Page 47 of Scribe

“I dare you,” Athena added, laughing as I gulped loudly.

“Chase, go get the truck. Come on, Sarah, I’ve got you. Bailey, can you help me?” I vaguely heard Skylar say, as my phone kept ringing.

Bailey narrowed her eyes, taunting me. “In a minute. Go ahead, Scribe. Answer the phone. Could be the little missus.”

Answering my phone, I whispered. “Hello?”

“Scribe, it’s Henley. I’m in trouble.”

My body stiffened as my face drained of all color right before I bolted from the clubhouse, hearing my best friend laugh her ass off. Running for my truck, I jumped in, asking, “Where are you, baby?”

“At the lake.” Her voice wobbled. “Scribe, I’m scared.”

“I’m coming, Princess. Stay there. I’m coming.”

Throwing my phone on the seat, I peeled out of the compound, gunning it for the lake. I was close, but it was still going to take me a few minutes to get to her. Her fearful voice rang loudly in my head. I thought I knew fear before, but hearing her trembling voice ask for me opened a chasm deep in my soul, allowing my true nature to rush to the surface.

All I could think about was getting to her.

I needed to see for myself she was okay. Once I knew that, I was going to hunt down and kill whoever scared her.

My whole life, I kept a tight lid on who I truly was. Not even my family knew the truth about me. It wasn’t easy growing up in a house full of pacifists, but I endured, until it became too much and I needed an outlet.

During my military days, the Marines showed me the tools I needed to quell the fury that dwelled deep in my bones but being thrown into a war zone made it hard. And one night, I gave into my true nature. If it wasn’t for King, Priest and Frank, God only knew where I would be right now. It was because of them I was a free man.

Maybe that was why I lived a simple life, laughing, taking nothing seriously. It was easier, safer for everyone around if I pretended to be someone I wasn’t.

Only those closest to me knew the truth about me.

I made no excuses for what I did.

Seeing the turnoff for the lake, I slowed my truck, heading to where I knew she’d be waiting. The second her crappy car came into view, the tension I felt eased a bit. However, when she stepped out of her car and I saw her face, something inside me snapped.

Slamming on my brakes, I jumped from my truck, running over to her, hugging her to me. Her body trembled as she cried into my chest.

“I’m here. I’ve got you.”

“I didn’t know who else to call.”

“You call me. Always, Princess. I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

She sniffed, looking up at me, tears in her eyes. “I thought it was my sister. I didn’t look at the ID. It was a man. He said he was going to kill me. Oh God, Scribe. Someone wants to kill me!”

Gathering her close, I looked around the barren area and sighed. “No one is going to kill you, Henley. I swear it.”

A truck skidded to a stop next to mine.

Slowly moving my hand towards my knife, I relaxed when I saw it was Frank as he shouted, “King called. He wants us all at the hospital. Sarah’s in labor.”

With her hand in mine, we walked into the Rosewood Memorial Hospital, quickly finding my brothers, the women, and my sisters, along with Mike, the new sheriff, all sitting in the waiting room.

Upon entering, several eyes turned to me as my sisters and Bailey all stood grinning from ear to ear, eyeing my woman up and down like a slab of finely cut beef.

Fucking ravenous witches.

King jumped in front of them, arms out, trying to stop them.

“Back off, you clucking hens!”

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