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lewmagoo · 1 year

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i bleed like a wolf | rhett abbott

part two of a curse i cannot lift

description: in which he takes back what's rightfully his

warnings: 18+ only, werewolf au, smut, p in v sex, pregnancy, perry abbott, murder, violence, blood, kidnapping, angst, allusions to torture, character death, gun violence

pairing: werewolf!rhett abott x f!werewolf!reader

listen to the playlist here

notes: this is the third part of my 'the wolf' series! be sure to read the previous part here. access the series masterlist here

dedication: to @lovinglyeternal, without you this series wouldn't have been born. also to @bro-ooke; thanks for beta reading this for me!

Rhett had no recollection of being led into the kitchen, but he soon found himself seated at the old wooden table while his mother handed him a glass of water and told him to drink. He barely registered Perry and his father, trailing in after him.

The hand that held the glass shook. He felt like he was in the midst of an earthquake. Everything was spinning, spiraling, teetering out of control.

The kitchen was a flurry of activity and voices. Perry wanted to head toward town to search for Amy. But Rhett was frozen, unable to move. How could he, when his entire world had just shattered to pieces around him? The thought of you being gone forever was more than he could bear.

But unbeknownst to him, there was still a glimmer of hope. A little black wolf pup was running as fast as her little legs would take her, following the road home by muscle memory. She had to get home, had to find her father, had to find Uncle Rhett and tell him what had happened.

However, as small as she was, It took her quite a while to get home, and by the time she crossed the entrance to the reservation, it was well past nightfall, and nearly sunrise the next day. She was panting heavily, exhausted and overheated. But she couldn’t let herself succumb to that exhaustion yet.

She could see her grandparents’ house just up ahead. If she could just run a little more, she would make it. She would be safe.

Back in the Abbott household, nothing had been resolved. Rhett was in some form of shock, it seemed. Cecilia had already snapped at Perry twice, telling him to get out of his brother’s face when he got antsy and demanding.

Rhett still held the truck keys tightly in his palm. He wouldn’t let go. Even after they’d begun to dig into his flesh. Perry had even tried to wrench them out of his grasp, but Rhett was strong, and in his state of shock there was no reasoning with him.

“Goddammit, we’ve gotta do something!” Perry exclaimed. “I can’t lose Amy too! Not after what happened to Rebecca. I can’t!”

That seemed to snap Rhett out of his limbo. His eyes narrowed, and he stared straight ahead as he broke the silence. “You can’t lose Amy too?” He spoke, his voice trembling. “You lost Rebecca because of your own fuckin’ stupidity. That was all you. And for all you know she’s probably out there still alive and well! But I just lost my…I lost…” He couldn’t get the words out. My wife and baby.

Perry stared at his brother. He opened his mouth to reply in anger, but he was interrupted by the sound of distressed yipping at the door, followed by loud scratching against the wood. Everyone shared confused looks before Cecilia rushed forward, pushing past her sons to open the back door.

The doorknob smacked against the wall as she let it go, and a choked gasp tore itself from her throat as she looked down, taking in the sight of a panicked little pup. She picked up on the little one’s scent, and she knew immediately that it was her granddaughter.

“Dear God in heaven!” She exclaimed, bending to take the exhausted wolf into her arms. She turned to face the three men, who all wore shocked expressions. Rhett shot out of his seat. He knew her by scent, too. So did Royal and Perry.

Everyone started talking at once, Perry demanding his daughter be handed to him, Rhett asking if he could talk to her, until finally, Cecilia held up a hand. “Enough! Can’t you see the poor baby is scared out of her mind?! Let me take care of her and then you can ask her questions!” She exclaimed.

“Ma…” Rhett breathed as she walked past him. He was trembling, his eyes alight with tears.

She paused, her face softening as she placed a gentle hand against his chest. “I know. Just let me get her settled and we’ll see if we can get ya some answers.”

He watched helplessly as his mother walked away with Amy in her arms. That little pup was the only one with answers on what had happened to you. Rhett’s only lifeline.

Slowly, he trailed after his mother, but did not follow her up the stairs. As desperate as he was to get answers, he didn’t want to put the child through any more stress. So he lowered himself down to sit on the bottom step, and he put his head in his shaking hands, allowing himself to weep openly into his palms.

Meanwhile, in a place not far from the wolf reservation, Luke and Billy Tillerson were just pulling into the driveway of the Tillerson Ranch. Patricia was eagerly waiting on the doorstep with a cigarette perched between her fingers.

“Did you put the collar on her?” She called out as the boys climbed out and rounded the truck to open the bed.

“Yeah! Hope it’s on right!” Luke called back.

Patricia watched as her sons lifted your unconscious body out of the truck bed, a thick, metal collar fastened around your neck. As they carried you to the doorstep, she stopped them, reaching out to tug on the collar. “It’s on right. The light is green.”

“You’re sure this will keep them from being able to track her?” Billy asked curiously.

“Your father really taught you nothing? Of course I’m sure. As soon as you put this on, he completely lost the ability to sense her. For all he knows, she’s dead. Now go ahead and get her down into the bunker. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Luke bit back a reply at the jab at his father, and instead moved to take you down into the belly of the house. Hunting was not something he or Billy had practiced in a long time. Patricia had been the one who pushed it. After she left, Wayne didn’t continue to train them in any way. They didn’t hone their skills or learn any of the new technology being produced for hunting.

While yes, werewolf hunting was illegal, it didn’t stop groups of people from participating in it. They’d just learned to do it discreetly to avoid detection. It was an industry that generated millions of dollars.

Patricia was one of the best hunters in the world. She’d even had a hand in producing some of the most elite pieces of hunting equipment out there. Including the collar around your neck.

It acted as a sort of cloaking device, interfering with the ability mates had to sense each other. As long as you wore it, it would be impossible for Rhett to find you just by sense alone. It also had a few other neat little features. Such as inhibiting one’s ability to shift. With the collar around your neck, you would not be able to shift into wolf form, at least not without experiencing excruciating pain. If you tried too hard, it might even kill you.

But you were entirely unaware, still out cold as Luke and Billy took you beneath the house and into the old bunker that had once been used to keep hunting equipment, and, contain the occasional werewolf captive.

You were deposited into a cell, and a chain attached to the wall was then fastened to your collar, effectively anchoring you in place. You were now a prisoner, with no chance of escape.

—

Back at the Abbott place, the atmosphere was tense. Rhett wasn’t sure how much time had passed. He’d been crouched on those steps the entire time, raking his hands through his hair, his mind racing as he imagined all the scenarios. What had happened to you? How had Amy escaped? Was there still a chance that you were alive?

Rhett was no fool. He was smart, and part of him had a sinking feeling that this was no accident or freak occurrence. And if he had to guess, he would put the Tillersons behind this, because they were the ones with a personal vendetta.

But he didn’t know that for sure yet, so he remained there, crouched on the steps, agonizing over the thought of harm coming to you and his unborn child. The two greatest loves of his life.

He was nothing without you. A shell of himself. A half of a whole. Werewolves mated for life, and to lose that kind of bond? To be stripped of one’s other half? The pain was unbearable. Unfathomable.

“Rhett.”

The voice of his mother drew his attention to the top of the stairs. Cecilia was gazing down at him, a bleak expression on her face. His heart dropped, and he stood, his legs trembling.

“You need to come up here.”

So he did. Moving on autopilot, he took the steps two at a time. In the meantime, Perry had heard Cecilia’s voice, and he stepped out of the kitchen, eager to follow after Rhett.

“What’s going on?” He demanded. “Is Amy okay?”

“I just need Rhett right now,” she tried to reason.

He grabbed the railing, standing at the foot of the steps. “No! She’s my daughter, let me see her!”

“Perry, I am not asking you, I am telling you, stay down there!” She exclaimed. “You’ll see your daughter soon enough. I am not gonna stress her out more than she already is. You’ll see her one at a time, and that’s final!”

“Ma, get outta the way,” he threatened, already up the steps, facing her, standing a head taller. But Cecilia wasn’t backing down.

What mattered most was finding out what happened to you. She didn’t like keeping Perry from his child, but she knew he would only inflame the situation if he got involved, and Rhett was already on edge as it was. Not to mention how fragile Amy was after what she’d experienced. Cecilia didn’t want to add to her granddaughter’s stress.

Behind her, Rhett was easing open the door to Amy’s room, and his eyes flickered around the dimly lit space, soon falling upon his niece, who had returned to her human form. She was curled up in the bed, clutching her favorite plush animal to her chest.

When she heard him come in, she lifted her head, then moved to sit upright. “U-Uncle Rhett!” She cried. Immediately, her bright eyes filled with tears.

Rhett hurried to her bedside, kneeling alongside it. “I’m here,” he whispered, taking both of her little hands in his own much larger one. “I’m right here.”

“I’m sorry!” She pulled her hands away to throw her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry! I-I tried to stop them! I tried to get them to let go!” She wailed.

“Who, baby? Who?” He asked, leaning back to look into her tearful face. He lifted his hands to hold her damp cheeks.

“Luke and Billy! They fo-followed us and then they took her away!”

He stared at her. His own eyes welled with molten tears. “Did…did they…” he could hardly bring himself to say the words. He had to force them out, and they were bitter on his tongue. “Amy, is she dead?”

“I-I don’t know!” She whimpered. “I shifted and then I hid! But I…I heard them say something about how they got what they came for.”

It was the tremor he noticed first. Wracking through the very center of his being, branching out through his extremities. His hands twitched against her face, and he pulled them away. His chest constricted, tightening like someone had just wrapped a length of rope around him and pulled it taut.

This was what he’d suspected. But it still felt like an ice-cold dagger had been driven into his heart. It took his breath away, and he stumbled backward, away from his niece.

His legs were moving of their own accord as he turned, yanking the bedroom door open and ambling out into the hall. He was vibrating. Heat rushing through every inch of his being. He felt as if he was outside of himself. Not of his own body.

He found Perry still at the top of the steps, arguing with Cecilia. The eldest Abbott looked up to find his brother approaching. In the shadow of the hallway, he caught sight of the murderous glint in his eyes.

“What have you done?” The snarl that left Rhett’s throat was inhuman. His chest heaved. His hands shook. Cecilia turned around, and when she saw Rhett’s face, her heart dropped.

She had seen this look many times before on Perry. Raw, untamed, unchecked rage. But she had never seen it on Rhett. Not once. He was always the one who had perfect control over his wolf. Always the one that never shifted out of anger. Always the one who was very aware of his nature and kept it in check.

Now, here he stood, his eyes glowing yellow, and she knew that this was the very first moment Rhett was going to lose control entirely. And something in her also knew there was no talking him off the ledge. She stepped out from between her sons, knowing that what was about to happen was inevitable.

“This is all your fault,” Rhett growled low in his chest. He took one, two, three steps closer.

“What the fuck did I–”

“I told you to confess!” He roared. “But you didn’t! You’re a fuckin’ coward!”

“I couldn’t let them take me away from Amy!”

“Oh bull-fuckin’-shit! They stole everythin’ from me because they think that I…they think that…”

Rhett couldn’t get the words out. He was too overwhelmed. His body shook, and he knew he couldn’t control it. His fists were clenched at his sides, claws drawing blood as they dug into the skin of his palms. His mouth parted as his fangs grew. His breathing was labored and animalistic.

“He was trying to take the land from us! I did us all a favor!” Perry shot back.

Rhett’s eyes widened. “A favor?! A favor?! You murdered him in cold blood! All because he made a comment about your wife! Who, by the way, left you because she was fuckin’ terrified of you, you abusive piece of shit!”

That line was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Perry froze, his own eyes glowing like fiery embers. Then, within a split second, both brothers were lunging at each other, the two of them tumbling down the steps in a mess of claws and fangs, growling like wild beasts.

Cecilia was shouting. Yelling for Royal to do something, anything. Amy came running out of her room at the sound of the commotion, ignoring her grandmother’s pleas for her to go back inside, to get into bed and rest like she was supposed to.

“No!” The little girl cried out, ducking out of Cecilia’s reach as she scrambled down the steps. “Stop! Please, stop!” Suddenly, her father and uncle were no longer men. They had both transformed into wolves, snarling and snapping, clawing at the other.

“Please! No!” Amy was screaming, terrified that one would kill the other. Royal intervened, pulling the child away from the two animals.

“Get back upstairs!” He shouted, handing her off to Cecilia’s waiting arms.

“Royal! Get them apart! They’ll fuckin’ kill each other!” The woman yelled as she held a struggling Amy against her chest.

Royal turned, just as a blood-curdling yelp cut through the air as Perry’s wolf gained dominance over Rhett. Their father threw himself between the two wolves, shouting, desperately trying to keep them at bay. He knew that Perry would kill Rhett if he didn’t stop him. The wolf had already overpowered him as it was.

Finally, after much struggle, Royal managed to wrench Perry off of Rhett, dragging the wolf across the room to put space between the two.

“ENOUGH!” The Abbott patriarch bellowed, eyes flashing.

Both wolves heeled.

“I’m not gonna let you fuckin’ kill each other! Get back in your human form so we can talk about this like civil folk!”

It was Rhett who shifted back first. His human body was bloodied, crimson glistening along his neck and torso from the scrape of claws and teeth. But he would heal just fine.

Chest heaving, he stepped back toward the stairs, where he snatched his jeans, quick to tug them back on. His shirt was too far gone, it had been torn to shreds amid his transformation and lunging at Perry.

Rhett was still shaking, and he struggled to get his belt refastened as the tremors ran through his fingers. Across the room, Perry was still in wolf form, growling lowly at Rhett as Royal stepped in to hold the animal back.

Rhett locked eyes with the wolf. “Quit hidin’ behind your fuckin’ wolf and face me as a man!” He snapped, voice raw. “If you think you’re gon’ kill me, you got another thing comin’.”

Finally, Perry returned to human, though he was still vibrating with rage. “I should’ve killed you!” He snarled wildly at his younger brother.

“You’re fuckin’ insane, you know that?! We don’t kill pack members!” Rhett shouted back. Perry tried to yell something in response, but Rhett shook his head. “No, you shut your fuckin’ mouth. You’re gonna make this right, okay?! I’m takin’ you to the Tillersons right now and you’re gonna tell ‘em everything.”

Perry’s eyes widened, his face paling. “I’m not doing that! They’ll kill me!!”

Rhett laughed incredulously. “After what you did?! I’d say it’s fuckin’ deserved! An eye for an eye! You’re the reason my mate was taken from me! So you can pay for your crime! A fair price to pay after I lost everything!”

But Perry didn’t like that. He turned to his father. “You said you’d talk him off the ledge!” He exclaimed.

Rhett froze. His gaze flickered to Royal. “What the fuck does he mean by that?”

His father looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “I…” He started, unsure of what to say.

A sick feeling roiled in Rhett’s gut. “You knew?! This whole time you knew he killed Trevor and you kept it a secret?!”

“I was tryin’ to protect the pack!” Royal defended.

“Yeah?! Well you’ve done a real bang-up job, Dad! Fantastic, really!” Rhett bitterly replied, his chest heaving, his eyes alight with tears. “Both of you are to blame for this! You’re comin’ with me to the damn Tillerson Ranch, we’re settin’ this right!”

“Son, that’s a death sentence! They’ll shoot us on sight!”

Rhett stood there in the middle of the hallway, staring at his father. “You…you really don’t…” he couldn’t get the words out. He took a moment to breathe in deep, grounding himself so he didn’t shift again. “Th-they took my wife and baby from me. Does that mean nothing to you?!”

Both men remained dead silent, and Rhett scoffed, the sting of betrayal flashing through his chest. “I wouldn’t expect Perry to know what it’s like since Rebecca wasn’t his mate. But you should know, Dad. What if they took Ma from you?”

Royal hesitated, and then bowed his head. “I…I thought I was doin’ what was best for the pack. I was tryin’ to protect my son.”

“I’m your son too!” Rhett cried. If anything, this situation had shown him how broken his family truly was.

He took a deep breath, letting his eyes drift shut. He knew what had to be done, and he was tired of arguing. “The three of us are goin’ to the Tillersons to sort this mess out. But first, I’m callin’ the sheriff. She needs to be involved if we’re gonna do this right.”

He didn’t give a shit if Perry and Royal didn’t like it. He had to find you. Had to know what fate you’d met. And if he truly had lost you, he would take you and give you a proper ceremonial burial, as you deserved.

Little did he know that you were still very much alive.

—

In the depths of the bunker beneath the Tillerson house, you were just beginning to stir from unconsciousness. You were incredibly groggy, and your limbs felt like they were filled with lead.

The first thing you noticed was the hard concrete, cold beneath you. The second thing you noticed was the thick, restrictive collar around your neck.

And then, it all came rushing back. You gasped sharply, scrambling to your feet, suddenly alert as your panicked eyes took in your surroundings. Metal rattled against metal, and you looked down to find that you were chained to the wall.

“Don’t bother trying to escape,” a mellow female voice reached your ears. “That collar around your neck inhibits your abilities. You won’t be able to use your strength to get free.”

You growled, whirling around to face the woman who stood in the shadows just outside your cell.

“Where am I?!” You demanded.

“You’re somewhere hidden. Your husband won’t be able to sense you. He has no idea where you are.”

Your eyes flashed gleaming yellow. “What do you want with me?! And where’s Amy?!”

“I don’t know who Amy is. But I do know that you’re going to tell us everything we want to know.”

You snapped at her, and she laughed. “What, are you trying to scare me? Honey, you can’t hurt me as long as you’ve got that collar on. You try to transform, it’ll probably kill you.”

That got your attention, and you drew back. You then placed a hand against your abdomen, not willing to do anything that could potentially harm your baby.

“Luke!” The woman called out, and seconds later, he appeared in the corridor.

“Take the wolf out of its cage. It’s time we question it.”

She spoke of you as if you weren’t there, reducing you to an animal, rather than a person. “I have a name, you know,” you spat.

The woman scoffed. “And I don’t care to know it. You’re nothing more than a wolf to me. I’d have killed you and sold your pelt already, if I didn’t need you at the moment.”

With that, she walked away, leaving Luke to unlock your cell.

“Why are you doing this?” You asked him. But part of you knew why. Whatever issue the Tillersons had come to your doorstep with the other night was the reason for this.

Luke remained silent as he stepped toward you. Frightened, you backed into the corner. “What are you doing?!”

“Just gonna ask you a couple questions,” He simply said as he readied the key to unlock the chain holding you to the wall.

“Why can’t you ask them in here?”

He didn’t reply. You whimpered, making yourself as small as possible against the wall. Normally, you would fight tooth and nail and shift into your wolf, but you were terrified of what the collar might do to you if you tried.

“No!” You shrieked when he reached for you.

“Please don’t make this difficult. I don’t want to have to sedate you again.”

“No! No! No!” But he’d already grabbed you, and try as you might, you couldn’t break free from his grasp. Your normally heightened strength had been reduced to human weakness. Luke was now much stronger than you.

He dragged you out of the cell and down the corridor, where Patricia was waiting impatiently. There was a steel examination table in the middle of the room. An overhead light illuminated it.

Your heart began to pound in your chest. There were restraints on the table. You knew instantly that you were going to be tied down. To your right, you saw an array of tools and weapons. Things that made your stomach turn. You knew they were going to be used on you.

“Wait! Wait!” You cried. “Please! You can’t! I-I’m pregnant!” Ice-cold terror was rushing through your veins at the thought of harm coming to your baby through whatever inhumane means of questioning they used on you.

That gave Luke pause. He looked at his mother. “Mom, wha–”

“Don’t tell me you believe her?” Patricia cut him off. “She’s lying! Trying to get us to feel sorry for her! Now get her on the table!”

“No! I’m not lying, please!” You wept. “I’m just over thirteen weeks along!”

But it did nothing to stop the inevitable. Luke wrestled you into the table and fastened you down so you couldn’t escape. Then, Patricia was standing over you.

“If you tell us everything we need to know, then we won’t hurt you or your baby.”

“What do you want to know?!”

“What did your husband do to my son?”

You stared at her. “He didn’t do anything!” You replied.

Patricia laughed. “You expect me to believe that? Trevor went to talk to your husband the other day and then he disappeared. You don’t find that suspicious?”

You were beginning to piece it all together. The reason for Luke and Billy’s visit the other night. The reason Rhett had been so tense and unlike himself. You’d caught bits and pieces of the conversation he’d had with the brothers the night they showed up on your doorstep. Rhett had sounded surprised. You knew he hadn’t done anything to Trevor. He wasn’t like that.

“Wh-when did Trevor come to talk to him?” You asked.

Patricia stepped over to the table of items, seemingly deciding which one she wanted to use on you. “Sometime Monday morning. He never came home. So what happened? Did Rhett kill him?”

“Rhett was with me! We were at a checkup with my midwife!” You tried to reason.

“You wolves will say anything to avoid consequence.” She pulled out what looked to be a stun baton. She pressed the button and electricity crackled to life at the end of it. “I’ll ask you again. What. Happened. To. Trevor?”

“I don’t know! I swear I don’t!”

Your vision went white when the electricity came in contact with your body.

—

Meanwhile, back on the reservation, Rhett was racing against the clock. He’d called the sheriff, and she was already on her way. This was going to end with his brother going to jail, and Rhett couldn’t find it in his heart to feel sorry for him. Not after Perry’s actions had resulted in Rhett losing what was most precious to him.

Joy Hawk had no idea what she was getting herself into when Rhett called her that evening as she was sitting down to dinner with her wife and daughter. The urgency in his voice told her that something was dead wrong. He wouldn’t say why he was calling, just that he needed her to come to the wolf reservation immediately.

She kissed her daughter on the head and reluctantly informed her wife that she had to miss dinner. She tried not to let her daughter’s sad expression affect her, but it made her chest ache as she walked out the front door and latched it behind her.

It took her twenty-five minutes to reach the Abbott property, and when she did, Rhett was scrambling outside to meet her. When she saw the desperation in his eyes, her brow furrowed in concern.

“What’s goin’ on?” She asked.

“My wife, she…she’s gone. The Tillersons took her.” His voice trembled. He took a shuddering breath that did little to calm him.

That sprung Joy into action, following him into the house as he led her. “How long?”

“Since this afternoon.”

“How do you know the Tillersons have her?”

At that, Rhett swept his arm out in front of him, motioning to his brother as he brought the sheriff into the kitchen. As she took in the sight of the family around the table, she was reminded of a scene she had walked into not so long ago, when Rebecca had disappeared. This all felt too familiar.

“Why don’t you go ‘head and tell her, Per?!”

Perry hesitated. When Joy’s gaze fell upon him, he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Tell me what?”

“I-I don’t–”

“Perry!” The gruff loudness of Rhett’s tone made everyone jump. He wasn’t about to let Perry lie right through his teeth.

“They took Rhett’s wife because of me. Because I killed Trevor Tillerson.”

At her son’s admission. Cecilia let her head fall into her hands. Royal closed his eyes. Even though they already knew it was coming, hearing it said out loud made it real.

“I…you’re serious? You’re tellin’ me the God’s honest truth right now?” Joy asked, staring straight at Perry.

“I am. I can take you to the body if you need. But it’s the truth. I killed him.”

She leaned back, entirely flabbergasted. “Okay. First of all, I’m gonna need to call this in.” Then she turned to look at Rhett. “Our highest priority right now is findin’ your wife, but first, I need to report this back to the station and I’ll be right back with a game plan.”

Rhett caught her arm, and she saw the raw fear in his eyes. “I think…I think she might be dead,” he croaked.

Joy lifted her hand and gently placed it over the one he had on her arm. “Let’s not go there yet, okay? Let me call the station. We’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise.”

She stepped outside and sauntered to her cruiser, where she grabbed her radio and put in a request for backup and a forensics team. She had no idea how this was going to unfold, but she had a gut feeling that it wasn’t going to be pretty.

As soon as she radioed the station, she made her way back into the house. “Alright, I’ve got backup on the way. Let me just ask a few more questions to clarify what’s going on here.” She took a notepad out of her front pocket.

Rhett was growing restless. He was so desperate to find you. He wanted to march right up to the Tillerson house himself and demand they release you. But he couldn’t go in there alone. Not when they could shoot him on sight with a silver bullet, rendering him dead in minutes, if not instantly, if the bullet went to his heart.

He’d be no good to anyone if he was dead. But oh, how hard it was to sit around and wait, not knowing what had happened to you. He still could not feel your presence, but there was part of him that believed maybe there was still hope. But he knew that was simply wishful thinking.

As soon as the rest of the Wabang Sheriff’s Department and the coroner’s office showed up, things shifted into action. Joy organized a small group to go out and locate the body. Perry was instructed to lead them to it. After which, he would be placed under arrest and taken to the station.

In the meantime, Cecilia took it upon herself to inform the rest of your family as to what was happening. It was not right to keep them in the dark any longer. They needed to know.

While that was taking place, Joy grabbed her most trusted deputy, Raven Perez, and informed her of the situation with the Tillersons.

“I want you to come with me,” Joy told the woman, “I don’t know how they’ll react to police presence, I don’t want to risk going in there without someone to cover my six.”

Raven nodded, her dark eyes serious. “Okay. You think we need to call in the state police? I have a bad feeling that this is not going to end well.”

Joy considered her words. “No, but we might have to if things escalate. I have no idea what we’re walkin’ into here. I haven’t dealt with werewolf hunters head-on before.”

“Okay. I’ll keep them on standby just in case.”

The two women moved to head to the cruiser, but they were interrupted by a determined cowboy. “I’m comin’ with you,” Rhett’s voice suddenly cut through the air.

Joy stopped, staring at him as he stood there, a determined look on his face. She was already shaking her head. “Absolutely not. You need to let us handle this.”

His shoulders went tense. “Joy, they took my mate. There’s no way in hell I’m gonna stand back while someone else goes to find her. I need to go with you. And if…if she’s dead, I need to be there to bring her body home so we can give her the burial she deserves.”

The sheriff hesitated, eyeing the man before her. She’d never seen him so broken. In all her dealings with Rhett during the investigation into Rebecca’s disappearance, he had always been a steady, quiet force. But now, his shoulders had dropped low in defeat, and his eyes were haunted with shadows of grief.

She also knew how sacred burials were. Her own culture was very methodical and traditional when it came to the way they carried out such things. Wolf burials held that same sense of ceremony and honor.

But it was strictly against protocol to allow him to come. She was just asking to get in trouble by involving him. But as she gazed into his mournful blue eyes, she found herself nodding her head.

“Okay. But you stay behind me at all times. Do not try anything that’ll get you killed. Got it?”

“Got it,” Rhett echoed.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Raven spoke up, glancing between the werewolf and the sheriff.

“No. But we’re doin’ it anyway. Let’s go.”

The three of them climbed into Joy’s cruiser, and off they went, the bright morning sun lighting the way. In the backseat, Rhett was vibrating with nervous energy, his heart racing in his chest. His mind spun through different scenarios as to how this was going to go down. Would the Tillersons let you go once they got answers about Trevor? Would you be unharmed? Would you even be alive?

He closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths, filling his lungs with oxygen, trying to remain calm. He was partly afraid that he would lose control once he stood face-to-face with Luke and Billy. The prospect of losing you rendered him unable to keep his wolf at bay, and he briefly wondered what would happen if he ended up succumbing to that wild animal and lunging. Joy would have to intervene if it came to that. He just hoped it wouldn’t.

The drive up to the Tillerson property was brief, and as soon as Joy turned onto the long, gravel driveway, Rhett leaned forward in his seat, thrumming with uncertainty and fear and the overwhelming need to find his mate.

Once Joy threw the vehicle into park, the trio climbed out, and she led them up to the grand front porch. There, she stopped to knock on the door. Four precise knocks. Then she rang the doorbell, the sound of which could be heard from outside.

A few moments later, the door came open, and out stepped Luke. Rhett tensed, and when he breathed in, he could smell your scent on Luke.

Joy was saying something to him. But through the rush of blood in his ears, Rhett couldn’t hear her. His gaze was locked on the other man. A tremor ran down his spine, and a burning, churning desperation came to life in his belly.

“Where is she?” He heard himself growling, a sound entirely foreign even to his own ears. Low and wild. Terrifying.

Luke’s gaze shifted to Rhett’s. There was a flicker of fear in those stormy eyes. “Where’s Trevor?” He countered.

Rhett was fighting the urge to go for the man’s throat. Your scent was so strong it almost brought him to his knees. “I can smell her on you! What did you do to her?!” His throat was raw from the snarl.

Joy turned, holding her hand out to steady the wolf. “Rhett, if you can’t control yourself, I’ll have to remove you from the premises.” Her free hand was resting on her gun.

But it was as if he didn’t hear her. “Goddammit, Luke! Did you kill her?!”

“I’m not telling you shit until you tell me where my brother is!” Luke shouted back.

“ENOUGH!” Joy and Raven spoke at the same time.

“We’re in the middle of searching for your brother right now. But I need to know if you have Rhett’s wife. If you do, I will be forced to remove her from your possession by any means necessary,” Joy said.

Luke entirely ignored Joy. “You should’ve just brought us Trevor yourself, and we could’ve avoided this whole mess,” he spoke directly to Rhett.

“And what, let you kill me on sight as soon as I stepped foot on your property?”

“Oh, like you killed my brother?”

“I didn’t kill your brother!”

“Then where is he, huh?! Cause it sure as hell don’t look like he’s alive!”

“Will you two stop already?! Luke, do you have her, or not?!” Joy demanded.

In the meantime, Patricia Tillerson had it all planned out. Billy had just come down to inform her that Rhett Abbott had shown up with the cops, and no Trevor.

“Fine,” she hissed angrily. “We’ll do this another way.”

She marched right over to you, still bound to the metal examination table. She’d been questioning you for hours and had gotten nowhere. You were exhausted, shivering, and drenched with sweat.

“Wh-what are you doing?!” You fearfully asked, flinching away as she moved to abruptly unbuckle your restraints.

“Get up,” she simply said.

“No! What are you–”

“Get up!” A sharp slap to your cheek had you scrambling to slide off the table, but your legs nearly gave out as your feet hit the ground.

A fresh wave of terror sliced through you, heightened when you watched her grab a gun loaded with silver bullets. She clamped her hand around your upper arm, sure to leave a bruise, and dragged you along. You didn’t have the strength to fight her, and when you tried, she pulled you forward hard, so that you stumbled.

Your legs felt heavy, and your feet dragged like your shoes were made of iron. Tears ran down your cheeks, and your mind raced, trying to figure out what was happening, where she was taking you. Was she finally going to kill you?

And that’s when you heard it. The sound of raised voices echoing through the corridors of the house. But one stood out above all the rest. Rhett.

“Rhett?” You squeaked, and a sob tore from your throat.

“Shut your mouth, whore,” Patricia snapped. She yanked you forward, right into the main entry area of the house. You could see Luke at the door, and beyond him, Sheriff Hawk and Deputy Perez. But they didn’t matter. Not when your eyes fell upon your mate. The one who you were certain was here to rescue you.

“Rhett,” you tried to speak again, but you couldn’t make your voice any louder than a pathetic croak. Your throat was raw.

But he saw you. His eyes, the bluest eyes you’d ever seen, flickered to you, and his entire face changed. His mouth moved as he spoke your name, but it sounded like a faraway echo.

It seemed to all happen in slow motion.

Before Rhett could even think, he was rushing forward, pushing past Joy, past Luke, fighting his way into the house. Multiple voices were shouting all at once.

You should’ve seen the two officers unholstering their guns. Should’ve seen the way Luke ducked out of the way. Should’ve felt Patricia move beside you.

In seconds, she’d lifted her gun and pressed it to your temple. Time slowed. Rhett stumbled to a halt, his arms coming out in front of him, a look of sheer horror in his eyes as his mouth opened to form…

“NO!” His chest burned. His eyes glowed gold. “LET HER GO!”

“Why should I let her go, wolf? You took my son from me. I’ll take the mother of your child away from you.”

“Please!” Rhett sobbed. “What do you need me to do?! I’ll do it. Just, please! Don’t take my wife and baby from me!”

“Is my son dead?”

“Drop the gun!” Joy’s voice filled the room. Loud and booming. Her weapon was drawn. So was Raven’s. “Drop it or so help me God, I will shoot you!”

“You shoot me, I take her with me!” Patricia shouted, pressing the gun more firmly against your head. You whimpered, fighting the urge to close your eyes. Instead, you focused on Rhett. He looked wild. Trapped, like a caged animal.

“You don’t want to do this!” Raven exclaimed in the background, eyes trained on her target.

“Yes I do! These animals stole my son from me! Either they return him, or I put a bullet in her head!”

“Mom, just let her go!” Luke’s desperate voice tore through the commotion. “It’s not worth it!”

“No! Where is my son?! What did you do to him?!”

Joy wouldn’t say. She knew the moment she confirmed Trevor was dead, Patricia would pull the trigger. So she tried to diffuse the situation.

“We’re lookin’ for him right now, Patricia! Don’t kill this innocent girl because you think Rhett might’ve had something to do with it! If you kill her, we will take you down!” The sheriff cried.

There was no clean ending to this situation. Someone wasn’t going to make it out alive.

In the midst of it, the shouting and the chaos and the fear, all Rhett could see was you. His only love. His mate. The other half of his soul. He saw your future together. He saw himself holding your baby for the first time. He saw you building a life together. Growing your family. Doing all the things you’d always dreamed of doing together.

And he couldn’t let it be stolen from him. He couldn’t let you be stolen from him.

So he fell to his knees, and he looked up at the woman who held your life in her hands. “I beg of you,” he breathed “don’t take her from me.”

She shifted, pressing the barrel of the gun tighter against your temple, her finger on the trigger. You whimpered, squeezing your eyes shut. Any second, she would squeeze that trigger and it would all be over.

Rhett knew what he had to do. “You want the truth? Fine, I’ll tell you the truth.” His mouth parted as his fangs grew. His eyes glowed bright as embers. “Trevor’s dead.”

Then he lunged.

In a split second, the man was a wolf. An apex predator, all sleek black fur and tight muscle. You heard a gunshot ring out, and you expected your body to fall. But before it did, the animal was colliding with your chest, sending you plummeting toward the hard ground.

But you never came in contact with it. A hand was behind your head, cushioning your fall. A shadow remained above you, broad and familiar. When you opened your eyes, you found your husband staring down at you, his face human again.

“I’ve got you,” he soothed. He placed his body over top of your own, shielding you from what was happening around you. His hands were pressed over your ears, muffling the deafening sound of gunfire that would be murder on your sensitive hearing.

And then, all at once, it was silent.

Slowly, Rhett lifted his hands from your ears. “Are you okay?” He asked. His voice wavered. Frantic eyes searched your being for any signs of outward harm. He touched his fingers to the collar around your neck, and his chest flashed with anger. “What did they do to you?”

But you couldn’t speak. Tears rushed forth, blurring your vision, and immediately, you flung your arms around his bare shoulders. Deep, broken sobs wracked your body. Rhett held you tight, moving to sit upright as you clung to him, weeping into his neck, holding onto him as if you were afraid that if you let go, he’d disappear.

“Don’t let go!” You wailed.

He was overcome, and he closed his eyes, nuzzling into you, his own tears burning hot trails down his cheeks. “I’m here, little wolf. I’m here, I’m not gonna let you go.”

Slowly, you turned your head, allowing your eyes to flutter open. That’s when you saw it. Patricia Tillerson lay lifeless on the floor. Her cold, dead eyes remained open and fixed on you, a haunting visual that would never leave you as long as you lived.

“Rhett,” you whimpered, burying your face against his neck again.

“Shh. I got ya, baby. You’re safe.”

You didn’t know how long you knelt there on that floor, clinging to one another, lamenting all that had befallen you. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered but this. Your arms around each other. Your chests pressed together. Your heartbeats intertwined.

All too soon, a gentle hand was placed upon Rhett’s shoulder, and Joy’s voice could be heard. “Rhett, we need to get you both out of here and rope off the crime scene. Is she okay to be moved?”

Rhett leaned back to fully look into your face. “Can you walk?” He asked you.

Your strength was so depleted that you weren’t sure if you could. “I-I don’t know,” you whimpered.

“Okay. Hold on a minute, let me get my clothes.” He gently set you on the floor before he quickly gathered the clothes he’d shed during his shift. Once he was clothed, he bent to help you to your feet, wrapping a secure arm around you as he carefully guided you out of the house and into the night.

Deputy Perez, who was waiting for you outside the house, noticed the collar around your neck. “I’ll see about getting this off you,” she assured you, inspecting it more closely. “Is it a shock collar?”

“N-no,” you answered. “It’s meant to…to keep me from using my abilities. If I try, it’ll kill me.”

Raven nodded, her gaze intense. “I’ll see if Luke or Billy has the key for it.” She stepped away, leaving you and Rhett alone for just a moment.

Rhett lifted his hand, gingerly touching the collar again. His eyes filled with tears, and he shook his head. “I-I’m so sorry,” he croaked. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner.”

You placed your hand over his own, intertwining your fingers. “It’s okay. I still knew you’d come.”

Moments later, Raven returned with the key in her hand. Your chance to finally have complete freedom, all held in a tiny piece of metal. You were so eager to be rid of the constrictive device, but when Raven reached out to unlock it, you instinctually flinched away, pressing yourself against your mate’s side. You knew Raven meant you no harm, but you were so fearful of any touch that was not Rhett’s.

He held his hand out. “Let me do it. I don’t think she can stand anyone else touchin’ her but me.”

The woman nodded, gladly handing the key over. At that, Rhett turned to you, effectively shielding you with his body. “I’m gon’ get this off you, okay darlin’? You’re safe, it’s just me an’ you.”

You let your eyes fall shut as your husband carefully located the lock and inserted the key. He soothed you as he turned the lock, and then, all at once, the collar was gone from your neck.

You let out a relieved sob. Before you, Rhett gasped, because all at once, he was hit with an overwhelming sensation. As if the missing half of his soul had just returned to its rightful place. He realized then that the collar had been inhibiting him from sensing your presence all along. At the realization, he pressed his forehead against yours, and both of you succumbed to silent tears.

But all too soon, your moment was interrupted as Raven spoke up.

“We’ve got an ambulance on the way for you,” she assured you, her deep brown eyes filled with compassion.

But you began to shake your head, retreating further into Rhett, tucking yourself back into his side, in need of the safety he provided. “N-no. No, I don’t want to go to the hospital,” you protested. “I want to see my pack doctor instead.” You trusted Doctor Tenpenny above all others. You had only ever gone to her your entire life. The thought of going to the hospital made anxiety roil in your belly.

“Honey, you’ve been through a lot. It’s probably better that you go to a real hospital,” she tried to reason.

“I said no. I’m going to my doctor. She’s the only one I trust.” After the traumatic series of events you had just endured, you didn’t want to experience any more discomfort. You didn’t want to sit in a sterile white room with a doctor you didn’t know examining you. You wanted your doctor. The one who understood wolf medicine, and knew exactly how to take care of you and your baby.

Raven looked at Rhett, as if trying to get him to convince you to change your mind. But he was inclined to let you choose for yourself. You knew your body best, and if you felt that Doctor Tenpenny was the safest option after what you had gone through, he wasn’t going to make you change your mind.

“We’ll go to our pack doctor. Thank you, Deputy Perez.”

Raven nodded, though she looked unsure. However, she didn’t want to push you any further. “Okay. You’ll need to sign a waiver stating that you refused treatment. You’ll also need to provide a statement as to what happened. I can take the statement whenever you’re ready.”

You looked at Rhett, and he saw the weariness on your face. You were depleted of any and all energy, and you desperately wanted to go home.

His warm hand came up to rest upon your cheek, his touch loving. “You can do it, little wolf. I’ll be with you the whole time.”

And he was. He held your hand as you recounted each and every detail to Raven, and as he listened to your tearful words, and watched as you fought hard not to break down, he felt nauseated. He squeezed his eyes shut, trembling as he envisioned what you had been subjected to at the cruel hands of Patricia Tillerson.

He hated that he couldn’t get to you sooner. He hated that you had suffered all of this, simply because of his brother’s heinous action. And he hated that he’d known about it, and had not gone to the police himself in the first place. If he had, instead of trusting Perry to do the right thing, then none of this would have happened. Rhett realized that in some ways, he was just as much to blame for what had happened to you as Perry was.

He wanted to fall to his knees and tell you how sorry he was. But as Raven finished up her questioning, he could see how drained you were. Your tears had long since stopped, and the numbness had begun to set in. The time for emotional confessions and petitions for forgiveness would come later. For now, you just needed to go home.

“Alright. That about does it. Thank you for being so patient, I know this is difficult,” Raven assured you. “Would you like me to escort you home in the cruiser?”

You nodded, though even that took more energy than you had. “Please.”

So, the two of you climbed into the back of the car, and you let yourself rest in Rhett’s warm embrace, your eyes growing heavy with exhaustion. He held you tightly and relished in your closeness. Your aliveness.

He kept a protective hand against your belly the whole ride home. He could still sense your little one, which was a good sign. But there was still a fear in both of your minds, wondering if what you had been put through might cause you to lose your daughter.

As a wolf, you had the ability to heal much faster than a human. Things didn’t affect you as badly because of your supernatural blood. But things like miscarriages were still possible. Especially if your body was put under intense amounts of stress.

You let your hand rest over his own, and you sat in silence the entire ride, until Raven pulled into the wolf reservation. When you lifted your head from Rhett’s shoulder, you caught sight of the bustling activity taking place outside the cruiser.

After Cecelia had informed the rest of your pack as to what was happening, they’d all gathered together to learn of your fate and wait for your return. Your heart ached, because you knew your mother would be beside herself.

But the thought of being swarmed by everyone made your chest tighten with anxiety. You didn’t want to endure any noise or fanfare. Your nerves were shot and you were afraid you would succumb to a breakdown if you had to endure any more upheaval.

“Rhett,” you whispered fearfully, grabbing his arm. “I can’t…I can’t handle all of them.”

“Shh,” he soothed. “‘s okay, we’ll just take ya to the house and have Doctor Tenpenny come see you there.”

Then he instructed Raven to drive over to the edge of the property, where your home was situated. She did so without complaint, and once she pulled the car to a stop, Rhett was quick to help guide you out onto solid ground, catching you when your knees almost buckled.

“I’ve got ya.” With a kiss pressed to your temple, he led you up to the door, where he took a moment to locate the hide-a-key and unlock it. He turned back to wave at Raven, and then he took you into the house.

“I’m gettin’ you up to bed,” he assured you, and you nodded, but the thought of climbing the stairs was too much for you. Rhett noticed your trepidation, and immediately, he was lifting you into his arms. He carried you up the steps and into your loft bedroom, where he stopped to carefully place you on the bed.

He stood before you, big gentle hand coming up to lovingly stroke your cheek. You looked up at him, and your eyes welled with tears.

“I thought I lost you,” he whispered.

You closed your watery eyes, nuzzling into his hand. You couldn’t speak, but you didn’t need to. Your mate wrapped you in his arms and held you to his chest, assuring you that he was here now, that you were safe. And you knew you were.

When he finally let you go, he knelt to reverently help you undress. He removed your shoes from your feet and got you out of your sweat-dampened clothing. You didn’t have the strength to get into the shower, so he took the packet of wipes you kept in your bedside table and lovingly wiped your body down before he put you into a clean pair of pajamas and got you into bed.

As you settled in, he left a kiss on your forehead, and then slipped away to give the doctor a quick call. You had a few moments of peaceful rest before your mother and Doctor Tenpenny arrived.

Rhett allowed you your emotional reunion with your mother, but once the doctor began her examination of you, he remained close by, perched on the edge of the bed, holding one of your hands in his own.

“From what I can tell, baby girl is just fine. Her heartbeat is strong and there are no signs of distress. But I want you to stop by my clinic tomorrow so I can give you a more thorough examination, alright? For now, the best thing I can prescribe is rest. Drink lots of fluids. Try to eat to get your strength back up. Your body has been through a significant amount of trauma, and it’s going to take you a bit longer to heal than it normally would.”

You breathed a sigh of relief, rejoicing over the health of your baby. Rhett squeezed your hand, and you met his tearful gaze. This was one positive after the heartache you’d endured.

The doctor left you with a few herbal remedies for any pain you might be experiencing, and finally, she bid you farewell. Your mother remained with you for a little while longer, unwilling to let you out of her sight just yet.

But she could see how exhausted you were, so, reluctantly, she kissed your forehead and slipped out of the room, allowing you the peace you so desperately needed. Rhett walked her out, and she turned to him on the doorstep, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. “Take care of my baby,” she told him.

He mustered a smile, placing his hand over her own and giving it a squeeze. “Always.”

Once she was gone, Rhett stepped back into the house, where he made his way up the stairs and to your room again. He found you huddled under the covers, not quite asleep yet. When you saw him, you lifted your arms, reaching for him, beckoning him to bed.

He took a moment to strip out of his shirt and jeans, leaving him in just his underwear. Then, he rounded the bed and climbed in next to you. Instantly, you turned your body, curling into him and burying your face against the slope of his neck.

“Don’t let go,” you whispered when you felt his arms slip securely around your body.

“I’m never lettin’ you go again, little wolf.”

And for the first time in forty-eight hours, you finally found rest.

You slept for hours after that. Your exhausted body succumbed to a state of much-needed rest. Rhett was exhausted, too. Emotionally and physically. The trauma of losing you had zapped what strength he had left. So you slept wrapped around each other, grateful that you had been returned safely home.

But your moment of rest could only last for so long. Soon, it was time to wake up and face the world again. Rhett kept you shielded from it for as long as he could, dismissing any visitors that wanted to see you, because he knew you could not handle it.

However, life had to go on. A few days later, the sheriff showed up again to tie up some loose ends, and it pained Rhett deeply to watch you be put through the wringer all over again as you had to recall more details about what had happened.

But Joy also had news to share. Some good, and some bad.

“I know this has been hell for you, and I won’t take up any more of your time than I have to. But, we located Trevor’s body just south of here. We also found his truck at the bottom of Lover’s Lake. Perry confessed to the murder.” She leaned forward in her seat at your kitchen table. “I don’t know how much you’ve been talkin’ to your family lately, but last night, your dad came forward and confessed that he was also involved in disposing of the body. Did you know about that, Rhett?”

Beside you, Rhett’s eyes widened, and he shook his head in disbelief. “When we got into it at the house the other night, I found out he knew about it. But I…I had no idea he helped him hide the fuckin’ body.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to process what he’d just been told. Part of him wasn’t surprised. After all, Perry wasn’t smart enough to hide something like that on his own. He had to have had help.

“To be frank with ya, this is a big fuckin’ mess. Not only do I have a werewolf killing a human, but I have hunters abducting a werewolf on top of it. The National Werewolf League wants answers as to how I let hunters operate right under my nose. Truth is, I had no idea they were actively hunting you guys. You know I haven’t been in office very long. I’ve been purposely kept in the dark as far as your history goes.”

“They weren’t actively huntin’ us. My dad had that agreement with Wayne when it came to huntin’. And ever since then, they haven’t gone after us. Until Trevor went missin’, then Patricia lost her fuckin’ mind and decided to target us,” Rhett explained.

“I’m only sorry I didn’t know about it sooner. I really was naive enough to think that hunting was a thing of the past. But turns out, Patricia was actively hunting werewolves under the radar. Luke said he and his brothers haven’t done any hunting since their mother initially left years ago. But, that doesn’t change the fact that he and Billy were still involved in kidnapping your wife. So I want you to know that they will be punished to the full extent of the law. They won’t be able to hurt you ever again, and you have my word on that.”

Rhett reached over to grab your hand, squeezing it gently. “Thank y’, Joy.”

She nodded, smiling softly at him. “You should also know that Luke has agreed to entirely nullify the contract your dad signed years ago with Wayne. That means that this land will rightfully belong to your family, and you will be free to live anywhere else you choose without facing repercussions from the Tillersons or anyone else.”

Rhett let out a breath of disbelief, leaning back in his chair and running his free hand through his hair. “Never thought I’d see the day,” he marveled.

Joy held his gaze. “I’m truly sorry for the pain your people have had to endure. But I hope that this can be a step in the right direction to a better life for your pack, as well as packs all over the world.”

Finally, the sheriff stood from her chair, grabbing her hat from the table. “This is far from over. I just hope the two of you can find peace and healing in the midst of it.” Her gaze shifted to you. “Wishin’ you all the best with that little one you’re carrying. I hope she grows up in a world where she can feel safe and accepted.”

“So do I,” you firmly replied as you stood to shake her hand.

“I’ll see myself out. We’ll be in touch,” the woman finally said. Then, with a tip of her hat, she turned, and walked out of your home, leaving you and Rhett bathed in silence.

“Y’ alright, little wolf?” He asked you. He rounded the table, where he gently wrapped an arm around your waist.

You sighed deeply, leaning into him, letting your strength leave you as you let him support your weight. “I’m just…tired.” The last several days had been the most taxing period of time you had ever been through. Although your supernatural healing abilities had healed any injuries you had sustained, your spirit was still wounded from what you had endured. Your exhaustion was less physical and more mental and emotional now.

He nodded mournfully, lifting his hand to tilt your face toward him. “I know. So am I.” A tender kiss was pressed to your temple, lingering for a moment before he pulled back. The blue of his eyes was breathtaking, so brilliant and clear. “But we’re gonna be okay. We’ll get through this together. You, me, and this little pup. It’s us against the world.” His hand came to rest on your abdomen.

You mustered a soft smile, your eyes glimmering with tears. When you let your eyes flutter shut, those tears slid down your cheeks. Rhett’s fingers were there in an instant, wiping them away. Wordlessly, he let his forehead rest upon your own, and you could feel him trembling against you.

He grew serious, and soon was overcome with the guilt he had been carrying with him since you went missing “Darlin’,” he whispered, “I…I need to tell you somethin’.”

You looked at him expectantly, and he reached behind himself to pull one of the kitchen chairs out, which he sat upon. His large hands took hold of your own, and he looked up at you with an intensity in his gaze. It made your stomach drop.

“A few days before the Tillersons took you, I found out that Perry killed Trevor. I told him to go to the sheriff. I gave him two days, told him that if he didn’t come forward, then I would. But he never did. And then, they took you. And I…I just keep thinkin’, if I had just said somethin’ myself, then maybe you wouldn’t have been taken from me. Maybe you wouldn’t have suffered at the hands of that fuckin’ monster Patricia. Maybe you–”

“Rhett.”

He went quiet.

Your gentle hands came up to cup his cheeks. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for this. Perry is the one that committed the crime. He’s the one that tried to cover it up. He should have gone forward himself. It isn’t your responsibility to right his wrongs. This is solely his fault.”

“But I…I should’ve been lookin’ at the bigger picture. I should’ve anticipated them takin’ you. But I didn’t. I could have lost you forever. I could’ve lost my child forever. I failed as your protector. And for that, I’m beggin’ your forgiveness.”

More tears flooded your vision, and you shook your head, falling to your knees along with him, hands still framing his face. “Baby, you don’t need to beg for my forgiveness. You didn’t fail as my protector. You were there when I needed you most. If you hadn’t stepped in when you did, I wouldn’t be here with you right now. I’m alive because of you. So don’t you think for one second that you failed me, or our child. Because you didn’t. You saved us.”

A soft sob escaped his throat, and he lowered himself to the floor with you, wrapping his arms around your body, much like he had when he came to your rescue that fateful night. It was your turn to hold him. Cradling his head against your chest, letting him listen to yours and your baby’s heartbeat. Reminding him that you were alive, that you were safe, that you weren’t going anywhere.

Your journey was not over. In fact, it was just beginning. The nature of this situation would spark national coverage, especially since the League had gotten involved. There would be trials to attend, trauma to relive, and difficult decisions to make. But for now, if only for a brief moment in time, the two of you were safe in your little bubble, wrapped in each other’s arms.

And you longed for it to never end.

“Rhett?” You softly spoke, after your emotions had waned. You were still on the floor, but you had shifted so you were sitting cross-legged in front of each other.

His tired blue eyes flickered to yours.

“Can…can we pretend, just for tonight, that things are normal? These next few months are going to be rough on both of us. I just want to pretend we’re back to the way things were before all this. Even if it’s only for tonight.”

Your husband smiled softly. “I’d like that.”

So, together, you stood from the floor, and Rhett pulled you in to kiss the top of your head. One brawny arm slid around your torso, and he nuzzled his nose against yours. “Wan’ me to take ya into town for some pizza?”

You considered his offer, placing your hands against his chest. “How about we finish off some of the leftovers in the fridge? I’m afraid if we go into town people will bombard us with questions.” Dealing with people sounded like an overstimulation nightmare for you.

Rhett nodded. “You’re right. Don’t know what I was thinkin’.” He glanced over at the fridge. “Guess we do have plenty’a leftovers to get through. Your side of the pack really knows how to take care of people when they’re strugglin’.”

He was right, your pack members had been making meals for you and Rhett ever since you’d come home. The meals were deeply appreciated by you, because neither of you had the energy to cook.

“Go sit and rest, darlin’,” Rhett told you. “I’ll heat everythin’ up and we can just eat in the livin’ room.”

You smiled, leaning into him as he ducked down to kiss you tenderly. Then he ushered you off to the living room while he buried himself with heating up dinner.

In no time, you were cuddled up on the couch together, the television playing in the background as you ate, and it all felt so normal and mundane. Something you had been craving these last few days.

You sat with your legs across Rhett’s lap, and he kept a steady hand against your thigh, thumb rubbing circles on the skin. For the first time since you had come home, you felt yourself relaxing. The tension melted away from your muscles, and you allowed yourself to relish in the domesticity of it all.

You didn’t finish the movie playing on the screen. Neither of you were particularly interested in it. You were more interested in the closeness and the intimacy you shared. His gentleness was a soothing salve after you what you had experienced at the hands of Patricia Tillerson.

“Do you wan’ head up to bed?” He softly asked you, after your head had fallen to rest upon his shoulder.

Sliding into the comfort of your bed and then being wrapped securely in your mate’s arms sounded incredibly appealing. So you offered a sleepy smile and nodded your head.

Rhett sent you upstairs with a kiss, promising to join you momentarily, after he put the dishes in the sink and shut off all the lights for the evening. So you trudged up the steps into the loft and busied yourself with getting ready for bed.

Since you had come home, you hadn’t taken the time to go about your usual nighttime routine. The best you could do most evenings was brush your teeth and change into pajamas before collapsing into bed. It was all you had energy for.

But tonight, you decided it was time to carry out that routine, in the hopes that it might make you feel somewhat normal. After you changed into your pajamas, you took the time to cleanse your face before you took a seat at your vanity. The vanity Rhett had made for you when he was building your home. A warm-toned wooden dressing table, complete with carved details and a rounded mirror, giving it a vintage appearance. The mirror faced the bed, and the reason for that was because Rhett loved watching you put on your makeup and skincare products. He found you so effortlessly beautiful in those moments.

Moments when life had seemed so much simpler. Now, everything felt muddled and complicated. Eventually, that gloom would clear, but until then, you were stuck in the midst of it, waiting for the sun to shine.

But there were glimpses of that sunshine happening all around you. Such as the tiny heartbeat you could hear alongside your own. Or the smile on your husband’s face when he stepped into the room to find you at your dressing table.

You could see him in the mirror, and you smiled back, eyeing him as he approached you. There was a look of awe shimmering in his eyes. When he reached you, his large, warm hands came to rest on your shoulders.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured as he leaned down to kiss the top of your head.

You closed your eyes, melting beneath his touch. “I thought maybe doing my skincare might help me feel a little more normal, too.”

“You all finished?”

“Just have to put moisturizer on.”

“Hold on one sec.” He slipped away quickly, ducking into the adjacent bathroom to wash his hands. Moments later, he emerged. “Let me put your moisturizer on ya.”

You giggled at that. “Why?”

“Because I want to. C’mon, give it ‘ere.” He reached for the bottle, which you handed to him. Then, he knelt before you and turned you in your chair so you were facing him. Ever so carefully, he gathered the moisturizer on his fingers, smoothing it around for a moment before he began to delicately smooth the cream over your skin.

Your smile began to fade into an expression of bliss as he caressed your face, and your eyes soon drifted shut. His touch was so comforting, and he worked with careful precision, making sure he wasn’t too rough on your delicate skin.

You got lost in the feeling, and if only for a moment, your mind went blank. It was only you and Rhett. No troubles. No anxieties. Just peace.

And then he spoke, his voice gravelly, coming from deep within his chest. “All done.”

When you opened your eyes, his own were staring back at you. You were so close, your noses were almost brushing. You both could feel that magnetic pull, drawing you to each other. You didn’t know who moved first. But it didn’t matter. Seconds later, your lips were joined in a searing kiss.

You weren’t quite sure what came over you. All at once, the crushing weight of desire threatened to consume you whole. A fire ignited in your belly, and you surged forward, sliding off your chair and onto the floor. Funny, you seemed to find yourselves on the floor together a lot these days.

Rhett gasped against your mouth at your sudden movement, entirely caught off guard. He parted from you, searching your face. “Whoa there, darlin’,” he breathed.

“Rhett, I…” You began, but trailed off. An ache had begun to blossom through your chest. An intense need, unlike anything you’d ever felt before.

“What? Tell me what you need.”

“I need you.”

He hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna do anythin’ that you aren’t ready for.”

Your hands clutched at his collar, your body pressed against his own. “I’m sure. I need…I need to be close to you. Need your touch.”

You spoke with deep sincerity. This was not a moment of crazed lust. This was a moment in which you so deeply desired intimacy. You needed to be joined as one with your mate, needed the safety that came from being in his arms, wrapped around his body. You needed him.

He let his forehead rest against your own, his eyes drifting shut as he breathed in deep. He wanted you, too, just as badly as you wanted him. He had missed being close to you in this way.

“C’mon, little wolf. We’re not doin’ it on the floor. Want my girl to be comfortable on our bed.” He guided you to your feet, his hand against the small of your back as you were led to the bed.

After the cruelty you had suffered, Rhett wanted you to experience nothing but softness and gentleness. You would never suffer under a harsh, unforgiving hand ever again, he would make sure of it.

Reverently, he laid you upon the bed, his cerulean gaze fixed tenderly upon you. He held your stare as he climbed onto the mattress with you, his body covering your own as he hovered over you.

You lifted your hand, cupping his cheek. “You make me feel so safe,” you whispered. You knew it was what he needed to hear, after he felt like he’d failed you and your child. And you meant every word.

His mouth curled into a fond smile, and his eyes filled with tears, which dropped down onto your cheeks, pulling a soft giggle from you both.

“Sorry,” he murmured, “I just…I love you. More than anythin’ in the world.”

You kissed him. “I love you too. ‘Til the day I die.”

One more lingering kiss before he leaned back, sitting on his haunches. He helped ease you out of your shirt, and then your shorts, keeping his movements slow and predictable, soft and loving.

When your body was exposed to him, he sighed out desirously, as in love with you as he’d ever been. “So beautiful, all for me. My pretty little mate.”

You felt warm beneath his praise, and your eyes drifted shut as a lazy smile graced your features. When you heard the jangle of his belt buckle, your eyes came open again, and you watched as he undid the leather, his hands moving with ease.

He was quick to kick off his jeans and underwear, and you reached out to tug at his shirt, lifting it off his body to reveal his form underneath. Lithe muscle and golden skin from days of working outside without a shirt.

Your hands came up to touch him, smoothing over his shoulders, across his chest, down his abdomen. He felt so warm and familiar beneath your touch. You realized just how much you had missed touching him like this. All you had done the last few days was kiss and embrace. You had not bared yourselves to one another in that time, because it was the furthest thing from your minds.

But now, here you were, bodies exposed, skin to skin, and it felt right. His lips on yours felt right. His hands on you felt right. His chest against yours felt right. And when he lowered his body against your own, and you felt that heavy hardness nestled against your center, you sighed in contentment. This was good and natural and precious. It was just what you needed during a tumultuous moment in your lives. So you relished in it.

Nothing was rushed. You took it slow. It wasn’t about pleasure. It was about the closeness. And Rhett made sure to drive that point home. He began his descent of your body, kissing your skin as he went. He was worshipful, reverent, and adoring.

He breathed in your scent, closing his eyes and relishing in its sweetness. It was a reminder that you were here, alive and safe in his arms, right where you belonged.

He paused when he reached your abdomen, and he let his hand splay protectively over it. He could hear your tiny little pup’s heartbeat, and he let his head rest there for a moment before he left a series of kisses all along your belly.

You gazed down adoringly at him, reaching your hand out to brush his hair away from his face. He moved his head to kiss at your wandering fingers before he came back up to engulf you with his body.

With his forearms near either side of your head, you felt caged in, in the best way. He had overcome all of your senses, blotting out any lingering anxiety or unease you might have still felt.

His face was all you could see, the low bedroom light framing his head like a halo. He looked so beautiful like this, with love shining in his eyes. Love for you.

“Gon’ make love to you, baby,” he murmured, ducking forward to nip at your bottom lip.

“Go on then, cowboy,” you softly encouraged with a smile, tapping your heel against the back of his thigh.

Humming in amusement, he kissed you again before he snaked his arm between your bodies to stroke his fingers through your slick. Two fingers inched inside you, pulling a gasp from your throat before he added a third. It wasn’t like you needed help trying to take him. You were made to accommodate him. As mates, your anatomy was meant to fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle. But that didn’t stop Rhett from getting you ready for him, making sure you were soaking around his fingers before he even considered sliding his cock inside you.

You let your eyes drift shut, focusing on his thick fingers within you. But it wasn’t enough. They didn’t fill you like his cock did. They didn’t connect you in the way you so desperately needed. So you whined, leaning up to kiss him and beg into his mouth. “Pl-please.”

“I know, I got ya,” he hummed, before his tongue delved past your lips to taste you. Meanwhile, he reached down to align himself with you. You felt the plush head of his cock catch against your entrance as he dragged it through, gathering your slick as he went, and you gasped, your eyes widening at the feeling.

Oh so slowly, he began to inch into you, and you found yourself jolting against him, letting out the softest of whimpers, your mouth brushing against his.

He held your gaze, and the deep blue that reminded you of the depths of the ocean was almost too much to behold, but you found yourself unable to look away nonetheless. This felt natural. It felt right.

He kept going until he was fully nestled inside you, your anatomy stretching around him. Then he sighed out blissfully, his eyes fluttering shut as he reveled in the feeling of your wet warmth snug around him. “Feel so good, darlin’,” he hummed against your parted mouth.

You whimpered softly, wrapping your arms around those broad shoulders of his. You finally felt safe and protected. Like nothing could hurt you as long as you were wrapped around your mate. He was so warm and familiar, and he smelled so good. A deep, woodsy scent that was unique only to him, and smelled like home to you.

You remained like that for a few moments, just cherishing the closeness, the intimacy of being joined as one. But the feeling of him inside you soon had you aching for more.

With a soft sigh, you kissed at the corner of his mouth. “Move. Please,” you whined, nose bumping against his.

He obliged, swiveling his hips, pushing himself further into you, filling you in a way that only he could. That thick cock brushed against all the pleasurable spots inside you, and with each push and pull, it stole the breath from your lungs. He’d only just begun and he was already sending you into orbit.

His pace was slow. Careful, deliberate thrusts of his hips against yours, remaining as close as possible to your body. Chest to chest. Heart to heart. Tied together by a crimson string of fate. And then his mouth was on yours again, hot and open-mouthed, your breaths combined as one force.

“Oh, oh darlin’,” your husband sighed. “Missed bein’ close to you like this.”

“Missed it too,” you squeaked. The tears were already beginning to gather along your lash line. “I…I thought I’d never get to be with you like this again.”

His own eyes became glassy, and he shook his head. “Shh, don’t talk like that. I’m here now. I’ve got ya, you’re safe and sound, and I ain’t never gonna let anyone take you away from me again.”

You knew he meant every word. He would move mountains to ensure your safety. He would go to war for you and your child. The realization was overwhelming. You had never been loved in such a way before. He loved you with a ferocity, an unmatched intensity, and it took your very breath away.

“L-love you,” you whimpered.

“I love you too, little wolf. Always gonna love you.”

You slipped into a comfortable, sweet silence after that moment. No words were needed. Your soft sighs and hums were enough. Your bodies did all the talking instead. Moving together of one accord. Rhett built his own rhythm, a steady sway, relishing in the way you clenched around him each time he brushed past that sweet spot nestled deep within you.

You clung to him tightly, as if you were afraid he’d disappear into thin air. And maybe you had every right to entertain that fear. What if this was all a dream, and you’d wake up back in that dark, cold cell again, entirely helpless?

But Rhett seemed to sense your trepidation, and he soothed you. “You’re okay, honey. I’m right here. We’re safe, in our bed. Nobody’s gon’ hurt you.”

He was right, you knew he was. No harm would come to you. Not here, in the reverence of your bed. Not here, in the arms of your one true love. Not here, in your home. The realization sent those unshed tears spilling forth. Once the dam broke, there was no stopping it.

“Rhett,” you whispered, and then you buried your face against the side of his neck. In a moment of deep catharsis, you let go of your emotions, letting them bubble from you like a rushing stream of water.

“Shh,” he soothed, and in an instant, he changed positions, so that you were in his lap, held tightly in his arms. He didn’t stop, because you didn’t want him to. You needed this. You craved this. Even as you sobbed openly against his shoulder, hot tears dripping onto his skin.

One large hand settled on the back of your head, while the other came to wrap around your back. Every inch of your body was pressed against his, and you couldn’t tell where you ended and he began, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. As you cried, he whispered soothing words in your ear, and you held on to every last one of them.

I love you. You’re safe. I’m here.

It made you cry harder, tears of gratefulness and relief. Fate had smiled down upon you, and seen fit that you were reunited with your soulmate. The one that had been created just for you. The missing half to your whole.

The one who loved you then lifted his hand, and slipped his fingers into your mouth. It soothed your cries, and you blinked at him, eyes bleary. But even through the haze, you could see that he, too, was weeping.

His fingers on your tongue grounded you, and you were able to fully immerse yourself in the moment, closing your eyes as you focused on the feeling of him inside you, pelvis undulating against yours. You began to rock your hips in tune with his own, slow at first, but soon faster and faster.

That’s when the need took over your brain. An animalistic desire that drove you as you began to rut into him, holding on tightly, your nails digging crescents into his skin. A fire had been ignited in your belly, and you chased that warmth, growing bigger and bigger until it had nearly become a wildfire.

“R-Rhett,” you squeaked, lifting your head to meet his gaze again.

“I know,” he groaned. “Let go when you need to, little wolf. I’m right behind you.”

You pressed your forehead to his, whimpering as you chased your high. You moved fluidly together, with only one goal in mind. So close, so close, so close. And then, all at once, “oh!” and you were freefalling.

You threw your head back, mouth open as it overwhelmed you. An all-encompassing heat that tore through you, sending you convulsing in Rhett’s arms. He growled, his eyes flashing gold at the feeling of you clenching rhythmically around him. Moments later, he too was overcome, and as you drifted down from the precipice, you could feel the warmth of his seed flooding the very core of you, claiming you as his own.

It took several moments for either of you to come back to earth. You remained in each other’s arms, bodies still connected. His lips pressed at your feverish collarbone, kissing your skin, bringing you back to him.

When your vision finally cleared, you lifted his head so you could fully look into his face. Wordlessly, your mouth was against his again, kissing him lovingly. Hands came up to tangle in his hair, fingers scratching gently against his scalp.

You weren’t sure how long you stayed that way. It could have been five minutes, it could have been twenty-five. But soon enough, Rhett moved to ease his soft cock from you, and you whined at the emptiness. Fingers soothed into your mouth again, pacifying you as he let you rest against the mattress.

“You’re okay. Need t’ clean you up, darlin’.”

“Don’t let go.”

“I won’t. Just gonna carry you to the bathroom, alright? Give me girl a nice warm bath.”

You agreed, allowing him to move you into the bathroom, but not before he made sure you had a blanket wrapped around you so you wouldn’t catch a chill while he filled the bathtub. It was such a mundane moment, but you cherished it, because for just a little while, you could pretend everything was normal. Your husband was simply taking care of you after making love to you, just like he always did.

But as sure as the water began to cool down as you finished your bath, so the coldness of reality settled in. You could not pretend things were normal forever. Both of you knew that. And as you slipped into bed that night, you spoke of it.

“I…I’m scared,” you whispered. “Of what’s coming.”

With the League getting involved, and you being the victim of an egregious crime, your life was going to be in upheaval for the foreseeable future.

Rhett sighed softly, pressing his lips to your forehead. “I am too.” But then, a glimmer of hope. Gentle fingers tilted your chin up. “But think of it this way. We’re one step closer to makin’ the world a safer place for our little girl. I’m sure they’ll be passing stricter laws against wolf hunting. And with the Tillersons out of the picture, we’re already on the right track. We’ve got a fighting chance at seein’ hunting eradicated for good.”

“You really think our baby will be able to grow up in a world where hunting doesn’t exist?”

“I hope so. Nobody should have to live in fear of bein’ hunted for sport. Our kind have a right to protection, just like everyone else. If I have to go to fuckin’ war to make it happen, I will. There’s nothin’ more important to me than makin’ sure you and our babies are safe.”

Again, your eyes filled with tears, and you leaned in to kiss the man before you. “No matter what, we fight together,” you said. “Me and you.”

“Me and you,” he echoed, intertwining his hand with yours.

It would be no easy feat, but together, you would get through this. And in the end, you would give your daughter, and other werewolves alike, a chance at life in a better world, one without hunters, where they could live wherever and however they pleased.

No one would suffer beneath the point of a silver arrow ever again. All wolves would be free.

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