Wolf Marked (Magic Side: Wolf Bound Book 1)

Jaxson

A bullet hit Regina in the leg, and she went down.

Fuck.

It was probably silver. The bullet that had lodged in my shoulder screamed every time I moved, and the wound wasn’t healing. At least they weren’t hollow points.

One of Billy’s men skulked through the trees ahead. I surged forward and ripped out his throat with my claws. I tore off his gas mask and tossed it to Sam, who ducked behind a tree beside me. “Put this on.”

She tied her hair back. “I can’t believe he’s using wolfsbane on us!”

They’d used it in the hotel attack, but I’d assumed it had been the sorcerer. The fucking nerve of Billy to use that against me. After how my sister—his mate—had died. My body shook with rage, and my claws felt like they were going to tear out of my hands. The bastard had gone too far.

I was going to rip out his heart.

Stooped low, I charged forward, ducking from tree to tree amidst bursts of gunfire. A scream rang through the forest behind me, and I ground to a halt behind a log while bullets flew around me.

Savannah.

Protect her.

I sprang up and cursed as I raced in her direction. I shouldn’t have left her alone.

A concussive force knocked me off my feet, and a jolt of agony raced up my spine as a bullet tore through my side. I rolled across the dirt as more bullets lodged in the ground next to me, then I slipped behind some rocks for cover.

Gritting my teeth against the searing pain that spread through my side, I reached my fingers into the wound and wrenched out the silver bullet. There was a lot of blood. The wound would take time to heal since it was caused by silver, and I was in human form.

My vision homed in on my attacker, and I launched myself through the air. My claws ripped into his jacket, and I pinned him to the ground. His claws tore into my side, but I ignored the pain. Savoring the wild euphoria of battle, I gripped his head with my hands. One twist, and his neck snapped.

I paused, listening to the sounds of the forest as the bloodlust filled me.

Footsteps. A shifter moving north on our right. A woman.

I stalked forward, my hunter instinct in command. The woman paused, seemingly sensing me. I burst out from the bushes as she blindly opened fire. Something tore into my chest as I collided with her. Her hands had erupted into claws, and she ripped into my face. I growled with rage as I pinned her with one hand, and then tore her throat out with my claws. The metallic scent of blood filled the air.

Sam’s scream ripped through my chest.

She’s in pain, but alive.

Sam was my right hand, and I fought the urge to charge toward her. Savannah first. I locked onto Savannah’s familiar tangerine scent and sprinted through the trees. I found the spot I’d left her, but she was gone.

A growl of rage erupted from my throat. I’d told her to stay put, but she never obeyed.

I’ll teach her to obey.

Frustration clouded my vision as I followed her scent toward the cabin. Shit. Was she going after Billy alone?

What was she thinking?

Savannah

I coughed and tried to make out the shapes in the darkness. I swore I saw Jaxson moving through the forest, but it was so dark and foggy, it was hard to tell.

I’d retreated from the range lights and gunfire and circled around to the other side of the cabin. I had no idea where anyone was, and I couldn’t distinguish our wolves from theirs. My plan was to shoot anything that even looked like it was thinking about charging me.

Movement drew my attention toward the cabin. The door closed, and a man slunk down the steps, making his way around back.

Holy shit. Billy.

I’d recognize the bastard from a mile away, even with the fog. His aura of fucking evil was unmistakable.

I sneaked around the tree line bordering the cabin and followed him. Two run-down trucks and a Honda were parked out back, and the brake lights of one of the trucks illuminated.

The bastard was running. Coward.

I couldn’t let him get away. This was my only chance to identify the sorcerer.

I raced toward the truck as it lurched down a second gravel road. I tried the door of the adjacent Honda, but it was locked.

No, no, no.

I wrenched open the door of the second truck and spotted a set of keys in the cupholder—it was primed for an easy getaway, I guessed. I slipped onto the tattered leather seat, pressed the clutch, and shoved the keys into the ignition. The truck rumbled to life, and I fishtailed out of the driveway after Billy.

The gears were sticky and ground a bit, but I shifted her into second and then third as I floored it down the dirt road, silently praying that none of Jaxson’s wolves crossed my path.

I’d already run over two wolves. Luckily, they were rogue psychopaths, or else I’m pretty sure the pack would have ended me for that alone.

The road split in two, and I slammed on the breaks.

Which way?

I leaned my head out the window, looking for any indication of the path Billy had taken, but there were tire marks on both sides.

I took a breath and gunned the gas, heading left. Desperation rose in my chest after a few minutes of driving in the darkness, and then I saw them—the red taillights.

“There you are, you bastard.”

I shifted into fourth and pressed the pedal down. The truck didn’t have much acceleration, but she moved.

Billy slowed and then careened left onto the highway. I didn’t see any oncoming lights, so I shifted down into second and followed. The truck screeched but righted herself on the smooth pavement, and my hair whipped in the wind from the open front windows.

Billy’s silhouette shifted in the driver’s seat as he glanced in the rearview mirror. He seemed agitated.

I smiled and pressed the gas to the floor, pushing the old girl into third and then fourth.

A week ago, this asshole had sicced his wolves on me. Now it was my turn.

Hunt him down.

My truck lurched forward and slammed into Billy’s bumper. He veered across the center line before righting himself. Adrenaline pumped through me, and I felt wild and in control.

“You want to play dirty, Billy? I’ll show you dirty.”

I pressed the gas and smashed into his bumper again, harder this time. He swerved and flipped me off.

If I could just get him off the road, preferably into a ditch and unconscious. Not dead. If I had to shoot off his kneecaps with silver bullets, I would, but he had information that I needed.

Billy swung in front of me. I rammed his bumper and managed to pull up beside him. “You messed with the wrong waitress, asshole!”

His ochre eyes locked onto mine, and then he grinned and sideswiped me. Metal grated against metal, and my truck lurched to the left. I cursed and righted the old girl as he slammed into me again, pushing me toward the ditch. Dread settled in my stomach as I fought to control the truck.

I released my foot on the gas, and Billy’s truck shot forward in front of me and sailed through the air.

Holy—

Just then, my front right tire exploded. I gripped the wheel, trying to regain control, but I was going too fast. The truck swerved, and then flipped.

Oh, no.

They say that when you’re in a horrible accident, time seems to stand still. It wasn’t quite like that. I saw the pavement flip once, and then I was out.