It looked as if the car had lost control and swerved toward me. I slammed on the brakes, the tires squealing. My car did a little fishtail, but I corrected it quickly. It took me a second to realize they were slowing down, too. “They tried to run me off the road. Oh, god, Xan.”
“Stay calm, Bella. I’m almost on you. You know how to drive like a pro. I’ve seen you do it. Outmaneuver them.”
His confidence in me gave me the edge I needed. Shifting down to second, I swerved around the larger vehicle, using the shoulder to get some much-needed space. My vehicle had the larger engine, which I hated to use and put more distance between Xan and me, but if it helped get me away from the ones pursuing me, then I figured it was a win.
They were going to run me to ground. That was for sure the way they sped up. My palms began to sweat. God, what did I do to warrant them chasing me? Looking in my rearview, I missed the other vehicle. The bump to my front end sent me spiraling out of control. The scream that tore from my throat was one born of fear. So many regrets, but the biggest was not waiting for Xan to take me home. Stupid was the last thought I had as my vehicle hit something solid, coming to a halt, and the airbag exploded in my face. When darkness came, I welcomed it.
I gunned my Road King as fast as I could, promising myself whoever had just hurt Breezy would pay with their lives. The echo of her screaming my name, and then the sound of metal crunching, caused my wolf and man to both howl. I barely contained the beast from shifting, knowing I’d reach her faster on the big machine I was riding. The scene I came upon made me leap from the bike, uncaring if the thing slid the final twenty feet as I shifted into my wolf. My mate was being dragged from her mangled car, and blood seeped from a wound on her head. The colors of her hair looked distorted through my wolf’s eyes, but I knew the normal blonde color with its pink and purple streaks had another mixed in. I could scent the metallic smell of her precious life’s essence.
Two vehicles had driven next to her Cobra. The blue SUV and a smaller four-door. I took it in with a glance. The four completely human men glanced at the bike flying past them, unaware that the real danger was the wolf locked on their location. I didn’t think before jumping on the man who was closest to Breezy, ripping his throat out without stopping. My claws slashed at the next man holding a gun, his lifeless body falling to the ground. I spun, feeling a pain hit my shoulder, but I didn’t stop. Two down, two more to go. The men holding Breezy froze for a moment, then one transferred her to the other, lifting the gun and taking aim. With faster reflexes, I shifted and leaped.
A startled gasp was cut off as I wasted no time ripping into him. I turned and watched the last man drop an unconscious Breezy. His fleeing form had jumped into the Tahoe, its taillights getting smaller. I shifted quicker than I’d ever done, grabbing Breezy and rolling just before the big vehicle would have driven over her head.
I growled low in my throat, looking at the license plate, only to see there was none. Headlights lit up the night. The cavalry had arrived.
“Holy fuck, man. Did you have to go and have all the fun without inviting us?” Kellen kicked the center stand down on his bike, surveying the scene in a sweeping glance.
I shrugged my shoulders, not quite under control. “They were about to cart her off to god only knew where. I guess my wolf didn’t like it.”
Wyck drove up with a flatbed wrecker. “Dayummm,” he drawled the word out. “I missed all the fun. We need to get this cleaned up quick like. Them fuckers are human boys.”
Kellen knelt next to one, inhaling. “They stink like shifters, but they’re not.”
Lyric and Rowan pulled in next, Rowan’s big ass truck blocking the view from the highway. “I’m assuming this isn’t going to get called in?” Rowan’s deep voice asked as he bent and lifted one of the dead men into the back of his pickup.
I was glad my sister had met and mated a man who was more than a perfect match for her. Being ex-military and part of a Phantom team, Rowan had clearly seen and done more killing than any of the Iron Wolves.
“These guys were well organized and prepared for her,” I announced. “I don’t think they knew I’d be following, though.”
Coti came back from checking out the vehicle they’d left. “The car is totally clean, but it’s not a normal car.”
“What do you mean?” Kellen asked, watching Rowan load the bodies into the back of his truck as if it were a normal, everyday occurrence. I was a little stunned, too, at the efficiency of the matter, but I looked at my sister, and she smiled.
“My mate is a man of many talents. He knows these guys were out to hurt a member of the pack, so that means they are the enemy. Therefore, he is cool with what had to be done.” She shrugged as if that were enough of an answer.
“I knew I liked him from the beginning.” Kellen’s voice boomed.
I rolled my eyes, still holding an unconscious Breezy. I was getting a little worried. “Baby, I need you to wake up.” I ran my hand down her face. With all the noise and commotion, she should have already been awake and ripped me a new ass, or at the very least been upset over the damage to her new car. “She’s going to be so pissed when she realizes her car is gonna need some work.”
Kellen looked at the car. “We can make it to where that thing never rides again.”
“I wanna get laid again, by my mate.” I glared at Kellen. One day, a woman was gonna come and knock him flat on his ass, and I wanted a front row seat.
“Whipped already,” Kellen said, sounding disgusted.
I will gladly repair the vehicle if she’d wake up and look at me. Her breathing and heartbeat were normal. A knot on the side of her head, where the blood had come from, was the only concerning thing I could see. I pressed my lips to her forehead, placing small kisses down her temple, then on her lips. “Come on, love. You’re scaring the piss out of me.”
A moan escaped from her parted lips. “Xan?”
“Yeah, Bella. You’re safe. I got you.” Because I couldn’t help myself, I feathered another kiss on her lips.
“What happened?” Then her body jerked as she tried to get out of my arms. “They were chasing me. My car. Oh, god. My poor car.”
I laughed. “I told you. She’d be worried about her precious car.” I looked down and swore I’d do anything she asked of me. “I’ll have your baby up and purring like a gem in no time. Better than it was.” Hell, I’d pull the moon down if it wiped the fear and anxiety from her face. I was so effing screwed, and didn’t that just make me happy? Now I just had to prove to one she-wolf I meant business and wasn’t planning to let her run from me again.
“I don’t understand why they want me.” Her entire body shook.
Wyck came over to us. “I’ve got your car and Xan’s bike loaded onto the rig. Y’all ready to roll on up outta here or what?”
