Page 86 of Stealthy as a Wolf

They showed me what it was like to have a pack.

It meant never being alone again.

Never having to fight on my own.

They would come for me, because it was the same thing I would do for them.

I rubbed my thumb against my nose, pulled my fists up in front of my face, then nodded toward him. “Let’s do this. Without the chains and drugs, the fight will be a little more even this time, huh? Are you sure you’re up to it?”

I shot a pointed look at his now wilting dick and smirked.

Timothy crossed his arms, then gave a nod to one of his men. Though I didn’t want to look, I turned—and shuddered when one of the guys reached up and removed the collar from around his neck.

He hadn’t been trapped…it had just been a way for him to carry the collar while in wolf form.

“No need to go to all that trouble.” Timothy gave me a nasty smile. “You were always such a drama queen, but there will be no escape this time. You’ll be mine, one way or another.”

At his triumphant smirk, I lifted my chin and snarled, “Try putting that thing on me again, and I will fucking kill you.”

Instead of being intimidated, he chuckled and his cock hardened. “We both know you won’t do anything of the sort. In fact, you’ll put the collar on of your own free will. If you don’t, I’ll have your mates killed.”

I froze at the threat.

It was an impossible choice.

When the man with the collar approached, I could do nothing to stop a wave of crippling defeat that threatened to drown me. It was only when the collar was within touching distance that I became aware of my wolf clawing at the undersides of my ribs, the pain enough to bring me back to the present.

Putting the collar on would be a fate worse than death.

I couldn’t do it.

A growl exploded from my beast, and I lurched away from the approaching threat. It was painful to even speak, but I forced the words out of my damaged throat. “You plan to kill the men either way. I’m mated. With them alive, your plans are nothing but ash. Just give up and go home, and I’ll think about letting you live.”

Timothy threw back his head and gave a nasty laugh. “Sweetheart, they’re already dead. They were dead the moment they thought to take what was mine. One way or another, you’re coming back home where you belong.”

When I didn’t immediately comply, the expression on his face turned harsh. “Very well, we’ll do this the hard way. Just remember that I gave you a choice. I’m going to enjoy dragging you back in chains.”

He waited a beat, like he honestly thought I would just hand myself over to him, and I rolled my eyes at the imbecile.

“Enough.” He waved an arm at his men. “Take her.”

Even the man who had gone splat against the trees rose to his feet and obeyed.

I brought up my fists and backed away.

I would not be taken without a fight.

Just when one of the guys reached for me, a pent-up snarl of rage echoed through the clearing.

One I immediately recognized—Boone!

The wolves jolted and whirled toward the trees, searching for the threat. Timothy cursed, fury twisting his face, and the thin Ken doll veneer he wore vanished completely. Unholy rage darkened his eyes, and he snarled, “Grab her and let’s get the fuck outta here.”

The wolf holding the collar shot me a look of pure venom, obviously sharing his boss’ belief that women were nothing but possessions. Fangs flashed as he reached for me, a warning that he was going to be anything but gentle.

I braced myself to fight him with every dirty move I’d learned over the years, when a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention.

I whirled, expecting another wolf to have sneaked up behind me. Instead, air brushed my face as Boone bounded into the clearing, his large fangs latching onto the arm reaching for me. The wolf gave a high-pitched girly scream. He slashed at Boone with his claws, desperate to free himself from the tiger’s maw, but it was too late.

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