Autumn turned and then froze in the same frame.
Her body reacted before thought.A violent, instinctive recoil followed.
She tore herself out of Jasper's grasp and pivoted.Her arms shot out behind her, shoving him backward as her other hand lifted in front of her.
Claws slid out.Long.Curved.Her wolf was finally dominantly manifesting herself.Silver in the fractured light.
The motion was so sudden it cut through the strange stillness.
"Back!"
Her voice cracked through the clearing like thunder claps.
Jasper stumbled two steps from the force of the shove."Mamma—"
"BACK!"
This time it was a full Alpha command.Raw.Feral.
Dax reacted instantly, his instincts flaring.
"You heard her!" he barked, grabbing Jasper's arm and dragging him a step farther. "Take cover!"
The soldiers scattered almost immediately, feet crushing leaves as they pulled away from the center of the clearing.
