Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Once again, I’m reminded of how dangerous this task is.
Knowing all too well the consequences of failing, I move quickly, holding her tight to me as I walk through the forest, staying out of sight, gaining ground toward the pups. I carefully step through the brush with slow, deliberate steps. The branches bend under my weight and I shift slightly to avoid breaking them. There’s nothing I can do about the dried leaves and debris, though. I move as slowly as possible, hoping the sounds of the night cover the low crunching beneath my feet. It takes far too long for my comfort, but there isn’t any movement in the camp, so I try to ignore the time ticking by. I can do this slowly, the night is long.
My heart pumps louder, racing in my ears, as we near their hut. If only I could simply turn around and take my mate away from here with a clear conscious, I would. But I can’t leave the pups and it’s obvious that she’ll fight me if I even think about trying. At least their hut is closest to the trees—that’s the only gift I’ve been granted in this shitty situation. We’ll grab them quickly and quietly before heading into the forest and straight for my car. The pack will lose our tracks there and we’ll be safe. Although I’ll be returning to give Shadow what he truly deserves.
I walk with her in my arms, and her tiny fist clutches my shirt as we move into the clearing, away from our cover and closer to danger. I gently set her down, but keep her body pinned to mine. Her swollen belly hits my chest as I stand, and again I’m reminded of the fact that she’s carrying Shadow’s child. Her bare feet gain purchase in the grass, but I keep my hands firm on her wide hips. My blunt fingernails dig into her skin; I just can’t let go. A bad feeling grows in my gut, and I feel as if I stop holding her, even for just a moment, I’ll never be able to hold her again.
My blood rushes cold through my veins, chilling every inch of my body. Terror grips me; I don’t want to let her go. She looks up through her thick lashes and her gaze pierces into me. Her hazel eyes are mesmerizing as they plead with me to give her this. It calms my wolf like I’ve never felt. She already holds a power over me that I can’t explain. I know she needs this. She needs them.
I grit my teeth and slowly release my firm grip. I’m not sure how I should stand as we move from the safety of the trees. The closer we get to the pups, every angle will present a danger to her. I can’t stand the thought that I won’t be able to shield her from harm’s way.
I decide to enter the hut first; if that fucker’s awake I’ll rip his throat out without hesitation. I won’t give him the chance to scream. I hate that I’m risking the safety of my mate. With one step in, I leave my arm out with my hand firmly clamped on hers. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust now that I no longer have the light of the moon to lead my way. I settle my eyes on a large form in the center of the hut. The prick is sleeping on his stomach, his shoulders rising slowly and steadily. I wait a minute to make sure he’s really asleep before searching the remainder of the small area. I recognize the fucker to be the one who grabbed my mate by her hair, and I resist the urge to just slit his throat. The only thing keeping me from doing it is the fact that the pups are in the room. They don’t deserve to see that.
My nose scrunches as I take in the smell of whiskey and urine. Sure enough, empty glass bottles litter the floor. I make a note to be cautious while making my way to the pups. Behind the man are two small bodies, both curled and wrapped around each other, obviously cold. My gaze heats with anger as I notice the only blanket in the room is covering the man who’s sleeping soundly. I’m nearly overwhelmed with the need to rip it from his body and wake the bastard just to beat the shit out of him. I close my eyes for only a moment, putting my emotions in check.
Waving my head ever so slightly, I motion for my mate to enter. She moves with quiet, deliberate steps. The sight of the man doesn’t cause her to stop; she moves past him with agility, even though the weight of her belly seems to make her body tilt forward with each step. Her legs are shaky and her balance is slightly off. It makes me want to reach out to her and help her, but there’s no fucking way I’m taking my eyes off this massive shifter who’s only a foot away from my mate. I’m focused on him while she’s focused on getting the pups.