Slipping out the front door of the den was impossible, but that had never stopped her. As papa’s favorite helper in the shop, she got to snag all kinds of tools that let her get into the back ventilation shaft and outside to do ... what?

Well, she didn’t exactly know what she had been thinking trudging all the way out here to the woods by the river. She hadn’t really been thinking, at all. The only thing on her mind was the burning lustful sensation coursing through every nerve. Her spade was so swollen and sensitive to everything that touched it that even her clothes rubbing against her made her bite her lip and whimper. She wasn’t new to having her heat, but she wasn’t supposed to be out of the den considering she had no rank. Her best bet was that one of her uncles or brothers would find her soon and lead her back before a predator caught her scent. Or worse.

“Well, look what we found!”

“Looks like it’s sweet, li’l Nova.”

Gasping, she turned in time to find herself being surrounded by five wiry men, each showing a prominent X upon their faces. Glancing among them in a panic, she whined and lowered herself, tucking her tail so that it laid up her belly between her legs. She knew the one who came closer than the rest, could even recall the time he did not carry the jagged, ugly mark of Banishment. She hadn’t trusted him then anymore than she did at this moment.

“Oh, now, now, Nova,” Red Paw cooed sweetly, stepping closer. “There ain’t no need ta cower, love. We ain’t ‘ere ta hurt ye. I know ye think we’re scary, but we jist wanna make ye feel good.”

“I-I’m not s’pose ta be out ‘ere,” she whimpered meekly, hugging herself, glancing back and forth among them. She knew if she howled for help, they would attack her.

“Hmm, maybe,” Red Paw answered with thinly veiled smugness, “but ye is. Cuz ye know ye need some relief. Good thing we’re ‘ere, cuz we kin help wit’ that.”

When he took another step closer, she attempted to back away, only to bump into a tree. Trapped and surrounded, her heart pounded even as her body ached with the heady musk of testosterone. It was a struggle to remember she was in danger. No part of her mind wanted to be out here, but her body was an entirely different matter.

Red Paw had stepped close enough to touch her now, smirking down at her. “I kin see how much ye want it. Kin hardly stand it, burnin’ up inside ye. Why don’t ye take off those cute lil shorts so we kin help ye wit’ that ache?”

Reaching down, he pinched the front of her shorts and jerked them up so that the seam slipped into the slick folds of her spade and rubbed her clit. With a gasp, her eyes fluttered and she let out a soft moan despite biting her lip, her toes curling. The others rushed closer with rapacious grins, cutting off any last doubt to the inevitability of what was about to happen to her. Red Paw, however, flashed a glare between them when she whined in fear, their sudden movements bringing her back to the jeopardy she was in. Easing back, they panted in excitement. She did not need to look up to feel their hungry gazes searing into her as though they could burn her clothes off.

“Alright, then, love. Let’s try somethin’ easier,” Red Paw cooed softly when she did not move other than to tremble. “Let’s start wit’ the shirt. Don’t think ye’d want us ta end up havin’ ta rip it off. Would be such a shame if our claws got too deep in our excitement,” he reached out, ignoring her cringe, and gently ran his claws through the fur of her cheek, down her jowl and neck, along her collarbone, and stretched down the collar of her shirt to emphasis as he continued, “so it’s best if ye did it yerself.”

Every inch of her flesh felt violated by his touch, every strand of fur standing up at his cold assurance. He stepped even closer, a confident smirk on his gray snout, delighting in her struggle to stay present and not slip into a heat daze. Lowering his head to her laid back ear, he gave her a little nuzzle. “It’s okay, Nova. Ye kin let go. Give in to it. We don’t wanna hurt ye. Jist be a good girl an’ lift those arms. I’ll help ye wit’ the rest.”

Swaying on her feet, she whimpered weakly, her grip on herself loosening.

One of the men closest to the bushes let out a terrified yowl. Startling, they all jumped and snapped around to stare wide eyed as the one that cried out was wrestled back into the thick, dark brush. A quick scuffle and the thud of a body hitting the ground were followed immediately by a wet, awful crunch, and he screamed even louder, caterwauling off towards the river.

Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, the rest stared at the bushes in stunned uncertainty. They spooked back when it parted again. Another wolf materialized before them, soaking wet and eyes shining like lasers locked on Red Paw. His teeth were bared up well past the gums, blood glistening in the faint light of the stars. Stepping into full view, he dropped something, which their eyes naturally followed. Red Paw’s hackles rose when he realized it was the end of a tail that had been snapped and ripped off.

“Uh, ah...” he started, his open mouth curling up in a nervous grin, “ha ha, Jaaack! Brother!”

Jack did not give him the chance to say more. Jaws agape, his snarling lunge got him close enough to plunge his fangs deep into Red Paw’s shoulder where it attached to his arm. Yelping out in pain as he stumbled back and only kept his feet because he bumped into another of his posse, he quickly recovered enough to sink his own fangs into the curve of Jack’s shoulder along his neck, blood exploding in his mouth. Locked in a struggle, they growled loud and murderously, grappling one another until they lost their balance and tumbled to the ground.

Trapped under Jack, Red Paw had to gasp for air from the impact, releasing him just before Jack let go to yelp out when his whole ear was in a mouth, the base pierced clean through, ripping when the Banished jerked him upwards. Ignoring the pain, Jack twisted and got him by the cheek, two canines pinching through the skin. As soon as he was released, Jack got him with an uppercut that crunched his teeth together and threw him back into the one standing behind him, knocking them both over.

Turning his rage back to his brother, Jack wordlessly pummeled Red Paw with his fists, snarling after every breath he sucked in. Red Paw flailed desperately, trying to fend off the strikes to little avail.

The beating only stopped when Jack was finally wrenched off him, arms held immobilized by the uninjured Banished. Taking advantage of his hard earned strength and surge of adrenaline, Jack was able to hurl one of the scrawny, underfed thugs into the bushes. Turning on the one still holding him, his hand wrapped around his throat with every intention of crushing him.