Book Five: Chapter 93

“No. But he is hurt very badly,” Bigfoot said, his voice low, urgent, almost grating against the crunch of snow beneath their feet. He knelt down carefully, lifting Dana into his arms. The dog snarled and bared her teeth at him, a low growl vibrating from her chest, but Bigfoot’s firm grip held her steady. His massive form was slowly shrinking back down to its usual size, limbs tensing as he adjusted to his normal proportions. “I’ll get her. You get Mike inside. I can come back for Yuki.”

“I’ve got her,” Abella replied, limping from the shadows, her tail dragging against the snow with each uneven step. Her coat was dusted with frost, and she winced as the cold nipped at exposed skin.

Velvet crouched beside Mike, lifting him carefully into her arms. His body felt impossibly light, almost like a fragile marionette, though she could feel the weight of his injuries through tense muscle and tremb