Don't Poke the Luna (Xena and Ryder)

Chapter 306

Ryder's POV

The lab's lights had burned themselves into my eyes as I finally left the university research facility. The neural-controlled prosthetics prototype felt warm in my jacket pocket-Ama's breakthrough discovery that could change everything for Xena. My heart pounded with excitement as I slid into my car, immediately reaching out through the mind link:

Xena? Baby, I have incredible news.

Nothing.

The silence that greeted me was like ice water in my veins. I tried again, pushing harder through our bond.

Xena, can you hear me?

Still nothing. My hands trembled as I gripped the steering wheel, memories of the last pack attack flooding back. That same metallic taste of fear coated my tongue

now.

No, no, no. Not again.

My foot slammed down on the accelerator. The speedometer climbed-70, 80, 90 mph. Street lights blurred into ribbons of yellow light.

The pack gates should have been manned. They were always manned. But as I approached, I saw nothing but empty guardhouses silhouetted against the night

sky.

"GOD DAMN IT!" The curse ripped from my throat.

I didn't slow down. Didn't even think about it. The gate exploded into splinters and metal as my car crashed through. I had to get to the pack house.

That's when I saw them.

A circle of figures in dark masks holding torches like some twisted medieval execution scene. In the center of that circle, Xena knelt on the ground, her body crumpled and broken.

conquering kings were

tilted. My vision went white at the edges as every muscle in my body seized with shock. This couldn't be real. This couldn't

have. It was like every foundation

shock lasted only seconds before it transformed into pure

had just

the engine straight into the crowd. Bodies scattered like bowling pins as my car plowed through them.

at a dead run. My dad turned to face me, and there.

Chapter 306

of fury I possessed. He caught it,

and son. The man who'd taught

enemy.

throat like broken glass. "Why did you fake your own

the sound of my own

his voice flat and emotionless. "You're too young, too naive

roared back at him, my control completely shattered. "Where were you when Mom died? Where were you when our pack was attacked? Where the fuck were you when we needed you

across his face-shame, maybe, or

was gone so quickly I might have

his lies and

carrying across the sudden silence. "This

looked at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. When

moment his agreement left his lips,

loaded spring as I launched myself at the him. He shifted simultaneously. We were both massive and powerful, but I had youth

fur and flesh like paper. Blood poured down my leg, but I barely felt it through the adrenaline. I twisted, using his grip against him, and sank my own fangs into his neck. The taste of his

weight to try to pin me down, but I was faster. I slipped from his grasp and raked my claws

bone.

howl of pain and rage split the night

wasn't finished. He feinted left and came around my blind side. His massive paw caught me across the face, claws

my left leg. I heard the bone snap before I felt it. The pain came

broken leg barely supporting my weight, blood streaming from a dozen wounds. He