Page 23 of Caught By the Wolf

He pressed his hand tighter against the man’s throat. Ella’s eyes widened when she saw a claw appear and push into the man’s neck. She moved forward, placing a hand on his arm the same way she had that first night when his brothers had come into his house. “Don’t, Roman. He’s not worth it.”

Her touch, like then, seemed to calm him down instantly. “He deserves to die.”

Ella looked at the man who had smiled while he planned her death, who had come to kill her and capture Roman. Capture her mate.

She’d like nothing more than for Roman to end this so there would be no more worry of the man ever appearing again on the mountain. She’d been hunted like an animal. Watching the hunter become the hunted was clarifying in a way nothing else had ever been.

“I know, but you don’t deserve to have to live with that memory. I want him to have to say out loud what he did. I want every name. Every buyer. Every hunt before this one, and whoever he answers to.”

Roman’s mouth curved, sharp and approving. He slammed the man’s head into the truck once more—hard enough to drop him unconscious but still breathing—and let him fall.

Cage, still sitting against the tire, called over, “For the record, I fully support the killing-him option. Just putting that out there.”

“Duly noted,” Declan said, already dragging bodies and weapons into a tidy, damning pile.

Roman walked straight to Ella, cupped her face in blood-streaked hands, and kissed her like they weren’t standing in the middle of a crime scene. “I told you to stay inside,” he growled against her mouth.

“Yes, you did.”

“And you disobeyed me.”

One of Ella’s dark brows rose. “Excuse me?”

“You deliberately disobeyed me.”

Cage called over with a laugh. “Tell her how wolves punish disobedient mates, Roman. That’ll earn you some extra points.”

Ella’s eyes widened just a little. “You punish your mates?”

“Yes,” Roman said, voice low. “When they do something dangerous.”

Instead of being scared, Ella looked intrigued. “Exactly what does that entail?”

“Spank your bare ass until it’s red.” He leaned down, whispering. “And then I fuck you there until you remember who you belong to… and you give me complete obedience.”

Ella pulled back just enough to look at him, a slow, wicked little smile curving her mouth. “And that’s supposed to make me obey you? Sounds like more incentive to disobey.”

“Ella—”

“I was safe enough. You three were terrifying, and Cage got shot, and I have never been more scared in my life, and I am still not sorry I came out here.” She rested her forehead against his, hands fisted in his shirt, letting the last of the fear move through her now that it was over. “Is it over?”

“The ones who matter are about to sing for the authorities. The rest will scatter. Word will move through their circles by nightfall that Stone Creek is closed for business.” His thumbs stroked her cheeks. “You’re safe. Really safe.”

She exhaled and felt the last of the fear drain out of her. In its place was something warmer. Heavier. Right.

Cage jogged over, phone in his good hand. “Sheriff’s on the way. Also, congratulations on the sex, you two. The whole ridge smelled like it this morning.”

Roman growled. Cage only grinned, wincing when it pulled at his arm, and went back to work, helping Declan secure everyone. Then they were gone, and it was just Roman and Ella in the middle of the clearing.

Roman’s hands settled on her hips. “You’re taking this better than I expected.”

“I’m a nurse. I’ve seen worse.” She glanced at the unconscious Pruitt and felt nothing but cold satisfaction.

His gaze searched hers. “Any regrets? About last night. About staying. About any of it.”

“One,” she said.

Roman went still.