Page 46

GRAHAM

“Graham,” Violet sniffled. I jerked open my pack house bedroom door. She followed on my heels. I grunted, yanking on one of my shirts. As much as I should teach her a fucking lesson and ignore her, I struggled to keep it up. I was furious with her. How could she put herself in danger?

“Please. I’m sorry.” I’d already been worn down. Her sweet little pleas were too much, but I should keep my head on straight.

That fuck Elton should be pulling up soon. I had Simon stay outside with the direct order not to engage. Simon was an unpredictable fuck who wanted blood. There would be a death, but we needed to do it without endangering her further. I pulled out a worn pair of pants to jerk them on after discarding the sweats.

He would do anything for our mate just as I would. Now we would slaughter the fucks that harmed her.

To think that a promise allowed her to escape. All of it made me want to thrash the room and everyone that encountered her and did her harm, even myself.

A whine echoed behind me and my wolf shoved forward. I turned to her, grabbing her arm.

“Violet.”

“Stop being mad at me,” she mumbled, swiping at tears.

I breathed out between my teeth.

“You put the female I love in danger,” I said gruffly. She jerked back a few steps like I slapped her.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered. She could say it all she wanted, but her mischievous side would land her in another problem eventually.

I scrubbed my palm over my face. We’d need to keep a close eye on her.

A knock at the door later, and Adan said, “They’re here and waiting in the barn, Alpha.” Adrenaline spiked through my veins.

I stormed to the door, but all of me was attune to her padding after me. We reached the front door and crossed the gravel to the barn. Three trucks with Maine license plates were parked in the middle of the road.

“Please be careful,” she muttered behind me. Her voice warbled and my heart clenched. The gut-wrenching hole in my gut buckled me in every sense of the word.

It was never about me keeping her, it was her keeping me. I would not be able to continue if she was killed—I would end it myself. Her putting herself in danger would dredge up more than she could ever fathom.

Stopping a few feet from the barn caused her to bump into my back. Her little gasp had me by the balls.

She scampered in front of me, looking up. The moon’s glow kissed her face, illuminating her beautiful lips and multicolored eyes.

“I am sorry,” she whispered. The skin surrounding the two-inch cut on her cheek had turned purple already. Fresh rage bubbled.

“You ever place yourself in danger again—” I cut off with a growl, closing my eyes. Her yelling for my help this morning would remain seared in my memory.

“I swear never to do anything to endanger myself to that level. I mean, it wasn’t that bad?—”

A growl rumbled in my throat.

The motherfucking stipulation. Anything that put her at risk was ‘bad’.

“I-I don’t mean that I’d put myself in danger,” she floundered.

A growl continued to vibrate in my chest. She stepped back and I followed. My cock stiffened and I breathed in her scent. Goddess, she smelled delicious.

My little mate needed a different type of lesson. One that would stick.