Page 58 of Savage Hunter

“Thebastardoput a tracker in me. There’s no telling who else is out there.”

Persephone and I both cast about, looking for lurking shadows.

I take a knee beside Persephone. I know little about her but the man she loves is a friend so that makes her my friend.

“I can’t see much, but I can tell you’re bleeding. Let us help you.”

“Thank you.” She is weak. Scared. I squeeze her hand and let her know she is not alone. I know how much that means. I sneak a look at Wolfe. He’s scanning our surroundings, a shield between me and however many more of my mother’s men are out there.

I can feel eyes on us. It’s eerily silent. No crickets or little fireflies dancing over the wildflowers.

My Savage family move in unison and fan out. Wolfe stands guard around us until I slip my hand into his.

“Go. We have Rage here with plenty of bullets. Help them.”

He squeezes my hand back and becomes one of the moving shadows in the night. Guns go off. I stop counting how many rounds pop off after the first fifteen. My mother sent a small army, and they had every intention of hurting the people I love like family. They deserve the truth.

Riot pulls back from the tree line and Ares is right behind him, getting Rage off the ground. He looks weak, sweating like crazy. He doesn’t need to be out of bed, much less playing hero. But that is who these men are.

Wolfe slips a hand around my waist and helps me to my feet as Riot moves into my spot and takes Persephone in his arms. Wolfe doesn’t let me go until we are in Doc’s place and they put guards into position. Persephone is the one on the metal bed this time getting a fresh set of stitches. She looks pale and weaker than Rage did when they first arrived.

Rage is beside me and watching everything Riot does to clean the wound and start on a fresh set of stitches. Someone is hooking up an IV. God, let it be pain medication for the poor woman.

I turn in Wolfe’s arms and he looks down at me, giving me his full attention. Persephone beats me to it by voicing the fear tumbling through the pit of my stomach first.

“As soon as Silas learns of Cortes’ death, he’ll go on the defensive.”

“Persephone is not wrong.”

“I know.”

I guess we are preparing for war.

Twelve

Wolfe

The second Persephone is stitched up and dosed with pain meds, Riot is picking her up and we head for the compound. I hold the back door open for everyone. Once inside, I check the windows, the front door and every other entry point into the compound. Bear comes up behind me doing the same. I’m glad to see I’m not the only paranoid one. He gives my shoulder a fatherly pat when we are done and then moves on to help Ares.

War. I can’t stand the idea of losing anyone. I flick the ring in my lip. It would be my fault if anyone got hurt.

Ares is on the front steps talking to Blaze, Mace and Casanova. Dragon walks up behind them and helps Asena with their baby girl. All the Savages have guns on their hips, fresh magazines stuffed into their vests and raw anger like a cloak surrounding them. It won’t make them bullet proof so I hope the vests they are wearing works. Tensions are high and it makes taking a deep breath nearly impossible. Crackling energy is palpable to the point I can feel the electrical charge climbing up my arms. I rub my hands down the lengths of my arms but the bad feeling this is only the beginning sets off the alarms in my head.

Riot puts Persephone on the couch, and they help Rage into a chair beside her. They are both out of commission but I won’t be the one to tell Rage he’s down for the count. He takes her hand in his and watching him kiss every single finger makes me want to fall into Wolfe’s arms and bury my head.

But I don’t have that luxury to block out reality. I can’t hide away and pretend my new family isn’t hurting because of the people in my past.

My gaze locks with Wolfe’s and we stare at each other. He’s across the room talking with Riot about something that has the man looking like he wants to punch a hole through the wall.

They are all like that. They’ve had their peace ruined. That deserves their anger and wrath. I twist the ends of my shirt between my fingers.

I deserve their anger. It is because of me this place is no longer safe.

Nova passes out water, wipes to clean their faces and hugs while Fergie checks in on how everyone is doing. They work the large room, starting with Kendra and Piper who look shell-shocked. They’ve had hard lives but not bullets and bloodshed kind of darkness.

Fergie gives Kendra a cigarette and takes out a flask from the inside of her bra Iknowshe keeps filled with top-shelf whiskey. They both take a swig. Nova comes over and leans her weight into Fergie a moment. They are the only two who look calm when they should be freaking the fuck out. They penetrated the Savage land. The sanctuary they all worked so hard to build is no longer safe.

Ares walks into the large living room off the side of the front door pushing shells into a shotgun.

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