Page 74 of Into the Night

Jack shakes his head in astonishment, but grins. “Jesus. Maybe I’ll understand the whole mate thing one day. Maybe not.”

We both listen for any noises from the forest that don’t belong. When we’re confident there’s nothing out there to be worried about, we stand on either side of Kali.

The first time I changed, that I can remember, was when I found Kali bloody and injured. It was fast and brutal. I can’t recall anything but the blinding pain, and the horrific sound of bones snapping and rearranging. Each time I transform into a beast now, at least it’s getting easier. Kali’s right. Fighting him just makes it harder.

Breathing slowly, in and out, I try to take Kali’s advice and just let it happen. I focus on her beautiful face as long as I can before the pain overwhelms me, and I have to squeeze my eyes shut. When I finally reopen them, she nuzzles into my neck, and rubs her body along mine.

Flanking Kali, we take off at a slow jog. Kali keeps up, but I can feel that she’s putting on a brave face. She’s scared and exhausted.

I’d love to stop and take a break, but I need to get Kali back home.

Jed can’t do anything to us back in Sutton. The town won’t put up with anyone causing trouble, and hopefully, Ben and Jack don’t plan on telling everyone that Kali wasn’t just laying low while she healed.

I guess it depends on whether they believe that I really didn’t know what I had done.

As we run, I brush against Kali to reassure her and let my mate know I’ve got her. I probably shouldn’t have used her very last stores of energy fucking her senseless, but I couldn’t resist. She’s mine now, and I can’t regret it. She’ll be waited on, hand and foot, once I get her home in one piece.

My beast is anxious, even as we leave the hunting cabin and the cave far behind, unable to accept that the danger has passed. The closer to Sutton we get, I start to feel the presence of more people, their energy. I’m relieved that we’re almost there, and that Kali can rest, but I’m worried that Kali’s going to regret being tied to me. Especially, if I become enemy number one in town after they hear what my beast did.

Choosing to focus on the here and now as we get closer to Kali’s cabin, I decide to run ahead and make sure nobody’s waiting there for us. Jed was there before. He knows where she lives.

I circle the house, relieved to find that apart from the jumble of scents left behind by well-wishers and investigators, there’s nothing else.

My beast casually marks the area all around, like Kali’s home is now his, ignoring my frustration. He doesn’t see the problem. We’re mates. We’re one. What’s hers is mine and vice versa.

Getting uncomfortable with the distance I am from Kali, I turn back toward her and Jack.

Once they’re both in sight of the property, Jack pulls up, letting Kali continue on her own toward me. He waits until we’re on the porch before turning on his heel and loping off into the trees. When he sits just inside the treeline, his back to the house standing sentry, I feel Kali relax.

Nobody’s going to get past him easily. She’s well protected and can finally climb into bed to rest.

Kali shifts back to human form, wobbly on her feet.

With an arm wrapped around her, I lead her inside to her bedroom and lower her to the soft mattress.

She holds onto my hand, refusing to let go, and tugs me into the bed with her.

Happy to oblige, I pull her to me, cradling her against my chest and just breathe, I’m finally able to fill my lungs now that she’s back home where she belongs.

“Promise you won’t leave,” Kali whispers, her eyelids fluttering shut. She looks so peaceful, and I swear, she’ll never know a day like the ones she’s had over the last week again.

“I promise.” I’m going to protect her, and I’m going to keep her safe. Which means figuring out what had John so worried.

42

GRIFFIN

Wrapped around Kali, I’m back in Sutton and the relative safety of the town, and I feel like I can finally breathe. Sleep evades me, as I fit the pieces of the last week back together in my mind, from meeting Kali out by the lake, to finding her in that cabin and realising it was me who prolonged her ordeal.

Guilt gnaws away at me.

Brushing her tangled mess of blonde hair away from her neck, the sight of my bite on her shoulder fills me with both relief and anxiety.

But am I the mate she deserves? I haven’t exactly had a stellar start.

As the hours pass, I stare at her, lying peacefully in my arms, and I thank the heavens I’m going to get a second chance to make things right.

I’m going to show her what a good life we can have. I’ll prove to the town that I’m the right man for the ranger job. And by making Jed pay for what he did to Kali, and making sure nobody else ever hurts her, I’ll show Evan I can be trusted with her safety. And finally, by helping Ben find John, or at the very least, figure out what the message behind leaving that map was, I’ll show him that John was right to have faith in me.

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