Page 33 of Sasquatch's Claiming

“My uncle found out I wasn’t in North Bay. She’s been warning me that he was coming to Thunder Bay.”

“This is the uncle you mentioned before?”

She nodded. “He went missing on his way to Thunder Bay though, but still, he knew where to find me.”

“So the wendigo could have attacked your uncle or?—”

“Is my uncle.” Bernadette shivered.

Just as she put the last letter from her friend back in the envelope, there was a loud crack that sent a shock wave through the forest. All the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end and he raced outside, half expecting the forest to be levelled.

The sky was turning pitch black. Clouds were gathering quickly. Last time he saw something like this was when Aoife’s mother came to the woods, shortly before Death arrived and dragged her to hell. When Cillian would arrive, the clouds and forest would also darken, but not like this.

This was something completely different.

Daniel appeared at the bottom of his path.

“Ben,” Daniel called out. “Something has breached the barrier. The portal collapsed and we’re all meeting there. Those of us who are on this side of the portal, that is.”

Daniel bounded away. Ben ran inside and Bernadette was pulling on her clothes.

“I think it’s my uncle,” she said tightly, not even waiting for him to tell her what happened. It was apparent that she heard what had happened.

Ben grimaced. “I think so too.”

“Let’s get this over with. Hopefully we can deal with him. I don’t think I’m pregnant, so that won’t finish him.”

“We’ll take care of him. I’d give my life for you.” He scooped her up in his arms, kissing her on the mouth, tenderly, the way humans seemed to like and how she taught him.

“Ben, I can’t live without you.” She closed her eyes. “If we get through this, will you promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“A wedding. I want a white dress and I want to be your wife. I want to claim you as my husband in this realm. Legally.”

He didn’t know what it would entail, but he didn’t care. He’d do anything for her.

“I will gladly give that to you.”

As Ben carriedher through the woods, Bernadette grew angrier and angrier. Mostly at herself for being skittish for so long. Her parents meant well shielding her, but they kept a lot from her.

The wolf thing was empowering. She had always felt a bit out of place with the world and now she knew why. Finally, she felt like she belonged. She wasn’t just some awkward, clumsy, accident-prone curvy girl. She was fierce. An alpha wolf who had found her beastly mate.

There was no way she was going to let her uncle ruin all this for her. He’d ruined so many things in the past. He’d been a horrible stain on her life for too long.

Today, it was all going to end and then she was going to move on with her life and have the happiness she deserved.

The moment they got to where the portal was located, her hair stood on end. There was a hum and crackling. Almost like a transformer had exploded. Aoife had collapsed and Adam knelt on the ground, holding her.

Her hands looked burnt.

Ben’s other brothers were circling a horrific creature and Bernadette knew it was the wendigo, and when the creatures red eyes latched onto her as Ben carried her into the clearing, she knew it was her uncle.

There was no doubt.

Under the evil layer, there was a knowing.

Coraliane was bruised and battered, lying against the ground. It looked like she’d been thrown. There were a few other beings around.

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