AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As I looked on, a wave of relaxation washed over me, seeing him sprinting back to the swings, seamlessly jumping back into the seat, and his friends gracefully soaring through the air in sync with him.
My phone rang then, and I picked it up off the table and smiled when I saw Paige’s name. “Hey you,” I greeted.
“Hey! Have I told you how much Nyte has been annoying me lately?”
I laughed and shook my head. “I don’t think you have. At least not today. What did he do now?”
“Oh, you know. The usual. He won’t let me do anything but sit in my office and visit my family.”
“Paige,” I laughed. “You’re pregnant. What more do you want to do? Shouldn’t that be all that you want to do?”
“Ugh, you sound just like him. It’s not like I haven’t already done this before. I was in an actual battle with Baer and nothing bad happened.”
I laughed again. “Don’t go insulting me now. I just couldn’t imagine wanting to do anything else while literally growing a living being inside me.”
“I guess,” she sighed. “So, how’s life as a mated woman for you then?”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine, although I haven’t been able to enjoy it all that much. I think I may have food poisoning. I hate to say that though, because Alma would be insulted, but I’ve been so sick all week and all I can think of is the chorizo she made a few days ago.”
“Sick?” Paige sounded concerned.
“Yeah, but don’t worry, I don’t think it’s too serious. I’m out here with Deigo and the other kids because I thought maybe some fresh air would help, but it’s not. I’m sure it will pass soon, though.”
“Are you sure you’re not...“
“Hold on,” I cut her off, suddenly to my feet as a scent on the wind caught my attention. “Shit, Paige, I’ll call you back.”
I quickly hung up the phone and ran to the kids. “Get inside! Move it now, faster, come on!”
“What’s going on?” Deigo asked, his eyes as round and scared as the other children as I herded them into the packhouse.
“Rogue,” I said, the word enough for several of the pups to start running for the panic room off the back door.
I quickly sent out a warning through the pack and alerted the members on patrol of the direction of the scent. He was close, far too close for comfort given the number of children I had out in the yard with me, and I knew exactly who the scent belonged to.
I secured the children into the panic room and instructed them to remain there until we dealt with the rogue. Then, I dashed back out into the yard and joined the patrolling wolves in the search for him.
Madie, what’s going on? Brady asked through our bond.
Tristan is here, I answered back, pulling my clothes off and shifting to go join the warriors as they howled. They have his trail!
Madie! Get back to the packhouse! Please! Go back now.
I ignored him, annoyed by his command, as if I wasn’t capable of handling myself against a single rogue, especially with other warriors at my side.
I rushed to meet up with the others, two black wolves running into the forest line where Tristan’s scent was the strongest.
We all raced through the trees, the scent fading and appearing over and over in a confusing pattern before completely disappearing.
I stopped just before the others did, all of us sniffing the air in search of the rogue’s scent trail. Only as I caught the quickly fading scent of magic did I stop and shift back with a growl.
“He’s gone,” I said. I could feel my stomach rolling again, the adrenaline of the chase now warning off and my nausea returning with a vengeance.
“It looks that way,” the warrior closest to me agreed. “We’ll report it to Edwardo at once. You were with the pups, weren’t you? Are they okay?”
I nodded as I rubbed my stomach. “Yeah. They are in the panic room. I’ll go back to them now.”
The two men nodded before shifting back and returning to the packhouse. I waited a moment longer to follow them, feeling as though I might throw up my entire stomach contents in that moment.
