Page 18 of Wolf Obsessed

I gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Hey, it’s okay. I was gone way longer than I thought I’d be. It’s well past midnight. You must be exhausted.”

Willa’s attention snapped to me. “Everything okay?”

I plopped down on the side of the bed and buried my face in my hands. “There was a wolf who attacked me while I was on my run. He was sent here by Pack Wolf Blood. We caught him, though, and he won’t cause any more trouble. I think everything’s fine now.”

I still couldn’t believe that Dad had offered him a chance to earn a spot in our pack. He’d extended the offer to the other three guys too once we found them. It seemed risky. But my dad was right. Sometimes people made bad choices for what they thought were the right reasons. I hoped that was the case.

Willa yawned and reached her hands up above her head as she stretched. “I’m glad you’re okay. Thank goodness they caught him. Terrifying he was able to go undetected with all the patrols.”

I hummed my agreement. It was very unnerving and something I would need to bring up to my dad. I’d heard him mention something to Mark about doubling the patrols, so it was likely already on his mind.

I was too exhausted to think about all that tonight, though.

I covered my mouth as I yawned. “You should get back to your room and get some rest in a real bed. I can’t imagine that chair is doing anything for your leg or your back.”

Or her neck. She was already massaging the spot right next to her collarbone.

Willa groaned as she let her legs fall to the floor, and then she stood. Her hands went to her back, and she stretched, pushing her chest forward. “You’re right, I definitely feel it.”

I chuckled and waved her toward the door. “Go get some rest. I have a feeling Jacob will be off duty soon.”

Willa smiled and waved before exiting the room.

I stripped out of my clothes and put on some new, clean pajamas before sliding in next to Lincoln. I’d shower in the morning because right now, I was beat.

I curled under the blankets and scooted close to Lincoln so my head rested on his chest, then I closed my eyes and reached out to him through our mate bond. Nothing was there, just a big black void.

Emotion clogged my throat, and I sniffled, fighting back tears. I splayed my hand across his chest and listened to the steady thrum of his heart.

Soon, the beat lulled me into darkness, where there was another presence, something cold and dark. A chill zipped down my spine. I turned in a circle, narrowing my eyes as I searched the never-ending abyss.

My pulse hammered, and my mouth went dry. I reached my hands out, feeling for anything, but my fingers met air, which only made my muscles tense more.

A scream ripped through the silence, echoing around me like I was in a cavern. I couldn’t breathe as a weight pressed against my chest.

Lincoln!

I sprinted in the direction of the scream, my arms outstretched as I blinked my eyes rapidly. I still couldn’t see anything.

“No!” Another cry pierced the air.

It was Lincoln. I was sure of it.

The blackness ebbed away, and a set of stairs materialized in front of me. The same stairs that had been in the house Lincoln and I had been in just a few days ago. I rushed up them, thundered down the hall to the bedroom, and threw the door open with a gasp.

Mikey hovered over Lincoln on the floor, a syringe in one hand and the other wrapped tightly around his throat. Mikey got in Lincoln’s face, yelling something unintelligible before he jabbed the needle into Lincoln’s chest.

Lincoln grunted, his hips bucking up as he pounded his arms against the floor. His face contorted, his mouth opening in a silent cry as his eyes bulged.

Mikey threw his head back and cackled. “You aren’t so tough now, are you, big brother?”

Lincoln writhed, his eyes rolling back until only the whites showed.

Mikey stood and kicked him in the side between his ribs and hips. “Sawyer always was the strong one. I never understood why he did so much to protect you.”

He dropped again so he crouched in front of him and grasped Lincoln’s hair, yanking his head up. “He’s not here to protect you now. And neither is that pretty little girl of yours. It’s just the two of us, and I plan to enjoy myself.”

Mikey fisted his hand in Lincoln’s hair, jerking him into a sitting position. He screamed at him so loudly and belligerently that I had no idea what he was saying.