Leashed by a Wolf by Cherie Nicholls

his head back against the tree trunk.
    Laney didn’t know if it was his age or simply shock that stopped Christophe from swiping her throat out with his claws. Instead he grabbed hold of her wrists and tried to push her off.
    Laney forced his head back again and again until he let go of her and slumped back. She didn’t waste time checking to see if he was alive. She turned and ran. Unsure of her bearings, she headed towards the moon.
    She moved quickly away from Christophe. She had to figure out where she was and then she had to warn Heath. He had to be told that Christophe was back and he was out for blood—Heath’s blood.
    The howl broke the silence of the night. Laney didn’t stop or turn back; she had seen too many horror films where the girl would head towards the scary noise or trip over the hem of her flimsy dress. Not this girl. Reaching deep, she pulled out all the strength she could; she needed to get away now.
    Suddenly she burst through the trees into another clearing. Skidding to a halt she looked around, trying to see anything she might recognise. It took a minute for her to realise she was less than a mile from the pack house. Turning towards safety she started to move again but she had taken too long to orient herself. A large black and grey wolf came screaming out of the trees behind her.
    Laney hit the ground a second before Christophe leaped for her. He sailed over her head. She tried to scramble away but he recovered quickly and pounced. Christophe caught her leg in his jaws and pulled her towards him.
    “Oh hell no.” Laney hissed as she scrambled to get away. He held on too tightly; she could feel his teeth push through her jeans and into her ankle. She clenched her teeth against the pain. Twisting as much as his hold would allow, Laney tried to kick him off with her free leg. But Christophe held strong.
    Laney refused to give up. There was no way in hell some old man was going to take her down. She had been taught better than that.
    Another howl pierced the air, and somehow Laney knew that sound belonged to Heath.
    “Heath!” she screamed, praying he could hear her. She fought harder; there was no way Christophe would kill her. She had too much to do, too much to say.
    Fighting like a woman possessed, she kicked at Christophe’s head again and again, forcing the wolf to let her go. Scrambling backwards, Laney tried to get far enough away so she could turn and run, but she wasn’t quick enough. Christophe recovered and jumped at her again.
    Laney screamed as another wolf leaped over her from behind, taking the old wolf down.
    The golden shimmer of the wolf’s fur told her this was Heath. At that second her heart stopped. She needed to save him, couldn’t let Christophe hurt him. As she tried to scramble forward, large arms came around her, pulling her back.
    “Let me go!” She fought against the man who held her.
    “Laney, calm down, it’s me, Wall, you’re safe now.” Wall tried to soothe her, but Laney didn’t want to be soothed. She wanted to help Heath.
    “You have to let me go, I have to help him.” Laney continued to fight Wall’s hold with everything she was. Not once had she taken her eyes off the fight between the two wolves. It was vicious and bloody but Laney refused to look away.
    She needed to get there and she needed to do it now. She remembered what her brothers had told her about defending herself. Raising her booted foot she slammed it down on Wall’s instep. The man howled in pain but his shout was cut short as Laney threw her elbow back into his stomach, forcing all the air from his lungs and loosening his hold on her.
    Laney didn’t waste time. She ran forward, grabbing the biggest lump of wood she could find as she went. The fight still raged. Laney could now see blood covered Heath’s side. Inside, deep inside, she knew Christophe was hurt too, but all she could see was the damage done to Heath. The strange calming rage came over her again. With two long