Page 7 of Save Me Enemy

“Just let it go, Ryder,” Cookie begs, looking down at the dead woman in shock. “This baby’s mother is dead. We need to call the sheriff, we need to call Chase in.”

The mention of Chase makes my blood boil, everything he did to me will not be easily forgotten. Cricket stirs, her eyes fluttering open and looking up at her sister as Rachel smoothes her hair away from her face.

“We didn’t have time to warn you…” Rachel sobs, messily wiping tears away from her face. “We’ve been under attack for months now by things like that.” She nods towards the dead woman, wincing at the sight of her.

“I’m so sorry this was your introduction into pack life, Cricket,” Ryder says, disentangling himself from Cookie now that she’s able to breathe without shuddering. “But better you know now than be blindsided when you're out on your own. This is the second creature that’s attacked, although this one was much smaller than the one before, and she was human when she went missing.”

“Despicable disgusting abominations…” Bob growls, holding his rifle over his shoulder as he walks around the bar and picks up the phone. “My bar is gonna stink for days,” he mutters, then turns around and speaks to the sheriff quietly.

Cricket’s eyes are on me, serious like her brother’s as she thinks so loudly I can almost hear it even though she isn’t in her wolf form. Slowly, she sits up, leaning weakly against her sister’s chest as Ryder takes a knee in front of them.

“I’ve only known you a handful of hours and twice I’ve put you in harm's way. Would you like me to take you back home, to the city?” he asks, and I want to crush his skull for giving her that option, but Cricket shakes her head.

“I have no home in the city to go back to. I’d like to stay here, with you, if that’s okay.”

Stay with me…I try to make her hear my silent plea, but her nervous eyes are searching Ryder’s face.

“You have a home here, from this point on,” Ryder says simply, and Rachel hugs Cricket tightly.

She has a home from this point on alright, but she won’t be with you. She’ll be with me, in my bed, until the day fate takes her from me. I dare you to deny me, Dark Moon Alpha.

Ryder looks at me with his dark, dangerous glare and for a moment I think he can hear my thoughts without me sending them.

“I’m calling a pack meeting. Tell your Alpha to meet us at the cliffs. This is a matter for Dark Moon and Silver Dawn both. Our enemy has attacked again, no one is safe now. Not even the humans passing through. Whoever this is? We will stop them.”

“Seems like everyone is being attacked and taken on your turf,” I growl, sidestepping him and putting myself between his anger and my woman. “How do I know it’s not one of you?”

He sighs and runs his hands through his hair in exasperation. “We don’t have time to throw blame at each other’s packs. Call your Alpha, or I will, and he’ll wonder why his Beta was so distracted he couldn’t do his job.”

If I had hackles in this form, they’d be standing. I bare my teeth at Ryder and he chuckles, knowing full well I’d never win one on one, turning and leaving the bar. He walks out into the light of day naked as the day he was born and gets on his bike without another word.

As much as I dislike the Dark Moon alpha, I have to admit he’s a certifiable badass.

Rachel helps Cricket to her feet and walks over to me with anger in her eyes. She gets in my face, finger pointed at my nose for the second time today, and whispers at me through clenched teeth. “Hurt her and I’ll skin you alive and roast your cock on a spit!” Her nails curl into her fists, but when she looks over her shoulder, she sees what I see.

Cricket looking at me and only me.

Within a heartbeat, neither of us are able to look away.

Her body is like nothing I’ve ever imagined, her hips are wide and her legs thick and juicy. Her waist is tiny, and rising on her chest are breasts the perfect size to fit entirely in my mouth. So small and pert, round and perfect. My cock gets hard as I stare at her and her entire body blushes as her eyes descend to watch my manhood rise. I know I’m huge, in every way there is, but my cock always leaves women in shock.

I can't wait to see her bent over for me, whimpering and begging for me like she begged for my hand. I step towards her, growling possessively, and my feet hit the puddle of blood on the floor.

No. Not like this, not in the midst of death. I will have her, but I’ll have her when we’re both clean and fresh. I want to taste every inch of her skin without the taint of fearful sweat and blood.

“If you ain’t cleaning, get out of my way!” Bob scowls, shoving me aside and laying a white sheet over the woman’s body while Cookie walks by slowly and climbs the stairs in the back to her apartments.

“Can’t clean until Chase and the sheriff review the crime scene,” Rachel says matter of factly. “I’m taking Cricket upstairs with Cookie to get cleaned up. I’ll have something that will fit her tiny body…somewhere…” She grabs Cricket’s hand and pulls her away from me with a warning glance.

I know if I follow them Rachel will cut my throat, but gods do I want to. My cock follows Cricket as she goes, twitching and throbbing up and down as if it can pull me towards her itself.

With a heavy sigh, I wait until I hear the door to Cookie's apartment slam shut. I walk out the back of the bar behind them, shifting before the daylight can touch my skin. I fight every instinct in my body and lope away from the town. I’ll bathe in the river before I bathe where Chase used to.

When I’m clean? I'm coming back for my woman.

I’m coming back and convincing her to live for me. Live with me.

Live for us.

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