by Alicia White
After what seemed like hours, the announcement to start the run rang out. Emily dropped what she was doing and headed toward the front yard. She maneuvered through the various packs, looking for Cole and Charlie. Lifting her head, she inhaled, hoping that she might be able to locate them by scent. She was surprised when she couldn’t find them. The wind wasn’t blowing, and there were too many other scents to cull through to locate them.
A hand reached out from somewhere in the middle of the crowd and grabbed her hard.
“Well, well. Lookie who I found.”
Emily’s arm flew back as he jerked her around to face him. The grip was tight, and she was caught off guard, practically tripping over her own feet and flying into a hard body. Emily was ready to lash out. Her claws unleashed until she took a calming breath and pulled the bear back. She didn’t want to put Cole and Charlie’s pack in an uncomfortable situation.
But whoever the fuck had grabbed her better have a damn good reason. Otherwise, she was going to shift and rip him to shreds. She brought her head up and came face to face with her past, the wolf that changed her, Doug. Holy shit! His eyes were hard, and his grip tightened painfully. He leaned toward her, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled. Emily immediately pushed him away from her. Fucking bastard.
“I knew it was you.” Doug sneered.
“Great. I’m happy for you. Now, let me go. I’m looking for my mates.” She purposely emphasized the word for his benefit.
“I can scent the wolves on you and the same bear stench. Unfortunately, that can’t be completely covered.” He smirked.
How ridiculous. Here she was facing this beast from her past, and she actually pitied him. Yeah, she was pissed, but not devastated like she would’ve been years ago. No, she was a completely different woman now, stronger, safe and she belonged...but most importantly, she was loved.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Let go of my arm or you’ll regret it.”
“Threats? You’re pathetic. A lone bear amongst wolves. You don’t belong here.” He laughed, the sound making her skin crawl.
“Fuck you, loser.” Power surged through her and she drew her fist back.
Her bear came forward with a strength she welcomed. She wanted this hit to be packed with muscle behind it, so he would never forget who delivered the blow. She swung with everything she had and met…air.
A loud crunch sounded, echoing around the yard, and the hand holding her was suddenly gone. Emily stumbled back a little and saw Doug on the ground holding his nose as blood poured through his fingers. Jerking her gaze up, Emily arched her brow in irritation as she looked from Cole to Charlie. They were in a rage, chests heaving, muscles flexing.
“Get up, you piece of shit.” She wasn’t sure which one spoke, the voice was too animalistic.
“Damn it…I really wanted to hit him. Why did you do that?” She spoke through gritted teeth.
“He dared to touch you.” Charlie growled.
“That’s not the point, though. I wanted to punch him. I’ve been waiting years.”
“Fine.” Charlie inclined his head. “Get up, asshole.” He grabbed the dirtbag’s T-shirt and hauled him off the ground in front of her.
The whole situation was surreal. Here she was, face to face with the man that she assumed had ruined her life, but he hadn’t. She’d given him way too much power over her self-image. Shaking her head, Emily could only roll her eyes. Doug put down his hands, trying to look tough. Blood still trickled out of his nose, but it was no longer broken.
He didn’t look as strong or intimidating now. Pathetic was more like it.
“Forget it, he’s not worth it.”
Charlie just stared at her for a minute, seeming to battle his emotions, before he kicked the guy behind the knees and shoved him to the ground. “If you ever come near her again, I’ll kill you.”
“Or I will.” Cole piped in.
A couple of Doug’s friends ran over and picked him up under the arms, hauling him away. Neither one took their eyes off Charlie and Cole as they backed away. She didn’t blame them. They were a sight to behold.
Emily smiled. Damn, she was lucky to have these two men.
“Let’s run.” She told them as she turned and headed in the direction of the race.
THE END
WWW.ALICIAWHITEBOOKS.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I was born and raised in Southern California, with a huge sense of adventure. I’ve had the opportunity to travel and live in many different places. Reading has always been a part of my life, a great escape from reality. I started reading romance novels years ago, and I fell in love with so many heroes that I wanted to write my own stories.
Every book I’ve written has been a journey that I take. My passion, dreams, and fantasies carry over into my writing. I love hearing from readers, please let me know what you think. I’m always looking for ways to improve. Happy reading.
For all titles by Alicia White, please visit
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Siren Publishing, Inc.
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