Series: Mated for Life Series by Stacey Espino
Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 179(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
We can’t stop.
We’ve got to kill him.
He understood now why Joe and the men had no choice but to leave. There was no way to survive against this monstrosity. He could only keep on attacking, hoping to tire the bear. What he needed to do was tear his heart out, but he’d seen the bear was very protective of his chest. If he could get around to the back, maybe he could plunge his hand inside, and pull the heart out. Without a heart, he couldn’t change, he couldn’t do anything.
Their wolf or bear, their animal was part of them, and the only way to kill them for real was to take that one function.
“Are you done?” the rogue asked. “I can keep on going. Come on. I’m ready. I’m more than ready.”
Caleb got to his feet again. “And so am I!”
He changed again, and this time, just as he was about to pounce, his packmates charged through the woods, and he was shocked to see his woman coming toward the edge of the trees.
What the fuck was she doing in the open? She was supposed to be kept safe. Not helping here.
“Sorry, Alpha.” Reese’s voice entered his head.
“Why is she here?”
“She won’t leave you. She’s your mate,” Brian said. “She won’t see you hurt.”
“We have a plan,” said Reese.
“What?”
“This rogue has only ever dealt with people who are afraid of him. We’re going to distract him. All of us together. Whoever can, they must take his heart. It is the only way,” Brian said.
“Seriously, attack until one of us is successful?” he asked.
“It’s all we have, Alpha,” Reese said.
“Then let’s get it done.”
His men were stuck in their skin, but they were no ordinary men. They were strong with many abilities and heightened senses. Caleb took his place and the rogue was surrounded. Even with the additional muscle, the rogue took them all on. Little by little, he sensed the fight leaving the rogue. Still, he protected his chest. This time, as Caleb rushed him, he took one hand, holding him, claws extended, and the rogue growled, trying to pull away. Brian took the other arm. Two more attacked the legs and Caleb didn’t know when Joe had burst through the lake, but in the next second, his hand was through the rogue’s chest.
Silence.
Pain.
The final countdown was coming.
Joe looked at the rogue. “For my sleuth, for those women, for everyone you have ever hurt, this is what is owed to you.” He twisted his hand and pulled.
The rogue stumbled and Caleb let him go. There was a single hole in his chest, blood oozing down.
Joe panted. He held the heart in his hand. It was bigger than Caleb imagined it would be.
“I’ve got to bury this.”
Once the body dropped, Caleb frowned, following Joe. “What are you doing?”
“I can’t put this in the lake. There’s no way we can allow this heart to be reborn.”
“You believe in all of that?”
“I believe in everything, Caleb. You should as well. How do you think we find our mates, the loves of our lives? What about the power we hold? How can you not believe?” Joe asked.
He hadn’t really thought of it like that, but seeing it now, he understood.
Joe put the heart on top of the soil and began to pull the earth back. Getting on his hands and knees, he helped, digging a big enough hole. The heart was placed inside, and he covered it up. “Now, he will forever be lost and there will be no way back for him. This is how it is supposed to be.” Joe stood.
“What do we do with the body for you?” Caleb asked.
“We burn it. It can guarantee he doesn’t come back.”
****
Two weeks later
Bethany tucked some hair behind her ear as she looked around Joe’s diner. The door and windows had been repaired, and the customers were all in a happier mood. Of course, there was talk of a giant bear sighting. She didn’t tell them anything that she knew.
Slipping her notepad into her apron, she made her way back to Joe’s office. The man himself was sitting at his desk, staring into space.
The rogue had been killed. Caleb told her everything about what had gone down.
She missed her mate.
Since their return home, they hadn’t been together. Caleb had been busy helping Heather with her pack. They wanted to join Caleb’s, which meant his family was growing. She didn’t mind. Heather was so sweet, and she was a down-to-earth, kind soul who loved to garden. She didn’t like to hunt, and in fact, loved animals—and she was even a vegan. It was unheard of for a wolf shifter.
She liked having a friend, at least a girlfriend to chat with. What made it even more awesome, they shared ice cream—of the vegan variety—but Bethany didn’t mind.