Her Wolf Mate

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Her Wolf Mate Page 8

by Hannah Lin


  as many people as possible through.

  We had ruined Carter’s mission. Now, it was about saving

  face. I was counting on Carter realizing that so that he’d let

  the last couriers through with no problem.

  “Kate,” Carter called, stepping in front of the six men he

  brought with him. “I knew there was something fishy about

  you.”

  I smiled. Carter was in a chatty mood. This was perfect.

  “What gave it away?”

  “You showed up on our radar with the perfect background

  at the perfect time.”

  I smiled sweetly. “Don’t thank me, thank Maddie.”

  “Where is that little brat?” Carter asked, peering around

  me.

  “Long gone. To Testea too. Right through that portal.

  Would you like to follow her?”

  Carter scoffed. “I know what’s waiting on the other side of

  that portal. The girl’s been nothing but a pain. But don’t

  worry. My contacts in Testea will get her back. Then I can kill

  her myself.”

  Rage pulsed through my veins. How dare Carter threaten

  my mate? I clenched my fists behind my back and breathed

  deeply.

  “We both know that will never happen,” I said. “Maddie’s

  going to share all your little secrets.”

  Carter laughed. “She knows nothing.”

  “You’ll be shocked what kind of information Testea will find

  interesting. Maddie’s a bright woman. You think she didn’t

  note who you were talking to at all your little parties? You

  think she won’t remember the names on the documents she

  saw on your desk? How about the names and faces of

  everyone in your cell? I bet Testea will find that kind of

  information interesting.”

  Carter’s dark brown eyes darkened, and he froze. I could

  sense the tension coiled up in his muscles. He wanted

  nothing more than to pounce.

  I looked at the men Carter had brought with him. Taylor

  and the rest of them were missing. They must have seen Kai

  run by and gone after him. I wasn’t worried. Kai would

  probably half shift, keeping his human form but sprouting

  his wings, and fly to evade them, returning the children

  once it was safe to do so. The most important thing was that

  I had the attention of Carter and his men.

  I took a step forward and looked each man in the eye. “Do

  you want to stand by Carter at a time like this? Maddie is

  telling Testean officials your names as we speak. I bet they’ll

  hold a press conference that will go universe wide. Your

  faces and your names will be on every screen. Think about

  your families. Is this the story you want them to hear about

  you? That you kidnap and murder little children?”

  “Shut up,” Carter spat, his voice practically a growl.

  I continued. “You could surrender, step through that portal

  and hand yourselves over to Testea in exchange for serving

  as a witness against Carter and Zov. Isn’t that better than

  dying out here, and having your names and faces exposed

  right beside this asshole’s?”

  Silence reigned for a good three seconds, and I took my

  opening. I’d been stoking the fire within me while I spoke,

  and now it was as hot as it would get. I opened my mouth

  and loosed a stream of fire, turning to make sure I got most

  of Carter’s men.

  Carter himself jumped out of the way with his freakishly

  fast reflexes, but I got four of the men. They tried to roll

  around on the ground as the flames consumed them, but

  dragon’s fire was nothing like natural fire.

  Before I could celebrate a brief victory, Carter pounced on

  me in his bear form. I was ready for it, and I kicked out my

  legs against the bear in anticipation. Sweat broke out over

  my forehead as I strained against the giant beast above me.

  Carter’s black eyes, combined with his black fur, made

  him more intimidating. His animal looked like one who had

  no soul, and I knew that to be true, so I pushed with all my

  might. A regular human’s bones would have cracked under

  the pressure, but I was a shifter, so I held on, but I quickly

  felt my strength waning.

  I turned to the side, hoping to find a dagger or something

  else to help. Instead, I saw Simon fighting two of Carter’s

  men alone. The older bear moved fast, dodging the blades

  being swiped at him and getting punches in where he could.

  I grunted but smiled inwardly. I was proud of Simon.

  Pleased to see him finally break free of the mental chains

  Carter had put on him. Simon had done the right thing and

  stuck by it. From what I could see, he’d gotten all the

  couriers through.

  A paw swiped across my cheek, and I howled in pain.

  Blood dripped down my face, but I pushed my legs further.

  I’d gotten distracted and paid the price for it. Carter kept

  advancing, lunging for my face with his massive paws. With

  each lunge, my knees buckled. One more inch and he could

  slit my throat with his claws.

  I shut my eyes and focused on pushing while calling to the

  magic in me. I found that the well within me was empty. I’d

  used most of my magic up earlier and what was left couldn’t

  start even a whimper of a fire.

  Think, I told myself. This can’t be the end.

  I could try to roll away from Carter, but the black bear had

  fast reflexes. I’d be dead in less than a second. I thought of

  shifting, but that would lead to the same result. I took a

  deep breath, as I felt my legs quiver, ready to give out.

  I knew I’d done my best. I’d done what any honorable

  dragon would do. If this was the end, then so be it. I just

  hated that I’d have to break my promise to Maddie. Poor

  Maddie. She’d be all alone. That thought sent a sharp pain

  into my chest, but there was nothing I could do.

  I opened my eyes and looked into Carter’s. I would not go

  down with my eyes closed.

  “You’ll get what’s coming to—”

  I couldn't finish the sentence. A second later, Carter was

  shoved off me, and a group of Testean academy students,

  dressed in orange and brown camouflage, chased after the

  black bear. I turned toward the portal and saw more men

  streaming from it. I scrambled to my feet and stopped one

  of them.

  “You can’t be here,” I said. “You’ll get in trouble.”

  The young man grinned. “It’s worth it. We finally want to

  know what it’s like to kick some Zovite ass.”

  I shook my head and laughed. They were young and

  crazy, and the promise of battle called to them. I stumbled

  on weak legs toward Simon, who lay against the wall of the

  warehouse with a hand over his belly.

  “Your friends distracted me when they came through, and

  he got a good swipe,” he said.

  I placed an arm around the older bear and helped him

  walk toward the portal. “Thank you for all your help. I

  couldn’t have done it without you.”

  Simon scoffed, then winced. “Please. I’ve seen no one

  hol
d Carter off like that. He weighs a ton.”

  “Are you complimenting my ability to do a leg press?”

  Simon chuckled, then moaned. “Please don’t make me

  laugh.”

  “Alright. Come on, you old bear. We need to get you

  patched up. That laugh sounded like you got more of a

  gutting than an innocent swipe.”

  I pushed Simon through the portal, before waiting my

  turn. I didn’t want to step through and bump into Simon,

  shoving him to the ground. As I stood there and waited, the

  sound of a bear’s roar filled the night.

  The young recruits didn’t have a fair shot at killing Carter.

  They weren’t ready for this type of enemy. But their

  numbers would keep them safe until one of them managed

  to shoot a tranquilizer at Carter and drag him to Testea.

  I turned around and stepped through the portal. As soon

  as I was on Testean soil, Maddie launched herself at me. I

  grunted as I absorbed the shock of her embrace, then pulled

  her to me, kissing her neck.

  “I’m fine,” I whispered, over and over, but Maddie shook

  her head and cried.

  I grinned as I directed the little magic I had toward my leg

  and thigh muscles. I picked Maddie up, shocking her. She

  quickly wrapped her legs around my waist and peered down

  at me.

  “Never leave me like that,” she said. “I was worried sick.”

  “I won’t,” I promised, looking deep into her warm brown

  eyes. “From now on, you come first. I won’t be taking

  missions like this.”

  Maddie’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean you had to quit

  your career! I just meant—”

  I silenced her with a fiery kiss. We both panted when we

  came up for air. “All I want is a life with you. Whatever job I

  have do take to make that happen won’t matter. I want to

  be with you and have a child with you.”

  “That’s beautiful,” Maddie said, hugging me once more.

  “I mean it.” I placed her on the ground gently. “Have you

  debriefed anyone?”

  “I spoke to one teacher here. A colonel, I think. Anyway, I

  told him I’d talk to him properly later. I wanted you safe and

  sound first.”

  I smiled. “I think later sounds about right. Right now, I

  want to show my mate just how glad I am to be alive and

  back in her arms.”

  Maddie's brows furrowed. “Are you sure you're okay? You

  don't look hurt, but I'm sure you're tired. What about

  debriefing? I'm sure there are people who need to speak to

  you. And Kai? Where is he?”

  I placed a finger against Maddie's lips, silencing her. “I

  almost died, and all I want to do is celebrate living with you.

  Kai is fine, and all the higher-ups can wait.” I lowered my

  head to nibble on Maddie's ear before I whispered. “You've

  been teasing me for days. I finally want to taste what I've

  been craving. I want to show you how much I care about

  you.”

  Maddie groaned, then grabbed my hand, dragging me

  along with her. “You've convinced me.”

  I laughed. “Where are you going? You don't know where

  anything on Testea is.”

  “I see a copse of trees over there. That'll have to do for

  the first time. Then later tonight, I want you to take me to a

  nice hotel so we can take our time with each other.”

  I scooped Maddie up into my arms and carried her the rest

  of the way. “I'm so lucky you're my mate. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  THE END

  Document Outline

  Title Page

  Copyright

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

 

 

 


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