Page 67 of Plus-Size Mate

“You don't get to just come in here and steal our men!” Carly snarled, throwing herself at Winter all over again.

The world spun as Winter attempted to fend the werewolf off. She felt claws digging into her shoulders as Carly gripped her and shoved her so hard that she crashed right against the door.

Carly came at her again, forcing her hard against the wood of the door.

Thinking quickly, Winter did the only thing she could think of. She grabbed the doorknob and twisted, allowing the door to fall out from beneath her.

Reeling backwards with Carly still on her, she suddenly found herself on her back. Pinned to the floor by the snarling werewolf, Winter aimed a fist at the side of the she-wolf's head.

“What the hell is going on in here?”

The voice sent relief surging through Winter as Eddie appeared out of the corner of her eye.

In an instant, he rushed forward and grabbed hold of Carly, yanking her off and shoving her hard against the wall.

With one hand pressed against her chest, he held her there easily while the she-wolf writhed in an attempt to get at Winter again.

“She started it!” Carly snarled. “She stuck her nose where it doesn't belong.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Winter demanded. “What are you, twelve?”

Eddie glowered at Carly and ground out through gritted teeth, “Carly, don't move, or so help me, I’ll rip your damn head off.”

Carly's mouth dropped open with shock and Winter watched the woman's shoulders droop with defeat.

When he seemed certain she wasn't going to try anything, Eddie released her and immediately turned to crouch before Winter.

“Are you alright? What the hell happened?” he asked, his gaze filled with concern.

“I was just freshening up when this psycho decided to take it upon herself to come barging in,” Winter explained, gesturing to Carly.

“Maybe you should have thought of whose mate you were stealing before you—” Carly started to snarl.

Eddie moved so fast, yanking Winter to her feet so quickly as he turned on Carly that it made Winter's head spin.

“We may have had a little fun, Carly,” Eddie snarled back at her, “and I may have been foolish enough to actually believe we might have something more, but we werenevermates and we never will be.”

Winter actually began to feel sorry for the she-wolf as she saw the grief and fear glinting in her eyes.

“If you ever set so much as another claw on my mate,” Eddie threatened, getting so close to Carly that Winter thought he might actually follow through with the threat there and then, “I'll make you rue the day you were born.”

“You…you don't mean that,” Carly stammered, her eyes fluttering as if she was fighting back tears.

“I do,” Eddie assured her. “Winter is my mate. My urge to protect her takes precedence overeverything,and if you try to get in the way of that, I will not be held responsible for what happens to you. Do you hear me?”

Winter’s heart skipped a beat.

“Now get out of here, and while you're at it, stay away from my brothers. Better yet, stay away from every wolf in the pack. It may be time for you to look elsewhere for your mate.”

Winter watched Eddie's face broaden into a smirk as he added, “You never know, you might find yourself a witch of your own.”

At that, Carly bared her teeth. “I'd never stoop so low!”

“If only I'd thought that when I first laid eyes on you,” Eddie responded, already reaching for Winter to pull her into his arms.

Out of the corner of her eye, Winter watched Carly slink away. Her attention was quickly drawn back to Eddie as he touched her face and asked, “Are you alright? She didn't hurt you, did she?”

“I think you hurt her more than she did me,” Winter admitted, rubbing a sore spot at the base of her spine. “I did hit the floor pretty hard, though.”

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