Read Online FRACTURED by Amber Lynn Natusch - Free Book Online

blond.Helookedwickedpissedoff.
    “Wecouldhaveleftyoutofendforyourselfinthewoodswherewe foundyou,”hesaid,hisBritishaccentdrippingwithdisdain.Hedidn't seembigonaskingforhelp.“Youdidn'tlooktoocapableatthatmoment, soweintervened.I'dthinkthatwouldbuyusatleastachancetoplead ourcase.”
    Cooper'slookwasmurderous.Ihadtophysicallygrabhisshirtto lethimknowheneededtotoneitdownanotch.Theyweren'tlookingfor afight,buttheyweren'twinninganypointseither.SensingCooper's growingrage,theleaderoftheirtrioattemptedtomediate.
    “Alistair,”hesaid,histonelacedwithwarning.“Maybeyoushould stepoutsideandcooloffabit.Idon'tthinkyou'rehelpingoursituationat all.”
    “Goodidea,”Coopergrowledinagreement.“Maybeyoushould all headoutside.”
    IgrabbedhisarmandtriedtocalmhimslightlybecauseIknewhe wasdangerouslyclosetolettinghiswolfout,andthatwasthelastthing ourlittleimpromptupartyneeded.
    “Okay,boys,Ithinkweneedtotakethisdownanotch,”Isaid, movingtogetinbetweenthemen.Cooperwasnothavingitandpushed mebehindhim.“Ifyouplantoaccomplishanythingheretonight,I suggestyouguystreadverylightlyaroundmyboyCoop.He'sgota really shortfuse,especiallywhenitcomestome.”
    “Dulynoted,”theblondreplied,noddingonce.“Sohowdoyou wanttodothis?”heasked,lookingnervousthatIwasabouttoboothim outofmyplace.
    “Whydon'tyoustartbyremindingmewhoyouare,”Itoldhim, tryingtoslidepastCooperagain.
    “MynameisJanner.ThisisAlistair,andthequietoneisBeckett,”
    hesaid,motioningtotheothertwomen.
    “Janner?Like yawner ?”Iasked,tryingnottogiggle.“HowdidI managetoforgetthat?”HehadastrangeaccentthatIcouldn'tevenbegin toplace,soIshouldn'thavebeensurprisedthathehadacrazynameto accompanyit.
    “Yes,”hesaid,hisjawclenchingslightly.“It'sacommonname whereI'mfrom.”
    “So, Janner, whatexactlyisitthatyouneedrefugefrom?”Isaid, eyeinghimtightly.
    “We'reinabitofapickle...,”Jannerstarted,choosinghiswords carefully.“We'reinthemarketforanewpack.Wethoughtmaybeyou wouldbeabletohelpwiththat.”
    “No,”Cooperbarked,movingtoslamthedoorintheirfaces.I lungedinfrontofhim,stiff-armingthecentury-olddoorbackopen.
    “Maybeweshouldhearthemout,Cooper,”Isaid,lookingupat him.“Theydidhelpme.”
    “Theydid,thoughI'msurethatservedtheirpurposemoreinthe longrun,”hesnarled.“Andhadyounotbeenmated,Idon'tthinkIwould havelikedhowtheywentabouthelpingyou.”
    “Probablynot,butthatdidn'thappen,”Iargued.Ilookedbackat Jannerandcompanyandtriedtofeeltheirenergies.Somethingabout themwasguarded—I'dneverfeltthatkindofshieldingbeforeandwasn't certainwhattomakeofit.“Comein,”Ioffered,movingbackoutofthe doorway.Coopershotmeascathinglook,whichIignored.“Thisshould onlytakeaminute.”
    Aftertheyentered,Cooperpulledmeasideandproceededtobicker withmeinfrontofthemaboutmebeingcrazyandirresponsible.I counteredabouthimbeingrudeandoverprotective.Wewouldhavegone onforever,butasinglestatementjarredusbothoutoftirades.
    “Youarenothermate,”agravellyvoicecalledoutsoftly.Cooper andIdidanabout-facetostareatBeckett,thequietone.Hemayhave beenshortonwordsingeneral,buthechosetousethemwhenthey counted.Iwasn'tsureIlikedwherehewasgoingwiththatstatement.
    “Yourbond,”hecontinued,movingtowardsmecautiously,“Idon't senseitlikeIdidbefore.Itshouldstrengthenaroundyourmate,not weaken.”
    IlookedatCooperwithpanickedeyesandsawthathisfeelings wereverydifferentthanmine.Hiseyesglowedyellow,andIknewitwas allabouttogodownbecauseBecketthadtomakethatsingleobservation known.
    TheothertwomeneyedmestrangelythenfollowedBeckett'slead, movingtowardsmeslowly,theirexpressionscurious.Ididn'tfeela menacingenergyfromthem―Icouldn'tgetareadonthematall.
    “Sheisn'this,”Jannersaid,clearlycomingtohisownrealization.
    Cooper'sgrowlingwasmoremenacingthanI'deverheardit,andI fearedthat,onthesamedaythatIlearnedIhadanalpha,Iwouldlose him.
    ThetriokeptapproachingwithlittletrepidationvisiblewhileI continuedtoretreatsilentlyoutthedoorafterCoopershovedmetoward it.IquicklymetresistancewhereIshouldn'thave.BeforeIcouldturnto