Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108368 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Ridiculous as it was, he didn’t like sharing her with others in the pack. The scent, sight, or thought of her made his cock begin to harden. He wanted her constantly, couldn’t get enough of her—if he was able to, he’d be in her twenty-four/seven. He wanted to be in her right now.
Sensing his intense need for her, Ally shook her head with a smile. “Later. First we eat.”
As usual, they sat on the porch to have their meal. “Have Roni and Marcus located Kerrie?” Ally asked Derren. She knew the mated pair had ventured to Kerrie’s pack that morning, where one of Marcus’s sisters was also a member. Apparently, Kerrie hadn’t been seen by her pack for a few months. Her parents claimed she was going to visit friends in another pack but that she hadn’t been specific as to whom she was visiting.
“Marcus has called every one of Kerrie’s friends that were on the list his sister gave him,” he replied. “They all said they haven’t had contact with her in months.”
“They could be lying.”
“Of course they could, but Nick can’t afford to separate our pack to go hunting. So, instead, he’s done something quite cunning.”
“What?” Ally shoved a forkful of chicken in her mouth.
“An hour ago, he put out a reward for either Kerrie’s capture—making it clear he wants her brought in alive—or for any information that leads to her whereabouts.”
Clever. “Do you think it’ll work?”
“I think there are plenty of people who would want to gain favor with Nick, so it’s very possible that someone could come forward.”
Halfway through her lunch, Ally said, “Tell me a little about the Kerrie situation. I know she lied about Marcus’s mate being someone else because she wanted him for herself. But why would she take the rejection and his mating to Roni so badly?”
“Before Roni, Marcus’s relationships were short and simple. But he didn’t lead females on—he always made it clear that he wasn’t looking for anything permanent. Outwardly, Kerrie didn’t seem to take it badly when he ended things. They even remained casual friends. She told him that she’d had a vision of his mate; she gave him a false description, told him that the female needed him and was a lot like his mother—which scared the shit out of Marcus.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know exactly. All he’s told me on the matter is that he doesn’t have contact with her for a damn good reason.” Derren sipped his Coke. “So by telling him that his mate was someone he so obviously wouldn’t want to accept, Kerrie made him opposed to mating with his true mate.”
“Probably hoping that it would make him open to imprinting with another female,” Ally surmised. “Like Kerrie.”
“Yes. And by giving him a false description of his true mate, Kerrie was no doubt doing her best to make it extremely difficult for him to recognize his true mate when he found her.”
“Did Kerrie lie about the fact that she’d had a vision of him with his true mate, or did she truly have a vision and it was Roni she saw with him?”
Derren finished chewing his chicken before answering. “Roni believes it’s the latter. When she and Kerrie first met, the Seer froze at the sight of her and acted weird. She tried coming between Roni and Marcus. She first warned Roni away by saying that Marcus’s mate needed him. Later she told tales to Marcus’s father, who turned up to see him and berated him for choosing Roni over his mate. At that point, Roni and Marcus had already realized they were mates and had claimed each other. Kerrie was too late.”
“Did Kerrie admit she’d been talking out of her ass?”
“No. She insisted she was telling the truth about her vision, and she claimed that Roni had turned Marcus against her.” Done with his lunch, Derren put the plate aside.
“So she hates Roni for that, and she most likely hates Marcus for not choosing her over Roni. She’s angry her plan didn’t work.” Ally took a swig of her drink. “I’d say it seems unlikely that someone would go so far as to wipe out two packs for what two people did, but I’ve seen firsthand that there are people who would see an entire pack killed for vengeance.” Her wolf growled at the memories of that night. “And they say that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
Derren nodded. “They’re right.” A series of beeps came from inside the lodge. Recalling that he’d left his cell phone on the counter, he picked up his empty plate and rose. “I’ll be right back.”
Hearing rustles in the grass, Ally rolled her eyes at the three wolves lingering nearby—on schedule. Evidently, Derren was right; the pack didn’t intend to treat her any differently than before. Or, at least, these three scavengers didn’t. She flung them the three extra chicken-fried steaks she’d made. Since the three enforcers never failed to make a brief visit at lunchtime, she’d taken to cooking extra food for them every day.