Free Winter (Rise of the Pride, Book 2) by Theresa Hissong

short
hallway that lead to a spare room downstairs. When he unlocked his
phone, he shot one text to Nova.
    Movement outside. Get your gun and lock your
bedroom door. I’m going to shift. Calling for Guardians.
    The next message was sent to his brothers
and his alpha.
    Movement at Nova’s. Shifting…need
backup.
    He heard Nova’s door close and the sound of
the lock clicking into place. He moved swiftly to the front door,
and as quietly as he could, unlocked the bolt. He cracked the door
open and then started stripping down. It only took a second or two
for his panther to push forward. The shift was complete in a moment
and he used his paw to pull the door open.
    The cat slinked down the front steps, not a
sound to be heard. His eyes adjusted to the darkness and his mind
tracked scents as he moved around the side of the house, pausing to
use a tall shrub as cover.
    Crack!
    The sound was further away this time. The
wind shifted and the scent of wolves caused his panther to growl
low in his throat. Pulling all of the magic inside him, Winter’s
human mind called out for his leader.
    Talon…Wolves!
    An immediate push of power swirled around
his mind, the feeling of his leader’s strength invaded his
thoughts.
    Almost there!
    The panther moved out from behind his cover,
dropping low to the ground. He wanted to find them…he wanted their
blood.
    Headlights flashed as several vehicles
pulled into the drive, panthers jumping from the beds of trucks.
Talon rushed out of the driver’s seat of his silver pickup, tossing
his clothes as he ran.
    “Where?” Talon demanded, shucking his
jeans.
    Winter’s panther huffed and turned his head,
signaling the direction in which he heard the wolves. Talon’s
panther stood tall and let out a deep growl, his nails digging into
the dirt as he took the lead. Dane, Booth, Storm, and Noah joined
them, following the scent of wolves deep into the darkened abyss of
the woods behind Nova’s home.
    Winter registered the faint sound of paws
running ahead, knowing they were close to catching them. Low
branches slapped at his coat but found no purchase against the
panther’s thick skin. The pride moved as one when the scent of
wolves turned south, skirting the edge of the Coldwater River. An
occasional paw print in the wet ground pushed his panther on,
knowing they were getting closer.
    It was easy to make out the road up ahead
because the leaves had already dropped from the trees. Headlights
from a vehicle lit up their way, although they didn’t need it to
see. Their vision was perfect in the dark, but the light was
welcomed because it gave away the position of the wolves as they
reached the street.
    What the panthers did not expect was that
the vehicle was waiting for the wolves. The wolves jumped into the
bed of a truck, speeding away when the panthers reached the
road.
    A roar split the night when Winter’s panther
realized he’d been denied a fight to take out the predators who’d
tried to kill the alpha’s mate, hurt a child of their pride, and
had dared to come on Nova’s land. Talon snarled, scratching his
large paw into the ground, wanting the blood of those wolves as
well.
    After several minutes, the surrounding woods
became still, returning to their nocturnal sounds. Small animals
scurried under dead leaves, hiding from the only predators
remaining…the panthers.
    Talon huffed, wanting them to return to the
house. They turned as one unit and began their trek back toward the
farmhouse. Winter snarled, knowing he missed a chance to eliminate
the wolves. As soon as they reached the yard, all six men shifted,
gathering up their clothes.
    “I want Nova at the pride,” Talon ordered.
“I don’t care what she wants. It’s too damn dangerous for her to be
here, even with the Guardians. We could’ve been too late.”
    “I agree.” Winter nodded. “I will get her
packed…but Talon?”
    “Yeah?” Talon said, pausing to pull his
shirt over his head.
    “She’s staying in the