Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
He's been locked up in here repeatedly in his wolf form as well as in human form when he feels like he has no choice but to shift.
I glare at the note on the wall warning the others to call Linc.
I haven’t spoken, but have been listening to them talk, fuming that this has been going on long enough that they’ve had time to put together this setup, using it however many times Jared has needed it while I’ve been oblivious.
And the way Linc talks to these guys, it’s clear nobody else in the council but Linc knew what Jared was hiding about himself.
Linc said he hasn’t seen Jared’s wolf enough times to know how long they have before he wakes, that it has varied, but this doesn’t ease my mind. I’ve been in the dark, going about my business with no clue my fated mate was here in chains.
Jared shifted to human while unconscious just as soon as he was pulled into the river but hasn’t woken yet. And shifting a few times is probably what he needs most based on how rough his battle wounds are. Linc poured antiseptic over multiple bites, and I feel a minute amount of relief that they seem like they tried to inflict as little damage on him as possible. Despite how his wolf fought them, they did the minimum to protect themselves, and regardless of his size and those terrifying teeth, four super alphas could’ve easily killed him.
“I’ll run in to Cicely’s store and get some supplies, yeah?” Joel asks, looking at Linc.
My eyes bounce between them, waiting for them to elaborate.
“Sports drinks, water, first aid shit and some protein bars, maybe?” Linc suggests.
Joel’s eyes move towards me. “Okay?”
“The shop keys are on the hook inside my apartment door. Apartment door is unlocked. Store alarm code 7782.” I turn my gaze to Linc. “What’s your plan?”
Linc blows out a long breath. “Ty and Mase, you two can head home if you want. He’s secure.”
I look at the sky. The sun has only been up for a while, started to come up when Jared jumped in the river. I’m gonna need someone to open the store and run it for me today.
“He might be stronger now,” Tyson says.
Mase leans against the wall, looking set on waiting.
“Stronger?” Linc repeats.
“Mating,” Ty reasons.
Mase nods. “Yup.”
Concern hits Linc’s eyes as I request, “Explain, please.”
Mase elaborates. “You grow from a boy to a man, yeah, but for alphas, the final piece of full maturity comes when you claim your mate.”
“Exactly,” Tyson agrees. “He could be stronger. We won’t know if the irons will hold until we see for ourselves.”
“Good point,” Linc states. “Especially if you’re here.” He’s talking about me. “Do me a favor and go home until we can at least have a conversation with him and check his overall pulse. We’ll step out, leave the outer door open and watch. Then if he breaks these irons, this door could hold him and if not, we’ve got weapons to disable him through the bars. I’ll call and you can come back as soon as–”
“Absolutely fucking not!” I deny. “We’re not leaving him in a fucking cage!”
“Sis…” Linc grumbles, looking at me like he’s had enough of my shit. “Work with us here.”
“Oh, like you worked with me? Fuck, Lincoln. I can’t believe you said nothing and just avoided me like that.”
“Stop, honey,” he demands and tugs my hand, pulling me outside.
“No wonder you haven’t been able to look me in the face,” I add, ready to fight, ready to fight for my life here if he thinks he’s going to force me to go home.
But he stops outside and takes my face in both hands, looking like he’s searching for words.
“Best not touch me. I have the plague, remember?”
“I’m sorry,” he says. “Really fucking sorry. My hands were tied. It cost me sleep. It hasn’t been easy. I know it’s not easy for you but believe me when I tell you I don’t want this for you. You’ve been in my head and in my heart from the minute we figured it out.”
I lose it. Tears pour out of my eyes and I’m making ugly-cry sounds, falling into him. Linc’s arms wrap around me, and I’m relieved he’s not refusing to touch me. He holds me tight in a perfect Linc hug, letting me cry it out like I need to. And fuck do I cry. Maybe even harder than when Mom died.
He strokes my hair, moving his mouth closer to my ear where he softly says, “He’s gutted, Sis. He was gonna leave to keep you safe. He left as soon as he could settle after we figured out who you are to him. He left and I asked for help with Silver Hills, and he was right there, helping us out, no questions asked. He only came back for his RV, since Wyatt Meadows stole it. He would’ve stayed gone if not for that. He has no control over his wolf, blacks out. He’s lived on his own since forever. Don’t know all the hell he’s been through but one look in that shifter’s eyes when his guard is down and you see the demons. So many of them. So much pain. He’s a solid fuckin’ guy. Saved my life. Works jobs helping other packs straighten their shit out, babe. But he lives alone to protect the world from his wolf. He’s fuckin’ gutted about this, about you. Saw him last night. He caught your scent in his RV and we had to lock him down. He checked into a motel after I gave it a cleaning. He was supposed to come this morning to hook up and leave and we were gonna meet him here and have a chat, brainstorm on some ideas, but guessin’ he showed early to avoid all of us and head out. And you were there waiting when he got there.”