Read Online Unleashed by Abby Gordon - Free Book Online Page A

gone. She is the one! The beast exulted in his mind.
    “No,” she shook her head, gathering her skirts up in her hands so she could go up the steps. “I’m saved.”
    He frowned, moving beside her, a hand at her elbow. “But you said…”
    She stopped on the landing and looked up at him.
    “A wolf saves me,” she said softly. “A very large wolf tears apart the men the way Aaron was torn apart this morning.”
    He closed his eyes briefly. The snow that morning had been nearly to her knees. And more was falling. He remembered his concern about Aaron pushing Amanda into a marriage with him in the hopes that Wulfgar would pay off his debts. Perhaps realizing that, even if the pair wed, the Baron wouldn’t help his wife’s brother, Aaron had stolen numerous valuable objects to sell or barter for payment. Which meant, Wulfgar realized, the men Aaron owed might have followed the family from the capital. Perhaps to convince Heinrich to pay his son’s debts. Or to catch them on the road where it would be an easier matter to take Amanda from the carriage. Whether or not they knew that they would incur his wrath, the men would try to recoup whatever was owed to them by stealing Amanda. She was his to protect, he vowed. In silence, they continued up the stairs and stopped at her door.
    “I’ll make sure you meet Bane tomorrow,” he promised. “Sleep well, Amanda.”
    “And you, my lord,” she replied in a low voice.

Chapter Six
    Thoughtfully, reviewing his words, Amanda changed into her nightgown and washed her face. Sitting up in bed, she said her prayers and stared at the fire for several moments. So much had happened.
    It was incredible that her brother had died that morning and she wasn’t grief-stricken. She puzzled over that until she realized that he’d been her brother but he had been a stranger. Aaron had been full of discontent in their town, eager to be away and frustrated at anything or anyone that seemed to oppose him. Soon after her mother died when she ten, Aaron had been helping their father with some papers and realized that her mother’s family had no titles. Money, yes, but absolutely no “quality” to their blood. As his mother had been the granddaughter of a duke who had been on the king’s council, Aaron had lorded that over her and, she sighed, bullied her unmercifully whenever their father wasn’t around.
    Her father and Bettina were somewhere in the manor. She wondered if her father would sort out his marriage. She hoped so, for his sake and Bettina’s. She had liked Bettina until they’d been married. And she didn’t like Bettina’s mother. Amanda scowled at the fire. Katerina Grunden was an interfering bully who belittled everyone who didn’t agree with her immediately. Amanda had long suspected that Katerina was responsible for the change in Bettina. Her father asserting himself as Bettina’s husband would displease Katerina mightily and, for that alone, Amanda hoped her father and Bettina emerged with closer marital bonds.
    And to top off the day—Lord Wulfgar’s proposal at dinner. That he should be in her dreams and then propose had totally unnerved her. She had longed to say “yes” immediately, but was terrified of telling him of her dreams and what she was. To not tell him would be deceitful, and she could not deceive him if they were to be married. But she was so afraid that if he knew what she was dreaming he would be shocked and scandalized. Surely he would cast such a wanton out of his home.
    She thought about his words. He thought dreams could give her answers or prepare her for something. That was worth considering. Could her dreams be trying to prepare her for being married to him? The memories flooded her mind and warmed her body.
    She suddenly smiled. There was someone who might understand her problem and help her. She glanced at the clock and closed her eyes.
    Cousin? Karl, are you there?
    A moment later, she heard his startled thoughts. She sensed him waving