“We’ve had this conversation, remember? I know all about your crush, Connie.”
She frowned. “Crap. Yes, you were the perfect gentleman. When you picked me that night at the town hall, I was so happy. I didn’t want you to pity me though. I never wanted your son. Tanner is nothing like you.” She moaned. “Please, make it stop.”
“I’ve got to get you out of this library safely. When I do, I can take you out to the woods and make this all stop, or at least, lessen. You think you’ve got it in you to do this with me?” he asked.
She sniffled. “I don’t have a choice. I don’t want to die.”
“You’re not going to die, but bringing out your wolf in the library, you won’t have a building to come back to. She needs to have a good run. To allow the wind to help her feel freedom.”
“I can do that. Please, get me out of here. If I destroy this library, all the kids will think they can too and I don’t want to clean up their mess.”
He smiled.
Getting to his feet, he pulled Connie into his arms.
“I can walk.” But she made no move to pull out of his arms, and he had no problem with holding her against him, inhaling her sweet scent. The pack, the earth, she was flooded in it.
He took slow steps, leaving the library behind. When her wolf seemed to want to come to the surface, he pressed a kiss against her cheek, trying to distract her, which seemed to work.
Her wolf wasn’t coming out to play. Hurting Connie wouldn’t help.
Leaving the library, he noticed more of the pack had gathered around. He didn’t know if they planned on watching, helping, or laughing at her.
“Go back to work. I will help her. There’s nothing to see.”
“Is Miss Button okay?” a little red-headed girl asked.
He smiled at her, but Connie groaned.
“She will be.”
“Tell her to get better soon.”
He loved that the kids hadn’t run away in fear. Connie would have hated herself even more if they were afraid of her.
Tanner moved in a little closer, and Connie tensed up in his arms. Her eyes went a shade of black. The wolf knew her mate was close and that he had rejected her.
“I’ve got you, Connie,” Gage said.
She growled. The sound started low, but it soon spilled out like a warning. Tanner stopped and Connie tensed up in his arms. Gage sensed her need to take out the danger, but he held her.
“I suggest you take a step back,” he said.
“Dad, I can help.”
“Get away from me,” Connie said. Her anger was clear. There was no pain in her voice, just a firm need for him to leave her the hell alone.
“Don’t make me tell you again,” he said.
Tanner sighed, but he stepped to one side. Tiffany was close to him. If his son wanted to mate with that girl, then he was going to have to start getting his shit together because Tiffany wasn’t going to keep on waiting around to be second best.
She wasn’t used to her beast, but the moment he called her forward, he made sure it was a swift transition, one with minimum pain.
Her sobs filled the air. The unmistakable sounds of broken bones seeming to echo all around him, sickening him. He didn’t stop until her wolf had come forward, and when she had, he stared at her.
A brown beauty.
She bowed her head, submitting to him. He nudged her away, to let her wolf explore, to allow this time to belong to her.
Gage followed. He was there by her side, helping her, guiding her. She was like a newborn, not sure of her body or her skin, and he took his time.