'Joel,' I called, 'they are after our females. You have to stop them.'

'Get back to the den, you are out matched. I know they are after females,' he sent back sounding irate.

To hell with him, I thought as I barreled into the slower wolf ahead of me. He dropped the female and tried to come around to face me. I tore out his throat before he could even start to change direction.

Something sharp and painful hit me from behind and I turned to see the five had caught up to us. The fastest one of them had sunk his teeth into my hind leg. The others surrounded...