Enforcer's Heart: (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance) (Stratton Wolves Book 3) by Mina Carter Page A
Authors: Mina Carter
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brother for me,” she snarled and pulled the trigger.
***
She’d knocked him out. Actually clean knocked him out. It had taken Riley only a few minutes to come round, but already that had been too late. With his truck gone he was forced to four paws and furry and even his top speed couldn’t match that of the sports vehicle. He arrived at the barn to find Max framed in the doorway, Ce’s bloodied and unconscious form in his arms.
His human form burst from his lupine one and he moaned, “No, oh God, no.”
Max’s face was one of sadness, haggard lines etched into the skin. “She went in the back. We didn’t even know she was here.”
“Ce…” Unable to help himself, Riley reached for her. Max didn’t argue, simply yielded his precious charge.
She was so light, and small. Riley sank to the ground, his throat tight, tears burning the back of his eyes. Somehow, she’d always seemed bigger. Perhaps that was the force of her personality, and the fact she was always arguing with him. Now she seemed empty, devoid of everything. Laughter, snark… Life.
Bending his head, he let the tears fall as he held her body close and rocked. Comfort he hadn’t been able to give before but now desperately wanted to.
“Why didn’t you wait? We’d have sorted this…” And they would. She shouldn’t have put herself in danger. Not his Ce… Not his love.
The tears flowed faster as he accepted the emotions roaring through him. From the first moment she’d run from him, he’d known she was the one. Oh, he’d ignored it. After Jenna, he been convinced he’d never mate again. He hadn’t even dated, just gone out of town to pick up a woman for the night when he needed. Never a wolf. Never a woman who might tempt him to mate again. Then Ce barrelled into his life, taking no prisoners and absolutely determined she wasn’t lycan.
“Darlin’, don’t leave me,” he begged, not caring the wolves around him heard. They shuffled their feet, moving away. “I just found you… You can’t be going already. Not when I… Love you. I love you, Clara. Don’t go.”
His wolf, going crazy, suddenly froze within. Aware. Alert. Hopeful. Riley lifted his head, frowning. What the hell? There was no way any wolf could recover from the depths of grief so quickly.
Then Ce’s eyelashes fluttered on her cheek.
“Shit… She’s alive!” Suddenly wolves were all around, crowding in as she slowly opened her eyes. They were bright, pure amber.
“Her wolf… It must have saved her. How could she be that far along?” Max muttered in shock but Riley just smiled. He should’ve known she wouldn’t let a little thing like her own death stop her. Now Max’s comment about her being an alpha made sense to him. He could smell it, that thread of power that ran through her scent. Once recognized he knew he’d never forget it.
“Hey, darlin’.” He reached out to stroke a finger down her cheek. “Gave me quite a scare there.”
Her lips curved into a weak smile. “Well, since you asked so nicely, it didn’t seem polite to leave.”
He managed a small chuckle, careful not to jostle her as he leaned down to press a kiss against her forehead. “Glad you’re back.”
She fixed her gaze on him with effort. Her eyes were filled with pain, lines bracketing her mouth. “Did you mean it?”
Any other time, he’d have teased her and pretended not to know what she meant, but not now. Never again. Not over something so important.
“That I love you? I do. Didn’t see it at first… Didn’t want to. But I do.”
She sighed, and happiness replaced the pain in her expression. “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that, Captain?”
He brushed at his cheeks with the back of his hand and laughed. “I’m never gonna get away from that, am I?”
Lifting a hand with effort, she touched his cheek. “Not a chance. And for the record, think I kind of love you too. Although, if you’ve got some painkillers, I’ll love you even
***
She’d knocked him out. Actually clean knocked him out. It had taken Riley only a few minutes to come round, but already that had been too late. With his truck gone he was forced to four paws and furry and even his top speed couldn’t match that of the sports vehicle. He arrived at the barn to find Max framed in the doorway, Ce’s bloodied and unconscious form in his arms.
His human form burst from his lupine one and he moaned, “No, oh God, no.”
Max’s face was one of sadness, haggard lines etched into the skin. “She went in the back. We didn’t even know she was here.”
“Ce…” Unable to help himself, Riley reached for her. Max didn’t argue, simply yielded his precious charge.
She was so light, and small. Riley sank to the ground, his throat tight, tears burning the back of his eyes. Somehow, she’d always seemed bigger. Perhaps that was the force of her personality, and the fact she was always arguing with him. Now she seemed empty, devoid of everything. Laughter, snark… Life.
Bending his head, he let the tears fall as he held her body close and rocked. Comfort he hadn’t been able to give before but now desperately wanted to.
“Why didn’t you wait? We’d have sorted this…” And they would. She shouldn’t have put herself in danger. Not his Ce… Not his love.
The tears flowed faster as he accepted the emotions roaring through him. From the first moment she’d run from him, he’d known she was the one. Oh, he’d ignored it. After Jenna, he been convinced he’d never mate again. He hadn’t even dated, just gone out of town to pick up a woman for the night when he needed. Never a wolf. Never a woman who might tempt him to mate again. Then Ce barrelled into his life, taking no prisoners and absolutely determined she wasn’t lycan.
“Darlin’, don’t leave me,” he begged, not caring the wolves around him heard. They shuffled their feet, moving away. “I just found you… You can’t be going already. Not when I… Love you. I love you, Clara. Don’t go.”
His wolf, going crazy, suddenly froze within. Aware. Alert. Hopeful. Riley lifted his head, frowning. What the hell? There was no way any wolf could recover from the depths of grief so quickly.
Then Ce’s eyelashes fluttered on her cheek.
“Shit… She’s alive!” Suddenly wolves were all around, crowding in as she slowly opened her eyes. They were bright, pure amber.
“Her wolf… It must have saved her. How could she be that far along?” Max muttered in shock but Riley just smiled. He should’ve known she wouldn’t let a little thing like her own death stop her. Now Max’s comment about her being an alpha made sense to him. He could smell it, that thread of power that ran through her scent. Once recognized he knew he’d never forget it.
“Hey, darlin’.” He reached out to stroke a finger down her cheek. “Gave me quite a scare there.”
Her lips curved into a weak smile. “Well, since you asked so nicely, it didn’t seem polite to leave.”
He managed a small chuckle, careful not to jostle her as he leaned down to press a kiss against her forehead. “Glad you’re back.”
She fixed her gaze on him with effort. Her eyes were filled with pain, lines bracketing her mouth. “Did you mean it?”
Any other time, he’d have teased her and pretended not to know what she meant, but not now. Never again. Not over something so important.
“That I love you? I do. Didn’t see it at first… Didn’t want to. But I do.”
She sighed, and happiness replaced the pain in her expression. “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that, Captain?”
He brushed at his cheeks with the back of his hand and laughed. “I’m never gonna get away from that, am I?”
Lifting a hand with effort, she touched his cheek. “Not a chance. And for the record, think I kind of love you too. Although, if you’ve got some painkillers, I’ll love you even
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