling loudly. The gray wolf attacked and the red wolf dodged skillfully.

“It’s ok now,” Evan said, smiling slightly.

“Why?” Riley glanced at his excited face.

“Because mom is here now.”

She watched Cheree’s wolf, confused by his statement until it clicked into place.

“The red wolf is your mom’s?”

Chapter 84

He nodded. “She’s really fast.”

Evan was right. Penny’s wolf was exceptionally fast, tearing into Cheree’s wolf with ease. Finally the red wolf landed on top, sinking her teeth into the gray’s wolf throat. Riley used her good hand to cover Evan’s eyes. He pulled her fingers away but by the time she dropped her hand, it was over.

The gray wolf laid motionless on the ground, Penny’s wolf standing over her.

The red wolf came towards them and began to shift. Penny rushed over to them, grabbing Evan tightly into

her arms.

sorry.” She stroked her hand down his back, tears “Evan,” she gasped into his hair, “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m so swimming in her eyes. She glanced over his head at Riley, offering her a watery smile before her eyes dropped to Riley’s arm.

“Why aren’t you healing?” Penny released Evan and reached for Riley’s injured arm.

“They gave me wolfsbane,” Riley explained, suddenly realizing how bad her arm was. “I don’t have my wolf right now.”

“Shit.” Penny wrapped her hands tightly around Riley’s forearm, causing Riley to hiss in pain. “I’ll mindlink for help.”

Riley saw black dots dance in front of her eyes.

“Is she going to be ok, Mom?” Evan’s voice sounded so small. It was the last thing Riley heard.

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