Bloody Claws (Camren) Book 3

Chapter 18

I told Lauren where we were going, and even though the woods were on her land, she'd insisted Normani and the others accompany us. I had argued with her until she pointed out the fact that it would make Dinah feel safer. I couldn't exactly argue with that. After what Dinah had endured at Taylor's hands, I wanted her to feel safe.

Dinah, being more familiar with Lauren's land, led the way to the woods. Closer to the house was a heated swimming pool and a beautiful gazebo, but this far away, there was only trees and the quiet murmur of night. Before heading into the dense coverage of trees that did not shed their garb for the winter, I'd managed to catch sight of the pond at the southern line, of the stars spread out across it.

I tried not to recall the Blevins's celestial sheets soaked in blood.

Tonight was a night to be free and wild and I was claiming it, not solely for myself, but for the others that needed it as well. For a long time, we ran with no clear destination. We used the trees as cover, circling back into their thick shelter when the woods threatened to end. The night was alive with its own music, with the song of crickets and other insects, of wind and leaves.

The dry grass crunched beneath my paws. My tail caught on something behind me and I turned, skittering to jerk it loose of the small patch of burs.

Great, now Laurens going to be picking stickers out of my ass.

I shook my tail in irritation, hoping to shake some of them out.

That's going to make it worse, witch.

Normani caught up with me, amethyst gaze framed by the black fur of her wolf form.

Someone gave a delightful yip that caught my attention. I cast my gaze to Dinah's and Evans's large forms ahead. Ally threw her head back, let rip a tiny howl, and bounded through the trees.

Evan nipped at Dinah's leg, signaling for her to move it.

Dinah jumped, following after Ally.

I heard someone's paws skid in the dirt before they sounded like tiny drums again.

Ally came rushing back, chasing after a black-tailed jackrabbit like it was a bouncy ball she wanted to chew on. Dinah pushed past her, cinnamon fur like gray ash in my night vision. She lunged forward, trying to get the rabbit's tail during an upspring, and missed. She shook her furry head, ears flapping as she blew dirt out of her nostrils.

This is a sad sight, Normani's voice flowed through my mind.

Ally and Dinah didn't seem to think so.

They're playing, I thought to her.
It's not an actual hunt.

Ally had taken over chasing the rabbit, which was conveniently heading toward Evan's direction. Dinab had disappeared into the trees and I sensed her waiting, waiting for Evan and Ally to guide it through.

Evan sank as low to the ground as his massive body would allow, and the rabbit, heart hammering in its chest, veered away from him.

He joined the chase when it passed, encouraging it through the break in the trees ahead.

Dinah got it, diving out from the behind the trees and catching it between her jaws. She skipped back to us, announcing her victory. She lowered her snout, gently releasing the rabbit.