Hunter’s laugh was harsh, mixed with human and wolf growls. “It’s the shifter way, motherfucker.” Hunter roared as he shifted.
Darnell, not having any choice, shifted, but his wolf lowered his upper body in a sign of submission. But Hunter’s wolf was having none of it. He swiped at the wolf with his massive paw, knocking him over. Darnell’s wolf stood back up and made a leap toward Hunter. With practiced ease, Hunter’s wolf sidestepped, biting the wolf on the side.
The fight between the wolves was really over before it started. Hunter dominated the fight to the point it wasn’t even a satisfying revenge. His wolf didn’t fight the shift, too disgusted with the cowardice of Darnell.
Naked, Hunter picked up Darnell’s wolf with one hand. “Shift!” he demanded. When the wolf began to shift, Hunter dropped him and stepped back. The man was badly injured. “Stand and face me like a man,” Hunter ordered, his body tense with rage.
Darnell slowly straightened, his swollen eyes glaring at Hunter. “I’m really glad your bitch didn’t die,” the man slurred and then looked around at the pack. “Because my goal was to make each one of them my bitch and they would have liked it.”
Even as enraged as he was, Hunter glanced away from the man for a split second with a chuckle. “This is for my mate, you stupid son of a bitch.” Hunter punched him in the throat before reaching out and grabbing his head. With one turn of his body, Hunter gave a sharp twist, breaking Darnell’s neck. Letting go, he watched as he crumbled to the ground. Hunter turned and spat on him. “Rot in hell!”
Without missing a beat, Hunter went to the terrified young wolf and picked him up by the throat. “You make sure you spread the word that the Lee County Wolves will fuck up anyone, and I mean anyone, who thinks they can come into our town and harm our pack or mates. You got that?”
The guy made a garbled noise.
“I think that was a yes, and if you don’t stop squeezing his throat, he isn’t going to be able to tell anyone anything,” Marcus said, glancing at the kid.
Hunter tossed him across the room and then turned to grab his clothes that Dell held. He walked straight up to Garrett. “Thank you.”
Garrett actually had dibs on the man, but in light of Emily, he ceded to Hunter, giving Hunter the kill rights. After all, it was the shifter way.
With a nod, Garrett clasped Hunter by the back of the neck and pressed his forehead against his. “I’m glad she’s okay, my brother.”
Steve stood on the sideline, his face devoid of emotion. Hunter walked straight up to him. “I can never repay you for what you did for Emily.” Hunter’s voice was loud and strong, so everyone could hear his appreciation to the vampire who saved his mate. “Emily told me everything and that if you’d stepped foot outside the store, that bastard would have blown it up. She also told me you took her upstairs when the fire started, and I saw with my own eyes you busting out of the trap of an attic to save my mate. You need anything, I’m there. I owe you my life.”
With each word, Steve stood straighter, pride beaming off him. “She wasn’t going to die on my watch,” Steve responded, sounding more adult than Hunter had ever heard him.
Hunter walked out of the barn, heading toward the small pond hidden by trees to wash off the blood and calm down. He wanted to kill the son of a bitch again, his need for vengeance that great. Walking into the pond, he dove, submerging himself to clean not only the blood but the anger away. It was time he got back to what mattered, and that was Emily.
******
Emily sat on the bed dressed and ready to go. She was fidgety and anxious waiting for Hunter. Her eyes kept checking the clock then the door. Hunter should have been back by now. With that thought, the door opened, a nurse peeking in her head. She had been discharged half an hour earlier and the wheelchair to take her out had been brought in, but she refused to leave the room until Hunter returned.
“Not here yet?” The nurse smiled at Emily.
“No, not yet.” Glancing at the clock, Emily managed a smile back.
“Well, I wouldn’t worry,” the nurse reassured. “It is rush hour so he’s probably in all the hospital traffic. That happens when the shift changes. I’ll be back to check on you in a few minutes.”
Emily nodded and then sighed when the door shut. Being alone had her thinking. Hunter had finally told her last night that three people had been killed at Rocky’s Bar and Grill. Herb Zanson, who had been the cook there for years, a waitress who Emily really didn’t know very well, and Mr. Seibert, who ate at Rocky’s every morning. As she remembered his thumbs-up and knuckle bump, the tears started to flow. She had missed his small funeral but had made Hunter promise that they would find a way to take care of Lucy. It was the least she could do. Thank God Roxy was okay. She hadn’t talked to her, but Hunter had said she had been unhurt.
“Hey, what’s this all about?” Hunter hurried to her side.
“I didn’t think you were coming back.” Emily sniffed, wiping under her eyes.
Hunter leaned back, a scowl on his face. “You seriously thought that, Em?”
“Well no, not really.” Emily rolled her eyes. “I’m just an emotional mess at the moment. I keep thinking of old Mr. Seibert.” Saying his name made the tears flow more.
The door opened and the nurse peeked in again. Seeing Hunter, she opened the door wider and walked in. “It’s about time you got here.” The nurse looked at Emily’s face and frowned. “Now, honey, he was just a little late. Nothing to cry over.”
Emily sniffed and laughed. “Sorry, just having a moment.”
“Well, hospitals will do that to ya.” The nurse wheeled the wheelchair toward her. “Hop on in here and I’ll have you out of here in no time.”
Emily started to stand, but Hunter grabbed her up in his arms.
“Sir, it’s hospital policy that we take patients out in a wheelchair,” the nurse scolded, chasing Hunter out of the room with the wheelchair. “Sir.”
Hunter ignored her as he walked past other nurses, who Emily noticed were watching them with envy. At that moment she felt special, felt loved, and not from the envious looks from the nurses staring at Hunter. It was because Hunter was staring at her with love, and not only did she see the love in his eyes, but she trusted it. It was an awe-inspiring moment for her, having never experienced anything quite like it before. Once inside the elevator, the nurse gave up and shook her head. But as the door closed, Emily saw a smile break out on her face.
“How you doing?” Hunter said to a nurse, who was staring at him. “Could you hit the ground floor for me, please?”
“What, oh yeah.” She chuckled, pressing the button. Her eyes then landed on Emily as the door opened to her floor. As the nurse exited, she sighed. “You are a very lucky lady.”
“Yes, I am,” Emily agreed as the door closed. Reaching up, she kissed Hunter and was still kissing him when the doors opened. A few mumbles and the clearing of a throat broke them apart. Hunter grinned as he carried her out into the lobby and toward his car.
“So, did the doc say when you’d be good enough to take care of your mate?” Hunter grinned, wiggling his eyebrows.
“He said right away.” Emily kissed his neck.
“You really asked?” Hunter choked out a laugh, his eyes wide with surprise.
“Is that okay?” Emily gave a small nod, her cheeks heating. She had been so embarrassed when she asked, but Slade had just smiled with a nod. Her body had always craved Hunter Foster, even more so now that she’d had a taste.
“Is that okay, she asks.” Hunter carefully secured her in the car. “I’ll show you just how okay that is when we get home.”
Once Hunter climbed in the driver seat, she touched his arm. “Why wait until we get home?” She gave him her, what she hoped, sexiest smile.
“Jesus.” Hunter started the car still staring at her, then backed up almost hitting another car who laid on their horn. “You are going to kill me.”
Emily laughed before arching up and kissing his
neck. She then sat back in her seat like a good girl. She glanced over to see him adjust his crotch, and she grinned; her heart beating fast and hard. “Hurry up, Hunter.”
Hunter growled when he had to stop at a light, once again adjusting his crotch.
Reaching over, she touched him. “Here, let me help you with that.”
“Fuck!” Hunter growled when she squeezed his hardness. The light changed and they took off like a bat out of hell. “Honey, if you don’t stop, this isn’t going to be a sweet, slow homecoming.”
“Promise?” Emily said, laughing when Hunter cursed again. They passed the Beattyville sign and flew through town. Once they hit the dirt road to his home, their home, Hunter sped up. They came to a sliding stop in front of the house. Hunter didn’t even remove the keys, just killed the engine before he was out of the car and carefully pulling her out. Slamming her against him, he kissed her so hard she was bent over backward.
“You want to be fucked against the car or in the house?” Hunter’s eyes glowed with need.
“Anywhere you want me.” Emily sighed, running her hands through his hair.
“Damn.” Hunter headed toward the house with her in his arms. Realizing he’d left his keys in the car, he cursed. “Fuck it.” He picked up his foot and kicked open the door.
“Hunter!” Emily screamed around a laugh. “You didn’t have to break the door down.”
“Ah, yeah, I really did.” Carrying her inside, Hunter kissed her neck. He kicked the broken door closed. “Nothing will ever stop me from having you. I will break every fucking door in this house if I have to.”
Emily sighed at his words. “I love you.”
Hunter stopped kissing her neck and paused on the stairs. “And I’m about to show you just how much I love you.” He gave her a devilish wink.
“You don’t have to show me anymore, Hunter.” Emily smiled. “I can feel it here.” She put her hand over her heart.”
The look of relief and joy on his face was priceless. “I do love you, Em.” Hunter’s eyes darkened with emotion. “I always have. I just had a piss-poor way of showing it and will spend the rest of my life making it up to you.”
As Hunter held her close, climbing the rest of the stairs, Emily squeezed her eyes shut. She no longer felt alone in the world. All barriers she had placed around her heart fell away. She was Hunter Foster’s mate and nothing mattered more to her than that.
Forbidden Seduction (Lee County Wolves Series) Book #2 Page 15
