Page 72 of Rejected Pretend Mate

Ayden turned to us. "You guys did good."

I didn't feel good. My stomach was in knots, and something told me it wasn't over. It bothered me. I should have felt over the moon about this, but I didn't. Maybe it was because I didn't know how Tristan was going to handle everything.

"Thank you, Ayden." I looked at him, grateful.

Ayden smiled. "Of course. If you have any other problem, you can let me know. I have the chief of police on speed dial."

We left a few minutes later. I leaned on Weslie as we walked, feeling anxious. "Do you think Tristan is going to watch him closely?"

I looked at Weslie, who gave me a look. "I want to say he will, but he didn't seem to care. He did look a little embarrassed."

Weslie kissed my forehead. "How about we stop and have lunch before we go home?"

I sank into her shoulder and smiled. This was a fresh start.

We rounded the corner of the building when Ivan stepped in our way. I froze, and Weslie pulled me back, yanking me behind him. I could see the sanity in Ivan's eyes was long gone, and he had that crazed look.

"You're going to regret this," Ivan growled, taking a few steps towards us.

"If you don't step back, Ivan. I can't promise your life." Weslie yelled back, his fingers tight on my arms.

I inhaled slowly, just wanting this to all be over.

Ivan lunged at us, and Weslie moved quickly. I stepped out of the way as he shifted, smacking into Ivan and knocking him a few feet back. Weslie growled in his wolf form, a light red and brown color that matched his original hair.

Everyone was happening so quickly. Ivan shifted and lunged back at Weslie. They were a mess of fur and teeth snapping at each other. I held my breath as blood spattered the gravel road.

God, please don't let anything happen to him.

I bit hard onto my lower lip and watched as Ivan shoved Weslie, who went rolling across the road. Ivan lunged after him, but Weslie quickly pulled himself up.

Ivan quickly got the upper hand and pinned Ivan. He pressed onto his throat, and I watched Ivan try to break free.

"Weslie, stop!" I yelled, watching as he pushed harder on the wolf's throat. "You can't kill him."

Weslie paused, and his eyes flicked at me. I was panting for air and shook my head. I had always been the harder-edged person who could withstand anything, but I couldn't stand this. I couldn't watch him kill someone.

"You can't kill him."

And he didn't. Weslie knocked Ivan unconscious.

Weslie shifted back into his human form, and I hurried over and threw my arms around him. I inhaled his scent and felt the relief I wanted.

I could hear the sirens of police arriving as Weslie kissed my forehead. "It's over. He's going to jail, April. He won't bother you anymore."

I cried, sobbing into his shoulder.

Chapter 28 - Weslie

I opened the door and stepped inside the house. I was instantly comforted as I spotted the pictures of April that I had hung on the wall. The chandelier sparked in the sunlight, and a large palm tree stood in the corner.

I could see into the living room, where a huge L-shaped, blue couch sat with our TV across from it. There were more pictures and plants hanging in the air. The living room led into our dining room, with a huge oak table big enough to seat ten. A fresh bouquet of flowers was in a vase, and some candles were in the middle. More pictures of them hung, and I smiled at them.

I slid off my shoes. "April, you home?"

I walked down the small hallway and pushed the door open to the kitchen. It was one of the first projects we had managed since moving into the house. It didn't need a huge makeover, but it did need a little TLC. We'd bought a fridge, stove, and microwave, painted the cabinets, and ripped out the countertop, putting in a butcher block.

The space smelled wonderful, and April pulled herself up in front of the stove. "Hey, welcome home."

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