THE HOLLOW WOLF
I go straight for the stranger holding Nadia, knocking him hard off his feet before he can draw whatever blade he's reaching for, and beside me, Mara moves faster than I expect, teeth bared, driving one of the other strangers back toward the tree line with a ferocity that would have surprised me if I didn't already know exactly what she's capable of when someone she loves is threatened.
The fight's brutal and fast, wolves against men unprepared for a full pack response, and within minutes, two of the three strangers lie unconscious or worse, the third fled somewhere into the dark trees before we can catch him properly.
Marren stands frozen through all of it, clearly understanding there's now