She swallowed as the men on the ship laughed. Looking over the men in various states of unappealing, her heart hammered against her chest and she weighed the option of shifting and jumping overboard voluntarily. In the distance, beyond the bow of the captain's ship, she saw Declan high up on his own rigging gripping a rope before swinging over and landing on the captain’s deck.
Several of the crew around her shifted as Malcolm and others from Declan’s crew followed his route on board, shifting into dark grey wolves to face off with the captain’s crew of mixed wolves. The opposing crews held defensive stances awaiting orders to pounce.
Declan remained in human form as he stalked menacingly toward the captain.
“Let her go!” he commanded those that held her.
“Who might you be and what is she to you?” the captain asked.
“I am the Blackstone alpha. She is… my quilter,” he said, his jawline rippling as he clenched his teeth.