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Reality was scarier than the late-night horror shows

“You hit him in the head,” Elias said as he slid closer “Don’t worry, one He’s—”

A growl sounded from the mouth of the alley Duncan spun around

Too late

It wasn’t just a lone olf they were hunting He’d thought they were dealing with an isolated killer, a olf gone mad with bloodlust That profile had been what the intel had showed him

The intel rong

Logan was gazing at a packFour other fully shifted olves were at the front of that alley

They were leaping for Elias And Elias had put up his weapon already Rookie mistake

Duncan rushed forward and shoved his partner to the side, barely dodging the claws of a olf Duncan aiain

One wolf down Another—

He felt teeth tear into his shoulder

Into his neck

He could smell the wild, woodsy scent of the beasts His own blood He could feel his blood, trailing down his neck, soaking his shirt

His gun wasn’t firing He’d used all the bullets

More wolves were closing in…

Just as they’d closed in when he’d been four When they’d killed his family

When he’d lost everything but his life

He hadn’t been able to see the wolves then, but he’d heard their snarls and his mother’s desperate cries He could still hear those cries in his nightmares

She hadn’t survived the attack

He had

Only this time, Duncan kneouldn’t be so lucky

Elias was screa

And Duncan—Duncan was pretty sure that he was dying

“I’ and miserable

Duncan opened his eyes Pain knifed through hi him

He tried to move Couldn’t

Not because of the pain but because…because he was strapped down?

What the hell?

“I’ain

Duncan’s gaze flew to the other low froard appearance of his face

Why was Elias apologizing? They’d bothalley, and, wonder of wonders, they were both actually still breathing “You…owe ed