AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let him be,” she said.
Another roar. A thud. Then, I heard hushed whispers.
“This way,” Jennifer said, her voice low. She led me to a window on the side of the house. From there, I looked into Alec Martel’s bedroom. He’d fallen facedown on the floor. My heart stopped. He was little more than a skeleton. Anson carefully lifted him back to his bed. He leaned in close. Alec whispered something to him. I couldn’t make it out. Olivia, Alec’s wife, rushed to his side. She looked thin and frail. Jennifer said she had to remind her sister to eat.
Whatever Alec said to him, it made Anson go rigid. He clenched his jaw and gave Alec a slow nod. Then he looked toward the window, meeting my eyes.
“Rest,” Anson said to Alec. “Save your strength. For your mate.”
His mate. Jennifer’s sister Olivia. My Auntie Olivia. She lay on the bed next to him. She looked pale as snow, her eyes glassy. Pat had been right. The Martels were far worse off than my parents and brother. My God. I couldn’t fathom how they were still alive at all.
Anson pulled a blanket around Alec. He said something to him I couldn’t hear, then rose to his full, considerable height.
“I’d forgotten,” Jennifer whispered. “They’re supposed to be so strong.”
Anson came back outside to join us. “We should go,” he said. “It’ll be night soon. They need their rest. So do you.”
Jennifer thanked us. She hugged me, then kissed my cheek. “Take care of yourself,” she said.
“You too.”
I turned to leave. Anson waited, looking healthy and strong. For the first time since I’d found out who he was, I felt grateful for that.
Anson and I walked in silence until we were well out of earshot of Jennifer or any of the Martel pack. Then he turned to me.
“Let’s hurry home,” he said. “You and I? We need to talk.”
Chapter Six
“You know something,” I said. We’d made it half of the way back to Pat’s farmhouse. Anson walked ahead of me. I wanted to keep him in my line of sight. When we reached a clearing uphill from the lake, I stopped. Anson kept walking.
“What do you know?” I asked.
He slowed his stride, but didn’t stop. Anger bubbled up, bringing my wolf to the surface. I let out a warning growl. Anson stopped, squared his shoulders, but didn’t turn.
I went to him. Grabbing him by the arm, I whipped him around.
“What aren’t you telling me?”
He stared at me. His eyes turned silver. He chafed at the collar. I could feel his wolf. Feel his rage. His lust. All his darkest urges. My own flared.
“How long do you think you can deny it?” he said, his voice low, barely more than a growl itself.
“I asked you a question,” I said.
He reacted. He was thunder and lightning all at once, pulling me toward him. His collar blazed hot. I knew the shock he felt from it, but he didn’t let me go.
“Tell me I’m wrong,” he said, his lips brushing against my ear. “Tell me you’re not feeling what you feel. Your heat.”
He teased me with his breath. His stubble scratched my cheek. I wanted to tear him apart. Worse than that, I wanted to mount him. Still.
I jerked away.
“Why weren’t you afraid to go into Alec Martel’s house?” I asked.
“He’s too sick to hurt me,” Anson said. “He’s too sick to hurt anyone.”
“So why aren’t you?” I asked. “Why aren’t I? Goddammit, Anson, if you know something, you need to tell me. Right now.”
