Chapter 62: Touch Him And Die
"Touch him and die!" Rhea growled, River’s vicious voice bleeding through her human vocal cords.
Before anyone could take a step, her bones cracked, and she shifted back into her massive silver wolf. She threw her heavy body directly in front of them, completely blocking Eli from their view.
The scarred leader let out a mocking laugh. He instantly shifted into a hulking, scarred brown wolf and looked at his men. "Get the boy!" he snarled, lunging straight at River to pin her down.
River snapped her jaws, turning her head slightly to look at the pup behind her. "Get inside and lock the door! Do not come out until I tell you!" she commanded.
Eli stared at her, his small brow furrowing with stubbornness. He flicked his eyes to the left. One of the bounty hunters was already creeping toward the steps, his claws out.
River wanted to spring forward to protect her pup, but the scarred leader slammed into her ribs, using her split-second distraction to force her onto the stone floor.
"Eli! Inside! Now!" River barked, snapping at the leader’s throat as she struggled to find her footing on the slick stones.
Before Eli could retreat, the creeping hunter lunged at him.
Instantly, the seven-year-old’s bones popped.
He shifted into a tiny, thick-furred pup. Instead of running, the pup leaped forward and sank his small, razor-sharp fangs deep into the hunter’s reaching hand. He let out a fierce, rumbling growl, his young eyes glowing bright amber in the dark as he stood his ground.
Rhea’s heart hammered violently against her ribs as she watched her baby fight.
The hunter roared in pain, shaking his hand. He glared at the small pup and lunged again. Eli did not wait. He darted low, clamped his jaws onto the man’s leg, and bit down with all the strength in his young jaw.
"Aaaahh!" the hunter screamed, clutching his leg as blood soaked his trousers. "What kind of pup bites like that?!"
Another one rushed up the steps to grab the distracted pup.
River did not care about the leader biting her shoulder anymore. With a burst of maternal fury, she threw the scarred wolf off her, stormed toward the steps on all fours, and rammed her heavy shoulder into the second attacker. The force of the impact sent the man flying through the air, crashing hard against the stone wall.
"No one touches my pup!" River growled, her silver coat bristling as she stood squarely over Eli. "Run, Eli!"
"No, Mama," the pup growled back, his tiny fangs bared at the men circling the steps.
River’s ears pinned back. "What do you mean, no? There are too many of them!"
Eli looked at them, standing small but proud beside her massive silver paw. "Uncle Adam says I am the man of the house. He said I have to protect you."
River let out a frustrated growl. Damn you to the dark, Adam.
She turned to the pup. "Listen to me, son. This is not the time to listen to Uncle Adam. You need to go inside. These wolves are too big for you."
Eli shook his head. "No, Mama."
Before River could grab him, the pup lunged. He sank his teeth into the heel of a bounty hunter who was sneaking up behind her.
River’s fury erupted. Mother and pup fought side by side, biting and tearing at the flesh of their enemies. But the more they fought, the more shadow-wolves seemed to crawl over the sanctuary walls.
As River clamped her jaws around a rogue’s shoulder, a bright flash of silver caught her eye. She whipped her head around.
In the dark shadows near the burning stables, a man stood with a heavy bow. He was pulling a silver-tipped arrow back against the string, aiming it directly at Eli.
River’s heart stopped.
The little pup was too focused on scratching and biting his own attacker to notice. He had no idea a lethal arrow was pointed at him.
Her mind instantly flashed back to the dark woods of Blackridge. She remembered the agonizing pain of taking an arrow to the sternum for Kaleb and the bitter betrayal that followed.
For a split second, a cold fear paralyzed her limbs. Then, she heard the sharp creak of the bowstring stretching to its limit. The sound snapped her back to the present. She shook her head, her silver eyes locking onto the archer.
I would rather die a thousand deaths than let him touch my son, she thought.
River bunched her muscles to leap across the yard, ready to shield her boy with her own body. But before the archer could release the string, a massive silhouette exploded from the darkness.
Strong hands grabbed the archer by his neck. With a sickening, wet crunch, the man’s body dropped. The bow snapped, and the loose arrow went whistling wildly through the air.
River reacted on instinct, jumping up to swat the stray projectile away with her paw before it could strike anyone. She landed heavily on the dirt, her chest heaving as she stared at the giant warrior who had just saved her son.
"Bernard?" she gasped, her wolf voice thick with shock. "What are you doing here?"
Bernard stepped over the headless corpse, his yellow eyes flaring as he scanned the remaining enemies. "The Alpha said if they came for the boy, they would strike before dawn," the Beta grunted. "He ordered me to watch the perimeter and make sure they never laid a finger on the boy."
Rhea’s chest tightened. Adam had sent his best vanguard to guard them.
Before she could speak, a sharp growl from Eli cut through the smoke. The remaining bounty hunters were closing in on the pup’s position.
Rhea exchanged a quick, grim nod with Bernard. Together, they charged. They rammed into the circle of rogues, their claws and teeth tearing through flesh and bone. One by one, the bounty hunters fell to the bloody stones.
By the time the last hunter was dead, the first pale rays of the morning sun were filtering through the smoking pines. The courtyard was silent, save for the crackle of dying embers.
Rhea sat on the stone steps, holding Eli tightly in her arms. Her heart was still hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs.
"I do not ever want you putting yourself in danger like that again, Eli," she said, her voice shaking as she ran her hands over his arms to check for wounds. "Do you understand me?"
Eli looked up at her, his small face covered in soot. "I only wanted to protect you, Mama."
Rhea’s brows pulled together in a soft, aching frown. "No, darling. You are only seven years old. I am your mother. It is my job to protect you."
Eli shook his head, his chin lifting stubbornly. "Uncle Adam says that in the wild, no wolf is too young to die. He says I must always be ready to strike."
Rhea stared at him, her heart aching at the harsh, brutal lessons Adam had drilled into her sweet boy. But as she looked closer, she noticed Eli’s small hands were trembling violently against her shirt. His brave face was a mask. He was absolutely terrified.
Without another word, Rhea wrapped her arms around him and pulled him tight against her chest. She rocked him gently in the quiet morning air, letting her warm, soothing scent wash over him.
Slowly, the frantic beat of Eli’s small heart began to slow down, and he finally let go of his warrior stance, burying his face deep into his mother’s neck.
For the first time since she found him, Eli allowed himself to cry like a child instead of standing like a soldier.