“He kinda lives in the woods behind the bakery. I’m a little shocked you haven’t seen him by now. I give him cookies and treats all the time.”

My heart clenches. He lives in the woods? That has to be lonely. I can’t go ten minutes without wanting to talk to someone. I’d go crazy in the wild. I’m starting to think the differences between my mate and me are going to be ginormous. We haven’t even gotten a chance to talk to each other and it’s like the world is already against us. It doesn’t matter, though. We’ll run if we have to. I won’t let my mate and Stone come to blows. All I can do is get my mate and leave. Maybe some time away will calm Stone down and we can return. He won’t be able to do anything once were mated and I’m carrying our pups.

The thought of our pups has me in motion again. I can get details about my mate later. Right now I just need to find him. I throw my bag over my shoulder. “Please move.”

They both step out of my way, and I go down the stairs and out the back bakery door with them hot on my heels. I throw my bag in the back seat of my car and slam the door before pulling my car keys out of my purse.

“If you’re my friends, you won’t tell them I’m going to get him.” I give them both a pleading look, and I know Winnie won’t tell a soul, but Ruby might tell her mate.

“But Gwen. X can be a little…” Ruby’s words trail off, but I just stand there waiting. I want to know what she was going to say. “Much,” she finally finishes, not really giving me anything at all.

“Same thing could have been said about Dom, Ruby. We had to chain him.” I remind her of her own mating. “Did he hurt you when you got into that cabin?”

“I won’t tell them,” she says instantly at the truth of my reminder.

I nod at both of them, hop into my car, and take off towards our family land. It doesn’t take long to get there. With most of the town still at the fair, the roads are clear.

I park on the south side of the property, making sure I’m downwind. I’m hoping Stone doesn’t catch my scent as I track through the woods. When I don’t find him in the first cage, I start heading towards the one closer to the main house.

It doesn’t take long before I start to smell him. A loud howl rings out and I pick up speed, running as fast as I can while staying in human form. I don’t want to shift and lose my clothes. If I have to drive us out of here, I don’t want to have to do that naked.

Breaking through the trees, I see the back of the house. I quietly sneak onto the back porch and open the back door silently. I’ve had enough experience sneaking in and out of this house to know exactly where I’m going. I didn’t think Stone would bring him here to his home. He must really have a problem with my mate if he wanted to bring him here instead of some of the other cages on the property.

Inside, my mate’s scent is stronger, and I make my way to the basement door. It’s locked, but it only takes me a second to get it open. I roll my eyes. This dinky lock isn’t going to keep any shifter in or out.

I take the steps quietly. As I travel down farther, I pick up only the scent of my mate. When I’m at the bottom of the stairs, I round the corner and see a cage. Inside it is the biggest black wolf I’ve ever seen. I know it’s him because just like his human form, his wolf form is massive.

My mate.

I run to the bars but stop short when he charges the cage, shifting to human faster than I knew was possible. He must be more in tune with his wolf than most, or has spent a lot of time in that form to shift so easily back and forth and with such fluid movements.

His big arms reach through the bars, grabbing my face and pulling me towards him. I moan at the contact as he presses against my body as much as he can. His hard cock digs into me, and my body feels like it’s buzzing with awareness.

“Mine,” he whispers, his voice so low I almost don’t hear him. He repeats it over and over. If I wasn’t pressed so close to him, I wouldn’t be able to hear him chanting the word. He rubs his face against me as best as he can, and I can see he’s still part-wolf. He looks so familiar, but I can’t seem to place him.

As he keeps rubbing me, I can’t help the moans that pour from my mouth at his touches. Wolves run in packs by nature. We are touchers and huggers but I’ve never felt anything like this. His gentleness surprises me. Then I realize what he’s doing. He’s trying to get my scent on him and his on me. I push into him, wanting the same thing, until he suddenly pulls back from me. This time it’s me who grabs through the bars, trying to get him back.

“Someone’s coming,” he growls. I hear the distant sound of tires on gravel. He’s right. We don’t have much time. A whine slips past my lips, and his eyes shoot back to mine. “They won’t keep you from me.” He reaches for the bars and pulls. They grind and screech as he starts to rip them from the concrete floor, sending shards of cement flying.

“Holy shit.” I step back, giving him room, completely shocked at what he’s doing.

I watch with wide eyes, and then suddenly he’s on me. Flipping me over his shoulder, he runs up the stairs with me.

“That way.” I point over his shoulder and he sprints in that direction. In half a second, I feel cool air on my cheeks as he runs us through the woods.

“I can run on my own.”

He slides me down his chest, and I think he’s going to put me down, but he just cradles me in his arms.