Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81208 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
And what do I get? A mate who’s fixated on my brother and hates me. A brother who thinks it’s okay to fuck our mate alone.
I feel like our destiny is spoiled. It feels like everything I was promised has been stolen. And I don’t understand how Evan is so cool about it. He’s as on the outside as me, but he’s as placid as a lamb. Happy to take the time to woo our mate while our brother has her in his bed.
I’m losing my mind.
“The wolves are behind this,” Robert says. His fingers tap his knee as he tries to change the subject. Maybe it’s a good thing to focus elsewhere. I have nothing to add to what I said in front of Goldie. I’ve made my feelings perfectly clear.
“They are.”
“How did they find out about her?”
“The bar,” I say. “It’s the only place they saw us together.”
“The supermarket?”
“I would have smelled their stink if they were browsing for groceries at the same time as us.”
Robert snorts. The wolves must have hidden themselves downwind of the bar. They follow us sometimes, like we follow them. It’s a stupid game, but the rivalry is too deeply embedded to alter.
“So, they’re trying to flush her out by destroying her business?”
“Or acting with their usual level of immaturity.”
“War is ugly from both sides.”
Robert’s right. I’d rather not be forced to live at odds with others. It’s tiring and fruitless, but I’ll do what needs to be done for the sake of my family.
“Retaliation is necessary.”
Robert groans, running his hand over his face. “All I want to do is concentrate on Goldie. We need time to settle. We have to do what it takes to make her happy.”
“What about our happiness?”
He stares at me, his eyes studying my profile. I can feel his attention. “Those two things are linked.”
Stating the obvious! I’m just being an irritable asshole because I can be. Mostly, I’m just impatient. I want to start living our future, not lingering in a present where our mate is still a separate entity.
“So, what makes her happy will make us happy.”
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Then deal with it.”
I scowl, hating that my brother’s right. I flick on the radio and suffer through whatever music is playing, desperate for a distraction. When we reach Main Street and Goldie’s store, we come face to face with the reality of our war and the impact it’s had on our mate. There’s nothing left. It’s a charred shell. The keys Robert has stuffed into his pocket are pointless. There isn’t a door, let alone a lock.
The ground is still wet from the hoses, and the front has been taped up by the police. It’s open to the elements, although there’s not much left for the elements to destroy.
“Jesus,” Robert says, shaking his head. “They went to town.”
“I’m going to destroy them for this,” I growl. My hands tingle, itching to change. My throat is tight, craving the rumbling growl I make as a bear. My teeth ache to bite. Revenge is a sharp taste on the tip of my tongue.
“We need to take a closer look,” Robert says. “And maybe board it up. Make sure we’re not missing anything.”
“Okay,” I say. “Let’s do it. And then we should call Evan. Maybe he can soften the blow.” Our brother is good at many things, and making people feel better is at the top of his attributes. I missed out on those qualities, too.
I pull up to the curb and put the car into park. We both look around, cautious that this could be a trap. It’s been a long time since we’ve fought in plain sight. The risk of exposure is too great for wolves and bears alike, but this situation is new. The wait for our mates has been long, and ours arriving first is the catalyst for the escalation. The local wolves are waiting, and their extended clan is gathering. I don’t want to call outsiders to swell our numbers. Risking an all-out war won’t just result in more property destruction. We’ve waited too long to die before we get to fulfill our destiny.
20
GOLDIE
Robert and Hunter headed out after breakfast, taking my keys with them. I’m quick in the shower and I have no alternative but to wear my overalls to leave the house with Evan.
Going home to pack an overnight bag seems so strange, but I guess I have no choice about that, either. The whole situation makes me feel emotional.
“It’ll be okay,” Evan says as I wipe my eyes with my sleeve.
“It was my dream,” I whisper. “A small and pathetic dream, I guess.”
“No dreams are small and pathetic.” Evan reaches out to rest his hand on my knee. “But you’re not facing this alone. We’re here, okay? It’ll all get dealt with.”