“We’re all here by your side,” I told him. “You’re not alone,Wesley.”
He leaned on my chest. “I know this is something we have to do - thatIhave to do. It just seemed so much easier in my head… What if something goeswrong?”
“Nothing will go wrong,” I growled deeply. “We’ve dealt with Scarlet Ridge before. It won’t be the first time, but it will certainly bethelast.”
“Thanks, Ken,” Wesley saidsoftly.
My wolf rose to the surface, protective and fierce as I growled, “And don’t you worry. He won’t lay a finger on you. Iswearit.”
Wesley smiled, but his expression quickly went cold as a twig snapped outside, breaking thesilence.
“What was that?” hewhispered.
“It must be Gunner,” Imutteredback.
“Should I go out andmeethim?”
“No. You told him we would be inside the cabin having sex,didn’tyou?”
“Yeah,but…”
“WESLEY!”
The booming, cold snarl made my mate flinch. Instantly all the hairs rose on my body. I pulled Wesley close instinctively. My wolf was itching to come out, but I pushed him down.Notyet.
“That’s Gunner,” Wesley whispered, his voice shaking. “Why is he calling for me? Why isn't he cominginside?”
Just then, the door burst open, as if a hurricane had forced its waythrough.
A tall, intimidating figure stood in the doorway. In my arms, Wesley tensed. His heart was racing so fast it felt like it would explode from his ribs. I held him closer to me, my eyes never once leaving theintruder’s.
“So, Wesley,” the man said, looking directly at me as if I was a piece of prey, “isthishim?”
“Gunner,” Wesley said, his voice shaking. He then cleared his throat and pried himself out of my arms. “Yes. This is the top alpha of IndigoMountainpack.”
He’s still lying?I thought.When are we going to attack? They must be waiting for some kind of signal. We have to get Gunner outside thecabin.
Gunner stepped forward, sneering at me with cold eyes. “What is your name,alpha?”
“KenHart.”
“You don’t seem surprised to see me here. Whyisthat?”
I didn’t know what to say to that. All I could think of was how much I wanted to rip his face off. Memories of Wesley’s injures came flooding back to me, and my wolf went crazy withbloodlust.
But suddenly Gunner’s eyes snapped to Wesley. “Did you really think I would fall for this?” heasked.
“What?” Wesley asked quietly. “I don’t know whatyoumean.”
Before either of us could register what happened, Gunner slapped Wesley across the face so hard he staggeredbackwards.
Everything after that wasablur.
My wolf snapped. I shifted in a split-second and lunged at Gunner. But he was quick, too. His wolf burst out to meet mine and the cabin exploded into a chaos of snarling andsnappingjaws.
I dug my fangs into Gunner’s throat, but his fur was thick and matted and my teeth couldn’t penetrate the tangles. A second later, he kicked out from underneath me, winding me enough to get to his feet and leap to the back of the cabin. At that moment it was already too late; he snatched Wesley by the arm and dragged himoutside.
“No!”
