Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
His words hit harder than I expected. I clench my fists at my sides. “We were blamed for something we weren’t responsible for. Our innocence didn’t matter. The blame stuck. We couldn’t stay and be torn apart by that. So we left to build something new, but I’ve never stopped dreading it could all be taken away again.”
“You’ve made something strong. The mate bond changes you. It gives you roots.” He watches me closely now. “So what are you asking, Nixon? Speak plainly.”
I draw and hold a breath, pride burning hot in my throat. “If Gregory challenges us, I need to know I won’t stand alone. If his wolves cross the boundary line again, he’ll be encroaching on your territory, too. If they come for the child, we’ll fight to the death. But I want to know there’s someone behind us. Just one other pack who’ll say no, this won’t stand.”
Hunter tilts his head. “You’re asking us to fight your war?”
“No,” I say firmly. “I don’t believe it will come to that. Wolves don’t like to challenge bears at the best of times. There has never been a time when wolf and bear have stood shoulder to shoulder. I think the sight of us united will be enough to make Gregory think twice.”
He rubs his lips slowly, eyes sharpening. “A rogue pack on our borders is a cause for concern for all of us, especially one that believes it has the strength to overwhelm. You and your brothers have kept peace in this territory, a peace we appreciate. You’ll have our support, not because I owe you, but because I trust you to do what’s right.”
Relief hits me low in the gut, almost making me stagger.
“Thank you,” I say. “I’m returning to my father’s pack with the child. Maybe she’ll be enough to bring about a truce.”
Hunter claps a heavy hand on my shoulder. “Going back is always hard. But in this case, it’s worth it. Your new life is worth protecting at all costs.”
***
By the time I return to the yard, dusk is already crowding around the lumberyard. The saws are quiet. I find Reed pacing outside the office, his arms crossed.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
He looks up, eyes sharp. “Scarlet’s worried about you. She doesn’t like it when we leave.”
My heart stutters. “What did she say?”
Reed shakes his head. “Not much. She keeps staring into the woods.”
My chest tightens. I’m not used to having a mate to worry about me while I’m away. I need to be more mindful of my communication, so Scarlet doesn’t fret unnecessarily. But she also needs to understand the dangers that lurk in the shadows, and how strong we are in both wolf and human form, capable of protecting her, as long as the odds aren’t too stacked against us.
There’s a storm coming, but we’ll be prepared.
35
REED
Our father’s territory lies three hours to the north. In the truck, as the forest closes in on the pack land, a tense silence grips us all. We haven’t called ahead. We didn’t want to give them time to think about our arrival. This way, they’ll see our mate and Ahya simultaneously. It’ll provide us with a distraction before we have to broach the subject of Gregory.
“What’s your mom like?” Scarlet asks.
“She has Nixon’s eyes. My nose. Reed’s sense of humor.”
“Do you think we’ll get along?”
I shrug because what can I say? I have no idea if our mother will accept our mate. Matt’s death shook her to her core. When we left, she didn’t say goodbye. This whole confrontation is going to be a challenge. We’ve been putting off telling Scarlet about our brother, but it isn’t fair to let her walk into our family pack without knowing why we left.
“Matt was our oldest brother,” I begin, eyes fixed on the trees as they flash past the window. “Cocky, always smiling. He used to sleep sprawled out between Nixon and me, even after we were grown. Mom called him our protector.”
Scarlet’s expression softens, her fingers stilling on my chest.
“The day it happened, we were out tracking through the eastern woods.” My voice thickens. “Matt was fast. Goddess, he was fast. He outran us. Got too far ahead showing us what he was capable of. The alpha in wait…” I swallow hard, the knot in my throat sharp and old. “The rogue wolf wasn’t supposed to be in our territory, but it came out of nowhere. A shifter gone feral. It—” I clench my jaw. “It was a slaughter.”
Scarlet’s hand curls over mine.
“By the time we caught up, it was already done.” My voice cracks. “We tore the rogue apart. There was nothing left of him. But it was too late. There was nothing we could do for Matt.”
The scent of our old pack fills the air, the deep musk of familiar wolves. It presses against my skin like humidity. Scarlet shifts in her seat, her hand resting lightly over Ahya’s chest as the little one naps in her car seat. Even asleep, she clutches Scarlet’s shirt in a tight fist, as if she knows who provides safety.