Page 45 of Plus-Size Mate

Eddie's stomach knotted.Is he talking about Winter?

“No daughter of yours is here.”

The man’s face twisted into a gruesomely amused smile.

“I can smell her on you. I know she is here.”

Eddie's stomach tightened even more. He had to be talking about Winter. He hadn't been around any other witches lately.

“She doesn't belong to you.”

The man stepped closer, his brow raised. “Who are you to try and tell me that?”

Eddie raised his chin, squaring his shoulders. “Her mate. She belongs to me.”

A flash of surprise shot through the man's gaze.

“You little runt!” he snarled, taking another step forward. The way he moved his body suggested he had been about to shift. Yet, he managed nothing, and his next words came out in a surprised gasp. “What the fuck?”

Eddie couldn't help but grin with amusement.

“What's the matter? Your wolf gone shy?”

Eddie stepped up to face the salt-and-pepper-haired wolf, leaving the door unguarded.

He barely noticed when Christopher rose from his chair and silently started across the room.

His eyes were fixed on the current threat, the man claiming to be Winter's father, the one who wanted to take her away.

“Eddie, what the hell is going on in—”

Fuck!Eddie cursed himself for ever stepping away from the door.

Winter's words were cut off the second she made it through the beaded curtain. In an instant, Christopher was on her, grabbing her by the wrist to pull her around to him. Holding her with his back to her chest, he snarled, “Don't move or I may do something we both regret.”

The alpha gripped Winter by the neck, his fingers pressed into her flesh as if he might rip her throat out.

“Haven't you realized yet?” Eddie demanded. “Your wolves don't have any power here.”

“Maybe not, but I can still choke the life out of her while you watch,” Christopher said, a hint of amusement in his tone.

At a nod from the alpha, Winter's father grabbed hold of Eddie.

“Struggle and she dies.”

“Like fuck I do!” Winter snapped, and Eddie was astonished as he saw a flash of animalistic aggression course through her eyes.

For just a second, he thought he saw a hint of wolf as she tightened her hands into fists, braced herself and slammed her foot down as hard as she could on top of Christopher's boot.

In an instant, Eddie tore free of the grip on him, whirling around to plant a heavy blow to the side of the man's head. He went down like a sack of bricks as Eddie turned to grab hold of Winter and pull her behind him.

“You have no leverage now, Christopher,” Eddie snarled, baring his fangs. “What is your next plan?”

“Even now, it is still two against one,” Christopher said, his gaze darkening before he turned his eyes on his packmate and snapped, “Get up, you useless fool.”

Winter's father did just that, lunging at Eddie again.

Eddie was about to strike him again when Winter suddenly slipped in the way, shoving her father backwards into the bookcase once more.

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