Page 83 of To Challenge a Wolf

“That’s right,” Malachi said.

“D-don’t let go of me.”

“Not a chance,” April said.

A spike seemed to drive through his temples behind his eyes. He thrashed at the sound of an awful voice he’d never wanted to hear again. It was audible for a moment, more powerful than simple memory, as though an actual recording played in his brain.

“The pup’s got to learn.”

“The people who do things legally just aren’t smart enough to find another way.”

“You’ll do what I tell you, you sniveling ingrate, or I’ll kill you myself.”

“Oh, are you sad? Are you feeling feelings? You worthless piece of wolf meat, I trained you better than that—”

“No,” Rhett said. “Not your wolf meat. Not your hit man. Not a Helvering. Get out of my head.”

The voice was silent.

The stabbing behind his eyes began to fade.

He lay still for the first time in…he didn’t know how long. He breathed as though he’d scaled the foothills at full wolf speed. For good measure he whispered, “Rhett Jones.”

His head still hurt too much to open his eyes. His breathing was loud. He was entirely vulnerable, but he was with pack who wouldn’t use this against him. Pack who wouldn’t let him go even when he…

“Trevor?” he said.

“Right here, man.”

“How’s the hand?”

“Swelling up like a melon. My own fault.”

“I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” Trevor barked a quiet laugh. “It’s okay. Less than a week till the full moon heals it up.”

“Worked though. How’d you know?”

“When Ezra’s having the worst of his anxiety attacks, sometimes we arm wrestle, and it gets him through the attack to the other side. It seemed like you were in some kind of attack too, just…worse. But I thought, since it helps Ezra stop fighting inside, maybe it would help you.”

“Thanks.” Rhett tried to move and groaned instead.

“Be still,” Malachi said, authority in his growl.

But he had so much to do. So much to make up for. “Vivian.”

“You’ll make things right with Vivian. First you recover.”

His breathing was beginning to deepen, but otherwise he still felt like roadkill. “Just want to go inside.”

He tried to make his point by getting his feet under him, but before he could move, he was lifted into the cradle of the alpha’s arms as though he were no bigger than a pup. He growled in protest, but Malachi ignored him.

“Humiliating, isn’t it,” Trevor said. “Imagine being babied like that in front of your mate.”

“It was sweet,” Kelsey said.

“It really wasn’t, babe, but I deserved a little humiliation.”

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