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)
I nod, sniffling. It hurts so much to think of the pain he’s in.
Linc keeps talking. “You were drawn to figure out what was what with him based on what you heard from Stacy? Maybe by Fate, too.”
I nod again.
He continues. “I’m convinced Fate brought him around me first so I could help, so we’d know how good of a guy he is, and so he could find you and fix what’s wrong in himself. So, we can give him a pack. I’m sure of it. We just don’t know how yet and he won’t listen; thinks he has to leave to protect you. I only leveled with these guys yesterday. Been carrying this burden for the last while trying to suss it out, but we had Grey’s mating drama.”
I sniffle.
He presses his lips to my forehead. “We all caught that scent and heard his howl. Grey went to Rye and Erica’s to get on the phone with some of her sisters, tryin’ to see what can be done. Gonna ask Cat to reach out to Dr. Blakely, too. Jared didn’t want that, doesn’t trust the SCC, which we can hardly blame. But we’ll ask Cat not to reveal who she’s asking for. Rye’s with your father now, explaining, because the village smells like you.”
The tears come harder.
“But honey, please listen to me.” He pulls back and holds my face again, his thumbs wiping tears away, and all that Linc warmth I’ve been missing right here in his eyes. “When he’s awake, it’s gonna make it worse that you’re here. Please, work with us. I need to go shower to get your scent off me. He’ll lose it. It’s a direct challenge that I’ve even touched you, especially given he knows you and I have history.”
I shake my head. “I am not leaving until I talk to him. I need to talk to him when he wakes up. Need to, Linc.”
He grinds his molars.
I add, “If you’re worried about how he’ll take me being here with you all, then the solution is for you guys to leave instead of me.”
Linc fires back, “And if Ty’s right about the fact the irons might not hold him? He could wake up and immediately shift. He could break through those irons and maybe even through the barred door.”
Fuck.
“What happened?” Linc asks. “Need you to tell me.”
“He drove in and saw me, told me to leave, then shifted.”
“So, you met his wolf close up?”
I nod. “He got my throat in his mouth and then shifted back and claimed me immediately, no introductions or anything. And then after he… gave my neck his mark he knifed off me and swam across the river, yelling at me from over there to leave. Then you guys got here, and it made him shift back. I think he fought shifting. And lost.”
“Fuck.”
“Maybe his wolf won’t harm me. Maybe it recognizes me. Did you see how he reacted when I shifted?”
“He won’t want to take that chance.”
“Give me the stun gun,” I say. “I’ll be careful.”
He looks me over, pondering it.
Mase and Tyson join us.
“I’m not leaving,” I state inflexibly, eyes bouncing across all of them.
“He could’ve killed you, Sis,” Linc warns.
“He didn’t,” I remind him.
“Doesn’t mean he won’t,” Linc volleys.
“You just said you think all this is happening for a reason, Lincoln.”
Linc huffs out a breath.
“We’ve got a taser and a stun gun,” Mase says. “If she’s double-fisted, she could zap him through the bars, then call one of us. We’ll leave her a vehicle to get away quick if he does.”
Linc replies. “Jared has a full kit of defense weapons. Probably back in his truck. He’s got strong ones. But this could go on for days before we can even have a conversation with him, guys.”
“Then bring his truck and camper here,” I suggest. “Then I’ve got amenities while I wait.”
“We’ll have the women stock you up with supplies,” Tyson offers. “I’ve got generators at the cabin. Then you’ve got comforts.”
“It’s got a decent solar set-up, and he’s got a generator,” Joel steps out, closing the barred door over and testing to ensure it’s closed before he hangs a set of keys on a nail outside the door and says, “We’ll check and see if his tanks are empty.”
“Don’t like this,” Linc grits out.
“I’m sorry, Lincoln, but that’s too bad,” I dig in. “Nobody should get between an alpha and his mate, right?”
Linc’s gaze narrows. He doesn’t like that I’m playing this card that the alphas always play. And too bad.
Linc massages his temples with one hand.
“I’ll go get those supplies,” Joel announces.
“I’ll bring back the truck and trailer,” Tyson offers.
“Sounds good,” I say, straightening my spine, ready to move on.
Linc isn’t on board.
Tyson grabs Linc’s shoulder affectionately and says, “Fate knows what it’s doing. You already pointed it out. Now trust it.”