beast. In Shunu form he could cover twice the distance. Cathen submerged all of himself and moved as fast as he could.
“ Cathen ,” she screamed in his mind.
He thrust his entire body out of the water and onto the walkway. Water dripped from his fur onto the stone beneath him. Men had their hands on his mate and were rushing her down the street. Fear widened her eyes. How dare they? At full gallop, he charged toward them. One turned back just as he lunged at him and bit into his leg. The man screeched. Cathen tossed him to the stone side of the bridge, knocking him unconscious. Blood gushed from the man’s head. Cathen growled low and menacingly at the man dragging his mate. Lifting onto his hind legs, he launched onto him, wrestling the man to the ground. He dove into the man’s neck and tore open his throat. Blood coated his mouth. He hated for her to see him this way, more beast than man. There were more on the way, though. Of that he could be sure.
“ Come .” Cathen gestured to the alley with his snout. The small boat wasn’t too far away. He could place her inside and pull her to safety.
“ Should I ride? ” She hustled alongside him.
That was a question better answered by her. He didn’t want to do anything further that could possibly hurt her or the life growing inside her. “ Is it safe in your condition? ”
“ Probably safer than getting caught again. ” Her eyes pleaded with him not to push her on the matter.
He lowered next to her. She climbed onto his back, one leg on each side of him. One paw in front of the other, he took cautious steps forward, not wanting toss her about up top.
“ I’m not made of glass, ” she scolded him. “ I’m pregnant. ”
Why was he the one in trouble? She was the one hiding important facts from him. For all he knew, he’d already pushed her too hard while they were escaping. Now it made sense, though, that she’d wanted to rest and was so tired. It wasn’t like her to complain. And the fact that she’d said she couldn’t jump from the train. She was solid, always keeping others’ spirits up when they had to vanish. Then there was her getting sick after she’d eaten when they’d stopped and she’d made the shelter.
Chapter 17
Alexia could tell Cathen was thinking about the fact that she was pregnant, but rather than talk to her about it, he was formulating how to deal with this complication.
“ Our child isn’t a complication. ” He responded to her thoughts.“ Love and children are the two things all Shunus value over all others. ”
“ The child is mine and VanWolf’s. ” The baby was all that was left of the love she’d shared with VanWolf.
“ Do you think because I did not create the child that I would love him or her any less? It is an honor for a male to be a guardian and teacher to a child. You lack understanding of our ways and of me. ” He turned the corner into an alley.
“ But you hate VanWolf. How could you raise his child? ” she questioned.
“ I do not hate him. ” He slowed his steps. “ I do not know any other way I can explain to you the relationship he and I shared. The bond. ”
In front of them red eyes appeared, glowing in the dark, then another set. Behind them she sensed two more werewolves. They were trapped.
“ The pack betas aren’t far behind. I won’t allow anything to happen to you or the baby. I guarantee you that. ” The resolve in his tone was clear.
Alexia feared to the depths of her soul that he would die there to free her and she’d be carried off to safety by the pack. She couldn’t lose him. The moon vanished behind clouds, plunging them further into darkness. She dismounted and he blanketed her with his body. If they wanted her, they would have to go through him, and he wasn’t moving. Static tension lowered over them. The weres snarled as they moved forward.
“ VanWolf begged for his death in the end, ” the largest said. “ The last name he spoke was Emmiline
“ Cathen ,” she screamed in his mind.
He thrust his entire body out of the water and onto the walkway. Water dripped from his fur onto the stone beneath him. Men had their hands on his mate and were rushing her down the street. Fear widened her eyes. How dare they? At full gallop, he charged toward them. One turned back just as he lunged at him and bit into his leg. The man screeched. Cathen tossed him to the stone side of the bridge, knocking him unconscious. Blood gushed from the man’s head. Cathen growled low and menacingly at the man dragging his mate. Lifting onto his hind legs, he launched onto him, wrestling the man to the ground. He dove into the man’s neck and tore open his throat. Blood coated his mouth. He hated for her to see him this way, more beast than man. There were more on the way, though. Of that he could be sure.
“ Come .” Cathen gestured to the alley with his snout. The small boat wasn’t too far away. He could place her inside and pull her to safety.
“ Should I ride? ” She hustled alongside him.
That was a question better answered by her. He didn’t want to do anything further that could possibly hurt her or the life growing inside her. “ Is it safe in your condition? ”
“ Probably safer than getting caught again. ” Her eyes pleaded with him not to push her on the matter.
He lowered next to her. She climbed onto his back, one leg on each side of him. One paw in front of the other, he took cautious steps forward, not wanting toss her about up top.
“ I’m not made of glass, ” she scolded him. “ I’m pregnant. ”
Why was he the one in trouble? She was the one hiding important facts from him. For all he knew, he’d already pushed her too hard while they were escaping. Now it made sense, though, that she’d wanted to rest and was so tired. It wasn’t like her to complain. And the fact that she’d said she couldn’t jump from the train. She was solid, always keeping others’ spirits up when they had to vanish. Then there was her getting sick after she’d eaten when they’d stopped and she’d made the shelter.
Chapter 17
Alexia could tell Cathen was thinking about the fact that she was pregnant, but rather than talk to her about it, he was formulating how to deal with this complication.
“ Our child isn’t a complication. ” He responded to her thoughts.“ Love and children are the two things all Shunus value over all others. ”
“ The child is mine and VanWolf’s. ” The baby was all that was left of the love she’d shared with VanWolf.
“ Do you think because I did not create the child that I would love him or her any less? It is an honor for a male to be a guardian and teacher to a child. You lack understanding of our ways and of me. ” He turned the corner into an alley.
“ But you hate VanWolf. How could you raise his child? ” she questioned.
“ I do not hate him. ” He slowed his steps. “ I do not know any other way I can explain to you the relationship he and I shared. The bond. ”
In front of them red eyes appeared, glowing in the dark, then another set. Behind them she sensed two more werewolves. They were trapped.
“ The pack betas aren’t far behind. I won’t allow anything to happen to you or the baby. I guarantee you that. ” The resolve in his tone was clear.
Alexia feared to the depths of her soul that he would die there to free her and she’d be carried off to safety by the pack. She couldn’t lose him. The moon vanished behind clouds, plunging them further into darkness. She dismounted and he blanketed her with his body. If they wanted her, they would have to go through him, and he wasn’t moving. Static tension lowered over them. The weres snarled as they moved forward.
“ VanWolf begged for his death in the end, ” the largest said. “ The last name he spoke was Emmiline
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