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NICK
Today was the day. My wolf and I were both laden with anxiety, the animal because he would finally get what he wanted, and me because I feared I might lose the one thing that meant the most to me.
Mandy.
I maneuvered my truck along the gravel road and nervously fingered the rim of the clear plastic container sitting on the seat next to me. Inside was a batch of Berkley’s double-fudge brownies, which I’d had her prepare specifically for this occasion.
Bear was curled up on the passenger seat. He sniffed the container, his cold nose brushing against my hand. “These are not for you.” I gave him a warning scowl.
After taking one more sniff, Bear made a disgruntled noise and laid his head on his paws. The animal was more devious than my wolf. He pretended to be disinterested, but I knew better. Out of my peripheral vision, I caught him opening one eye and focusing it on the contents hidden inside.
I’d come to realize a few things over the last few days. The resort was my home, my permanent home, complete with a brother and sister. It didn’t matter that we missed out on a childhood together and were still learning how to coexist. They’d unconditionally welcomed me into their lives and made me a part of their family, and I had no intention of giving them up.
I’d embraced the knowledge that Mandy was my mate. What I hadn’t considered was how much she’d come to mean to me in such a short time. I was entranced by her, in love with her, and committed to spending the rest of my life with her. It was the reason for the special treat. They were a means of enticing her and seducing her before I informed her that she was my mate and asked her to be mine forever.
When she’d stopped by my cabin this morning, we’d agreed to meet for lunch. Time seemed to drag, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I was a couple of hours early and didn’t care. Being away from Mandy was agony. I needed her like I needed my next breath, to know she truly accepted me as her mate.
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MANDY
The two days after the dinner with Nick’s family had passed without incident. The few times I’d talked to Reese, he made sure to let me know they hadn’t heard anything from Bishop and there hadn’t been any more break-ins.
The only thing that had changed since that night was my relationship with Nick. He was more attentive, more protective, and made sure we spent every afternoon together.
I was working on the last cabin slated for repairs, which meant the project Reese had hired me for was nearly complete. My father would be coming back to work soon, and I’d have more free time to resume my classes. It also meant I wouldn’t have a daily reason to be spending time at the resort.
The idea of not seeing Nick every day had me dragging my feet to collect my toolbox off the bathroom floor and head to the kitchen. I’d fallen in love with him, and I still had no idea if he was planning to stay or if I should hope for a future together.
We’d planned to meet for lunch, and, if I could work up the nerve, I was going to ask him about the direction of our relationship. If he wasn’t going to be around, I needed to be prepared, to protect my heart from the impending hurt I knew was inevitable.
I opened the cabinet underneath the sink and surveyed the pipes. Everything would need to be replaced. I’d learned that Carl and Dale, the two guys who’d harassed Nick and me at the ice cream shop, were the ones responsible for tearing things apart before Bryson had interrupted them. Luckily, the shelf was still okay. There were a few water stains, but no signs of permanent damage.
The sound of gravel crunching on the drive outside drew my attention. Noon was a few hours off, but it wouldn’t be the first time Nick had shown up early. I rushed to the door and peered through the screen. My smile faltered, and I froze with my hand on the door handle. Dale and Carl were getting out of a fancy red truck.
They had a lot of audacity to show up here again, and in broad daylight. It took me a second to realize they’d parked next to my truck and knew I was here. Dread inched along my spine. Somehow, I didn’t believe they were here to finish the job they’d started.
These were big guys, and wrench or no wrench, I didn’t stand a chance against them. A locked door wasn’t going to prevent them from getting inside, but it didn’t keep me from closing it anyway and flipping the dead bolt. Bryson had stopped by about a half hour ago on his rounds, and I had no idea when he’d be back.
I slipped the cell phone out of my pocket and swiped Nick’s number. After two attempts and nothing, I checked the screen and saw that I only had one bar. Damn the spotty reception. Frustrated, I shoved the phone back in my pocket.
Pounding on the door made me jump. “Hey, pretty thing. Let us in. We just want to talk.” I recognized Dale’s voice and knew better than to believe anything he had to say.
“Yeah, right,” I muttered to myself and headed for the bedroom at the rear of the house, a plan formulating along the way.
“We know you’re in there, so you might as well open the door.”
Once I reached the room, I rushed around the bed to the window on the opposite side. I pulled on the string to draw the blinds upward and covered my mouth to stifle a cough from all the dust I’d shaken loose.
Please, please, please open. I flipped the lock securing the two panes of glass, then reached for the handle on the lower frame. The darned thing creaked but didn’t budge.
“Open the fucking door,” Dale hollered, banging on the wooden surface even harder, reminding me that I was running out of time.
I reached for the wooden strip on the upper portion of the frame and shoved with everything I had. The old wood scraped inside the tracks, the window jamming to a stop after moving a foot. It was going to be a tight squeeze, and I’d probably end up scraped and bruised. Left with no alternatives, I slid one leg through the opening. I had my chest pressed against the window ledge when I heard wood splintering, followed by a loud crash.
“Where the hell is she?” Dale snarled.
“She has to be here somewhere,” Carl said. “You look around up here, and I’ll check the rooms at the back of the cabin.”
My pulse accelerated, the pressure in my chest tightening. I drew my other leg over the sill and leaned, letting gravity do its job. I’d miscalculated the drop, lost my footing, and hit the ground, landing hard on my ass. I slapped a hand over my mouth to muffle my groan. After scrambling to my feet, I rubbed my bruised backside. I didn’t have time to close the window and didn’t bother. It wouldn’t be long before Carl reached the bedroom and realized where I’d gone.
Staying low, I pressed against the wooden exterior and crept toward the back corner of the building. My odds of escaping were slim. If I could get to my truck, I might have a chance of getting away from them, because going into the woods wasn’t an option. They were wolves and could easily track me if I ran. I shuddered, trying not to imagine what they’d do to me if they decided to shift.
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NICK
I strained to control my anger when I reached the driveway in front of the cabin and spotted the large red truck parked next to Mandy’s work vehicle. I recognized it immediately as the same truck I’d seen Carl and Dale driving the night they’d harassed us at the ice cream shop.
What the hell were they doing here, and, more importantly, where was Mandy? If they’d hurt her in any way, they were going to die. I jammed my foot on the brake pedal, skidding to a stop, Bear and the container of brownies ending up on the floor. I shoved open the door, slamming it behind me to keep the dog inside. I’d barely made it past the hood when Mandy came barreling around the corner of the cabin, headed for her truck.
“Nick!” she yelled, switching directions and heading straight toward me. Though she appeared unharmed, I smelled her fear. The scent invaded my nostrils and increased my wolf’s agitation. She threw herself into my arms. “We need to leave.” She forced the words out between pants.
The screen door burst open, and Dale rushed outside, jumping off the porch at the same time Carl rounded the corner, chasing after Mandy.
“Look who decided to show up.” Dale rolled his shoulders and took a step forward. “The boss has plans for the girl, so you might want to get back in your truck and leave before it gets ugly.” He growled and flicked his hands, extending his claws.
“Nick.” Mandy clutched my arm tightly, her face paling.
“She’s not going anywhere.” I pushed her behind me, positioning myself between her and the two males. I mirrored Dale’s actions, allowing a partial shift.
“The boss said I couldn’t kill anyone, but he didn’t say anything about causing some pain.” Dale’s sneer exposed an elongated set of canines.
“Mandy, I want you to take my truck and go to the lodge. Find Reese and Berkley.” The keys were still in the ignition, making it easier for her to get out of here.
With the threat to our mate, my animal’s rage was insistent, pushing me closer to a complete transformation. In my wolf’s frenzied state, there was a chance I’d lose control, that I’d turn feral. Mandy could get hurt, and I wanted her as far away from here as possible.
“No, I won’t leave you.” She pressed her hand to my back, her voice filled with anguish.
“Please do as I ask. I have to fight, and I can’t focus if I’m worried about your safety.”
“Nobody has to get hurt,” Carl said and gave Dale a brief nod. He sidestepped to my left, widening the gap between them, no doubt trying to get to Mandy.
“Go now,” I ordered and lunged at Dale, the closer of the two threats. I caught him around the waist and took him to the ground. He shoved me aside and swiped at my chest, his sharp claws ripping through my shirt and cutting into flesh. I winced and rolled, distancing myself from his next attack. It was hard to ignore the metallic odor of blood filling my nostrils or the pain searing across my skin. The wounds weren’t deep and would heal quickly, but it didn’t mean I wouldn’t suffer until they did.
During the scuffle, I’d lost track of Carl and quickly glanced around to see if I could locate him. He was nowhere to be seen, but Mandy had reached the driver’s side of my truck. Bear had his small paws pressed against the window and was barking furiously. Trapping the dog inside had saved his life. If he’d gotten out, he would have gone after the males and ended up dead.
I focused my attention on Dale and the easiest way to incapacitate him. Being a target for other shifters, the cocky, more arrogant ones who thought they had something to prove, was one of the downsides to being a wild wolf. No matter where I went, I’d eventually end up in a fight. Luckily, I learned quickly and knew being the aggressor was the best and fastest way to win in most situations.
I launched myself at Dale again before he had a chance to get off the ground. As I’d hoped, the move was unexpected and caught him off guard. I doubled my fist and landed a hard punch to Dale’s jaw, rendering him unconscious. With our accelerated healing abilities, he wouldn’t be down long. Hopefully, it would be long enough for me to find and incapacitate Carl. I sprang to my feet, noting that my truck hadn’t moved and Mandy wasn’t in it.
I frantically glanced around and found Carl with his hand over her mouth and an arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her arms to her sides. He was dragging her backward and stopped when he reached the passenger door of his truck.
“Let her go.” I took a few steps forward, giving Carl a vehement glare. The man was dead and didn’t know it.
Carl lowered his hand from Mandy’s mouth to grip her neck. As soon as he released her waist, she grabbed his arm, trying to wrench free.
“Stop,” Carl growled and tightened his grip on her throat.
Mandy gasped, and I froze. If he applied enough pressure, Carl could easily snap her neck. With his other hand, Carl reached behind him and opened the truck door. Instead of shoving her inside as I’d expected, he pulled out a gun and aimed it at my chest.
Dale groaned, waking sooner than I’d thought he would. He rubbed his jaw and rose from the ground, his movements slow and jerky. His gaze landed on me, and he snarled, “You’re going to pay for that.”
“Dale, forget about him and get your ass over here,” Carl ordered.
“What?” Dale snapped, then grinned when he saw that Carl had Mandy. “Well, this changes things.” He shuffled to the truck.
“Take her.” Carl shoved Mandy at Dale, his aim at me never wavering.
“Mandy.” I inched forward, uncertain whether I could survive a gunshot wound and not caring. I wasn’t going to let them get her into the truck. My wolf was like a caged animal beating against the bars to get free. The transformation was coming whether I wanted it to or not.
“Nick, don’t,” Mandy pleaded, a tear trickling down her cheek.
The next few seconds seemed to move in slow motion. Carl squeezed the trigger, and I felt a painful prick of pressure in the flesh below my shoulder. When I glanced down, I’d expected to see blood from a bullet wound, not the small silver dart with the feathered orange end sticking out of my chest.
“No,” Mandy screamed and struggled against Dale’s grasp.
I tore the dart from my chest and tossed it aside. Staggering forward, I tried to reach Mandy. I was too late to stop the drug eagerly working its way through my system. My legs weakened, and I dropped to the ground, landing on my hands and knees. I crumpled on my side, Mandy’s beautiful face blurring before my eyes. I’d never felt more helpless in my life. They were going to take her, and there was nothing I could do to stop them.
“Don’t worry, pretty thing, your boyfriend will be fine. He’ll just have one hell of a headache when he wakes up.” Dale’s contemptuous voice was the last thing I heard before darkness claimed me.
