Page 62 of Destined Mate

“Stop following her scent. It sounds like she’s over here,” Stevie commanded, and footsteps hurried my way.

“Dammit, we should follow her scent, just in case. It could be a trap,” Charles grumbled.

She scoffed. “Fine. Besafe. I’m going to help my sister.”

Charles must have been following my scent from when I’d walked into the woods. I’d taken a slightly different path back.

As the people grew closer, my consciousness ebbed. I was so tired, but I needed to stay awake to warn them.

Pack linking would’ve been super nice right now.

“Oh, mygods.” Stevie gasped, and her lighter footsteps stomped toward me. “Callie!”

“What’s wro—” Charles cut off. Then he asked with disbelief, “Are therethreedead wolves next to her?”

Some of the dread lifted from my body. The wolves were still out. There was no telling how long I’d lain here.

I’d killed at least one.

My eyes burned, and my heart clenched.

Stevie’s small hands touched my arm, and I whimpered.

“She’s hurt badly.” Her voice sounded broken. “Don’t worry, Callie. I’m linking with Zeke and Theo now.”

“Of course she’s hurt,” Charles grumbled. He sounded put out instead of concerned, and I wondered if he’d hired these three. “Wait. One of them is still alive.”

So I’d killed two. A lump formed in my throat, and I struggled to breathe.

“Theo’s on his way,” Stevie informed me, taking my hand. “He didn’t hear his phone go off, but I pack linked with him on my way here.”

“Dammit.” Charles moaned. “We need to get back so I can hide the truck before Theo sees the wood she cut for his surprise party this weekend.”

What a shocker that he’d be more worried about keeping the party a secret than my health.

“You had her out here choppingwood?” Stevie scoffed. “She’s supposed to be an administrative assistant!”

“She was doing something for her future alpha, so you’d better keep your mouth shut,” he snapped.

Now I hated Charles more than ever before.

“Whatever. We need to worry about the wolf she knocked out. If he wakes, we might be in danger.” Stevie’s hand tightened on mine. “We need to get her inside and check out her wounds. Theo won’t be happy.”

“You’re right.” Charles huffed. “Can you drag the wolf with us so I can carry her? Callie’s bigger than you.”

The last thing I wanted was Charles’s arms around me, but if that’s what it took to get me the hell out of the woods, I’d take it.

“Yeah, I can do that,” Stevie said with determination. “We aren’t far from the backyard.”

Strong arms slipped underneath me, ones that were hard, cold, and unfamiliar. A shiver ran through me, and I wanted to recoil, but I barely had the energy to breathe.

When he lifted me, pain choked me. The world went black again.

* * *

A door creaked.My shoulder and legs throbbed, but I lay on something soft, not the hard ground. I moved my fingers a little and felt sheets and what had to be a mattress.

Something didn’t smell right. This was definitely not Bodey’s guest room or home.

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