Free Un.Wavering (Claimed Series Book 3) by Reese Morgan Page B

when she identified one of the females from Amber Beard’s impromptu pack. The woman was just as wounded as Tracer’s puppet, yet she clearly didn’t possess the same amount of determination.
    Desperation, maybe, but certainly not mind-numbing determination.
    Hayden grimaced, clutching the tree for support as the woman struggled to get away from the advancing creature.
    The suffering female hyperventilated. With each inhalation, a choked cry reverberated across the quiet, observing forest. Her face screwed up with intense concentration, though traces of deep terror lined her eyes. She dodged sharply, trying to avoid the puppet’s reaching hands.
    But she wasn’t fast enough.
    Hunching lower, Hayden closed her eyes. The last thing she saw were meaty hands curling greedily around the woman’s neck. Bones snapping and muscles tearing echoed in Hayden’s ears and she could do nothing to erase their memory.
    Adolf once told her that Cole could kill his enemies with his hands and teeth alone. She couldn’t imagine him doing something like this.
    The sudden realization terrified her. She hadn’t thought much about Celeste’s altered werewolves being so unstoppable. But they were. Even when their Sire died, they still carried out his orders with single-minded obedience.
    She remembered Nicolas’ claim the day they’d witnessed the Hunters’ massacre. While the traditional werewolves had their backs turned, Celeste had worked diligently behind the scenes, constructing and breeding an unrelenting army.
    How many of these monsters Sired others, and in turn others?
    Their population was enigmatic and problematic.
    As much as Hayden hated to agree with Nicolas, she couldn’t dispute his earlier claim. This was no longer about fighting to win. This was about surviving.
    When the sounds of struggle ceased, Hayden forced herself to peek around the tree. The gore was obvious where the woman once stood, but Tracer’s puppet was no longer in sight. Stiffening, she glanced over her shoulder, desperately looking through the darkness to spy the hulking creature.
    Just because he bypassed her earlier didn’t mean he wouldn’t circle back around.
    But no one lurked nearby.
    Slowly, she got to her feet, noticing her trembling knees and her stomach growling with extreme hunger. Pushing past her vulnerabilities, Hayden continued forward. She kept her eyes focused straight ahead, refusing to study the mangled corpse on her left.
    The journey to the double-peaked mountain proved a longer trek than she’d initially thought. If her scent weren’t enough to lead enemies to her whereabouts, her growling belly, which sounded more like a wounded animal, would suffice.
    She missed Addie and her cooking. She missed the pack home. She missed Cole, Fergus, Blake and even Nathan. She wondered where Asher was and if he knew what happened to Albertville. She wondered how Shane was doing, and if he decided to hunt werewolves after what happened to his grandfather.
    How long would Nicolas lead Cole around the South, hoping to discover their parents’ past? As selfish as it seemed, Hayden hoped it didn’t take too long. She wanted to be back with her pack, back in numbers.
    “As usual, I see you’re not doing as you were told.”
    Snapping her neck around, Hayden spied Nicolas standing solitarily to the side. Unsurprisingly, he was tranquil and poised, revealing nothing on his expression. Blue eyes stared at her blankly, if not mockingly, no doubt amused he was able to sneak up on her.
    “You were told to meet us at sunset.” He looked at the sky. “Not nightfall, my dear.”
    “I ran into some problems, nothing I couldn’t handle.” She grimaced, not seeing Cole anywhere. “Did you even have any rogues following you?”
    Nicolas’ lip quirked. “One or two. They were of no consequence.” He cocked his head. “I knew you could handle yourself just fine. Cole had his doubts, but that’s to be expected. He hasn’t truly seen you in