Page 22 of Curvy Hostage Mate (Gold Wolves Black Ops #4)

This was bad. I had known he was powerful, but I couldn’t have imagined how fast he was. I was on the back foot, and I was losing. Badly. I had barely gotten a scratch.

Another swipe. This one nearly took my eye. I howled as I staggered back, blood trickling into my vision. All around me were the sounds of struggle, but I could barely pay attention to them as Cain’s massive paw slammed into my side, shoving me to the ground.

I collapsed back, shifting back to human without fully realizing I was doing it. I watched with dread as Cain shifted back to human. He laughed as he stalked forward, unsheathing his claws as he strutted toward me, amusement dancing on his features.

“Do you think she’s going to enjoy watching you die?” he asked. “Do you want one last look at her before you die? Or would you rather I end you quick?”

I glanced around, looking anywhere but Morgan, not wanting to see her fear or panic or dread etched across her face.

All the other Gold Wolves were preoccupied with their own fight, each fighting tooth and claw to fend back their opponents.

We were stronger by far, but they were still going one-on-two at best. None of them seemed to have noticed me sprawled on the floor, blood dripping down my side and my face, or the fact that Cain was strutting toward me, preparing to take his time finishing the job.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll make sure she’s well taken care of.”

To my disbelief, I felt the agonizing wound close up, knitting itself together along with the one on my face. The only evidence I’d ever been hurt at all was the still-damp blood clumping my fur.

Across from me, I saw Cain’s own surprise mirroring my own. The fight temporarily forgotten, we both turned to where Morgan still sat at the foot of the throne. She was muttering under her breath, eyes locked on me.

I stood, rolling my shoulders, feeling good as new. Stronger, even, as if by magic.

“Guess those collars don’t stop her from healing whoever she pleases,” I said with a smirk.

Cain had gone deathly pale. Whether from rage or fear, I didn’t know, and didn’t particularly care.

The only thing that mattered was that I was still alive.

I wasn’t out of the game just yet. And Morgan was helping me.

That final thought alone would have been enough to keep me going.

All of that combined spurred me to end this once and for all.

I darted toward him. Cain stumbled backward even as he shifted. I followed suit, but this time, I was ready for him, for his speed. I dodged out of the way, no longer hindered by the injuries.

I dashed over to the side, my claws raking deep into his side.

Cain yowled in pain as my wolf savored the sound.

I jumped high in the air, landing on Cain’s back.

I dragged my claws between his shoulders, biting into the scruff of his neck as he tried to buck me off, to no avail.

He snarled even as his struggles began to slow. After a moment, he collapsed.

When he fell, I went in for the kill. My jaws clamped around Cain’s throat and bit down. I heard a crunch, and I watched as the light died in Cain’s eyes.

I stayed where I was, eyes locked on the body to make sure he didn’t start twitching again, that this wasn’t a ruse.

He didn’t move.

The nearest guard, the one fighting Nolan, caught sight of his boss’s body. He howled in surprise and charged out of the room.

All around, silence fell as the fights began to die. The final guards, the ones the Gold Wolves hadn’t taken out yet, backed up slowly, keeping their grip on their weapons or snarling in their wolf forms before turning and fleeing.

I glanced toward the throne. Morgan stood on her own, the guard who had been holding her disappearing through the back door. I didn’t care about him. I shifted back to human and charged toward her as she ran toward me. I pulled her into my arms and wrapped them around her.

“Morgan,” I muttered, holding her tight against me. My hand went to her hair, stroking it as I drank in her scent, trying to reassure myself that she was real.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have gone without telling you. But I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing anymore.”

I shook my head. “No, no. I’m the one who should have been sorry. If I’d included you more, maybe you wouldn’t have felt the need to go off on your own. Besides, if you hadn’t, Cain would have still had that protection on him. How the hell did you manage to make that switch?”

“Magic,” she said simply. “I switched it with a fake.”

I threw my head back and laughed, then pulled her against me. I nuzzled against her, drinking in her scent. “Clever girl,” I said.

“Not quite,” she demurred. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been caught.”

I shook my head. “No. That was my fault. If I had been more considerate, you wouldn’t have gone out on your own.

We could have come up with something together.

” I took a deep breath. “After I left, I realized what a ginormous ass I’d been.

I’m so sorry. I should have told you about Cain.

I wasn’t protecting you by keeping you in the dark.

I was just being a controlling asshole.”

“I’m sorry, too,” she said. “I know you were just trying to help.”

“I should have listened to what you needed, though,” I said. “And from now on, I plan on doing just that. I don’t want to drive you away. I love you, Morgan, and I want to be with you always. You, and our baby.”

She tilted her head, a small smile spreading across her face. “Even if that means relinquishing a bit of control?”

“Even then,” I promised.

Her smile widened, and she stood on tiptoe as her lips brushed against mine. “I love you, too,” I said.

My wolf howled in triumph as I pulled her closer to me, bringing her mouth to mine for an even deeper kiss.

For a brief moment, everything seemed perfect. Then a voice cut across the hall.

“Sorry, Chris, did you say ‘baby?’” Trent asked, his jaw dropping open in shock as he looked between me and Morgan. Will’s head snapped around. “I heard Cain say it earlier, but I figured he was trying to get under your skin.”

“Yup,” I said.

A resounding silence from everyone but Will followed as they all gaped.

“Does Kendra know?” Nolan asked. When Morgan nodded, he turned to look at me. “And you’re still alive?”

I shrugged, flashing my friend a broad grin.

“Congrats!” Declan clapped me on the back. “Though this doesn’t get you out of the hot water you’re in for causing this mess in the first place.”

“Noted,” I said.

Turning my attention back down to Morgan, I brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear, stroking my thumb along her cheek as I looked down at her, giving a warm smile.

I bent down, brushing my lips against hers, gently at first, then more earnestly, trying to convey a world of emotions in that single kiss.

I tried to convey my love for her, for the baby, my excitement and willingness to be a father, how worried I had been about them both when she hadn’t been at the cabin when I’d returned, how relieved I was now that she was standing in front of me once again, and how I would move heaven and earth to keep both of them happy and safe.

It was a lot to convey in a kiss. But when she pulled away from me, as she looked up and smiled, I knew she understood.

I kissed her again, once more fully aware that the rest of the Gold Wolves were waiting. I could have stayed like that forever.

Finally, after Nolan cleared his throat with a dramatic, mildly irritated cough, I pulled away, though not without a considerable amount of willpower. I grinned down at Morgan again.

“Let’s go home,” I said. “Your real home.” I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head as I looked down at her, hesitating for the briefest of moments. “Assuming you want to come back to my place.”

Her smile turned wry and amused. “Well, since you asked so nicely, I think that sounds perfect.”