Page 37 of Possessive Mate

“Would you still be so stubborn if you knew an unborn pup's life was at risk?”

“There aren't any pregnant she-wolves in Nightstar,” Hanson said, laughing. Though he was a little concerned by Christopher's lack of tugging on his ear. Maybe it hadn't been a tic after all.

Christopher's eyes widened. “You don't know? Funny, neither did she until I smelled it on her!”

Christopher's laughter made Hanson's breath catch in his throat. He struggled to get his words past it. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“The she-wolf you helped escape from here,” Christopher said, gesturing around him. “She was with pup.”

“No! She can't be!” Hanson blurted. He pleaded desperately for Christopher to grip his ear. He had to be lying. Elena couldn’t possibly be pregnant. “You're lying.”

Christopher looked Hanson deep in the eye as if trying to judge whether or not he believed him before he started to shake his head. “I almost wish I were. She was a feisty one. I'd have loved to have forced a pup or two on her myself.”

Christopher's sadistic laughter was more than Hanson could bear. More than that, he couldn't bear the thought of Christopher's even laying eyes on her, let alone anything else.

“Fuck! You!” he snarled through gritted teeth, lunging only to be yanked back against the wooden pillar by his chains.

“Well,” Christopher sighed, clapping his hands on his knees. “I think my work here is done.”

Looking awfully proud of himself, he rose to his feet. Hanson glowered at him all the while, just praying he would come an inch too close so he could kick out his feet and grab hold of him somehow.

Christopher turned away as if to leave, only to turn back and say, “Your little distraction may have worked for your girlfriend, but it won't for you. I gave your packmates until sundown to be off my territory. Then everyone is fair game. Don't worry. You'll be the first one I finish.”

With that, he turned and walked away into the dying light that filtered over the horizon.

Sundown wasn't long off. Hanson didn't have much time left. And yet, all he could think about was having one last chance to tell Elena how he felt, to learn the truth about what Christopher had told him. If she really was with pup, he had to know before he went to his death. But the truth was, he wasn't sure he would ever get the chance to find out.

Glancing down, he saw the blood that had dripped onto his chest. That wasn’t what worried him most. What truly worried him was the giant black bruising that was spreading across his ribs. If he didn't have internal bleeding, he was one lucky son of a bitch. A werewolf’s kick could break bones, puncture lungs, even kill instantly if placed just right.

Lucky for him, it seemed, Christopher wanted him alive for now. How long that would last, Hanson had no idea.

Just be safe, Elena, was the last thing he thought before exhaustion and weakness took him over and his consciousness started to shut down.

Chapter 18 - Elena

“I'm sure they will all be back any minute,” Eddie insisted, sitting at the bottom of the manor stairs, reclined on his elbows. How he could be so calm right now, Elena didn't know.

Though still recovering from all the silver, she had healed a great deal, and the wounds weren't showing anymore. Inside, though, she was in turmoil. Outside, she paced up and down the entryway of the manor, half-tempted to dart back out before Eddie could stop her.

Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see was Hanson being dragged down under those three vicious wolves.

All she could remind herself was, he's ex-military. He knows how to fight.

But even a guy in the military could lose against three opponents.

Elena didn't respond to her brother. She just kept pacing. She was most annoyed with him and the fact he hadn't even tried to lift a finger to help.

“Would you quit pacing?” Eddie demanded. “Jack and the others know what they are doing.”

“And Hanson?” Elena hissed, turning on her brother. She stopped now, glowering at him, hands balled into fists.

The urge to punch him was becoming unbearable when she heard the sound of voices coming up the hill.

They were joking, laughing even. That had to mean…

Elena grabbed the door handle and practically yanked it off its hinges in her eagerness to get it open.

Please be with them! She prayed even as she rushed out onto the porch.

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