The fall into the lake had been so brutal that Ethan's consciousness was affected. Even with his mate between his legs, clutched tightly against his chest and his instinct dictating that she was the first thing he should protect, that didn't stop them from going down. Only when his lungs tightened and through the bond he felt his mate almost on a thread of life did Ethan open his eyes and force every part of him to move.

He forgot the pain he was in from the blow and the wounds and began kicking in the water, with his hind legs in an attempt to pull them both afloat. Against him his partner was inert and panic began to assail him. He kicked harder until the edge of the moonlight-splashed water was in front of his eyes and he was through.

Ethan took a deep breath of air as he surfaced and forced his body to transform as fast as he could feeling his bones creak outrageously under his skin. His now held tightly to Clara who was unconscious in his arms and... not breathing.

Crap. I hadn't