AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Blinking against the tears I can feel in the corner of my eyes, I hold my breath waiting for my chance to escape. Moments pass before I hear another door open and the heavy sound of boots making their way towards me.
The fresh air is like a slap to the face as the trunk opens and I greedily breath in the night air. Hands grip my shoulders roughly, as I’m pulled out and dropped to the hard dirt ground below me. My body aches and I know I will be covered in bruises tomorrow, if I live that long.
“Finally, I have you all to myself.” Xan crouches down beside me. This close, the scent of Sandalwood is strong and I wondered how I had missed it back at the house.
“Are you ready to play like your good friend Steven?” Xan asks, bringing his hand up to trail down my cheek.
“Fuck you!” I spit, throwing a handful of dirt at his face and quickly pushing myself back to my feet. I know I won’t get far with whatever drug is running through my system but I have to try. I won’t allow Corbin and Riley to believe that I had abandoned them again. My life is with my mates. I won’t run from them. Not anymore.
The path in front of me starts to dip, but I'm too late to stop. I fall forward, my shoulder hitting the ground hard with a crack as I cry out, rolling over and over before coming to a stop at the bottom of a ravine.
“I’m sorry,” I call out. “I’m sorry.” I don’t know if I’m apologizing to Steven, Corbin, Riley or all three. I wanted to live for them, but I know it’s over. I can hear him now. Xan. Gliding through the shadows of the trees. The moon's reflection glinting off the knife in his hand.
“I'll make it quick.” he smiles as he finally reaches me. Crouching down he places the tip of his knife at my throat.
“How much is Keisha paying you?” I ask. “Surely, whatever it is isn’t enough to commit murder.”
“It's not about the money, sweet Lei. It's about the game, and you have been one of my favorite players.”
“I'm also your last.” I say, throwing myself down to the ground just as Riley’s wolf flies over the top of me, landing on Xan.
I watch as Riley bites down at Xan’s throat and his screams become nothing more than whimpers and I know it's finally over.
Moments later, Corbin is by my side as he takes my arm, helping me to stand.
“Are you alright?” he asks as his eyes roam over my body, checking for injuries.
“I am now,” I say as Riley comes over to join us. “It's over.”
Chapter Seventeen
LEI
“Lie down. You need to rest.”
“Agh, I’m fine. Corbin, tell him.” I glare at him, waiting for him to back me up.
“Sorry, no can do. The doctor said to rest for a few days, and that’s what you’ll do.”
“This is ridiculous. I’m pregnant. It’s not like I’m trying to run around with two broken legs.” I state glancing between them but I know it’s useless. They’ve been coddling me nonstop ever since we got back and I know they blame themselves for leaving me alone that night.
When Corbin and Riley had got back and found me gone, they knew immediately that something was wrong. Luckily, they were able to follow the tire tracks and then Riley’s wolf tracked me down in the woods.
As soon as we got home, they had insisted on the pack doctor checking me over. My constant insisting that I was fine except for a broken arm and a few cuts and bruises didn’t work, so eventually I agreed. There was no need for half of the tests he ran on me, but I knew I wasn’t going anywhere until they were done.
Although Xan had never touched me, sexually, I agreed to the pregnancy test due to some inaccuracies in my blood work.
“You’re so cute when you’re angry." Riley smiles, placing a kiss on my nose, no doubt hoping it shuts me up. It doesn’t.
“So, what happens next?” I ask, looking between them. I had heard them talking outside the door when they thought I was sleeping, and I knew it had something to do with Keisha.
“Well,” Riley speaks, sitting down on the bed next to me and taking my hand. “Keisha is still in the cage, for now. We're putting it up to the pack for a vote tonight.”
"Good,” I mutter. “I hope she rots.” I still can’t believe I had thought of her as a friend. It’s bad enough that she befriended me just to steal Corbin, but then to send Xan after me. I just can’t believe someone could do that to another person. “You still haven’t told me how you knew it was Keisha?” I turn to Corbin.
“She told me. Well, not in so many words. Before the pack left, I called her into my office. I wanted to know why she had been texting you and why she had kept it a secret. It was Keisha who followed you and Riley that day to Devil’s Creek. It’s because of her that Jacob banished you from the pack.”
“It's one thing to get jealous and tell Jacob what she saw, but Xan, she really wanted me dead didn’t she?” I ask no one in particular.
