Page 136 of Piece You Saved

Rylan’s eyes flicker from man to wolf and wolf to man.

Who is in control? Wolf? Man?

Neither?

A memory inserts itself into my mind. It’s a brief flash of what he did to the cab driver after I ran for the first time. “You changed the most after I tried to run away. Is that it? You showed Alexis your crazy, and she did the smart thing and ran from you?”

Rylan turns to Kade, ignoring me. “Give me my mate, or I will rip this girl’s head off.”

I know Rylan better than anyone here. He means it.

“Kade?” I say, not looking away from Rylan. “Let me go.”

Kade’s hand briefly tightens on my arm before he releases me.

I’m taking a step toward Rylan when another hand circles my left, halting me.

Glancing to my left, I meet Dariel’s gaze. He drops my arm almost immediately, which makes no sense to me until I feel a slight pressure on my waistband.

An almost soundless click announces something I’ve heard too many times today not to know what it means.

Someone just unsecured my gun’s safety.

Probably Kade.

I smile faintly at Dariel, turn back to Rylan, and start walking.

Three-quarters of the way across the front lawn, I stop. “Let her go.”

Rylan’s hand tightens on Sam’s arm.

“I’m not taking one step forward unless you let her go.Now.” It’s not like me to make demands, but I’ve had more than enough of Rylan’s sick, twisted games. It’s time to end this once and for all. I let Rylan see my determination. If he wants me, he damn well better let Sam go.

I’m closer to him than I am to Kade and Dariel. He must know it for his smile to be as smug as it is when he shoves Sam to the left of me and lunges toward me.

I need to know Sam is safe before I fight him.

The first time he puts his hand on me, I want to cry. Tears won’t save me, and neither will the panic churning in my gut. Only the gun tucked against my back will do that, so I let him drag me toward the empty back seat of his Mercedes.

Pop.

A bullet tears into the leather seat. For the longest time, I struggle to believe what I’m seeing.

Pop.

Rylan tugs at me harder as the next bullet hits the front door, burrowing into the black metal with screeching finality.

After that? Everything seems to happen at once.

Three brown and black wolves explode around the side of the Mercedes and toward the house. I don’t know how many of his pack Rylan has left, but maybe this is it?

Please let this be it.

Pop.

Rylan snarls as he stumbles, and for a quarter of a second, his hand on my arm loosens.

I wrench away, throwing myself back as I fumble for the gun I tucked in the waistband of my sweatpants.

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