Page 45 of Free Beast Mate

Chapter Fifteen

Amoris

Two hundred twenty-one,two hundred twenty-two, I counted my push-ups, every second glancing at the digital clock. Three thirty. Emma had left forever ago, it seemed. She hadn’t returned for lunch, and I thought she would have. She liked the food they’d delivered here. Panic arose, breath catching in my throat, and I swallowed it down even though the fear choked me. I pumped my arms faster, letting my forehead hit the steel floor. The pain rattled my jaw and reminded me Emma would not return. In my quest for reasons for my being here and wanting our mating, I’d shunned the only thing that mattered in my life. My mate.

I shunned her, made her feel unwanted and unworthy, when I should’ve made her feel as if she were the center of my world. Worthless boy. My father had been right, of course, as he often was. Fucking worthless boy, wasting away the air. Worthless but handsome. He’d hoped I’d give him a beautiful female grandbaby who would mate a powerful beast and solidify his power.

The outer door swished open, and I paused, listening. The inner door opened, and Emma stumbled inside. I stood and wiped the sweat from my face and chest, then walked to her. I brought her to me so she could put her head on my chest and feel the heart that beat only for her. “I worried you wouldn’t come back.”

Emma didn’t answer. I kissed the top of her head.

Then I smelled crimson. The tangy scent of it burned my nose. Potent. I pulled away from her and sneezed, then looked her up and down, panic constricting my airways. Blood on her dress. I blinked, unsure what I was seeing. A whine escaped my chest. I lifted my shirt, her makeshift dress. Blood smeared her belly, right above her mound. I put my hand over it and felt a swelling. “John!” I shouted.

Nothing.

“John!”

“Mother, fucking strike me with a blessing.”

“Your father called,” Emma said.

“What?” I tugged at the shirt, and she put her hands up so I could remove it. I put the shirt over the wound. “John! Open up, or I’ll fucking kill you.”

“He said he wanted me. He ordered Tom to kill you. Tom agreed. Can you believe it? He agreed.”

I touched her face, noticing the change in her body temperature. Emma was boiling. I frowned. She should be cold when bleeding, no? “You’re gonna be okay, baby. You’re gonna be okay.” I kissed her, and she closed her eyes, and I took a moment and prayed for a miracle. For the first time in forever, I truly prayed. I asked for forgiveness and mercy. I asked the Beast Mother to show me the way. I asked Her to save my mate and take me instead.

The doors slid open, and I picked up Emma in my arms. “John!” I hollered at the same time as he showed up at the entrance, covered in blood.

“What the fuck is going on out there?” I asked.

At the sight of Emma, John bared his teeth. “You son of a bitch.” He aimed a shotgun at me. “Drop the girl, motherfucker. Got my gun loaded with my special bullet. Been with me through some bad times. It’s gonna finally find a home, in your fucking head. Drop the girl.”

“It’s not what it looks like. I didn’t touch her.”

“But here she is, hurt and unconscious.”

Emma lifted her hand, perhaps trying to tell him she was conscious, but it fell back and dangled as if she found it too heavy to lift.

“You’ve lost your mind and hurt your mate. Did you force yourself on her? Motherfucker, I won’t hesitate. Caged beasts lose their minds. Your Alpha executes them. So I got my green light. Drop the girl so when I put you of your misery, I can take her up to your brothers.”

“My brothers?”

“Drop the girl!”

I growled and assumed my battle form in record time. “Emma is mine!”

John fired.

A blur came at him, hit his body, and John flew out of sight. The bullet ricocheted off the wall and zipped by my head. I leapt outside the cage and dropped to the floor, Emma under me. I glanced up and right.

John lay splayed on the floor. He groaned, one hand holding his back, the other his gun. Next to him stood Felicia of Wiedeg. She bent, and her long braid fell over her shoulder.

“Baby?” John said to her.

“Hm?”

“A warning would have sufficed.”

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