Witch?“The bad witch?” I shot back, lifting panicked eyes toward Kellan.
“No,” Slade said, straightening. “This one is on our side.”
Oh, right. Hunter must have figured out that magic was involved, and in his control-freak, anal retentive ways, he had already planned ahead and brought his own magical weapon.
Slade shifted away from me, and when his heated palm left my gut, an intense cramp almost took me down. Along with a gush of blood from between my thighs.
Shit.I should have changed the paper hours ago, but apparently I’d been too busy enjoying my dragon hot-water bottle.
“You tell them what happened while I clean myself up,” I said to Slade as I stumbled to my feet. He grunted in return, and I was pleased to see we were on the same page.
“Pretty girl,” Kellan called, his voice hoarse, dragging my attention back to him. His features were strained as he met my gaze. “Where are you going?”
Deciding a little blood on my clothes wasn’t that big of a deal, I segued toward the opening, my heart bursting to life in my chest as I basked in a dose of golden sunshine. “Don’t touch the walls,” I warned him as he leaned closer, even though I wasn’t sure he’d get zapped without the cuffs and bands.
He nodded. “Yeah, the witch already told us that the house was warded.”
The way he saidwitchindicated he wasn’t a fan. Odd for my normally happy and accepting alpha.
Through the gap, I noticed he was dressed as if they were heading into war. His all-black outfit included a heavy armored vest that made his already broad chest look massive. He also had weapons strapped across his body, and no lie, I never even knew he owned a gun.
It was a gloriously sexy look on Golden Boy, minus the matching dark circles under his eyes. “I can’t believe you guys tracked us down so quickly,” I breathed, reaching through to touch his face. “I missed you so damn much.”
He closed his eyes briefly as my icy fingers landed on his warm cheeks, letting out a long blissful sigh. “How could you ever doubt we wouldn’t find you fast, Shortcake. We haven’t stopped searching for you from the second we felt the attack.” He opened his eyes again, expression sobering. “Where are the alphas who took you? I feel a great desire to end them in the most painful way possible.”
Leaning forward, careful not to bump the walls, I kissed him on the lips. Just one gentle taste that I needed more than my next breath. “Slade will explain everything. Give me a second in the bathroom and I’ll be right back.”
His nostrils flared slightly, and the blue of his eyes darkened as he met mine. “Period,” I murmured, not wanting him to worry.
Kellan’s expression softened. “Okay, pretty girl. I’ll be waiting right here. I’m not leaving your side for the rest of my life.”
I snorted.Elegantly. Like a lady. “What if I die first?”
“Not a chance. Absolutely unacceptable. We will die together, and I’ll accept nothing less.”
A month ago, his declaration would have had me freaked out and running for the hills, but today, all I felt was a comforting warmth in my chest. “I’ll hold you to that, Golden. Now, don’t go anywhere.”
I pulled away from him and almost crashed into Slade, who stood closer than I’d expected. “Be right back,” I called, noticing Hunter in the background arguing in low tones with a blond chick—the witch I would guess.
I did my best not to run through the many reasons she was connected to my pack or why my wolf wanted to scratch her face off. We needed a magical ally, and I wouldn’t let my jealous beast ruin that. Provided she kept her hands to herself, we’d be just fine.
In the bathroom, I spent a good fifteen minutes cleaning up the blood on my underwear and pants, thankful the material was dark enough to hide the stain. Changing out the paper for more, folded even thicker this time, I got dressed again and washed my face in the icy trickle of water from the rusty faucet.
What I really needed was a long, hot shower, and access to all my toiletries. There was hope, with the rest of the pack arriving, that we’d be out of here shortly and on our way back home. Rogers Pack clearly hadn’t returned with their army in time, and for that, I was eternally grateful.
Ignoring the pessimistic voice in the back of my mind that felt it was all too convenient, I focused on the positives. The most important was that Slade and I weren’t alone.
We’d be back home and safe very soon.
Home.
At some point over the past weeks, I’d started to think of the alpha’s gorgeous house with its white cladding and gray stone asmyhome, while continuously reminding myself that this happy bubble couldn’t last. One day, the alphas would grow tired of my inability to bond with them, and they’d either force me or reject me.
Both options ended with me having to run, which I already knew would feel like cutting out a vital organ and expecting to keep living without it. Just a bleeding, gaping hole in my person that would never be repaired. As much as I was glad to have met these alphas and learned that there were decent and amazing shifters out there, I wasn’t sure I’d survive now I knew what I had to lose.
When I ventured back into the living room, I found the rest of the wall and window were gone, and my entire pack—including Warrick, who I hadn’t even known was here—standing in the threshold.
“Warrick,” I cried. “I can’t believe you’re here.” The entitled alpha who’d given me my first glimpse of a true pack and home, pressed his hand to his chest.
