Read Online Enforcer's Heart: (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Stratton Wolves Book 3) by Mina Carter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mina Carter
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out of Riley’s truck. Even though he was pack alpha, he rarely raised his voice. Now, it was an all out bellow as he stalked into the nail bar and toward his very pregnant mate. “You call being shot at a problem? I call it the start of World War fucking Three!”
Riley followed right on Max’s heels. His attention wasn’t on his sister though. With Max on the warpath as he was, no one was getting anywhere near Kelli anytime soon. He just hoped the guy calmed before she went into labor. Hospitals, as a rule, tended to get a little pissy with relatives who tried to rip the heads off the delivery doctors.
No, Riley’s attention was all for the silent, pale-looking woman who sat on the chair next to a standing Kelli. For a moment irritation surged. His sister was pregnant, her belly enormous and she was constantly tired. Would it have killed their guest to let her sit?
But then something teased at his sensitive sense of smell and the bottom fell out of his stomach. Blood. He smelled blood. More than that, he smelled Ce’s blood. After last night, her scent and taste were so embedded into his memory that even in a hundred years he’d be able to track her across continents.
He lurched forward, his wolf taking charge and knocking him out of his semi-paralysis.
“Ce? Are you okay?” He was on his knees in front of her in an instant. His heart gave another hard squeeze when she just looked at him, her expression a little dazed.
“I got shot,” she informed him, as though that fact surprised her. “Someone actually shot me.”
“And here I was thinking a cop would be used to that…” He managed to smile, even though he didn’t feel like it and looked down to examine her arm. Clean towels were wrapped around it, the ends tucked in and the bundle held in place with gauze bandage. It even had a jaunty little bow.
A neat, if makeshift job, but if it worked who cared. He pried at the edges gently with his fingertips, trying to peek underneath, but his vision was secondary to other senses and the smell of blood wafted up. It had started to seep through the dressing, but his wolf assured him the flow was slowed. Too fast for a human to start healing. She might not be a wolf yet, but already her physiology had started to speed up.
She snorted. “Yeah, I know right? We get shot at a lot, but I’ve never actually been hit!”
“Given what could have happened, let’s be glad they were terrible shots.” He was having trouble keeping his voice level and his hands off her. He’d left her with Kelli because he’d been pissed off with her for calling her partner, but when Max told him they’d been shot at—in the middle of town of all places— all he and his wolf could think of was getting back to her. And if he thought Kelli had a masters degree in nagging, then it was nothing compared to the creature within him.
Still, the fact that she’d called Tom or whatever his name was still niggled at him. The affection and trust in her voice, and the fact she had contacted him rather than a member of her family had been eating at Riley’s gut since he’d left her.
But he’d never expected anyone to try… This.
“Indeed,” Max dropped into a squat next to Riley. “Want to tell me what happened?”
Instantly, the dazed expression faded from her face, her voice professional and calm when she answered.
“Kelli and I were out on the street when I heard the sound of bike engines. Harleys. No idea what type, just big.” She looked up as workmen filed through the main door carrying sheets of plywood to board up the broken window. They nodded to Max and Riley, then went about their business without a word.
Ce cleared her throat and carried on. “I don’t know why but I had an odd feeling about them, so I moved closer to cover Kelli.”
Riley heard the slight catch in Max’s breath. She might not have realized it, but with that one simple act, Ce had gained Max’s respect, and he was a hard man to impress.
Riley followed right on Max’s heels. His attention wasn’t on his sister though. With Max on the warpath as he was, no one was getting anywhere near Kelli anytime soon. He just hoped the guy calmed before she went into labor. Hospitals, as a rule, tended to get a little pissy with relatives who tried to rip the heads off the delivery doctors.
No, Riley’s attention was all for the silent, pale-looking woman who sat on the chair next to a standing Kelli. For a moment irritation surged. His sister was pregnant, her belly enormous and she was constantly tired. Would it have killed their guest to let her sit?
But then something teased at his sensitive sense of smell and the bottom fell out of his stomach. Blood. He smelled blood. More than that, he smelled Ce’s blood. After last night, her scent and taste were so embedded into his memory that even in a hundred years he’d be able to track her across continents.
He lurched forward, his wolf taking charge and knocking him out of his semi-paralysis.
“Ce? Are you okay?” He was on his knees in front of her in an instant. His heart gave another hard squeeze when she just looked at him, her expression a little dazed.
“I got shot,” she informed him, as though that fact surprised her. “Someone actually shot me.”
“And here I was thinking a cop would be used to that…” He managed to smile, even though he didn’t feel like it and looked down to examine her arm. Clean towels were wrapped around it, the ends tucked in and the bundle held in place with gauze bandage. It even had a jaunty little bow.
A neat, if makeshift job, but if it worked who cared. He pried at the edges gently with his fingertips, trying to peek underneath, but his vision was secondary to other senses and the smell of blood wafted up. It had started to seep through the dressing, but his wolf assured him the flow was slowed. Too fast for a human to start healing. She might not be a wolf yet, but already her physiology had started to speed up.
She snorted. “Yeah, I know right? We get shot at a lot, but I’ve never actually been hit!”
“Given what could have happened, let’s be glad they were terrible shots.” He was having trouble keeping his voice level and his hands off her. He’d left her with Kelli because he’d been pissed off with her for calling her partner, but when Max told him they’d been shot at—in the middle of town of all places— all he and his wolf could think of was getting back to her. And if he thought Kelli had a masters degree in nagging, then it was nothing compared to the creature within him.
Still, the fact that she’d called Tom or whatever his name was still niggled at him. The affection and trust in her voice, and the fact she had contacted him rather than a member of her family had been eating at Riley’s gut since he’d left her.
But he’d never expected anyone to try… This.
“Indeed,” Max dropped into a squat next to Riley. “Want to tell me what happened?”
Instantly, the dazed expression faded from her face, her voice professional and calm when she answered.
“Kelli and I were out on the street when I heard the sound of bike engines. Harleys. No idea what type, just big.” She looked up as workmen filed through the main door carrying sheets of plywood to board up the broken window. They nodded to Max and Riley, then went about their business without a word.
Ce cleared her throat and carried on. “I don’t know why but I had an odd feeling about them, so I moved closer to cover Kelli.”
Riley heard the slight catch in Max’s breath. She might not have realized it, but with that one simple act, Ce had gained Max’s respect, and he was a hard man to impress.
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