Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Wyatt
After the last of the appliances have been installed, I spend the rest of the morning cleaning up any left over construction mess, then head out toward the Pack house to feed Andrew.
It's a beautiful day out, sunny without being overly warm.
I let my thoughts drift. Our den is finally complete and we can settle into our life.
Get to know each other better. Cement the bond.
The lingering scent of the work crew is the only thing that needs to be dealt with, but that is easily remedied.
Fucking my mate on every available surface ought to take care of it.
Speaking of scents… there's something…
Halting my walk, I inhale deeply trying to get a feel for what caught my attention.
The odor is vaguely familiar, but it's not the remnants of the work crew.
Our wards have been relaxed during construction, which is a vulnerability.
I want to get back to Andrew, but this calls for investigation.
My mate has a back up blood supply if needed.
Tracking the smell, I move into the woods, listening. Whoever is out here doesn't belong, especially so close to my den.
Time feels suspended as I focus on the hunt, and before I know it, I've reached the Warwick property – which is technically now part of Pack land since it belongs to Jericho's mate, Faith.
The scent is stronger here. Keeping hidden, I pause and listen for movement.
There. A heartbeat.
Choosing my footsteps carefully, I let the sound guide me.
"Come out, wolf," a man's voice calls.
I round the tree and face him, getting a first look at my prey. Where do I know him from?
"You're trespassing. I suggest you leave while you still can."
His answering smirk sets off my wolf, and a growl escapes before I can shove it down.
"I'd go easily if you didn't want it to hurt so much," he says before he lets a knife fly.
Reflexes kick in and I dodge while moving toward my opponent. I have no patience for games.
For a human, he's fast. But I'm faster.
When I'm in range, my fist meets his face, but not at full force. I'm not ready to kill him. I want to know why he's here.
We continue to grapple until I have him down. Yanking him toward me by his shirt, I ask, "Who are you? Why are you here?"
But instead of answering, he laughs. A sharp pain pierces my belly, causing me to let go of the man's shirt. He falls to the ground as I look down and see a small blade embedded in my side.
Fuck this. Pulling out the dagger, I toss it away. I've had worse.
"I finally found you, and now you're mine." He spits out blood as he struggles to sit up.
"I'm going to ask you one more time. Who are you, and why are you here?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
I'm done. I could have been spending time with Andrew, but instead, I'm dealing with this asshole. My fist meets his face again, but this time I make sure it puts him out.
Grabbing his arm, I drag the guy through the woods back toward the Pack house.
I could carry him, but he's going to have the day he deserves instead.
A few bumps, scrapes, and bruises aren't going to kill him.
This dude doesn't want to talk, fine. He doesn't have to.
He'll be a housewarming present for Andrew.