My brain was still spinning as I watched the huge-ass man run back into the burning building. He disappeared into the smoky, shadowy room, and then a moment later, appeared with Wilder slung over his shoulder like he weighed nothing.
When he laid my alpha next to me, I stared in disbelief. “Wilder!”
I shot a blurry look at the stranger. “We need help. That guy must’ve knocked him out, and?—”
“What guy?”
Pointing at the house again, I tried to slow my breathing. “I hit him in the head with a bat. He’s just inside. I think he set the fire.”
Our rescuer ran back into the house. It was consumed in flames now, smoke billowing out the top, and then there, in the distance, sirens were getting closer by the second.
Thank God.
Time went wonky at that point. One moment, I was focusing on staying alive, and the next, my alphas were all around me, the guy who’d saved us standing in the yard with us as our attacker lay in the grass.
EMTs and firefighters were funneling in from everywhere. There were so many lights and sounds, and after a moment, I finally realized that I was being asked questions.
“What happened, Hails? Can you talk to me?”
I turned to look at Merrick. “Umm, I was sleeping. There was so much smoke, and I couldn’t find Wilder. I think he must’ve hit him in the head. They’re loading Wilder into an ambulance. Someone go with him,” I instructed.
“You go. You know his medical history, and we can keep her safe.” Merrick directed his words at Preston.
He looked torn for a moment, then nodded, kissing the top of my head before turning and jogging toward the ambulance.
The rest of my pack surrounded me as paramedics placed an oxygen mask over my mouth, fussing over me. I wanted to bat them away, but I knew they were just doing their jobs.
“Who the fuck did this?” Walker growled, clearly pissed.
“I think I can answer that.” The large alpha who had helped us rounded the side of the house, an EMT who was a few feet shorter than him following him with fast-paced steps.
“Sir! I haven’t finished—stubborn!” he hissed.
“I’m fine.” He waved off the EMT.
“You were in a fire, you should let me finish at least checking you over!”
He turned to face him. “I promise I will be a good boy and let you check me overafterI make sure this fucker is in police custody and not going anywhere. How does that sound?”
The EMT paused for a moment, clearly thinking it through. After a second, it probably dawned on him that accepting his conditions was the only way he would actually accept treatment,so he sighed, slumped in on himself, and muttered, “I’ll be waiting for you.”
The stranger turned to us. “The guy who did this is being brought out now,” he said. “I tied up him out back. I didn’t have cuffs, and it was the best I could do.”
As he spoke, two police officers escorted a rather bruised—and ruffled-looking man round the side of the house.
Walker’s eyes widened as he walked over to them. “That’s Edward Haskins! You fucking bastard, I’m going to—” Walker lurched toward him, violence clearly his intention, but the stranger stepped in, holding him back gently but firmly.
“No need for that. It’s done. The police have it from here,” he insisted. “Also, that omega did a hell of a job subduing him. I’m pretty sure the fucker has a concussion and a broken bone from her swinging a bat at his face.”
Walker shot me a look, and all I could do was shrug. “He had it coming.”
Light laughter rumbled through everyone, and Nolan nodded, rubbing his forehead as he said, “We happen to know quite well how good Hailey is with a bat.”
Chapter 50
Wilder
“You really have no idea who that guy was who pulled you and Hailey out of the house?” Nolan asked as he paced the hospital room.
