Page 37 of The Wolf's Mate

“Get back!” she screams, swinging the ax hard enough to scare me. In other circumstances, I’d be proud of Hettie for standing her ground. Now, though? I’m doing everything in my power to keep myself in check and not spook her further.

“Dove, it’s okay. You’re safe, Hettie. They’re gone. You did it, mate. You protected your pack.” Pride swells deep in my chest. My mate, the pack’s Luna, protected those who couldn’t protect themselves.

Maybe she is the salvation we’ll need to win this war.

“Rip?” Slowly Hettie puts down the ax, letting it drop with a dull thud.

“It’s me.” The words are barely out of my mouth before she flings herself at me. Instinctually, my arms go around her, holding her close. I expect to hear sobs, now that the adrenaline from the fight has worn off. To finally allow herself to give in to the fear. I hold her tight, wishing I could take those feelings away.

But Hettie doesn’t cry.

She clings to me, grounding herself back into reality, but sheds no tears for whatever horrific ordeal she has just faced.

“I need to check you for injuries,” I say gently yet firmly. I hold her at arm’s length, eyes scanning over her body. There’s so much blood. There’s an angry red mark in the shape of a hand on the left side of her face.

“Was that Michael’s doing?” My voice is dangerously low. Molten hot fury courses through me at the thought of someone else touching my mate. Hurting her.

Hettie must see the rising anger because she reaches out to grab my face. “Alpha, I’m okay. I’m fine,” she assures me, or tries to.

I come undone.

We move as one, drawn to each other by an invisible string. I don’t know who initiated the kiss, but soon our lips are crashing together, desperate for the other. I pry her lips apart with my tongue, and she gives in to me, moaning when our tongues touch. I kiss her to know she’s there. I kiss her to know she’s okay.

I kiss her because I need her.

This isn’t enough. Not nearly enough. Too many clothes in the way. I ache for her in a way I’ve never felt before. She came into my life and stole the very heart from my chest.

But all too soon, she’s pulling away from me, lips swollen from our kiss. “Tallie. The pups.”

I take a moment to understand what she is saying, and then her meaning is clear. “Where?”

“In the safe room, over there.” She points to a wall where two cribs have been pushed apart.

Thorne, no longer in his wolf form, bangs on the door. “Tallie! Open up. It’s over.” There’s a panic in his voice I know all too well.

Time passes slowly as we are helpless to do anything but stand and watch. Clicking sounds from within, and then the door opens with a groan. We let out a collective sigh of relief, and Thorne pulls the door open the rest of the way. Scared cries of the pups greet us, but crying means they are alive.

That Tallie and Hettie saved them.

“Hettie? Hettie!” Tallie tumbles out, pushing past Thorne. The moment their eyes meet, my cousin bursts into tears and sprints over to her Luna.

“She needs a healer, Rip! Why are you just standing there?” she cries, ignoring the blood as she wraps her arms around my mate.

Hettie holds her. She needs this as much as Tallie does. “I’m okay. I promise,” she whispers repeatedly. My mate just went through a traumatic experience, and yet she’s the one comforting Tallie.

I give the women a moment of privacy as I turn toward my second. “Their parents should be on their way. Will you make sure every pup gets home? If their parents are injured, we’ll deal with that.”

I don’t know how many of my pack are injured or if we lost any wolves. The aftermath of today’s battle will be my problem after I learn exactly what happened here. Why Michael risked his people to find Hettie but not take her.

“Tallie,” I call, and my cousin reluctantly pulls away from Hettie. “Will you assist Thorne with the pups?”

“We’ll talk later,” Hettie promises, giving Tallie’s shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “Take Grass with you. He’ll keep them calm until an adult can pick up their child.”

“Promise me you’re okay?” Tallie looks over the blood coating her body. It’s hard to imagine that Hettie sustained little to no injury while her body is painted in red.

“I’m okay. I’ll tell you all about it later,” she promises.

Thorne gently pulls Tallie to him and whispers something in her ear. Tallie nods once before retreating into the safe room to help corral the scared pups until their parents can reach them. Already I hear a few wolves running our way, desperate to make sure their pups are safe.

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