Echoes of Fire (The Mercury Pack #4)(53)
To keep his mind occupied, he’d cleaned up his lodge—since she was coming to visit tomorrow—and then he’d agreed to help the other males set things up for the barbecue. But with so little left to do, he was getting antsy. Bored. Restless.
“Why didn’t you go with her and just hang out with the guys or something?” asked Eli, wiping down the patio chairs with a cloth.
“She asked me to stay behind, because she knew as well as I did that I wouldn’t have resisted checking on her.” Honestly, he wouldn’t have even tried to stop himself from seeking her out.
“You know, I thought you and Madisyn would argue a lot,” said Jesse. “You’re overprotective, and you want all her time and attention, and she’s a highly dominant female with an independent streak a mile long. That’s not the best combination. But she’s been pretty patient with you.”
“It’s not patience,” Bracken told him. “Madisyn is a person who quietly asserts herself, states her case, and then expects you to deal with it. She won’t get into an argument about it, because that would be crediting your point with attention she doesn’t believe it deserves. She’ll compromise, but only if you’re prepared to do the same. If you try to browbeat her, she just sniffs and ignores that you’re even speaking.”
Derren grinned. “Which forces you to stay calm and respectful if you want to be heard and heeded. You need that.”
Zander nodded. “You couldn’t deal with a female who loses her shit whenever she’s pushed. Nothing would ever be resolved. You’d just make each other miserable.”
Bracken inclined his head, acknowledging it was a fair point, even as he typed a quick text to Madisyn: “How’s the party going? x”
Hopefully it was coming to an early end. While it was only minutes, it seemed like a long time before he finally received a response: “It’s fine. I’ll bring you back some cake. And no, it won’t be finishing early, which is what you really meant to ask xx”
His mouth curved. He’d never get anything past her. Never.
“Tell me honestly,” said Nick. “How many texts have you sent her?”
“One.” Plus two. And he was about to send her another. He told himself it would be the last, but he wasn’t sure he believed that. He texted: “You can’t blame me for wishing it was over. I want my baby home. Can’t do any of the dirty things I have in mind when you’re so far away. Can’t kiss you or taste you or fuck you raw x”
Yeah, he knew it wasn’t fair to tease her—especially when she was trying to enjoy herself at a damn baby shower—but he was a selfish bastard. Her reply came fast: “Go away, I’m busy stroking Jaime’s pussy right now xx”
He blinked and reread the message. Then he read it again. Mere moments later, another message came through: “Pussy as in the cat, Hunk xx”
He smiled. The little witch knew how to play. He replied: “I’ll get you back for that later. Call me when you’re ready to go x”
He’d just pocketed his cell when it beeped. Bracken stiffened. It wasn’t another text message; it was an alarm. All of their phones beeped. The distinctive alarm was only activated in one scenario—if the security sensors picked up trespassers.
“Shit.” Derren’s cell began to ring, and he answered. “What is it, Ally?”
Nick checked his own phone, thumbs tapping like crazy on the screen. “The sensors on the eastern border have been tripped.” He let out a rhythmic whistle that caught Kent’s attention—a specific signal that told him there had been a breach, and he needed to get the pups to the panic room.
Eyes wide, Kent gave a shaky nod and calmly called out to the kids, not wanting to frighten them.
“Ally had a vision,” said Derren, ending his call. “She saw us fighting three beefy-looking tattooed males in our wolf forms.”
“They’re at the eastern border,” Nick told him.
“I know.” Derren looked at Bracken. “She also said they’re near the graveyard.”
As they all quickly shed their clothes, Nick said, “If there are three, we can attack them in pairs. And if we take them by surprise, they won’t have the chance to shift. In their bear forms, they’re much stronger and more dangerous. Derren, you’re with me. Eli, you’re with Bracken. Jesse and Zander will take the third male. Everyone ready?”
Nodding, they shifted, bones cracking and popping.
The wolves raced through the woods, kicking up dirt and jumping over fallen trees. When they neared the spot they sought, they slowed. Quieted. Moved cautiously.
Reaching the fringe of the woods, the wolves stopped. Used the shrubbery as cover while they watched the trespassers. The gray wolf growled at the sight of them.
A black van was parked next to the fenced-in graveyard. Two males were watching the trees, alert. They didn’t see the wolves. Wouldn’t until it was too late.
A third male was pulling things out of the rear of the vehicle. Trash bags, a box, and shovels. The man inside the wolf spit out a harsh word.
Creeping closer, the gray wolf inhaled the scents of the trespassers. Bears.
The third male spoke, shoving a hand through his dark hair. “What body do we start with?”
“Any,” said the tallest of the three, spitting on the ground. “Archer said to dig up the bodies and maybe toss them around. But he wants us to take the baby’s body with us.”