The beast turned to Alex.
In half a breath the beast lurched forward, nearly going to the ground himself.
Edward’s eyes caught hers over the beast’s shoulder. “Run, Al.”
“No.” Alex lunged at the beast. One long arm swung out, knocking her to the ground. The wind rushed from her lungs, leaving her fighting for the air she so desperately needed.
She had to fight. Had to end this the way they promised they would.
Alex rolled to her stomach, gasping as she tried to force her diaphragm to function. She pushed up to her knees, managing to get on her feet as Mehir turned back her way. The beast lowered his head, eyes locked on where Sam laid on the ground.
“No!” Alex fell over Sam, ready to do whatever it took to protect the sister who always protected her.
Three sharp snaps echoed through the trees as Alex braced for the beast’s impact. She wrapped her arms around Sam’s head and neck, doing anything she could to keep Sam safe.
Something heavy hit the ground beside them.
Alex rolled her head, craning her neck to look in the direction of the sound.
“Don’t look.” Tate dropped down to his knees. “Is she okay?”
Alex lifted her eyes to where Tate was holstering a pistol. “What are you doing here?”
Tate’s expression softened. “I think this falls under my job description.”
Alex pushed up as she looked around. “I mean how did you find us?”
Tate pulled out the radio strapped to his belt, pressing a button on the side. “We’re on the south logging road. About thirty yards east. I need anyone you can get up here.” He turned his eyes to Sam. “You actually have Gail to thank for that. She had an app that told us where to find Lance’s phone.”
Edward sat up from where the beast knocked him to the ground, blinking a few times. His head suddenly snapped up, dark eyes finding hers. He didn’t even bother trying to stand, just crawled her way, grabbing her and pulling her close, cradling her head against his chest. She wrapped her arms around him.
The man wiling to take on a beast to protect her.
The man willing to put his own life on the line for her.
She sniffed against the fabric of his shirt, breathing in the smell of him before meeting his concerned gaze.
“You okay, Al?”
She sniffed again as it all started pressing down on her. “I really thought you would be better at fighting than that.”
TWENTY-FOUR
“I TOLD YOU to brace yourself.” Lance eased down beside Edward, wincing a little as he sat on the tailgate of Tate’s truck.
“Not sure that’s really an effective warning for the situation.” Edward watched as Alex and her sisters huddled together, police blankets wrapped around their shoulders as they gave statements to the officers trying to make sense of what happened in the woods.
They wouldn’t be successful.
“Did they catch the other two?” Edward’s chest squeezed as Alex glanced his way, her blue eyes holding his until an officer snagged her attention away.
Lance grinned. “Naked and hogtied in the back of their truck.”
“Who were they?” Edward risked a glance at where Alex’s father laid on the ground, his own naked body cooling with each passing minute.
“Same guys who took Sam.” Lance rolled his head from side to side, pressing the fingers of one hand into the back of his neck. “Our half-brothers.”
Edward pulled his attention from Alex to eye his friend. “How’d you get free?”
He tipped his head toward where his wife stood talking to Tate. “Kari.” He glanced back Edward’s way. “And you were a pretty decent distraction.” He shook his head. “What in the hell were you thinking?”
“I thought I was still messed up from the tranquilizer.” Edward still couldn’t quite wrap his brain around all he saw tonight.
Or the fact that it was more real than he initially realized.
Lance nodded as he looked out over the trees. “Makes sense.”
“Not sure those words apply to anything about this situation either.” It was more than he could digest in a single night.
Beasts. Glowing eyes.
Women who ran along the branches of trees.
Edward pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to ease the dull ache collected there.
Lance stood as Kari turned his way. He gave Edward a slap on the shoulder. “Hang in there.” He walked toward his wife, pulling her close and holding her tight.
“Hey.” Alex stood a few feet away, a blue blanket wrapped tight around her shoulders. She worked her lower lip with her teeth. “You okay?”
Edward held his hands out, lifting his shoulders as he tried to come up with an explanation for how he was.
Definitely not okay.
Alex’s eyes dipped to the ground as she pulled the blanket tighter. “I just came over to tell you they’re almost done. You’ll be able to go soon.”
He’d been in Shadow Pine two weeks. In that time he’d seen how strong the women who ruled it were.
How confident.
But right now the woman in front of him didn’t seem to be either of those things.
For the first time Alex seemed fragile. Like what happened tonight might break the spirit he loved so much.
Edward reached for her, grabbing the front of the blanket and dragging her close enough he could wrap his arms around her blanket-bound body. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, breathing deep.
Reminding himself of what mattered.
She sniffed a little as he held her, more of her weight pressing against him with each shaky breath she took.
He’d seen what she and her sisters were capable of. Watched, frozen in place as Sam single-handedly took on a beast masquerading as a man.
Alex could take care of herself in almost every sense of the word.
Except this one.
Edward pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. “It’ll be okay, Al.”
He stroked her hair. “It’s over now.”
The things that held her back were ripped away, some setting her free, and some laying her bare.
After a few minutes her head finally lifted from his shoulder, her blue eyes rimmed with red even though not a single tear left them. “I’m sorry.”
It could be an apology for so many things, but it didn’t matter what specific thing she was apologizing for.
Because somehow none of them mattered.
Not what her father was.
Not what his son’s did.
Not what she might be.
“Everyone has secrets, Al.” He pushed back the strands of hair sticking to her face. “Everyone has things they wish no one ever had to see.”
Her gaze moved down his body. One hand poked out of the blanket, a single finger coming to barely brush over the speck of blood dotting the fabric. “I feel like you’re downplaying this to make me feel better.”
“Yeah. I’m definitely doing that.” He glanced toward where the coroner loaded Alex’s father onto a bright-orange hand-held stretcher. “Is it working?”
Alex shook her head. “No.” She frowned. “But you’re not doing a very convincing job of it either.”
He focused his eyes on Alex as four men hefted Mehir’s body up off the ground and carried it through the woods. “Can I ask you a question?”
Her brows lifted. “You only have one?”
“I think it’s best we start small.” Edward snagged a twig caught in her hair, pulling it free from the tangled strands. “Did you ever add anything to that spreadsheet I made you?”
Alex blinked a few times. “That’s what you’re wondering about right at this minute?”
“Again, Al, I think we need to start small.” He found another bit of woody material and eased it free of her hair.
The downturned line of her lips softened. “I’ve added a few things.”
“Can I make a couple suggestions?”
<
br /> Her mouth lifted a little at the edges. “Should I try to guess what they are?”
“I’m sure you have a pretty good idea where I’m going with this.” He came across a leaf matted into the back of her waves. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but I did jump on the back of a very large, very angry, unexplainable thing tonight.” He met her gaze. “For you.”
Her head tipped in a small nod. “I did notice that.”
“As long as you’re aware.” He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “I also definitely lied to the authorities.”
“That explains why they didn’t try to take you in for evaluation.” Her almost-smile twisted to one side. “But now that I know you have a history of lying.”
“Al, I swear—“
She grabbed the front of his shirt with her freed hand, pulling him in with a strength that was less surprising than it might have been yesterday. “I thought you liked it when I gave you a hard time, Eddie?”
“I think tonight you’re pressing your luck.” He held her face in his hands. “Tomorrow you can give me all the shit you want, though.”
****
“SO WHAT ABOUT Craig? Does he know?” Edward stood at the window to their office.
He hadn’t stopped asking questions in almost seven days.
And they were getting more and more interesting with each passing day.
“He knew before he came here.” Alex worked her way through the spreadsheet displayed on the screen of her computer. She’d tried to explain the situation in Greenlea to him multiple times and he still couldn’t seem to wrap his head around it. “Gail’s husband was also a beast.”
“So literally everyone in town knew but me.” He turned his head toward her. “That hurts my feelings, Al.”
She glanced up at him. “I apologize. I didn’t realize you would have preferred I be upfront about my family’s deepest darkest secret.” She pointed toward where Kenneth and Jeffrey’s camper was still parked. “You want me to go fill your dads in? Let Jeffrey know just how fun his future grandchildren might be?”
Edward faced her fully. “Are you already talking about marriage and kids?” He lifted his brows. “I think you’re rushing things a little, don’t you?”
Her eyes went wide. “You’re the one who started it. You and your baby crazy fathers.”
“Only one of them is baby crazy.” Edward walked from the window to sit behind his leg of the L-shaped desk they assembled two days earlier. “The other one won’t be excited until our kids are big enough to talk.”
She pointed his way. “See. You’re the one who’s already thought this all the way through.”
Edward scooted his chair her way, his knees bumping hers as the wheels carried him straight to her. “But I’m not the only one, am I, Al?”
She turned away. “I’m not talking about this right now.” She wiggled her shoulder as he nuzzled into her neck.
“Then can I ask you another question?”
She dropped her head back toward the ceiling. “Their dicks are also covered in fur.”
Edward’s face pulled away, his dark brows together as he looked at her. “I wasn’t going to ask about their dicks.” His eyes moved over her face. “And now I’m a little concerned you went there.”
She pressed one hand to the center of his face, gently shoving Edward away. “You know you wondered.”
“I didn’t, actually.” He grabbed the arms of her chair, pulling her his way. “I actually got a really good look at the fur situation when I was trying to pick a fight with the Bellamy brothers.” He tapped her on the end of the nose. “For you, I might add.”
She pointed to the screen of her computer. “It’s there.”
Edward’s eyes immediately went to the spreadsheet. He grabbed the mouse from her hand and scrolled down the page. “That’s a lot of entries, Al.”
“There might be a lot of reasons I would consider liking you.” She peeked his way as Edward moved down the list of items she’d been organizing.
“We’re way past like, Al.” He squinted at the screen. “That ship sailed the first time we slept together.”
“Wow.” She crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. “Good thing I didn’t put modest on there anywhere. I’d have to take it out.”
“It’s not wrong to be proud of what you are, Al.” He shot her a grin. “And I’m definitely proud of what happens in our bed.”
“Our bed?”
“It became ours the second you put the sheets I bought on it.” He pointed at a line, reading the entry. “Makes the bed.” Edward lifted his brows as he looked her way. “That earned a spot?”
“Am I being too generous?” She reached for the mouse. “I can take it off.”
Edward pulled the mouse across the desk. “Too late to take it off now. It’s already there.”
“Don’t act like I had to etch it into a cave wall. All it takes is a single click and anything is deletable.”
“You’re being awfully harsh to the man who tried to fight a legend for you.” He eased closer. “And I made the bed this morning.”
“While I made breakfast.” Alex leaned into him this time when he pulled her close. “Don’t act like I don’t pull my weight.” She’d never really been part of a team outside the relationship she had with her sisters. It was odd to have someone else in her space.
Odd but not unliked.
“Are you calling walking to the bakery and stealing pancake balls making breakfast?”
“I am. Yes.” She smiled as he scoffed. “Don’t complain. I gave you the bacon one.”
“The bacon ones are better.” Edward took a deep breath as he leaned to check the time on his phone. “You about ready?”
She never expected to be sad when Gail left, but here she was.
Her throat trying to be tight at the thought of being without Gail.
“I guess.” She pushed up from her chair. “If we’re late she’ll think we don’t love her.”
“So you love Gail after two weeks, but I still have a spreadsheet filled with reasons you think you should like me?” Edward moved in close at her back, his hands on her hips as his lips moved over her neck to rest against her ear. “What’s a man got to do to get a girl to love him around here?”
She smiled as he pushed her toward the door. “Maybe you should try playing hard to get.”
“Not gonna happen, Al.” He opened the door with one hand, the other wrapping tight around her waist. “When it comes to you I’m always a sure thing.”
EPILOGUE
“THIS IS GOING to be so perfect.” Jeffrey grabbed Kenneth’s arm, his eyes bright as the backhoe took the first chunk from the earth in front of them. “Are you excited?”
“Yes. I’m excited.” Kenneth peeked toward Jeffrey, his mouth curving to an easy smile.
Lance stood at the corner of the lot, talking to the foreman juggling the multiple projects going on. He pointed toward the next lot over, where the framing was being done on the two-story being built for Lance and his family and anyone he might invite to visit Shadow Pine. The foreman nodded before turning to head toward the framers.
Lance held his arms out as he walked toward Jeffrey and Kenneth. “It’s a big day.”
Jeffrey bounced a little. “It is.” He turned to Kenneth. “Did you ever think we’d be the owners of a bed and breakfast?”
“I did not ever think that. No.” Kenneth glanced Alex’s way. “But I think it’s going to be a nice change.”
Edward dropped one arm around Alex’s shoulders. “Change is a good thing.”
She leaned into his side. “I don’t want a new mattress.”
“The one you have is too hard.” He pulled her closer, leaning to press his lips to her temple.
“Didn’t know you were a princess when I agreed to marry you.” She shivered in the cool fall air.
He’d been in Shadow Pine three months and the change in the place was night and day. The foot traffic had increased by almost five-hundred per
cent, forcing them to hire a handful of employees to help juggle the added workload for Sam and Charlie. Lance put off the construction of his own home to put the crew to work on a new building to house Sam’s expanded business. Gail had been back twice to help with the almost complete expansion, helping Sam work though the options to add to the expanded menu.
Among other things.
Sam rushed across the narrow strip of blacktop that ran behind her old shop which now served as the bread bakery, cranking out enough carbs to satisfy the litany of visitors coming to town every day of the week. She tucked her hands in the pockets of the jacket wrapped around her body. “Sorry I’m late. I got caught up in what I was doing.”
“Don’t you worry about it for a second.” Jeffrey ditched Kenneth to wrap his arms around Sam, holding her as they stood side by side, watching the backhoe operator dig along the lines spray painted in the drying grass. “Can you believe it?”
“I can’t believe a lot of things.” Sam smiled softly, her eyes moving to Jeffrey before going to the construction site. “Do you think they’ll get it weather-tight before the snow hits?”
“They’re going to try.” Lance crossed his arms as he watched the work going on. “If it seems like we’re going to cut it close I’ll bring on another crew. We need to get this done. We get asked at least ten times a day when we’re going to offer on-site accommodations.”
“Have you heard anything about the zoning requirements for the campground?”
“It’s on my list to follow up on today.” Lance pulled out his phone, scanning the screen before tucking it back into his pocket. “I’ve gotta go. Kari’s having a rough morning.” He lifted his hand in a wave directed at the foreman. “I’ll see you guys later.”
Jeffrey’s smile held as he continued to squeeze Sam. “I can’t wait to pick out the finishings.” He turned to Sam. “Would you help me? I just love how your house looks. So homey.”
The smile Sam sported a little more often widened just a bit. “Sure. That would be fun.”
“I know it would.” Jeffrey turned back toward the backhoe. “This is less exciting than I imagined it.”
Alex (BIG Northwest Book 2) Page 23