30. Cherry #3
“I can’t wait to seal our mating bond,” he says, surprising me.
“But I will.” He smiles as he reaches up to cup my face, his thumb rubbing my cheek.
“I don’t want us to seal the bond while you’re worried about the others.
It’s not fair to any of us. So let’s just take that off the table until they return, okay? ”
My shoulders drop as some of the tension leaves me. “I love you, Chase.” I lean forward and he meets me halfway with a kiss that’s a little more than a peck.
“Alright, lovebirds, break it up. I’ve got the clothes.”
I bite my lip, smiling as I turn to Hunter. He holds up the clothing as I remember Maddox’s strange request.
Standing, I reach out to take the shirt he’s holding as I ask, “Why did—Oh.”
Chase snorts as I inhale Maddox’s leather, cedar, and ash scent, my eyes closing as my muscles start to relax. “Oh, wow,” I whisper, not realizing what an effect that would have on me.
My eyes open and I see Hunter holding a pair of Gage’s boxers and Bain’s socks. Suddenly, I’m desperate to have them surrounding me, and I quickly start removing my dress.
“Someone’s eager,” Chase laughs as he helps me strip. The second my bra and panties are off me, I yank on Maddox’s shirt so fast, I’m not even sure they got a proper glimpse of my body.
Hunter holds out Gage’s boxers after I give them a rather embarrassing sniff, followed by Bain’s socks. They might not be as ideal as a shirt, but the ring I wear around my neck still smells faintly of him too.
“You two get comfy, I’ll grab the snacks,” Hunter tells me as I crawl into the middle of my bed. Chase settles beside me as Hunter comes in and passes Chase his glass of water, setting ours down on the nightstand, then sets a bowl of jellybeans in my lap.
“Alright, Chase, I believe you had a story about a squirrel to share?” Hunter asks with a smirk.
I pop a jellybean in my mouth, already feeling better as I turn to Chase in amusement. “Yeah, Chase. Do tell.”
He leans his head back and groans, then takes a big sip of water before he begins.
“Alright, in my defense,” Chase says, pointing like that somehow makes this better, “it was dark. Like, we’re talking no moon, deep woods, couldn’t see a damn thing, sort of dark.”
I watch him as I pop another jellybean in my mouth.
“So, I hear this rustling,” he continues. “It was loud. Branches snapped and I swear I heard a growl. I saw a tiny bit of black fur, so obviously I’m thinking it’s a bear. A big one.”
He straightens slightly, acting it out. “So I puff up in my wolf form, go full alpha, ready to scare it off before it charges. I even growl. I was very impressive, I might add.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to smile.
“Turns out,” he says, dragging it out, “this terrifying beast… was a squirrel.”
I snort before I can stop myself, even though I knew where the story was probably headed.
“A very offended squirrel,” he adds. “And instead of running, the little demon charged me. Straight at my face like it had something to prove.”
“No!” I gasp, my hand flying up to cover my smile.
He nods, taking a sip of his water before he replies. “Yes. And I may or may not have tripped over a root trying to dodge it,” he mutters. “Ended up with all four legs in the air.”
Giggles escape me as Hunter adds, “And yes, we never let him live it down.”
I shake my head, laughter bubbling in my chest as I look at him. My ridiculous, overconfident alpha who once got taken out by a squirrel.
“I can’t believe you did that,” I chuckle.
“Couldn’t you smell the difference?” He doesn’t respond, so I turn to him.
He’s leaning back against the headboard, his wide eyes staring straight ahead.
“Chase?” I ask, sitting up straighter as I touch his shoulder.
He doesn’t move. “Hunter! I think something’s wrong with—”
Turning, I cut myself off when I see Hunter in the same position. “What’s going on?”
“I can’t move,” Chase says through the bond, his voice sounding strained and weak.
“Cherry, get in the panic room, now!” Hunter yells in my head, though his voice sounds just as strange.
I start to move down the bed, my body feeling sluggish as my head whips between the two of them, unsure what’s happening.
“I don’t want to leave you like this,” I say as tears fill my eyes.
“Please, go!” Chase says, his voice getting weaker.
“Now!” Hunter adds desperately.
I nod, slipping off the bed and stumbling to my knees. It takes me a second to get to my feet, then I quickly move into my panic room, slamming the button to lock me in as tears streak down my cheek.
But nothing happens, the door doesn’t close. It doesn’t even make a noise. I hit it again, and again, and on my next attempt, it falls from its place on the wall, revealing a mess of cables.
“The wires have been cut!” I yell before bracing a hand on the door frame to steady my trembling body as I step out of my panic room. Why do I feel so weak?
I lift my head and a scream lodges itself in my throat at the sight that greets me.
Standing in my bedroom is Ezra, holding the decapitated head of his girlfriend, Juliet.