Roar of Salvation
Embry
The sound of yelling roused me. My head felt like it was spinning. The memories of Tom and Rick’s faces flashed in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the scene.
I was in a small building and lay on a dirt floor. It was dark, but streams of light flooded through the wood planks. A shed of some kind, I thought. Someone had tied my hands behind my back, and I couldn’t move them. If I shifted, I could hurt myself.
“What the fuck, Tom? You and Rick fucking drugged me, tied me up, and took me from my house, for what? To bring me out to Lake Dothan?” I heard Chad snarl.
Lake Dothan—that was a few hours south of Belle Fort. I must be in one of the changing sheds. I knew where I was now. But why would they grab Chad? I focused hard, attempting to organize my thoughts.
Angus! I cried out through our bond. His quick response soothed me.
Angel, are you okay? We found my brother; he’s okay. We’re talking now—
I cut off his thoughts. Angus, I need help! Tom and Rick have me!
What?! I heard him yell through our bond. Where are you? Are you okay? Did they hurt you? The last question came out as a growl.
No, they knocked me out with something. I just woke up. They have Chad here too. We’re at Lake Dothan, I supplied.
Tom’s voice interrupted any other thoughts. “Chill out, man! You wouldn’t talk to us. We needed to get you to listen. We’re going to take care of everything and get our position back in the pack, and it will be the three of us again,” Tom said.
“What the fuck do you mean you’re going to ‘take care of it’? And if you just wanted to talk, why the fuck am I tied up?” Chad snarled.
I heard laughing. “Tying you up was my idea,” Rick said, sounding way too amused.
“Cut it out, Rick!” Tom snapped. “Chad, we just tied you as a joke. Here.”
Embry! came Angus’s frantic call.
I’m here, I was trying—
“Fuck! What’d you do that for? I think you broke my fucking nose, dickhead!” Rick cried out.
“That was for fucking with me. Now I’m going home. Fuck you both!” Chad said.
“Wait! Listen, yeah, we shouldn’t have tied you, but you need to hear us out, man. We’re going to fix things with the pack,” Tom said. Tom’s voice sounded even more crazed than usual.
“You attacked and almost killed the Alpha’s cousin. How the fuck are you going to fix things?”
“Easy! We kill the little faggot and throw the body in the lake. No one will find him,” Tom said flatly. He really had gone off the rails.
“You’ve lost it. You can’t kill Embry, man. The Alpha will know it was you. Hell. I don’t even think you could get to him. Embry’s staying with the Alpha,” Chad said.
I heard footsteps coming toward the door. I closed my eyes.
Embry, damn It, answer me!
Hurry, Angus, they’re planning on killing me! I thought as the door opened. Sunlight shone in, blinding me for a second. A rough hand grabbed me and dragged me out.
“What the fuck did you do? You fucking grabbed Embry? Are you two insane? The Alpha is going to kill us,” Chad said as he rushed to my side.
“As I said, we kill him and throw him in the lake. No one will know, and we’ll be back in the pack like we should be, with no little faggot omega,” Tom said, his voice growing colder. Rick nodded his agreement.
I felt Chad’s hands tug on my bonds, and my hands were free. He pushed me back. “Shift, Embry! Run!” Chad yelled as he transformed into his blond wolf. He stood in front of me in a defensive stance, snarling at Tom and Rick, who’d also shifted.
Tom, the brown-haired wolf, was the largest of the three.
Power emanated from him as he curled his lip back.
Rick was the smallest of the trio, but he was still quite large; his coat was tawny.
They snarled and lunged, snapping their jaws at Chad.
For a moment, I sat there frozen, as Chad engaged them both.
Tom and Rick attacked Chad, who jumped, dodging their assault.
Chad growled loudly, breaking me from my stupor.
I shifted. I was about to turn and run when I heard a yelp. Rick had landed on Chad’s back, biting and holding him down. Chad attempted to buck free but couldn’t shake Rick’s determined hold. Tom circled the duo and crouched low, as if waiting for an opening to go for Chad’s throat.
I couldn’t run from this. I had to help.
Without thinking, I jumped, ramming into Rick and pushing him from Chad’s back. I heard Rick leap to his feet behind me, growling low in his throat.
Rick outweighed me by at least sixty pounds and was nearly double the size of a normal wolf; I was the size of a small collie. His lips curled back, showing his massive teeth. I knew I didn’t have the strength to beat him. My only hope was to hold out until my mate could reach me.
Rick lunged for me, and I dodged, snapping my jaws. I nipped his scruff, but he only growled louder. I knew I’d made him angry. He rushed me head-on, knocking me down and leaping on me.
Unable to deflect the blow, I pushed with my paws, trying to wiggle free. His teeth closed in on my throat.
Then Chad bit him, shoving him aside. Rick yelped. The distraction allowed me to break free of the hold. Immediately Chad was by my side; we stood shoulder to shoulder facing both Tom and Rick.
Abruptly Tom shifted. “You a fag lover now, Chad?” he snarled. “The two of you are no match for Rick and me. Back off now, Chad, and I’ll forgive your stupidity.”
I wondered what Chad would do. Last time, he’d ended up turning on me. This time was different; Chad continued to stand by my side. He raised his head and growled loudly, pulling his lips back in a snarl. He’d decided to stand up for me and protect me.
“Wrong choice, ma—” Tom started to say, but a giant roar cut him off. I knew that roar; I’d heard it before. It was Angus.
My mate was here.