Page 73 of Shadow Bound

“You’re bleeding!” I roar, the scent of her coppery blood driving my wolf and me mad. “Why thefuckare you bleeding, Beau?” She attempts to bat my hands away. Annoyed and needing to see where the hell she’s been hurt, I grip the neck of her long-sleeved top and tear it in half, ripping it right off her body. I don’t even care that my brother is seeing my girl in her lace bra right now. I’ll care later, but right now, I don’t give two shits.She’s hurt.

“Ransom!” Winslow scolds when she comes around the side of the car.

“Are you kidding me, Ransom?” Isabeau shoves at my chest, attempting to get away from me, but I stand like a statue, not letting her pass.

I take in her body and quickly find a deep puncture wound on her side, right under her ribcage. My body goes rigid, my wolf roaring and howling in my head at the sight of her wound. Dried blood sits around it and it looks like the edges are already starting to heal, but that doesn’t calm me. “Who?” My voice is barely audible, just barely a harsh whisper. My eyes collide with hers. “Who did this?” She doesn’t answer, further angering me. “Who the fuck did it, Beau?”I’m going to kill someone. “Fucking answer me!” I grip her upper arms and shake her as I roar in her face.

I hear Winslow’s gasp and I even see my twin shift in front of his mate like he needs to protect her from me. I don’t blame him. I’m seeing red right now. Blood-red like the cut on Isabeau’s side.

In pure Isabeau fashion, she lifts her chin defiantly, her nose flaring with anger. “I took care of it.”

“Took care of what exactly, Tink?” My tone is deadly.

Beau clams up, but I catch the way her eyes flick in Winslow’s direction. As if a silent message was spoken between them, Winnie steps around Ranger. “I took her to Esme’s before we got ice cream. I wanted them to meet and we actually learned some things from her about Nessa,” she starts.

“We were ambushed by a vampire and a rogue wolf when we left, but we’re fine,” Beau finishes for Winnie. “Like I said, I took care of it.” Her hand presses to the wound at her side, her blood transfers to her palm. She doesn’t even flinch when she touches the open gash. “I honestly didn’t even know that he’d actually got me with the knife. I thought he missed.” Isabeau shrugs nonchalantly.

Ranger glares down at his mate, his own anger matching mine. “Did you two think we ordered everyone to stay on pack territory for shits and giggles? That we enjoy confining everyone here? We did it to protect everyone—to protectyou. You’re my mate Winslow, but that absolutely does not mean you get to disobey pack orders.”

I’m too mad to talk right now, so I let him rant and I stare at Beau.

“What happened to you two is exactly the reason we had the order in place. We are all safer here where we can look after each other. What were you two thinking? You risked your life for ice cream?”

Another look is passed between the girls. Something more is going on here, but I can’t figure it out.

“No,” Winslow scoffs. “We risked it to talk to Esme about Nessa. Like I said, we learned some things about her. She had a bloodmate and he died, that’s why she’s so angry and working with Noah. They both lost their mates.”

“What the hell is a bloodmate?” Ranger questions.

“It’s like a vampire version of a mate, it’s a blood bond of sorts. If a vampire finds their mate and feeds from them, they’re permanently bound together. Like you and I are bound to each other,” Winslow quickly explains.

I don’t miss the way Beau’s pale face blanches even more. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she’s ill. Which isn’t possible. Right?

“I’ve never heard of it. This happens for all vampires?” Ranger presses.

“No, it’s only for the original, firstborn vampires,” I answer this time, remembering what Beau said when she explained it all to me in Colorado. “Right?”

Beau worries her bottom lip for a second. “No, we just learned from Esme that the firstborn’s children are also affected by blood bonds.” She doesn’t elaborate further, not offering any more information. Winslow’s face falls when Isabeau stops talking.

What is going on between these two? I wanted Beau to fit in here, find her place, but I don’t like that she’s bonding so closely with Winslow and not me. Yes, I’m aware that makes me a selfish asshole. Sue me for wanting all her attention.

Ranger catches his mate’s odd look and raises a brow. “Anything else we need to know?”

Winslow’s face turns to stone and she shakes her head. “No.”

“Not about bloodmates anyway, but there is some information I learned from the vampire that attacked us,” Isabeau pipes up. “I think I know what Noah’s been up to when he’s not killing innocent women that look like his mate. Call your brother and sister, they’re going to want to hear about this.”

Winslow and Ranger start to move toward their treehouse-like cabin. Beau attempts to follow behind, but I grip her arm and pull her back. Leaning down, I skim my nose along her hair before whispering in her ear, “If you ever disobey me and leave pack territory without me again, you won’t like your punishment, baby. And if you ever get attacked and stabbed again, and you don’t call meimmediately, I’ll spank your ass so hard that Snow White-like skin of yours will blister.” Threading my fingers through her hair, I roughly jerk her head back. “Do I make myself clear?”

Her eyes heat with anger but also arousal. Her pink tongue swipes out and licks her light pink bottom lip. “You don’t control me.”

“That’s” —I tug her hair harder— “where you’re wrong, Beau.”

I can’t stop myself from pressing my lips to hers in an angry kiss. I want to kiss the stubbornness out of her, but I know it’s impossible. It’s not in her makeup to be agreeable. If she were, I know I’d grow uninterested. I need someone who will challenge me, but if she continues to put herself in danger, I might handcuff her to me and never let her out of my sight.

I step away from her, breaking our kiss, leaving each of us breathless and the air around us heavy. Swatting her ass, I shove her in the direction of the house. “Let’s get you cleaned up. The smell of your blood is making me homicidal.”

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