Page 93 of His Wild Mate

Family.

Emmett.

It only helped a smidge and did nothing to calm my rapid heartbeat. It was the only telltale sign that I was still in the room.

Suddenly everything went quiet.

“Hello.”

My eyes flashed open to see the man squatted down staring under the bed right at me.

“We meet at last.”

A scream ripped from my lungs as I backed out as quickly as possible. He tried to grab for me but Thomas's order wouldn't let him touch me. When he realized that, a deep roar erupted from him, echoing off the walls of the otherwise quiet house.

I didn't wait to see his reaction as I turned and ran out the door and onto the deck. I tried to call my wolf forward but I was too terrified.

I'd been through so many horrifying moments, but nothing had ever been this scary, not even when I was trapped and cowering in a closet while an entire pack of hungry wolves tore the house down around me.

Emmett had been there then, and somehow I'd known I was safe with him. Now I was on my own.

I had no clue how this guy had found me. It was just a stark reminder that absolutely nowhere on Earth would ever be safe for me.

With my stalker recovered from his shock and back on the prowl, I wasted no time. I took the stairs two at a time to the first landing and then jumped over the railing to land softly in the snow.

I could double back to the front of the house and try to beat him to the basement and into the safe room, but one glance over my shoulder told me it was too late for that.

I ran as fast as I could, running straight into the woods. He remained in his skin too as he followed, tracking my every move.

There was nowhere for me to go and nowhere to hide. I was just biding my time, and he knew it.

Looping back to the front through the woods, I noted the road we'd driven in on and stumbled and ran down the mountain as fast as I could.

The cold snow on my bare feet didn't even register as fear pushed me forward.

Maybe I could intercept Emmett along the road.

I made certain to keep the road just to my right as I ran and ran. The stalker was always just behind. I didn't waste time turning back to look, but I could sense his presence and feel him watching me.

The rumble of an engine sounded. Help was on the way. I didn't relish the idea of Emmett fighting this creep, but two of us had to be stronger than one.

Just as I was about to jump out onto the road, something struck the back of my head hard. I stumbled forward and fell into the snow. The world around me started to spin out of control as the smell of fresh blood hit my nostrils and churned my stomach.

Blood. My blood.

I saw the bloody rock I'd been hit by. Then the bright lights of the car blinded me as Emmett rushed passed a mere ten feet away and the rest of world went black.

Emmett

Chapter 23

Fresh snow started to fall as I raced up the mountain. My wolf was surging, and I was barely in control as I drove. The only thought on my mind was getting to Paige as quickly as I could.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I got there. The front door was shut and the house was quiet. I jumped from the car, not even sure if I turned it off or closed the door behind me as I sprinted for the front door.

Finding it was locked just as I'd left it, I fumbled in my pocket for the key, unlocked the door, and swung it open.

“Paige!” I yelled out, but there was no response. “Sweetheart, where are you?” I tried again.

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