“Why?” He laughed. “Because I love you, Holly, that’s why. So, the question is will you try with me? And damn all the consequences? We’ll just choose to be with each other and tell fate to screw itself?"
Dante’s words hit her square in the chest. She tried to speak, but all that came out was a sob. “I—"
A scream pierced the air, and they both turned their heads toward the dining room. A dreaded feeling began to form in Holly’s stomach. “Hannah.”
Chapter Seventeen
Dante reacted immediately. Pushing all his emotions aside, he ran back to the dining room. He had a very bad feeling, and he was rarely wrong.
The air in the dining room was eerily still. Though the music kept playing and the revelers in Times Square on TV were cheering, it was like the whole world inside Muccino’s had stopped.
“Where is the girl?” A rough voice said. “Answer me.”
The crowd of people began to part, and Dante finally saw what caused the party to stop. There were six men dressed in black and what looked like Kevlar armor, all carrying high-powered rifles and automatic weapons. One of them stepped forward.
“The girl! Where is she? Tell me or we start shooting,” he said in a thick accent. It sounded Russian or Eastern European.
Dante shook his head mentally. These men didn’t know what they had walked into. There were at least ten Lycans in the room, including two Alphas. They could tear them to shreds. However, the problem was there were also about thirty humans and many of them didn’t know about Lycans. This was going to be tricky. He looked around. They’d just have to figure a way out of this situation.
“What girl are you talking about?” Grant said as he stepped forward. When one of the men pointed his weapon at him, he held his hands up. Behind Grant, Dante could see Frankie seething, her hands balled into fists.
“Hannah Taylor,” the man in the middle, probably their leader, said. He was tall, imposing, and had a scraggly beard that covered most of his face. “We’ve been searching for her for months. I know she’s been living with her aunt, who’s chef of the restaurant across the street.”
“There’s no one here by that name,” Grant said. “Now, if you turn around and go, we won’t call the police.”
“We are looking for a child,” the man with the beard said. “Blonde with big blue eyes. We almost had her too. I know she didn’t die in the fire and she hasn’t been home since Christmas Day. But we finally spotted her coming in here tonight. If you don’t hand her over now,” he grabbed one of the guests whom Dante recognized as Holly’s pastry chef and pointed a gun at her face, “we’ll take this one instead.”
“No! Hannah, don’t!”
Dante saw a movement from the corner of his eye. “Stop!” he cried as he ran forward. Hannah emerged from the crowd of people and marched to the front. “Hannah!” Dante surged forward, but one of the men hit his head with the back of his weapon, sending him to the ground.
“Dante! Hannah!” Holly rushed forward. Dante was still reeling from the blow to his head and couldn’t stop her. Sobs filled the air as Holly begged to be let go.
He opened his eyes, his vision slowly focusing, but he didn’t move. His wolf was howling at him to do something and to be let out so he could rip all these men apart, but he told it to stay quiet. Those men thought he was still unconscious, which he could use to his advantage. So he listened in.
“There you are,” the bearded man said. “I finally found you. You gave a good chase that night I killed your mama and I almost had you too, if those cops hadn’t come along. But you remember what I said before I left, right? That if you spoke to anyone about what happened, that I would kill you and everyone you loved?”
Hannah’s silence said it all, and everything clicked into place. Why Hannah never talked, even thought she could. Dante vowed then and there he would make these men pay.
“Ah, glad to see you were a good girl. If only your papa was as cooperative as you and taken our bribe, he’d still be alive. Now,” the bearded men said as he turned to the crowd. “My men are going to round you up and take you all to the back and lock you up. Don’t even think about fighting back; we will not hesitate to kill every single one of you. Even the children.”
Dante stayed down, willing his wolf not to act as he heard the shuffling of feet and panicked sobs. He kept his eyes closed, tuning his keen ears to the sounds around him as he waited for the right opportunity. Soon, the dining room was getting quieter, and when he heard the sound of the front door opening, he knew it was his chance. In one motion, he sprang to his feet and sprinted out the door.
He barely made it out before his wolf ripped from his skin, tearing his clothes to shreds. His paws landed on the pavement with a loud thud, his claws clicking on the cement. Through his wolf’s eyes, he saw the bearded man toss Hannah into the back of the empty van across the street and hop in behind her.
Anger filled his veins as he watched the van peel away. His wolf chased after them, his powerful legs pumping as fast as they could. He certainly wasn’t a trained fighter, not the way Grant, Nick, or the Lone Wolves were, but his wolf was formidable. He’d survived the battle of Norway five years ago, after all, when they were fighting for their lives and to stop the mages from dominating the world. But tonight, he was fighting for something bigger and more personal. He was fighting for Holly and Hannah, and he was going to rip those men apart because they took what was his.
The van was going full speed. Without any traffic, there was nothing to stop or slow it down. Desperation was heavy in his heart as his wolf was pushed to its limits. They were going to get away.
Suddenly, the roar of a revving engine filled the air. Something very fast and very loud zoomed past him, chasing after the van. It was a motorcycle; one he recognized. Noah.
Filled with hope, his wolf pushed on, catching up with them. Noah’s motorcycle was a car’s length behind when a giant wolf bounded forward. The bike flew to the side, crashing against a wall with a loud bang. The wolf landed on top of the van, and it swung wildly before it slowed down just enough for Dante to catch up. His wolf sprang forward and landed right alongside Noah.
Dante had never seen his father’s wolf, but his scent was unmistakable. Leather, musk, and oil. The wolf was the same size as his, but had grayish fur. Noah’s wolf bared its teeth and let out a howl before it leapt up and slammed its razor sharp claws into the roof of the van, opening the top like it was made of cardboard.
The van swung wildly, and someone let out a string of curses in Russian. Through the hole that Noah made in the roof, Dante swiped one large paw, mauling the driver. The driver let out a scream of pain and turned the wheel wildly, sending the vehicle into a dark side street where it crashed into a wall.
There were more curses and shouts in Russian, then the distinct sound of gunfire blasted through the air. A bullet whizzed by from underneath them, and Noah and Dante hopped down to the ground.
“Who’s out there?” the bearded man said as he jumped out from the back door, an automatic weapon trained on them with his right hand and Hannah tucked under his left arm. When he saw the two wolves, fear flashed in his eyes, but he kept his weapon pointed at them. “What the fuck is going on?” He looked confused, then dropped Hannah to the ground.
“Dante!” Hannah screamed, her voice clear as a bell.
It was all he needed. Dante sprang forward. Shots rang out, and the street was plunged into darkness as one of the bullets hit the only working light overhead. Good thing for him, his enhanced vision allowed him to see his target clearly and he landed right on top of the man.
Pain ripped through his shoulder, but he ignored it. Rage coursed through his blood. This man hurt Hannah. And he was going to pay.
Even as his shoulder burned like he’d been skewered by several hot pokers, he swiped a large paw down the man’s face and chest, his claws tearing into fabric and flesh. The bearded man screamed in pain, and the distinct, metallic smell of blood filled the air. Th
e man let out a gurgle before he went quiet.
Dante limped away from the man, dragging his body as best he could. He took one last step before he collapsed. He glanced at his shoulder. Blood was pouring out of several holes. He felt tired. So goddamn tired. All he wanted to do was close his eyes.
“Dante!” a voice said. Someone was calling his name. He had heard the same voice just minutes ago.
Hannah!
With the last of his strength, he held his head up and scanned the area using his enhanced vision. He saw her by the van, crawling along the ground in the darkness.
“Dante,” she cried out. “Please don’t die! I’ll do anything. I’ll stop fighting other kids when they tease me. I’ll eat any of the yucky food Aunt Holly gives me. Just don’t leave me and Aunt Holly. We need you. She needs you.”
“Hannah,” his father called. “Stay where you are, baby girl. You can’t see great in the dark, and I don’t want you to fall and hurt yourself. Dante’s with me; he’s going to be okay.” Noah knelt beside him. “I’ll take care of him. His body can heal. He’ll be all right.”
Hannah hesitated, but then nodded and stood rooted to the spot.
Noah looked down at Dante. “This is going to hurt, son, but I need to take out those bullets so you can heal properly. Get ready.”
Pain burned through his shoulder as Noah began to dig into each wound with his fingers. One by one, he took out the bullets, and when he was done, he stood back. “You’ll be okay.” Noah threw something on top of him—maybe a towel or a drop cloth—to cover his nakedness.
Dante felt the wolf receding deep into that place inside him. His limbs began to shorten, and fur disappeared into his skin. He let out a strained gasp as he came back and got full control of his body. He already felt the blood begin to clot in his wounds.
“Dante! Noah!” The sound of footsteps came closer, and voices echoed throughout the alley. There was a light from somewhere, and when he looked up, he recognized several faces. Frankie. Meredith. Daric. And Holly and Hannah.
“Dante, no!” Holly cried as she collapsed next to him. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the wounds. She threw her body over him. “No, please. Hang on, don’t die. I love you, and I want to try. Please.” Her body shook as she sobbed, her arms wound around him. “I want to try.”
“Aunt Holly, he’s going to be okay,” Hannah said as she patted Holly on the shoulder. “Grandpa Noah saved him.”
“I …” Her eyes went wide. “Hannah … you’re … talking?”
Hannah nodded. “Dante and Grandpa Noah saved me,” she said. “From the bad man. The one who hurt mommy and daddy.”
“Oh Hannah …” She pulled the little girl into a hug. “I love you so much. I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“Holly,” Dante gasped as he reached a hand out to touch her. She quickly grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.
Holly looked up at Noah. “Will he really be okay?”
Noah nodded. “He’ll be fine by morning. He just needs rest.”
Holly let out a choked gulp as more tears streamed down her cheeks. “Dante,” she said tenderly as she touched his face. “I love you.”
And that was the last thing he remembered before he lost consciousness.
***
The next time Dante opened his eyes, it was still dark, but he was definitely not lying in the street. He could feel the softness of the mattress underneath, the press of a warm body, and the scent of lavender and vanilla.
“Holly …” he rasped, his voice still rough with sleep.
The body beside him moved. “Dante … no, don’t move …” There was a rustling of sheets, and silky hair fell against his chest.
“I’m fine,” he said. “All good.” He tried to move, but there was still some discomfort in his shoulder.
Holly breathed a sigh of relief. “Dr. Faulkner said you didn’t need any bandages and that the wounds should heal after you’ve had some rest.”
He looked around. “What time is it?”
“It’s six o’clock in the morning. You’ve been out for nearly ten hours.”
“Ten hours?” He let out a groan. “Sorry sweetheart, I didn’t get to kiss you at midnight.”
“Huh?” Holly frowned and then slapped him on the chest. “You idiot. You nearly died.”
“It’s not that bad, see?” He nodded to his shoulder. “Almost fully healed—ow!” Holly had hit him again. “Not if you keep hitting me.”
“Oh you!” Holly laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “I thought I lost you.”
“And I thought I was going to lose you and Hannah.” He frowned. “What happened anyway? To you guys, I mean.”
“Yeah, about that … I’m not quite sure myself, but while those Russian mobsters were herding us into the kitchen, Meredith handed me Astrid and said to keep her safe while she took care of business. She distracted those men and then … it was the strangest thing. One of them raised his gun and pulled the trigger, no bullets came out. None of their guns worked, and when everyone realized that, they all retaliated and fought them off. There was a big scuffle, of course, and a couple people got hurt, but eventually we overpowered them. Meredith explained to me that her husband Daric had come back and he’s some kind of magician.”
“Warlock,” Dante corrected. Thank God Daric had come back in time. “But what about after?”
“Well, when we ran out and saw you were gone, we realized you went after them. We followed and found you and Noah a couple blocks away.”
“The bearded man?”
“Dead,” she said, her voice trembling. “Quinn was able to hack into the Seattle P.D. Database and found out more about the on-going investigation into Sean and Brenda’s deaths. Plus, with what we know from Hannah…basically he killed Sean and Brenda. It was the Russian mob. They tried to turn Sean dirty, but he wouldn’t take their bribe. That’s when they decided to get rid of him, along with Brenda and Hannah. She ran and he chased after her. She hid under some bushes, but he found her.”
“But he didn’t get to her?”
Holly shook her head. “He was about to. And then the cops came. He ran, but not before he threatened…” She let out a sob and Dante held her tight. “I … I never knew. No one did because Hannah wouldn’t talk. She thought she was protecting me by staying quiet. I was hoping she didn’t see anything that night, but …”
“Holly …” He kissed the top of her head. “You’re safe now. Both of you.”
“I know … thanks to you.” She looked up at him. “I’m sorry about what happened before.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry for.”
“I just … I want to believe it so bad. That I’m going to be with you forever.”
“You are … you will be,” he assured her.
“Dante, if you didn’t hear what I said … I love you. And I want to try.” She moved up and pressed her lips to his.
“Holly, I love you, too,” he said when he pulled away. “Yes. I want to try, too.” But deep in his heart, he already knew. His wolf knew. Holly was destined to be his. His True Mate. He slid a hand down her back to her ass and pressed her against his erection.
“Wait … now?” she asked in a confused voice.
“Can you think of a better time?” he asked. “I want to have a pup with you, Holly.”
“Dante …”
He stopped short. “Hold on. Where’s Hannah?”
“She’s downstairs, in her room,” she said. “Your father’s sleeping on the floor, in his Lycan form. He offered to be her guard dog and chase any nightmares away.”
He smiled. “He came in the nick of time. I gotta thank him in the morning for saving my ass. Anyway …” Dante’s other hand slid into her hair and pulled her down for a long, searing kiss.
Holly moaned into his mouth, and he pushed his tongue inside to taste her. God, she was sweet and hot, and he wanted more, but she pulled away and sat up. She threw a leg over his waist and straddled him.
She leaned down to give him a teasing kiss before she slid down his body. “Holly? I—ugh!” Holly’s warm, wet mouth wrapped around the head of his cock, making him buck his hips up. The sensation of her tongue swirling around the head was frying his brain. He reached down, dug his fingers into her hair, and pulled her away.
“Didn’t you like …”
“Yes, sweetheart,” he laughed. “Too much.”
She smiled and then moved up again, rubbing her pert breasts along his body. He grabbed her and pulled her forward, popping one hard bud into his mouth and sucking deep, making her cry out.
“Dante!” she moaned.
As he continued to suckle on her, he moved a hand down and brushed his fingers over her damp slit. She was soaked and ready for him. “Sweetheart … I need to be inside you. Now,” he growled. “And I want to watch you.”
She moved her hips and slipped a hand between them. She grabbed his aching shaft and pressed the tip of his cock against her entrance. She began to move, bracing her hands on his chest so she could slide back and forth. From this angle, he could really feel all of her wrapped around him. She went slow and easy.
Dante moved his hands up to her waist. His palms were large and warm and covered her breasts. He rolled the hardened nipples between his fingers, and she threw her head back. “Yes,” she whispered, moving her hips faster and faster.
“Holly … I …” Dante grabbed her hips to steady her as he began to thrust upwards, strong and short strokes, so desperate to come inside her.
“Yes … Dante … oh please … I need you.” Her body rocked in pleasure, and he felt her grip him even tighter, pushing him over the edge.
He roared his orgasm, his fingers digging into her hips so hard he knew they would leave a mark. He didn’t worry about it. They would heal. His cock twitched as he spurted his seed inside her, knowing that at that moment, they were sealing the deal. True Mates.
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