Page 39 of 3 Shifters to Break a Curse

As my heart hammered within my chest, desperate for a large gulp of air, I sucked in a breath as my eyes pulled open. For real, this time. Everything I had just gone through was nothing but a horrible dream. That was until shouts echoed from outside. I stood up from the couch and almost immediately fell back to the seat. Dizziness surrounded me and my body felt sluggish. I was clearly still under the effects of the tea that worked hard to force me back to sleep. But I refused to allow myself to give in to my body’s needs. I was too worried. More shouts bled into the living room, and I strained to hear what was being said.

I tried to calm myself down by taking deep breaths. My heart still raced, filling my ears with its beats, making deciphering what was going on outside more difficult. I needed to figure out if the men were arguing again, or if my worst fears were being realized.

But as I stepped closer to the window, I heard his voice and sucked in a fearful breath. One word flowed from my mouth, barely louder than a whisper. “No.”

Jared had found me. And he was standing outside, facing off with the three innocent men who only had good intentions when it came to helping me. Jared wouldn’t care though. He would only see them as a threat and an obstacle in his way, stopping him from reaching me.

I left the window and placed my back against the wall. A tear slid down my face.

No matter what I did, I wasn’t able to escape him. I still had no clue how he was able to follow me. And despite my efforts of trying to get away before I had brought the men harm, it was too late for anything else. Jared was outside of the cabin, with the three men, in a full-blown argument.

I didn’t know how long he would tolerate the men refusing to give me up before he attacked them.

I had made a promise to the men, and though things seemed dark, I still intended to keep that promise. I just wasn’t sure how to go about doing so. But I needed to come up with something before Jared acted.

“Bring her to me now, or I will take her by force,” Jared screamed. His words were the clearest thing I heard the entire time.

I clenched my hands together and became more resolved in my promise to not bring the men harm. And there was only one way out of this that I could see. And though I didn’t want to hand myself over, I took solace in the fact that I got away from him before, and I was certain I would escape him again. Eventually. But first, I needed to save the men from whatever Jared had in store for them.

I sucked in a couple of breaths and stepped to the front door. My fingers shook as they wrapped around the knob. I sniffed and turned the handle. The door gave way, and I pulled it open far enough to let me slide through. Once I was on the porch, I softly closed the door behind me and stood in the shadows as I continued to plan out my next steps.

I was winging this whole thing, and that was dangerous. Especially with Jared added into the mix.

“She belongs to me,” Jared screamed.

“Look, buddy,” Luke said. “You’re on private property. Leave now or I’ll call the authorities.”

Jared laughed. “I’ll leave as soon as I have my wife with me.”

That word sent an arrow straight through my heart. I wasn’t his wife. Not by a long shot. Where did he think he got off calling me that? I sucked in a breath of panic. The men thought I had been hiding something from them this entire time, and thanks to Jared, they were probably buying I was his runaway bride.

“Yeah right,” Rin said. “I would believe that as much as I believe pigs can fly.”

I sighed with relief. If Rin didn’t believe Jared, it was more than likely the other two wouldn’t either.

“We really don’t want any trouble,” Ezra said. “She came to us for help. Help to escape a life of abuse from you. And don’t think we didn’t notice what you had done to her. No man should ever lay a hand on a woman. Clearly, she doesn’t want you anymore.”

“You don’t know who you are messing with,” Jared snapped. “I insist that you bring that woman out here right this instant or I will call the authorities and charge you with kidnapping.”

Luke stepped forward. “You need to leave. Now. Or else.”

Jared laughed darkly. I sucked in a breath. That wasn’t a good sign. “Or you’ll what?”

“Enough!” I yelled. A strange, still silence fell on the woods around us.

“You!” Jared seethed, pointing at me. “You have any idea what I’ve been through. Let’s go. We’re done with this.”

“She’s not going anywhere with you,” Rin snapped, taking a step back, angling his back toward me.

“And you’re going to stop her?” Jared asked. “Obviously, not. Ask Toni what happens when I don’t get what I want.”

I nodded. “No, don’t. I’ll go with you. But promise me you won’t hurt these men. They did nothing wrong.”

Ezra spun on his heels to face me. His expression was hard to determine in the dark, but his words made what I had suspected clear as he asked, “What are you doing?”

I didn’t meet his gaze. The tone in his voice nearly shook me from my resolve. I sucked in a breath and said, “I’m doing what I told you I was going to do.”

I took a couple of steps forward, landing on the first step leading to the porch and added, “I’m keeping my promise.”

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