Page 57 of Guardians of the Pack

What? Are you saying he can’t challenge us if we’re mated?

Exactly.

Is this why you keep pushing for us to get together?

Of course. For our safety.

That’s messed up. You don’t fuck out of fear!

Esme snorted.Not fear. I do not fear a challenge from him – but you would be sad if I killed him.

I swallowed hard.Please don’t kill him. You always think we should kill things. That is your solution fifty percent of the time,I grumped at her.

What is the other fifty percent?she asked curiously.

Fuck it.

Yes. Matingisimportant. You could do with some mating. It would relax you, if done right.

And if done wrong?

You could kill him. That would also make you feel better.

Kill it or fuck it isnota life mantra.

Says who?

Society.

I am a wolf.

Hard to argue with that.

Lucy Barrett, mate with Greg, or we’ll end up having to use the other fifty percent.She said it calmly but she had unleashed a maelstrom within me. I’d have to fight Esme if she tried to harm Greg, and I didn’t want to fight with her. Our harmony was our strength.

I can’t deal with this now. Can we just table it?

I have no idea why a table would help. We are not sitting down to feast.

It means we leave it alone for now,I said impatiently.

Ah. We can leave it alone for now,she agreed.But it won’t disappear just because you don’t like to think about it. What did you tell me? ‘The greatest thief the world has ever produced is procrastination, and he is still at large’.

Yes, thank you. Just not now.

Esme turned her attention back to the other wolves and focused on them. The urge to hunt was strong after we had nuzzled and sniffed everyone, but there was nothingtohunt.

The wolves scented blood on the air and their growls became deadly. They turned to the bloody mass on the driveway. Eyes flickered with gold. They were losing control. If I didn’t do something, Reynard would be dog food.

As if summoned, Ares arrived at the end of the long driveway. In his maw, he was carrying a young deer which was struggling against him. He held my eyes and for a moment I swear he thought,Hunt.He opened his mouth and the deer dropped to the ground. It bounded off, adrenaline and fear making it extra fast. Esme threw back her head and howled at the pack to hunt. We raced off after deer.

The pack’s need for violence was high, but the death of the deer would curb it, keeping Reynard safe long enough for Amber to arrive. I hoped. It was hard for Esme to drop back because she wanted the kill too, but the pack’s need was greater than ours.

She held us back deliberately, and Archie, Greg and Liam sprang forward to take the lead. We could hear the deer’s heartbeat thundering across our land. If I’d been on two legs, sympathy would have made my feet slow, but when I was on four Esme’s mentality was in control. The deer was food and the pack was hungry, in more ways than one.

Noah and David moved forward to flank the deer, ready should it suddenly change direction. Elena and Serena moved forward to the other side. I felt a flicker of sympathy for the poor thing; it didn’t stand a chance.

Perhaps we let the deer gain a little more ground than we would normally have done so we could revel in the chase. Even so, it wasn’t long before Greg surged forward and, with a skilful leap, was on it. It tumbled to the ground with a scream, then Greg’s teeth were at its throat, ending its fear and its life with one powerful rip.

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