Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33472 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
There was no match for her. Even before Joanna could attack, Casey was there, blocking her, keeping her back.
He tried to free himself from the bindings.
“What is happening?” Joanna asked.
Casey held onto Joanna’s throat and lifted her in the air, and that was when he saw her start to transition. It was one of the most beautiful sights in the world. There was no pain, just a merging of Casey with her wolf.
His father had said it was rare with the wolves. That it did take some time for them to get used to their wolves, that voice that spoke to them.
Then, Dex remembered the other night. Casey asked who had said that. There had been moments it looked like she could hear something, but it was only her that was able to hear anything.
She’d been hearing her wolf.
“I haven’t been going to the diner. I haven’t drunk anything from you.”
“Casey, don’t,” Klaus said, suddenly coming toward them. Hot on his tail was Lucinda, who instantly saw what had happened to Dex, and she waved her hand, freeing him.
Dex rushed toward Casey.
“She tried to kill Dex,” Casey said. “She cannot be allowed to live.”
“That decision is for the pack,” Klaus said. “These are our laws, and trust me, she is going to be severely punished for what she has done, but her death will not be on your hands.”
Dex looked toward his mate. Her rage was so acute. He didn’t know if there was going to be any way for Casey to stop what she was going to do.
Joanna had tried to ruin her life. The other woman had clearly thought that if she stopped Casey from being able to transition, Dex would turn his back on her. That was never going to happen.
Casey was his soulmate. His reason for breathing. His reason for everything. He loved her with his whole being.
“Casey,” Dex said.
She turned to look at him. She hadn’t fully transitioned but she wanted to. He saw it. Her wolf was so close to the surface.
“For me, it has always been you. Nothing and no one is going to change that.”
Seconds passed and he stared into her eyes.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you too.”
Casey was a strong woman as she turned off her wolf and slowly lowered Joanna to the ground. He saw her give the other woman’s throat a final good squeeze, and then she let her go.
Klaus was there, as was his mom, along with Lucinda.
“I’ll deal with this,” Klaus said.
Lucinda gave them the update about everything that had happened. How Joanna had been obsessed with Dex, but it had been that of a small girl crush, but also how she had used her and Lucinda’s friendship to hide what she had been doing.
“It will never happen again,” Lucinda said.
“That doesn’t mean you have to leave,” Dex said.
“I am not leaving, but my potions will have a protection spell placed on them, and from this point onward, I will not share anything. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to enjoy some soup that just needs a little hot sauce.” Lucinda turned on her heel, and Dex looked toward his woman.
“I can turn into a wolf. Did you see that?” Casey asked.
“I saw.”
“Do you think you can … run? That you and I can run? I won’t get much chance. Not when the baby grows a little bigger.”
He smiled. “We can run. How about you have a head start, and I will chase you?”
Casey smiled and then she took off.
Dex frowned and turned to look in the direction of Lucinda, only to nearly jump back as she was standing so close to him.
“You have a question,” she said.
He stared at her and she raised a brow.
“You like doing that, don’t you? You like freaking people out.”
“I find it rather pleasurable, yes.” She gave him a soft smile.
“The premonition didn’t play out the way I thought it would,” he said.
“Of course not. It’s a guide, Dex. It always has been. Sometimes it helps to give you the push you need, to make decisions you have to make. Now, don’t think too much about it. Trust me, it will drive you crazy.”
And with that, Lucinda was gone and he was able to go chasing after his mate. There was no way he was going to listen or allow another premonition to get in his way again.
He had Casey, and that was all he needed.
Epilogue
Ten Years Later
Casey glanced around the table and there were plenty of seats set up. They had two tables—one for the adults, one for the children.
Christmas music played in the background, and she heard laughter and merriment coming from the sitting room.
“I thought I might find you here,” Dex said, wrapping his arms around her once again swollen stomach.
She put her hands on top of his and sunk against him. “I’m just, you know, checking to make sure everything is set up.”