Leashed by a Wolf by Cherie Nicholls Page A

strides into the clearing Laney raised the large piece of wood over her head and brought it down on Christophe’s back.
    The black wolf yelped and spun towards her.
    “I told you, you made a mistake taking me,” Laney said as she smiled into black eyes.
    As she swung the lump of wood back and forth, she waited for the wolf to make his move. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Heath moving and she hoped he would stay back long enough for her to do what she had to do.
    When Christophe crouched low and dived at her, everything slowed down. Laney slung the lump of wood at him at the same second Heath lunged. Their combined attack caught Christophe unaware, so quick and fierce the sound of bone snapping seemed to resonate around the clearing. The lifeless body of the black wolf slumped to the ground.
    For a second there was an unnatural silence in the woods. Then all hell broke loose.
    Heath shifted as he yelled at Wall.
    “Wall, get her out of here!” He turned to Laney and gently pushed her towards the other man. This time Wall was prepared for her, swinging her up and over his shoulder before she could get her bearings.
    “Wait!” Laney yelled as she planted her hands on Wall’s naked butt and lifted herself up so she could look back at Heath.
    “Go!” Heath yelled. Laney wanted to argue that she needed to make sure he was all right; she could see the bite and claw marks on his body, but the words left her when she looked at Heath and all she could see reflected back at her was pure white-hot anger.
    The intensity took her words. He was furious with her and she could understand why. She had brought the danger to his pack, to his family. If it had been the other way round, she would have never forgiven him if anything had happened to her family. She couldn’t accept anything less from him.

Chapter Six
    The anger vibrated through Heath’s body. He was going to kill her. There was no question about it; the woman was a danger to herself and to anyone around her.
    Heath stomped back through the woods. He hadn’t had to do much with Christophe’s body. The man had died as a wolf and therefore stayed wolf. Anyone who found the body would simply find a dead animal. Heath would let the rest of Christophe’s pack know, allowing them to reclaim him if they wanted. That would have to wait though, because he had a full human he needed to have a little chat with.
    Heath came out of the woods near the pack house but didn’t stop to speak to anyone as he made a beeline for Laney.
    “Are you hurt?” He practically snapped the question at her. A quick glance at Wall had the man stepping away from them.
    Laney shook her head but wouldn’t look at him. Heath tipped her chin up so he could see the bruises on her face and on the backs of her hands. He clenched his jaw, keeping his growl locked in.
    “What were you thinking?” he asked so softly he wasn’t sure she would hear him if he didn’t have hold of her chin making her look at him.
    “What?” Laney frowned and Heath lost the last control he had on his anger.
    “What the hell were you thinking going off like that?” he yelled. He was aware of all the noises around him stopping. In the recesses of his mind he knew two things—he could hear the distant sound of a car approaching, and a fear like nothing he had ever felt before.
    Laney’s eyes widened as she looked back at him. How could she have put herself into so much danger?
    “How could you have been so stupid? Didn’t you know that he was a threat to the pack?” he yelled as he moved closer to her, looming over her.
    “What?” Laney asked again. He watched as she shook her head and ran her hand through her hair. The move showed more of the damage to her face and Heath growled low.
    Laney took a step back and looked at him. He could see the hurt in her eyes but he couldn’t stop; he needed her to understand.
    “I thought you had more sense than to leave the protection of the pack. There is danger