Wolf's Promise (Caedmon Wolves) by Ambrielle Kirk Read Free Book Online Page A

go,” he said.
    They made a break for it, dashing towards the fields. She could tell that she slowed him down. His long legs ate up the distance before him , while her shorter one’s fought to keep up. Not once did he let go of her hand.
    Her lungs burn ed as though they were on fire. Her throat was dry as though someone had made her swallow dust. As the wind picked up around them, dirt flew in her face and into her open mouth. She pressed her lips together, but that only caused her to lose her breath even quicker.
    Selene thought she heard a howl in the distance, behind him, but it could have been that her ears were playing tricks on her. Her thoughts were incoherent.
    Just run. Run.
    She never wanted to see the scarred face Darius again. As soon as she reached the highway and a pay phone, she was taking the next bus out of here. Damn her old beat up Honda, purse, and luggage. Her lift was worth more.
    Her shoes connected with something hard on the ground and she toppled over. Her knees hit the ground and her hands came out in front of her to lessen the impact. She cried out more from aggravation than the pain shooting through her knee caps.
    “I….” she panted, fighting to speak on rapid breaths.
    “Selene.” Nick knelt down to help her. “I am so sorry. This was too much too fast.”
    “I’m slowing you down.”
    “No—”
    A wolf howl sliced through the atmosphere around them. She didn’t know what it was…maybe intuition. A warning…
    They were being chased.
    “We have to keep going,” he urged. “We’ll need to make it across the main highway.”
    He helped her up and looped her arm across the top of his back. She limped a couple feet, biting into her lips. The pain was unbearable and she couldn’t bring herself to apply pressure to her right leg which must have taken the brunt of the fall.
    “I can’t.” Selene stopped. “Go without me.”
    “No,” he said, angrily.
    “One of us should go for help.”
    “I’m not leaving you.” He bent and scooped her up in arms, and began half-walking half-running.
    She pushed against his chest. “There is no way you will escape them while carrying me.”
    He ignored her.
    “Nick, put me down, and go get help.”
    “I won’t do that.”
    There was an animal growl and rustling behind them . She turned her head in the direction the sound, but only saw dusk settling in behind them. “Nick…?” she said, slowly.
    He must have sensed it too, because he slowed his pacing and turned around. His grip became tighter around her. “Whatever you see tonight, Selene, just know that I will never ever hurt you.”
    Why was he telling her that? Selene tightened her hold on him as well. She might have urged him to leave her only moments early, but the sad fact was that she needed him. She didn’t want to be left alone.
    A large black wolf came out into the clearing with fangs barred and ears drawn to the back of the head. It circled them slowly, the yellow eyes piercing them like daggers.
    Damn it! Not only were they being chased by some small town lunatics, they wer e also being cornered by a wild wolf.
    Another wolf emerged from the shadows. This one’s fur was deep brown, but the eyes were the same—yellow and menacing.
    “Nick,” she whispered, her voice shaking in morbid fear.
    The black wolf bucked and snarled, spittle dripping from its muzzle on the ground.
    Nick’s gripped loosened on her at the moment, and she wound her arm around his neck seeking his protection.
    “I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise, ” he whispered, just as he turned her loose and made her stand to the ground behind him. “Stand back.”
    The two wolves looked hungry and ready to kill. They encircled them like vultures scouting around an injured animal. Injured. Oh, no. She looked down at the blood on her knee. The animals must have been drawn to it.
    She fell back slowly, eyes on the threat before her. F right overcame her more than the pain in her knee.
    Nick