Page 19 of Bait Wolf
“This was basically the scene I expected to stumble upon,” he said.
I couldn’t return the smile. My heart nearly stopped with the realization that I was going to lock my unmated omega in a car with another alpha. I would be there too, but...
Everest took in my expression, seeing the way I shifted to put Ember behind me, despite my logical brain knowing that Everest wouldn’t come near him.
He sat back into his car, worry clouding his expression.
“Shit,” Everest muttered, “you didn't mate him? What the hell were you thinking?”
“There was no time,” I growled. “Asha...”
Everest grimaced.
“They took her away while we were distracted by the disaster that was you finding your mate mid-fight.”
“I have to get her back.”
Everest nodded.
“I know, but it’s the middle of the night. We don’t even know where she is.”
I swallowed, fear enveloping me, momentarily pushing everything else away.
A hand landed on my shoulder from behind. Ember was trying to comfort me. It warmed me straight through, and some of the fear softened.
“Look, just get in the car,” Everest said. “I’ll speed you home.”
I squeezed my eyes shut, unsure if I could. Everest was my friend, I reminded myself. He’d always been loyal and easygoing. He wasn’t the type to force anyone or fight outside of the ring.
Taking a deep breath, I nodded, but when it came to it, it was a bit harder than that.
I pressed Ember into the corner of the back seat, as far from Everest as possible, and my entire body tightened with aggression. My gaze fixed on Everest. Any wrong move and I would kill him.
As he pulled away from the curb, Everest kept shooting me glances in the mirror, worry etched in the lines between his brows.
An unending growl rumbled in my chest, growing louder every time our gazes caught. The longer we were confined within, the more the car swung wildly, Everest losing his cool and probably running every light. I wasn’t sure because I couldn’t look away from the mirror.
Finally, Everest turned the car into the driveway and pulled over so fast we nearly got whiplash. He threw open the driver’s door and leaped from his seat.
The sudden movement made me act. I lunged forward, claws extended,justmissing Everest as he got outside. He paced in a wide circle, letting out a shout.
“Fuck!”
He paused at a distance to bend and look in the window while I forced my claws back in and tried to breathe and calm down.
“Coal, you aresolucky that your bestie is a saint! Not many people would get in a car with you right now.”
That was probably true.
I turned my gaze to Ember.
He was sitting very silently in his corner, keeping himself small and unthreatening. He deferred his gaze when I looked at him, but there was no fear in his scent. He knew how to handle alphas, clearly.
That thought made me uneasy, but I pushed it away.
“Welcome home,” I said instead and pushed the door open for him to step out first. I followed closely, still worried that Everest might make a move for him.
He didn’t. He stayed where he was on the opposite side of the car.
