Page 85 of Chased

Henri said, “Unless you want her to die, Wolf, you’ll let me take her. You can stay here. Dead or alive. Your call.”

“He’s lying,” she managed to get out. “He’ll kill you.”

“I know.”

“She’s already marked, Wolf,” Henri said again. “You lose.”

Sanchez said, “I never lose.” And he sank to his knees beside Madison. He murmured, “Trust me?”

She had just enough strength to whisper, “Always.”

He let go of her and began to melt into wolf form.

From afar she heard one of the Renards say, “What’s he doing?” and Henri’s furious voice yelling, “He’s turning her into a wolf!”

She felt the monster’s muzzle at her shoulder, and heard his raspy voice. “I love you. Sorry…”

Just as she crumpled forward, he opened his mouth and sank his jaws into her neck, right where it met the shoulder.

There was excruciating pain, and then a blazing heat, followed by a surge of energy. Blue light burst out in all directions, the air humming with its intensity.

As if in a dream, Madison saw the Renards stumble back. The mercenary fired at her and Sanchez, but the bullet hit the blue energy and turned to a streak of light, dissolving before it reached them.

And she realized what Sanchez had done. You claimed me, she said.

I’m sorry. I know you didn’t want this. I didn’t know what to do. It will heal you, but not if you fight it. Please. Let me do this.

The words echoed through her whole being. Let me do this. It was all he’d ever asked of her—to let him take care of her. So she opened her heart, and let him in.

And then there was nothing but Sanchez. Man, wolf, both, neither. Her mate and her love. She could feel his essence, his emotions, his thoughts and desires.

And they were all her—her at the center of everything. She was enveloped in an intensity of love that she’d never dreamed of.

You are mine, she heard, echoing in her head, and she didn’t know whether he’d said it, or she had, because he was hers and she loved him with all her heart.

Images and memories met and merged. She saw him as a little boy in his wolf pack… the day he lost his parents… the day Cisco and Matéo had lost theirs, and he’d knelt down on the ground and pressed his forehead to theirs and promised he’d always protect them.

Memories of missions and madness and love, and one memory over and over, of them carving lines on a calendar and drinking to family and hope.

And then she felt him in her thoughts, witnessing her sadness and her fear. Her father’s punishments and her mother’s despair. Friends she wasn’t allowed to see, happiness taken away again and again. The girl she’d been and the woman she’d become. Moments with him: him ripping her shirt… singing in the truck… giving her the oil paint set… teaching her to fight… making her laugh. Making love. All the love she’d wanted to give him and hadn’t been brave enough to.

A waved of energy washed through her, and every cell in her body felt clean and whole. The pain in her leg disappeared. Nothing hurt anymore.

Then the blue light dissipated, and Sanchez shoved a gun in her hand. She rose to her feet, ready to fight for her love.

Henri yelled to the mercenary, “Kill them!”

And then a voice above them said, “I don’t think so.”

Chapter 35

Madison looked up and saw Cisco and Matéo standing on top of the rock, rifles trained on Henri and his men.

Others seemed to rise out of the rocks behind them: Boomer and Boomer’s brother, Dobe and her other friends from the Ridge.

And over the crest of the hill came more: Mikey and Jaeda and Colt, with more Outlaw Ridge soldiers behind them. Two snowy owls circled overhead, and she knew they were Remy and Caitlyn. And Dealer was there, not dead after all, giving her a jaunty wave.

They’d come. All of them had come for her, and Henri and his men were surrounded.