tell, he’s only nasty with a computer, and the occasional note in a basket of food to Kate.” Billy ground his teeth. He really did care about Kate.
I would still fight him for her though.
And right now, my wolf was ready to fight. What the hell had my mate gone through this past year?
“ What did the notes say?” Jerry pressed.
Kate released my hand, shifting in place. Her cheeks colored. “I would, uh, rather you just read them.” She worked her lips with her teeth.
For her not to say, they must be bad.
My wolf came snarling towards the surface at the sight of tears gathering in her eyes. She was trying to hold back; she was trying so hard to be strong, and all I wanted was for her to let it all out before I set my wolf free to hunt down the bastard.
Her breathing pattern changed; a whimper escaped her, much to her dismay. “I don’t like this. I...” She kept shaking her head negatively, fighting still to keep her emotions at bay. “Dang it, Billy. You weren’t supposed to be here.” She folded her arms over her chest. “And I wasn’t supposed to meet you two.” Her features twisted. “He’s dangerous. Donovan knows how to build anything with a charge or a signal. I’m sure he built the tracking device himself. He…He can do real damage, far greater than a sticker on a car.”
“ Don’t you think I know that, Kate?” Billy approached her, but she took a step back. “Dammit, Kate! I promised to protect you. I promised I would always be there for you. If it means I lose all my money to a computer punk, then so be it. If my house gets blown to smithereens, then so be it. I won’t be mad so long as I have you.”
“ But that’s just it. You’ve already given up so much for me. You busted your butt for years burning the candle at both ends so I could finish school. It’s not fair to ask for more.”
Billy’s jaw clenched. His patience was thinning based on the vein plumping on the side of his neck, but my wolf and I didn’t sense any danger for our mate with him. “So you asked for that date with Donovan?”
“ No.” Kate’s voice was small.
He pursed his lips, his eyes assessing her before pressing onwards. “And you asked for him to stalk and harass you for over a year?”
My wolf came charging for my surface again, her head knocking my balance momentarily, catching me off guard. “What the fuck?” For once, I didn’t blame her. My rage matched hers. I couldn’t keep the bite out of my tone. “A whole fucking year?”
My muscles suddenly ached. Pressure built fast. Too fast.
—
Chapter Fifteen
JEREMIAH
Dammit! I knew she’d been running from something, someone, but a year? My wolf was crouched, ready to spring at any moment.
Fury blazed through my veins, burning, pushing me closer to the threshold, the point of transformation.
“ How was I supposed to deal with him, Billy? It was one thing for me to lose my freedom, but I wasn’t going to drag anyone else into this. I tried the police, and when that backfired, I just resigned myself to a life of misery, if that’s what it took to keep others safe.”
“ Are you crazy?” Ellie blurted. Her irises crackled with lightning, flashes of gold in a blue summer sky. It gave away her supernatural heritage. Luckily, no one was focused on her right now. “Using yourself as permanent bate is stupid, Kate, and you know it.”
Kate cracked under the pressure. Her eyes, previously glossy with tears, could no longer contain them. The salty droplets trickled down her cheeks. She threw up her arms in exasperation. “What else was I supposed to do?”
I closed my eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. She was trying, but it wasn’t enough. How did you tell someone that doing their best still wasn’t enough?
Fire scorched my chest. My ligaments throbbed as my wolf pressed for freedom. He knew he was the better defender of our
I would still fight him for her though.
And right now, my wolf was ready to fight. What the hell had my mate gone through this past year?
“ What did the notes say?” Jerry pressed.
Kate released my hand, shifting in place. Her cheeks colored. “I would, uh, rather you just read them.” She worked her lips with her teeth.
For her not to say, they must be bad.
My wolf came snarling towards the surface at the sight of tears gathering in her eyes. She was trying to hold back; she was trying so hard to be strong, and all I wanted was for her to let it all out before I set my wolf free to hunt down the bastard.
Her breathing pattern changed; a whimper escaped her, much to her dismay. “I don’t like this. I...” She kept shaking her head negatively, fighting still to keep her emotions at bay. “Dang it, Billy. You weren’t supposed to be here.” She folded her arms over her chest. “And I wasn’t supposed to meet you two.” Her features twisted. “He’s dangerous. Donovan knows how to build anything with a charge or a signal. I’m sure he built the tracking device himself. He…He can do real damage, far greater than a sticker on a car.”
“ Don’t you think I know that, Kate?” Billy approached her, but she took a step back. “Dammit, Kate! I promised to protect you. I promised I would always be there for you. If it means I lose all my money to a computer punk, then so be it. If my house gets blown to smithereens, then so be it. I won’t be mad so long as I have you.”
“ But that’s just it. You’ve already given up so much for me. You busted your butt for years burning the candle at both ends so I could finish school. It’s not fair to ask for more.”
Billy’s jaw clenched. His patience was thinning based on the vein plumping on the side of his neck, but my wolf and I didn’t sense any danger for our mate with him. “So you asked for that date with Donovan?”
“ No.” Kate’s voice was small.
He pursed his lips, his eyes assessing her before pressing onwards. “And you asked for him to stalk and harass you for over a year?”
My wolf came charging for my surface again, her head knocking my balance momentarily, catching me off guard. “What the fuck?” For once, I didn’t blame her. My rage matched hers. I couldn’t keep the bite out of my tone. “A whole fucking year?”
My muscles suddenly ached. Pressure built fast. Too fast.
—
Chapter Fifteen
JEREMIAH
Dammit! I knew she’d been running from something, someone, but a year? My wolf was crouched, ready to spring at any moment.
Fury blazed through my veins, burning, pushing me closer to the threshold, the point of transformation.
“ How was I supposed to deal with him, Billy? It was one thing for me to lose my freedom, but I wasn’t going to drag anyone else into this. I tried the police, and when that backfired, I just resigned myself to a life of misery, if that’s what it took to keep others safe.”
“ Are you crazy?” Ellie blurted. Her irises crackled with lightning, flashes of gold in a blue summer sky. It gave away her supernatural heritage. Luckily, no one was focused on her right now. “Using yourself as permanent bate is stupid, Kate, and you know it.”
Kate cracked under the pressure. Her eyes, previously glossy with tears, could no longer contain them. The salty droplets trickled down her cheeks. She threw up her arms in exasperation. “What else was I supposed to do?”
I closed my eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. She was trying, but it wasn’t enough. How did you tell someone that doing their best still wasn’t enough?
Fire scorched my chest. My ligaments throbbed as my wolf pressed for freedom. He knew he was the better defender of our
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