He kissed her quickly. "I'm going to shift, you two climb on."
She nodded without hesitation. His heart warmed that she had that much trust in him, but he reminded himself that they had a lot of history to create that trust.
He climbed up and shifted before he reached down with his foot so she could climb up with Mitchell on her back. As soon as she was settled on his back, he turned and flew away. Drake tipped his wing from the front of the house so they knew that Tyson was leaving. The battle raged on until they were too far away to hear it.
When they got back to the ranch, Tyson kicked the ground. "I should have burned down the house once we were out."
She rubbed his arm as Londyn smothered her brother in kisses. "Maybe Sarah will do that just because."
"You'd lose everything you ever owned."
She gestured to the kids. "I have everything I need right here in this room."
The way she looked at him left no room for him to wonder if he was included in the comment. He kissed her gently before he officially introduced himself to Mitchell.
While Valerie got the kids calmed down for a nap, Tyson walked outside. When Colton and the others returned, they made plans to keep the ranch safe. Two of the men had been dispatched and would never cause trouble on Randall's behalf again. The others were battered and bruised, but Randall had gotten away.
Tyson stared at the sky. "We need to do better to be ready."
He knew in his soul that the man wouldn't stay away long.
Chapter Twenty Three: Final Showdown
Valerie Blanchette Kenway
Both kids went to bed early after such an exciting day, for lack of a better word. Tyson sat outside with Valerie as they watched the stars. He reached over and took her hand.
"Are you sure you don't want me to stay here, on the couch?"
She wanted him to say, and not on the couch, but she had to worry about the kids first. "We'll be fine. Randall won't come back here this soon, especially with his broth... pack, scattered all over. And you guys are all right here."
He kissed her forehead as he rose. "Stubborn ass. One day you won't be able to get rid of me so easily."
"One day I won't want to. And that works both ways, you know."
"Anytime you're ready to try that, you just let me know."
Both Londyn and Mitchell were sleeping when she went back inside. She thought about television, but the lure of her bed and the peace and quiet was too strong. A good night's sleep sounded like exactly what the doctor would order."
She dozed off quickly, but in the dead quite some time later, she raised her head after she heard something that didn't match the stillness.
A faint squeak. And a slight chuffing sound.
She listened harder. It sounded like a dog sniffing along the crack of a door.
Is Randall here at the house?
Valerie dropped off the bed and crawled across the floor so she could grab her shoes. Sliding them on her feet took longer than normal because her hands were shaking so bad. She dropped one twice before she was successful. If it was Randall, she needed to get him away from the kids.
She paused once they were on and listened. A creak. A thump. He’s coming.
She grabbed her phone and saw Sarah's name at the top of her call list. She hit call before she tossed it down on the dresser. Hysteria reached critical mass, and she inched the door open. She crawled through the dark to the porch, then listened again. Hearing nothing now, she eased the door open and took the porch stairs two at a time.
She saw the shadow of the wolf against the cabin under the illumination of the moon. She made a noise so he heard her before she turned and fled into the darkness on foot. Anything to get him away from her babies.
Valerie stumbled and sprawled into a group of bushes. Sheer panic had her back on foot and plunging headlong through the brush. Branches ripped at her face as she fled, while every shadow under the moon mocked her with its secrets.
A sob broke loose as she stubbed her foot, sunk in the mud and old fallen leaves, and she fell to her knees. She caught herself with her arms. Her chest heaved as she struggled back to her feet, tears blinding her further in the dark.
