Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 460(@200wpm)___ 368(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Charlie’s teeth were gritted so tight as he sneered at Lucy that I was worried for a moment that he was about to launch himself across the table.
“That’s enough,” my dad announced, his voice low.
“Oh, fuck you,” Lucy snarled, not even bothering to look at him.
“Baby,” I murmured, carefully laying my hand on her back. Things were about to devolve even more than they already had. All three of my brothers were staring at my mate, waiting to see what she would do, and my mother was silently crying.
“You’re not doing this,” Lucy announced firmly. “They can fuck off with their little rescue mission.”
“His mate is missing, Luce,” Charlie said, pointing to the end of the table where Finau was staring blankly at the plate in front of him.
“Then he can find her.”
“He needs help. He—”
“He can fuck off too,” she said, her voice suddenly quiet. “They can all go straight to hell.”
“Lucy,” I said quietly.
“Don’t frigging touch me,” she hissed, sidestepping my hand. She looked at her brother. “Do not leave this house, or I swear to god, Charlie,”—she looked around the table—“I’ll burn the place down before I follow you.”
“Lucy,” he called as she stormed out of the kitchen.
“I’ll talk to her,” I said as he dropped back into his chair.
My father stopped me at the base of the stairs.
“Go careful, Ulf,” he warned.
“Thanks for the tip,” I replied, moving past him.
By the time I reached my rooms, Lucy had already grabbed her bag and was on her way back out.
“Get out of my way,” she ordered.
Instead, I stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind me.
“I’m not messing around,” she snapped. “I’m leaving.”
“Where are you going to go?” I asked, leaning back against the door.
“Who the hell cares? I brought my brother here so he’d be safe, not so you creeps could use him like some kind of bait.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Don’t think so,” she replied mockingly.
“How far do you think you’d get before the heat got unbearable?”
Lucy froze.
“I’d guess a couple of miles,” I continued. “Maybe less.”
“Then I guess Charlie would have to take care of me for once,” she hissed.
“Charlie’s not going with you.”
“Yes, he will.”
“If you think that using him to lure them out was our first or even fiftieth choice, you haven’t been paying attention,” I replied. “He came to us and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“And you all thought, yeah, sure, we’ll use the weak, broken guy in our big plan? What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Your brother isn’t weak or broken,” I bit out.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“What part of mates rarely survive the death of their other half didn’t you understand?” I asked, taking a step toward her. “The fact that Charlie is still functioning? The fact that he’s making an effort to get to know our family? The fact that he wants to do something for someone else…someone he doesn’t even know? Your brother is the strongest person I’ve ever met.”
“He’s still not being used as bait,” she screamed at me.
“He needs this,” I argued, my voice rising as well. “He needs to feel useful. He needs to feel like he’s doing something to stop the people who killed his mate! Why can’t you understand this?”
Lucy’s face was red with anger. She was practically vibrating with rage.
“If you let this happen, we are done,” she spat out. Almost immediately, her back curved, and her arms clutched her stomach. “I will never complete the bond. I’d rather let us both burn alive.”
My head snapped back like she’d slapped me.
My ears rang.
The inferno in my chest roared.
I reached for the door handle behind me with shaking hands, barely able to flip the lock. I spun and threw it open, hurrying out of the room as I started to dry heave. Keeping one hand on the banister, I moved down the stairs as quickly as I could.
I needed to put as much space between us as I could manage. Every molecule of my body felt like it was screaming as I lurched through the living area toward the front door. I’d barely gotten it open when I heard chairs scraping back from the table.
“Follow him,” my dad ordered someone.
Then I was outside and half walking and half running toward the woods.
Gods, the pain was excruciating. Ripping off my shirt, I used it to mop off my face and the back of my neck. Just as I hit the tree line, I stumbled and landed on my knees. Even the breath in my lungs felt like it was burning. I couldn’t get enough air.
Every single instinct urged me to go back to the house.
“Ulf,” Beau called as he jogged up behind me. “Fuck.”
“Give me a minute,” I ordered, my own voice sounding unfamiliar.
Digging my fingers into the dirt, I dragged scorching air into my lungs and gagged.