Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
My nose twitches. I smell multiple council alphas. I don’t look over my shoulder but hear at least one of them running and close.
Jared’s nostrils flare and he demands, “Get dressed, Cicely, and go home! Now!”
I jerk back in angry shock. “What?”
His lip curls, then his expression goes pained.
“Run!” he demands, jerking painfully before dropping to his knees and planting his palms on the ground, blowing out a hard exhale before his face contorts painfully, like he’s hurt. It’s like he’s fighting pain. Fighting… something.
I think he’s trying to fight a shift.
Tyson arrives first, as wolf, skidding to a stop beside me.
I watch Jared’s body shift to the massive gray wolf with the amber eyes, those slit-shaped pupils, all jagged teeth and menace. His fur stands on end as his snout points in our direction. He’s growling. No, snarling. His is the most vicious-looking wolf I’ve ever set eyes on.
Tyson barks out a deep, loud bark, his stance suddenly seeming bigger, even more alpha.
Jared’s wolf bares his massive teeth, growling louder.
Oh shit.
Terror spreads through me.
Joel’s wolf is here, stopping, and he’s shifting to human form. Here’s Mase, as well, his white wolf peeling away until he’s rising to stand beside Joel, and both of them stare at my mate, testosterone radiating from their bodies.
Uh oh. No. This isn’t really happening.
I hear a car door slam and Linc runs up as man, dressed, carrying a bag, his eyes scanning my form quickly, assessing my wellbeing instead of my nudity like he typically would in this situation. And, no doubt, he’s clocked the new mark on my neck.
I know more than once during post-coital cuddling, Linc seemed fixated on my neck, stroking it with his thumb. And I always believed he hoped he’d put his mark there one day.
It wasn’t meant to be. And he’s known for longer than I have precisely why.
I’m fuming. Angry doesn’t begin to describe it. A little devastated, too. Because a she-shifter spends her life wondering if she’ll fall for a beta or an alpha. Or if she’ll be claimed by an alpha stranger who takes her away from her home. If the male she makes a family with will be a fated mate and if he is, will it feel like the most amazing gift she’s been given?
But then it’s… this.
Rejection.
And the barking and growling coming from both sides of the river is almost deafening. Jared’s wolf is losing it, pacing by the water’s edge, lunging with menace, daring Tyson’s wolf to come closer. Those terrifying teeth, which practically vibrate as they drip with saliva.
Tyson gives that same vibe right back, his giant black wolf growling, hackles up, teeth bared.
“What the fuck, you guys?” I demand.
“I know, honey,” Linc says with a whole lot of emotion on his face as he pulls out two weapons.
Shit!
“You guys can’t hurt him. Tyson!”
Tyson’s wolf looks at me briefly before his focus is Linc. He’s now ignoring Jared’s wolf, who is still barking, growling, and definitely challenging him.
“You guys swim with me,” Linc tells them, “And we’ll surround him at the same time. I’ll carry these and then who can shift so I can pin him while you disable him? Joel?”
“Got it,” Joel says.
“Tase first from a distance, only add a stun if you can make contact without putting yourself at risk.”
“Yep,” Joel replies.
Tyson’s wolf moves into the water.
Fuck!
“I’ll be second if Joel needs help pinning,” Mase says, then shifts to his white wolf again, getting into the water with Tyson’s wolf.
Jared’s wolf darts forward, as if to get in the water but immediately inches back and throws his head back, bellowing a long howl that makes my entire body ache with some sort of foreign need. He must be afraid of the river.
Tyson is already halfway across while Linc undresses and sets the weapon on the ground.
“What the fuck?” I demand, tears streaming down my face now.
“We caught your scent, it’s right through the village. It’s like the alpha’s mating scent, but it’s yours instead of his. Heard him howl, too. Loudest howl I’ve ever heard.”
“My scent. Because he’s scentless,” I spit, voice full of accusation. Because Linc knew. He knew!
Linc blows out a breath and looks at me with remorse.
And Jared’s wolf is still losing his ever-loving shit at the approaching alphas.
“Lincoln?”
“Let’s get this taken care of, then we can talk.” He puts both weapons into a big, thick clear zippered plastic bag and zips it shut.
“This? This?”
“Hang tight, babe.”
Ticked is not a strong enough word. Pissed? Furious? I can’t even articulate how angry I am right now, also how concerned, because Tyson, Joel, Mase, and Linc are going to shoot him with a taser? Stun him? Then what?
“Do not fucking hurt him!” I demand.
Warmth and light hits Linc’s eyes just briefly before he nods and shifts, then jumps in the water with the bag of weapons in his mouth.