Page 39 of Rust the Rejected
I roll my eyes to the heavens with a prayer to the gods for strength. My fated mate wants to kill me. I know it…
I press the intercom built into my seat to ring the pilot to go faster. We zip through the air and arrive in less than forty minutes.
Captain greets me solemnly. I pat him on the shoulder as I jog to my office with the others behind me. I stop in my tracks at the sight of my office door wide open. What the absolute fuck?! I swing my head to face Captain. He shakes his head vehemently.
Tag steps in front of me, followed by Karl and the rest of my security team. I wave them off and push past. This is a delicate situation involving my best friend. No one will interfere. Well, except for…
* * *
Natalie
“OWOOOOO!”
The hairs on the back of my neck rise. I jump from the love seat where I must have fallen asleep. My eyes dart around the cottage’s living room in search of the ominous howl. No wolf. I rub the back of my neck as I walk to the back door cautiously. But instead of fear, a sense of loss and pain envelopes me.
I wrap my arms around myself as I peer out the pane of glass. Nothing in the backyard appears out of the ordinary. A glance out the front windows reveals the garden and path clear. I rub my arms as a shiver trails down my spine. Something is very wrong.
As I pad back to the living room, another howl fills my ears. It’s not from outside. The menacing cry originates in my head! What the hell?! Again, no fear. Instead, my heart aches. I press my palm to my chest and rub the spot.
I sit on the edge of the love seat and close my eyes. I steady my breath and reach out to the source. In my mind’s eye, I see Rust. But not as the man. Rather, a ginormous red wolf.
Its feral eyes focus on me. They narrow, then widen, as if in recognition.Natalie… Surprised to hear Rust call my name, I reach my hand out. However, the wildness seeps back into the wolf’s glowing golden eyes. It throws its head back and howls before it bolts away out of my reach.
“Rust!”
My eyes snap open and fill with tears. He needs me. Oh, why was I so stuck in my old beliefs? Why couldn’t I have given in to what I know I want as much as he does? My gods! What a fool!
I glance around the coffee table, then grab Sage’s card. My hands shake as I hold it and pick up my mobile. She answers on the first ring. A second later, she stands before me again.
“Sage, it’s Rust! He’s lost to his wolf! Please help me get to him. He must still be on the boat. I saw him. He needs me…”
I trail off as another howl fills my head. My eyes close in anguish.
“Natalie, it’s imperative you remain calm and in control. I will take you to Rust. But you cannot help him if you are weak. You must be stronger than his wolf to bring Rust back. If not, we may lose him forever to the madness. And Jagger will have no other choice but to—”
“No! Don’t say it! I’ll do it. I’ll be strong. I—I can’t lose Rust. I was wrong. This is my fault!”
Sage nods and holds her hand out to me. I grasp it without hesitation.
“Once we reachMoonbeam, I will take you to Jagger’s office. I can go inside with you—”
“No, I will do it alone. I won’t risk your safety for my mistake. Thank you, Sage. Can we go now?”
She nods, and the living room disappears. I blink, and we’re in a hallway outside a door on the boat.
“I’ll wait here for you. Be strong, Natalie.”
I squeeze her hand and turn the knob. They locked the door.
“Hold on,” Sage says.
The lock clicks, and the door opens a crack. Sage and I exchange nods, then I step inside, shutting the door behind me. I lean against it. The lock reengages.
The office is in shambles. Stuffing from the furniture is strewn all around the room. Shards of broken glass from liquor bottles, a lamp, and picture frames glitter on the floor. Paintings hang askew on the walls. The acrid stench of urine mingles with musky pheromones and the spilled alcohol. My nose wrinkles as I hold back a gag.
My eyes dart around. But I can’t find Rust or the wolf. A low growl catches my attention. I gasp as the red wolf emerges from behind the massive wooden desk opposite the sitting area. As in my vision, its eyes gleam and narrow on me. It moves with the graceful stealth of an apex predator. And I’m its prey. The hairs at my nape lift again, and I shudder.
Be strong, Natalie.
