Page 98 of Bonded Through Bite

“Someone needs to keep watch in case Patricia returns.”

“Oh. You think she’ll come back?”

“With her, you never know,” Santiago replies. “Are you hungry?”

I shake my head. I debate getting up, but Santiago’s stroking is soothing and I end up dozing off again. It feels like my body is finally catching up on rest and I lose track of time.

Rafael comes in to feed me, which turns to sex, which leads to me coming until I black out. More sleep. Blood. Riding Zack until his eyes roll over.

A perfect day, really.

It’s late in the evening when the unease I’ve tried to forget finally grows to the point I can’t ignore it anymore. My danger sense keeps pinging, but there’s nothing here. It’s not until I rise to pace in front of the windows, my gaze constantly getting pulled toward the forest, that I realize it’s not mine.

The thing. There’s something wrong with him. When I try to reach out, he rebuffs my effort. That more than anything convinces me that I’m right.

“Samantha?” Rafael asks when I stiffen. “What is it?”

I shake my head, focusing on Jim. Sharp pain lashes over my ribs, but I know the pain is not mine. Whatever happened, I think it distracted Jim enough that for a moment his concentration breaks and I feel a tug toward him.

For a second, the world turns black.

“Samantha, no!” I hear Rafael’s anguished roar and something shattering. My entire focus is glued to the black tether inside of me. It’s vicious, strong, and it’s calling me. I know without a shred of doubt that the thing is in danger.

And I need to help.

That’s all I can think about and my body takes over, it knows what to do. When I blink and the blackness recedes, I’m outside, running. The forest blurs around me, but I manage to avoid snagging Rafael’s shirt on anything. As long as I don't think too hard, my instincts take care of things.

:Jim! I scream in my mind.

:Mate, no! Go back! He shouts, furious, but I’m having none of it.

“Not your mate,” I pant and keep going.

:Go back now!

“No!”

Damn these men. I feel him trying to pull back and confuse my senses, but it’s not working like before. There’s a part of me that’s affected, but the other parts stay steady. The parts that are linked to Rafael, Santiago, and Zack. He has no control over those pockets.

I don’t have time to mull it over now. He’s in danger. I know that as surely as I know that Santiago and Rafael are speeding after me. I push my body to move faster. I don’t need to lose them from my track, but they can’t catch me.

:Mate, it is not safe for you. Jim tries to plead with me, but his focus is split between me and whatever threat is closing in.

“I don’t get why I care, since you attacked me,” I mutter more to myself and the wave of shock that slams me makes me stumble.

:I saved you!

“I remember things a bit differently. Zack saved me,” I growl.

:The wolf? What did he save you from?

“You!”

There’s a long silence and then he sighs. :Go back, mate. We’ll talk about this later.

“No! We are discussing this right now. What do you mean you saved me?”

:The bitch was stalking you. I jumped in between barely in time.