Regret choked him. He shouldn’t have insisted she be waiting for him after the challenge. Her safety was paramount. Whether she wore his bite or not didn’t matter.
She was his life.
He would not face eternity without her.
One question plagued him—why didn’t Noah feel the same?
Because he’ll never be her mate or mine. He’s only our lover. And maybe Ethan’s choice to share his precious mate with Noah was the wrong one to make.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Somebody’s here.
Hannah stood frozen and listened. The stairs leading to the second floor didn’t creak. No more sounds of breaking glass. No voices. But she wasn’t alone. Her wolf’s tense posture and low growls told her that.
She silenced her cell in case Ethan called back. If the intruder didn’t realize she was in the house, she didn’t want to announce her presence.
A minute passed, then another. Her heartbeat reverberated in her ears, and her breathing quickened. She was trapped. The only way out was through the door. The predator side of her seethed at her predicament. There was no changing it. She’d fight, exactly as Ethan had commanded her. No question about it. Still, she hated the helplessness settling over her, and the knowledge that she was prey.
Noises from outside drew Hannah to the window. She lifted one of the slats on the blinds and peeked out. Noah’s bedroom overlooked the backyard. Nothing moved. The clunking resumed. It came from the front of the house. Another window smashed. A low whoosh came next.
She closed her eyes and tried to associate the sound with the memory teasing her mind. A bonfire. That was what the noise reminded her of—the moment when the fuel-soaked paper used to start the blaze ignited.
Somebody was setting Noah’s house on fire. With her in it.
She inhaled. The faint smells in the air confirmed her guess—smoke and gasoline.
Another window broke. Another hiss sounded. With the accelerant, the house would burn quicker, hotter than accidental fire.
The seriousness of her situation wrapped around her, chasing back the helplessness she’d experienced moments ago. She needed to act, but simply escaping the flames wouldn’t guarantee her safety. Whoever set the fire would no doubt be close. Whether they meant to kill her or punish Noah for helping Maria, she didn’t know, nor did the reason matter. The danger remained the same. If she didn’t act, history would repeat itself, and Noah would lose another mate.
Gun in hand, she made her way to the bedroom door and hesitantly touched the knob. No heat met the palm of her hand. Still, she didn’t burst into the hallway, despite the urgency riding her. The fire wasn’t the only danger she had to worry about. The possibility of who awaited her was as important as anything else. The likelihood of there being anyone was slim. Why enter if they meant to burn the place? Still, she wouldn’t risk it. She couldn’t let anyone get their hands on her. They’d use her to hurt her lovers.
There was only one thing left to do—get out of the house and run as if her life depended on it. She pressed her back to the wall and listened for any indication someone waited for her on the other side.
No heartbeat. No breathing. Only the crackling of hungry flames.
She turned the handle, then flung the door open. A wash of heated air swept into the room. She hid her head against her arm and choked on the heavy smoke. Her lungs burned.
She dropped to her knees. The few inches near the ground gave her a small reprieve but didn’t save her from the effects of the fire. Tears stung her eyes. She blinked rapidly to clear them.
Smoke hung heavy in the corridor. A quick look in either direction didn’t reveal anyone lurking nearby, however. She slipped the butt of Noah’s gun in the waistband of her yoga pants and crawled toward the stairs.
At the top step, she hesitated. Flames had engulfed the entryway, and black smoke obscured her view of everything. No way out.
She turned around. In the few seconds she’d spent surveying the downstairs, more smoke had filled the narrow hallway. Darkness had descended, blocking out everything, including the location of the door she’d just come out of. Her chest constricted—half from fear, half from the choking stench in the air. She ignored the anxiety and used the wall to find Noah’s bedroom.
She slammed the door behind her and made her way to the windows. With a tug on the shade, it wound itself, slamming into the holder at the top. She popped the locks, opened the sash and kicked the screen. It tumbled to the ground.
Night had fallen, but the full moon brightened the landscape enough to give her a clear view of the grass below. Nobody waited for her, suggesting they didn’t know she was in the house. That made escape a very real possibility…if she could get away without whoever had started the fire seeing her.
I just need to jump, then run.
She couldn’t make herself move. A fall from the second story wouldn’t kill a shifter, not unless she landed poorly. It would still hurt, but she had no other choice. She didn’t know the floor plan of Noah’s house to find a better way out.
She tossed the gun on top of the fallen screen, then slipped her legs through the opening. For a moment, she hung on to the edge of the window, not wanting to let go. Fear left her paralyzed. Self-preservation overpowered it.
Eyes squeezed shut and heart pounding a mile a minute, she eased her grip and pushed from the wall. Gravity took over. She bent her knees a second before hitting the earth. The impact shook her body, and her breath rushed out. She rolled backward, head tucked into her chest. Her momentum slowed, and she flopped onto her back.
The stars dotting the night sky filled her vision. She took a second to enjoy the fact that she’d escaped the house before scrambling to her feet. The heat surrounding the building was as intense as it had been inside, but she needed to find the gun she’d dropped. She wasn’t out of danger yet.
A scan of the yard showed Noah’s home in flames and the gun several feet from the engulfed structure. Caution told her to leave it. Worry over who would come for her forced her feet to move. She took a step forward. Movement caught her eye. She glanced at the side of the house. Greg rounded the corner. He locked his gaze with her, surprise flashing in his eyes, then grinned.
Instinct took over. She spun on her heel and ran toward the end of the property. He was bigger and stronger than her. If he caught her? No. She refused to let the thought take hold.
She yanked off her top as she ran, then shifted. The change in her shape ripped her pants. She wriggled out of the tattered material and gave herself over to her wolf. Rocks and twigs poked at the pads of her feet. She ignored the sting and pushed forward, running blindly into the woods.
A thatch of rhododendrons came into view. She veered toward them. The low clearance would slow down the bigger male. She dropped to her belly and cleared the outermost edge. The jagged points of tree branches tugged at her fur. She ignored the stinging cuts they delivered and pushed forward.
The sound of her heavy breathing blocked everything else out, including the snapping of twigs behind her. A quick peek over her shoulder showed Greg, in his wolf form, struggling to keep up. The sight gave her strength. She turned her focus inward and concentrated on the act of running.
Seconds passed, maybe minutes. She didn’t know. Didn’t care. She was putting space between her and Greg. That was all that mattered. Finally, a clearing spread out before her. She darted to the cluster of trees on the other side. A crack alerted her to the danger awaiting her. She glanced above her. A dark shape fell, landing on top of her and knocking the air from her lungs. Greg’s scent filled them on her next inhale.
She bucked under his bulky, human form. It didn’t do her any good. She couldn’t budge him. He wrapped his arms and legs tighter around her wolf’s body.
“Settle down, my little female.” He rubbed his cheek against the side of her neck.
S
cent-marking her. No! She didn’t want any other male to touch her.
She snarled, and he clamped his mouth over the nape of her neck. The press of his extended fangs locked her in place. She panted but held perfectly still, not wanting to trigger any more of his instincts. In his human form, he couldn’t harm her. But if he shifted?
He eased his bite and brushed his lips along her jaw. “Are you done now, little one?”
She didn’t move. Didn’t acknowledge him.
He ran his hand down her side. “Finding you was a pleasant surprise. What were you doing at Noah’s house?”
She wanted to ask what he’d been doing there. The answer was obvious—setting it on fire. To punish Noah for lying. The timing was too coincidental for anything else.
“I should’ve guessed you were involved with him after scenting him on you. Did you get your fill of him? Ride his cock enough to dim your hungers?”
He dragged his extended fangs over her wolf’s throat. Neither she nor her wolf reacted. Silence was best. They both understood that.
“I hope so, because once you’re my mate, you won’t ever look at another male. It’ll happen tonight, Hannah, under the light of the full moon so my seed takes root inside you. And next month, you’ll stand on the edge of the ceremonial circle, cheering me on when I defeat Ethan.”
She turned her head slightly to look at him. Eagerness showed on his expression.
“He thinks we don’t know his plans. We do. Ethan’s been salivating over the position for days now, ever since he learned Michael’s plans for Maria. Stupid fool actually thinks she’ll want him. Maybe if he’d fucked her instead of following her around like a damn puppy, acting as her friend, he might’ve had a chance. Too late now. She’s been whisked away by her supposed true mate.”
He chuckled. “Don’t know who Ethan will claim once he rips Michael’s throat out. Won’t matter, I guess. There are no other worthy females in our pack. That’s why I’ve picked you to be mine.”
The confirmation of what he wanted churned her stomach. She growled. If he thought she would just accept him, he was in for a rude awakening.
“I love your spirit, Hannah, but fighting me won’t help you. I’m stronger than you, and I have pack law on my side.” He lowered his voice. “Any female found outside on the night of the full moon is fair game. I just have to get your pretty ass to the mating run, where it’ll all be legal. Then I’ll chase you. Claim you. And you won’t stop me. You’ll be begging for my cock once I catch you. I’ve been to enough of these runs to know that. Your instincts will demand your submission.”
The sick glee displayed on his face matched the excitement in his tone.
He grinned. “And if you think to fight me, you’ll regret it, baby. I promise you that. Won’t matter if you’re on Kagan soil or not. I’ll find you. Force you if I have to. I don’t want that. I might get carried away. Kill you before I can mate you.”
She concentrated on slowing her heart rate and calming her wolf. The animal wanted to fight. She shared its desire to get away, but it wouldn’t work. Intellect would save her, not giving in to her wolf’s fear of being raped. That would only amplify Greg’s need to dominate her. To hurt her. No. The longer she could delay him, the better chance Ethan or Noah would have of finding her.
Her wolf bowed to her choice without challenging her lead.
The easy way with which it relented proved that Ethan and Noah weren’t the only ones who’d been affected by the intimacy they’d shared. Her wolf too had found peace.
Greg ran his hand over her side, petting her. “That’s a good girl. You’re going to make me a fine mate and bear my strong kids, little brats who’ll be powerful enough to accept the wolf spirit and continue my pack’s lineage.”
The lure of power the alpha position offered was a dangerous one. Many males become entranced by it. It was apparent Greg was one of them and thought Ethan would be an easier opponent than Michael.
Greg was a fool—Ethan would crush him—but idiots hyped on power were the worst kind. They had no fear.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ethan slammed on the brakes. His car skidded, coming to a stop near the side of Noah’s burning house. His chest constricted on a wave of rage and worry. Not giving in to either, he jumped from his car, ready to face the flames if it meant getting to Hannah. Nothing would stop him.
Scents assaulted him along with the heat from the fire. He ignored them and rushed forward. The hard tug on his psyche from his wolf stopped him. Two smells were twined into the others—Hannah and Greg.
He pivoted on his heel and raced around the back of the home. A screen on the ground several feet from the building caught his eye. He glanced at the open window of Noah’s bedroom to confirm where it had come from. Relief came first. Hannah had gotten out. Worry followed. She was nowhere in sight.
The urge to shift into his wolf beat at him. The animal he housed wanted Greg’s blood. Ethan couldn’t give in to the instinct to kill, not yet. He needed facts. Finding Hannah came first.
The sight of her discarded shirt directed him. He ran forward and spotted her ripped pants several feet away from her top. The evidence told him everything he needed to know. She’d shifted and taken off. A smart decision on her part. In her animal form, she’d be faster than Greg, whether he shifted or not. Had Hannah been on Kagan soil, Ethan would’ve felt confident she’d lose Greg. She wasn’t, though. She was in unfamiliar territory and headed straight for the river.
Ethan yanked at his shirt, popping the buttons. He kicked his shoes off and reached for his pants. The sound of squealing tires stilled his hand. He glanced to the driveway. Noah’s truck came into view. Noah jumped out, leaving the engine running and the door open, and ran toward Ethan.
A growl shook Ethan’s chest. The anger that had gripped him while talking to Hannah seized him again. Noah had left her alone. Vulnerable. Ethan wanted to punish Noah for the foolish act. It’d have to wait until Ethan ensured Hannah’s safety. Afterward, though? Everything would change.
Noah grabbed Ethan’s arm and spun him before he could embrace his animal form. “Hannah! Where is she?”
Ethan knocked Noah backward. A string of curses and accusations hovered on Ethan’s tongue. The urgency of the situation didn’t allow him to give in to them. They’d be spoken, though. He’d make sure Noah never put Hannah in danger again, even if it meant cutting him out of their lives.
“She took off.” Ethan motioned toward the woods. “Greg followed her. I’m going after them.”
Noah yanked at his clothes, tearing them in his haste. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think—”
“Save it. I don’t want to hear it. I just want my female back.”
“Yeah. She is yours. I don’t deserve her. Or you.” Noah focused on Ethan. “When we find them, you take care of Hannah. Greg is mine.”
Noah’s shape morphed, hair sprouting and body compacting. Between one heartbeat and the next, a stocky, dark gray wolf replaced Noah’s muscular human frame. He took off toward the woods. Ethan shifted and followed. His leaner white wolf passed Noah’s before they reached the first tree.
Hannah’s scent guided Ethan, along with the broken branches and trampled shrubs. The path she’d taken became clear. Anxiety gripped him, along with regret. All those months they’d dated, and only once had she stepped foot on Tanner soil. It’d been for good reason, but it didn’t change the disaster looming in front of them.
Unknowing of her location, she’d veered from the river and headed straight toward Michael’s house, along the old logging railroad that was quickly being reabsorbed by the forest. Small trees and flowering bushes filled the once cleared area.
Before the thickest thatch of rhododendrons, Greg’s scent faded. Another wave of anxiety tightened Ethan’s chest. The patch of shrubs was long, not wide. Circumventing it would be easy. Faster or not, Hannah would b
e slowed down by the tight weaving of roots and branches. He debated for a second, then lowered his head and ran harder, following her path. He couldn’t risk losing her trail if she went a different way or circled around.
The snapping of twigs behind him cut off. Noah had no doubt followed Greg’s scent. Working as a team, Noah and Ethan had the best chance of getting Hannah back before it was too late. Only a few minutes at most separated them. He held the knowledge close and pushed forward. The scent of her blood grew heavier the farther into the thatch he traveled. The weaving of branches and trunks didn’t offer much room to navigate, and the direct path Hannah had taken proved she hadn’t looked for an easier way.
His bigger body broke more branches as he scrambled over the route she’d run. The smell of his blood mixed with hers. He lifted his lip on a silent snarl, hating the fact that she’d experienced any pain. She was his to protect and cherish. He’d failed her.
Never again.
He burst from the thatch of rhododendrons into a clearing at the base of Michael’s property. Noah, naked and in his human form, crouched near a trampled section of grass. He turned and caught Ethan’s gaze. Noah’s completely green eyes reminded Ethan that he wasn’t the only one who’d suffer if they didn’t get Hannah back.
Losing her would destroy them both.
“They walked away.” Noah pointed toward the house of the top of the hill. “He didn’t rape her.”
Or mate her.
The tightness in Ethan’s shoulders eased at Noah’s unspoken confirmation, but it didn’t eliminate the danger she was in. Until Ethan held her in his arms, he wouldn’t relax. He reached for the mystical tether to his wolf. The animal didn’t fight him as it would’ve before Hannah. It had merged with him, turning him into what the gods had intended all along—a man with the strength and cunning of a wolf at his fingertips.
The shuffling of feet and the low drone of voices yanked his gaze to the crest of the hill. A naked Hannah stood before Greg, who wore a pair of sweats. Cuts marred her body, and her hair hung in a tangled mass, but no other signs of distress were visible. She held her head high, not looking at either him or Noah; a wise move, but not one Ethan was sure mattered any longer. She’d been flushed out of Noah’s house, and both he and Ethan had chased after her through the woods.
Shared for Love: Kagan Wolves, Book 2 Page 22