Page 12 of Curvy Alpha Bride (Wolfshade Brides-for-Hire #4)

When Mabel suddenly rushes from the room, I feel her loss like a dull blow to the chest. For a moment, the chemistry between us felt exactly as it had in the past, and I almost forgot what I’d done.

All those years wanting her, praying she would notice, then I finally get my chance… and I fuck it up as badly as a man can possibly fuck up.

I want to make it up to her, but I’m smart enough to know there aren’t any words that can heal a wound like that. The only thing that would fix this is to go back in time and tell her the truth. But even if I had that opportunity, I don’t know if I could do it.

I was so confused and incredibly freaked out. My entire life was a lie. I was going to a new town, with so much responsibility suddenly on my shoulders. I couldn’t explain all that to her—and I sure as hell couldn’t put her in danger.

As I listen to the water running in the bathroom, I remember pulling out of the driveway in my truck, on my way to meet Aunt Finnah so she could take me to my true home. Then, looking in the rearview mirror, I saw Mabel standing alone in my front yard.

I’ll never forget it, the way she had her arms wrapped around herself, her long hair tossing around her as if the wind was trying to force her to run after me… and the sad look in her eyes as she watched me leave.

Shaking my head, I snap myself out of the memory, getting up to stretch a bit. The last six months have been a trial for me. Just learning about my position and taking on the responsibility of alpha was enough of a challenge without adding my worst mistake to it.

And I feel like something is not right… as if there are hideous things in the darkness, just waiting to be revealed. The pack thinks they can hide it from me, but it’s coming, I can feel it. Looming, creeping, closer…

With a soft groan, I go up the hall to the bedroom.

Compared to the rest of the cabin, it has very small windows set high in the walls and feels less exposed.

I imagine the rest of the cabin was built to show off the stunning views of the mountains and the lake surrounding it, and the bedroom has more modest windows to make it feel cozier.

I listen for a moment, hearing soft splashing in the bathroom. The thought of Mabel naked in the hot water, her skin shiny and slick, has such an effect on me, I have to hold my breath for a second to get myself under control.

She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever been with. God, the feel of her in my hands, the way she moved under me… no one has ever excited me like that.

I turn away from the bathroom door, shutting my thoughts down and refusing to indulge in memories of that night.

I don’t deserve to take any pleasure from it. Not after what I did.

When I get under the covers, I relax immediately as the long day catches up to me. Relief tingles through my muscles as I anticipate a good night’s sleep, but I end up waking up over and over, tossing and turning to the point it feels like I’ve been running a marathon.

It’s still dark when I finally give up and drag myself out of bed. I’m stumbling towards the kitchen to put on some coffee when I hear a horrible, ear-splitting scream.

My first thought is Mabel, but I’m certain the sound is coming from outside the house. I rush out onto the porch, and I can hear the screams moving away from me—as if someone is being dragged swiftly towards the woods.

I don’t even think, I just start chasing the noise. Along with the horrified screaming is a rustling, growling noise, as if a hungry wild animal is rattling its claws against a hard rocky surface as it anticipates its next meal.

No fucking way, not if I have anything to do with it! That’s one of my pack, and I won’t let you take them!

The scream dies down to a hopeless wail, the kind of sound a deer might make as a cougar opens the jugular and pours its life out onto the snow. I can practically smell the rush of hot blood on the ground as I pick up my pace, shifting into my wolf shape to cover more ground.

Suddenly, I’m knocked off my feet by something heavy, hitting me in the side. I crash to the ground, my breath blasting out of me, but I leap straight back onto my paws and launch myself at whatever struck me.

It growls as I barrel into it, then something else hits me from behind. I spin around, and that’s when I see I’m surrounded by wolves.

Wait… these are my wolves!

“Xavier,” Ivan gasps, shifting into his human shape. “You have to go back—now!”

“What the fuck?” I yell, shifting as well. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me! I don’t know what’s going on out here, but—”

“Xavier!” Aunt Finnah cries, tears running down her cheeks as she shifts into her human shape and runs towards me. “Please go back. Please.”

“Someone is in trouble out there!” I yell. “Something attacked them—they need me!”

“Your pack needs you!” Finnah says, pleading with me. “Come back to town, I beg you!”

I look around at the others, recognizing Hector and Rhiannon in their wolf shapes. I get a creepy feeling that if I don’t turn around and go back, they might attack me.

Let them try!

“Finnah—” I say, trying to organize my thoughts into a coherent question.

She shakes her head and puts her hand over my mouth. “Not here—not now! Please, Xavier, trust me! Come home.”

I struggle with my emotions for a minute longer, staring out into the trees. The last mournful wail rings in my ears, the sound of a creature completely abandoned and devoid of hope.

No one should ever feel like that, especially a wolf with a full pack behind her! Why aren’t we sweeping the woods right now?

“Xavier,” Ivan says, taking a step towards me. “We must go. The rest of the pack needs your protection.”

I take one last look into the trees, noticing that light has finally begun to creep into the valley.

The only thing that would make me leave a fallen member of my pack is to protect the rest… I can’t let anyone else get taken.

Taken by what?

“Mabel,” I mutter, suddenly realizing that I left her alone. I shift into my wolf shape and run back to the cabin as fast as my paws will take me. The other elders surround me, but it doesn’t feel like they are supporting me in a hunting formation.

It feels like they are herding me… taking me prisoner.

When I pause by the cabin, I can hear Mabel inside, her even breath and steady heartbeat. Relieved that she hasn’t been disturbed, I keep going towards town, where I can hear raised voices. We are only partway down the road when we run into a crowd.

A large group of townsfolk is gathered in the middle of the road, all shouting at each other.

Some are in their human forms, carrying weapons, while others pace outside the circle in their wolf forms. It seems the ones in human form tried to chase down the screams, but were stopped by other members of the pack.

“What’s going on?” I yell, shifting and striding into the mob.

Immediately, the noise stops, and everyone turns to look at me. A mixture of expressions races through the group—shock, fear, worry—but above all, on every face is guilt. And it fills me with red-hot, blazing fury.

Did they know this was going to happen?

“Speak up!” I yell, but everyone has turned their eyes away, refusing to look at me, let alone answer me.

“It’s alright,” Serra says, tugging a shawl around her shoulders. “Everyone can just calm down a little, and we’ll discuss this like civilized people.”

“Civilized?” I almost scream. “Did you fucking hear that? It sounded like someone having their skeleton extracted while they were still alive!”

Serra’s face pales, and she actually takes a step back from me.

“And the other sound…” I stutter, putting a hand to my head. “The thing that took her. Ugly, gnashing teeth, hungry…”

I shake my head, staggering away, holding my temples. The mocking laughter still rings in my head, as if the hunter, whatever it is, has taken up residence inside me, and now I can never be free of it.

“It’s making fun of us,” I whisper in horror. “Whatever it is… It’s playing with us.”

I look up at Serra, trying to clear my mind of the horrible cackling combined with the sick, wet sounds of flesh chewed between jaws as strong as sharpened steel. When I feel a hand on my shoulder, I jump so high, I almost fall. I turn around in a flash, ready to attack.

When I see only Aunt Finnah, I drop my fist at once. In that moment, I’m keenly aware that she’s the only mother I’ve ever had, and all the strength goes out of me.

“Mom?” I whisper, and she wraps her arms around me, stroking the back of my neck.

“There,” she whispers. “It’s alright. You’re safe now, back with us. Don’t fret.”

Her touch clears my head, and suddenly I’m not scared. Only my fury remains.

“Okay,” I say, my voice harsh as I turn around. “I want an explanation, right fucking now. What the fuck is going on, who was that screaming, why is the whole town out here arguing—and what was that fucking thing?”

Even though everyone is looking at me, no one speaks. A couple of people glance at Serra, and I see her take a deep breath as she turns her face away. Obviously, everyone is waiting for her to speak, and it pisses me off.

“Listen,” I say, my voice reeking with threat, “if you don’t tell me—”

A high, keening cry cuts through my words, so like the screams I so recently heard, it completely disorients me. I even turn around as if my taken pack member is returning to me, screaming just as loudly as they did on the way out.

That doesn’t make any sense.

Does any of this?

Further down the track, I see Mabel hurrying towards us, and I’m relieved that she’s not by herself at the cabin. The sun is rising swiftly above the crest of the mountain peaks, pale light angling down on her dark, gleaming hair, making her shine as if from within.

With the dawn, a sense of safety asserts itself, but it has a temporary feel to it.

The hopeless wailing cuts through my senses again, and I turn around to see one of the women crying violently, striking out with her fists as the elders, Ninette, and Eileen try to hold her.

The woman is caught somewhere between fury and loss, the force of those emotions practically ripping her in two.

“My baby,” she moans. “My baby.”

There aren’t any babies in this town?

“What happened?” I ask, reining in my voice at the last moment so I don’t yell at the poor, broken woman. “Tell me what’s going on!”

“Dove,” she sobs. “My sweet Dove. She’s gone—it took her! It took her right out of her bed!”

Her words sink in slowly, bringing first a cool wave of shock, then a red-hot flood of rage.

Something attacked us… took Dove!

I turn around to look at my pack members, ready to see fury and determination on their faces as they wrestle with their shock and put it aside so we can attack. But as I turn slowly around, taking in everyone’s expressions, I see something that makes my blood run cold.

No one is surprised. NO ONE.

Every face wears a look of resignation, fear… and shame.

They knew this was going to happen!

What the fuck is going on in this pack? My pack!