“I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you.” I stare at my friend, the best one I could have ever asked for. I keep my voice low. “You have a mate and a baby on the way. I would never ask you to put yourself in danger.” He looks over at his mate, and I see the frustration on his face. “That’s why I didn’t ask you to make that choice.”
He faces me again. “I get it. I really do, but if you ever—”
“Hunter!” a shrill voice calls out. “You are in so much trouble!”
Bryce grins slowly, and it looks purely evil. “Guess you’re going to get what’s coming to you.”
I expect her to yell at me, but that’s not what she does. She wraps her arms around me, shocking me. It’s pretty awkward because I’m holding my mate. She steps back, and there are tearsin her eyes. “Thank you.” I’m just shocked she didn’t hit me or worse.
“You’re welcome.”
And then she slugs me, right in the stomach. I grunt, but can’t move because I’m holding Sherese. “Don’t ever do that again! We were so worried about you!”
I keep my voice gentle, knowing she was worried for her friend. “She’s okay. We got her back.”
“I was talking about you, you big oaf. Yes, I’m super thankful you got Sherese out, but we were worried about you, too. Don’t ever disappear like that again.”
Her words trigger something deep in me. I meet her gaze. “I won’t.”
“We’re family,” she whispers.
My heart squeezes tight. “Family,” I repeat.
And then, Sherese’s beautiful brown eyes open.
Chapter Forty-Three
Sherese
I blink up at Hunter. “Why are you carrying me like I’m some damsel in distress?”
His eyebrows rise. “I’m sorry. You were just dead a few hours ago, so carrying seemed easier than trying to get you to walk,” he says dryly.
Suddenly, everything comes back. I gasp and move, so Hunter will put me down. “What happened?” I demand. “And would you please put me down?”
“Rizo and Ajax are both dead, and we escaped. And no.”
I blink. “No, what?”
“I won’t put you down.”
I look around and realize we have an audience. “Put me down,” I try again.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t. I almost lost you, and my wolf and I are barely hanging on to sanity.”
I stare up at him. “Let me put it this way. Put me down, Wolf, or you’re going to be hurting.”
His lips tug up in a slow smile, and my heart picks up speed. “It’s good to have you back and threatening me.”
“You two are so weird.”
I turn at the sound of Ava’s voice. And now, I really want to be put down. I reach out and pull on Hunter’s ear.Hard. He makes a sound. “Put me down,” I growl in his ear. He sighs and finally sets me on my feet. Ava plows into me a moment later, knocking me into Hunter. But he stands sturdy like a wall behind us.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she whispers.
