Page 47 of Kodiak's Heart

“You’ve got the stamina of a…” She paused, unsure what to compare him to in her limited experience.

“A Kodiak?” he suggested as he rubbed his nose along her hair. “Besides, I didn’t hear you complaining earlier when I gave you all those orgasms.”

“Laramie,” she admonished as she tried to step away from him. Her gaze darted around the room as she hurried to make sure no one had overheard him. Then she gave a slower, more thorough search. “Where’s Ruby?”

She glanced over and saw Laramie scanning the room as she had. “She’s here somewhere. No one here would hurt her, Em.”

She nodded, but something didn’t feel right. Instinct screamed at her to find her little girl. As soon as she went to step away from Laramie, he caught her hand.

“Matheus, Koby,” he called and waited for his brothers to step closer. “Did either of you see where Ruby went?”

Both men took inventory of the room.

“I’ll head through the dining room toward the kitchen,” Matheus said. “She might have gone looking for food.”

“I’ll check upstairs. There’s Holt. I’ll have him check downstairs in case she went back to the room down there,” Koby assured them as he headed off.

“I’ll check outside,” Emersyn said, tugging against his hold on her hand. “Maybe, she went back toward the cabin for one of her dolls or the teddy bear Malachi sent her.”

“I’ll go with you,” Laramie stated.

“We could split up. Cover more ground.”

“No,” he growled. “We stay together.”

She didn’t care. She needed to move. Something felt off. Her bear urged her to hurry. They stepped outside just as a truck and SUV pulled up in front of the lodge. She paid little attention as her gaze roamed, searching for any sign of Ruby.

“Wait here,” Laramie ordered as he moved to speak with whoever had arrived.

She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. A flash of blonde hair heading behind the lodge. Maybe, Ruby was heading toward the playground where she’d played before. If so, they’d have a long talk about how important it was to ask first. Em stepped around the building, but the play area was clear. She scanned the backyard once, then noted something lying beside the heavily wooded area on her second pass. Her breath caught as she hurried across and picked it up. One of Ruby’s dolls.

Ruby wouldn’t go into the woods alone. So help her if this was Xandra’s way of trying to take Ruby from Emersyn, she’d kill the other woman. Malachi and the Holloways would just have to deal with it. But as she stepped into the woods, another scent hit her. One that left her confused.

She moved as quickly and quietly as she could, but Ruby gave her away as soon as she caught sight of Emersyn.

“Mama!” Ruby yelled, and Natalie turned. Anger flushed her face. She had a tight grip on Ruby’s arm, and Emersyn feared there’d be bruises.

“Natalie, what’re you doing with my daughter?” Emersyn asked, working to keep her voice calm even as her bear raged inside her.

“Ow! You’s huwting me,” Ruby cried. “Mama!”

“I’m right here, baby bear. I’m sure Natalie doesn’t mean to hurt you. Right, Natalie?”

“Go back to your alpha, Emersyn. Live out your happy little human life,” Natalie warned.

“I can’t do that,” Emersyn told her. “I need you to let Ruby go.”

“No,” Natalie snarled. “I need the little brat.”

“You’re not leaving here with her.” Emersyn caught movement out of the corner of her eye and saw Xandra hold a finger to her lips as she slid perfectly behind a tree so she was no longer visible. Farther back was Jemma, who nodded once then worked her way to the opposite side Xandra was on. The three of them would have Natalie caught between them.

“I always liked you, Emersyn, but I will kill you if I need to,” Natalie warned.

“What do you need Ruby for?” Emersyn asked as she slowly edged her way closer. She moved sideways, trying to get nearer without Natalie realizing.

“Titus called Adam. He was hurt we came here without telling him. Asked if we planned to leave the pack.”

Ruby was crying now. Emersyn tried to keep Natalie distracted while Xandra and Jemma both worked their way closer.

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