Series: Willow Winters
Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51151 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
I lay on the cold floor and feel my heavy eyelids fall and brush the threatening tears away. My baby’s little hiccups have stopped, and my exhaustion weighs me down. I need to rest, so I give into the need. Another day has gone. I breathe deep, repeating my mantra. Just one day at a time. I can survive just one day at a time.
Just as I feel my body lighten and my breath slow, a large hand wraps around my mouth trapping the scream that rises in my dry throat.
Jude
The sight of my mate shaking and obviously tormented alone on the cold, hard ground has me grinding my teeth and losing my resolve to not risk everything to destroy every one of them. I have to remind myself over and over again that I’ll be back. I’ll come back with Devin and the rest of the pack and tear them apart. I’ll have Shadow’s death once my mate is safe. Every breath he takes is on borrowed time. Another harsh sob shakes her small body, and she grips her belly with both hands as she silently rocks herself. My poor mate.
How could this have happened? My wolf cries in agony inside of me. I’ve never felt such pain, such a pull to save someone, the need to hold her and heal every pain she’s ever had. And yet I have to resist and have to be tactical. I cannot give in to the emotion that overwhelms my very being.
I need to be strong enough to save her, and I pray it’s not too late.
With adrenaline rushing into my veins, I take in my surroundings. It didn’t take much at all for me to sneak in here. Her hut isn’t protected in the least. Like her, it’s been abandoned. The anger that sweeps through me forces my knuckles to turn white as I clench my fists. It’s fucking freezing so far away from the fire and on the outskirts of the camp. The rest of the pack are tucked away in their own huts, better built and closer to the fire. I have to shut down the desire to slip into each shelter and cut their throats in their sleep. Shadow needs to suffer far more than going peacefully in his sleep. That one thought tempers my anger enough to think clearly and see through the red. This entire pack will suffer for what they’ve done.
With every step, I’m more and more cautious. I need to get her out of here as quietly and quickly as possible. I’m not sure how to approach her in a way that won’t have her screaming. I haven’t a clue if she’ll fight me or if she can sense me. Inside, my wolf howls again, but there’s no response from her. Swallowing thickly, I refuse to think of what that could mean for us. All I know is that the first thing I must do is save her.
The only question is, how?
I can’t risk waking the pack. I can’t alert them and compromise my mate’s safety. She’s on edge as it is, doing her best to hold on to any kind of composure. It’s torture to watch. Does this happens often? How many nights has she fallen asleep this way? Alone. Cold. In complete despair.
As the moon dips lower and the darkness is just right, I settle on covering her mouth until she’s calm enough to agree to be quiet. Guilt weighs heavily on me, to force her silence by holding her down. With another careful step forward, I hope she feels the pull instantly so she knows I’m her rightful mate. My heart drops with the very real possibility that she won’t. Shadow’s mark has his essence running through her. I don’t know how it will affect our bond. I have to close my eyes to repress the growing snarl in my chest. He’ll pay for what he’s done.
I breathe deep, calming myself slightly before I walk quietly to my mate. Her shoulders are steady, and her breath has evened somewhat. Her hand continues to gently rub small circles over her belly. I stare at her swollen abdomen, where his child grows, just watching her movements.
His baby.
The thought makes my nostrils flare with rage, but again I calm myself. She shouldn’t have to deal with my anger. It’s not for her; it’s only for him.
For a moment, as she seems to settle and allow sleep to take her, I consider the alternative I’d previously discarded. I thought about leaving her for only a short while to gather the rest of my pack. It would be safer if Devin and the Betas were here to help me. I’d be able to securely get her out of harm’s way before destroying this pathetic pack.
But I couldn’t bring myself to leave her. I can’t stand the fact that she could be hurt if I left her here, even for a few hours. I wouldn’t get back until the morning and anything could happen between now and then. I need to get her out of here now. Right fucking now.