29. Noah
NOAH
I shook my head, the deafening roar of the gunshot still ringing in my ears as I dragged myself forward, searing pain shooting through my gut with each lurch. Blood matted my sandy fur and dripped onto the pavement below me. But none of that mattered when I saw George grabbing Zoey.
He had her arm in a vise grip as he pulled her toward the car. Her terrified shrieks pierced my ears.
“Ro, get out! Run!” Zoey yelled, desperately trying to wrench herself free.
I had to get to her. Every fiber of my being—man and wolf—pulsed with the need to protect my mate from that monster.
Fresh blood gushed from the bullet wound as I staggered to my feet. Black spots danced in my vision, but I blinked them away. One paw in front of the other. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, I closed the distance between us.
I yelped, instinctively trying to call her name.
She turned her head, hazel eyes locking on mine for a fraction of a second. On her face, I saw her fear, her pleading... and her trust that I would save her. No matter what it took, I would get her and Ro away from George. I just prayed I had enough strength to reach her in time.
Bones crunched and muscles stretched as I shifted into my human form. I knew the risks—the bullet could easily pierce a vital organ as my anatomy rearranged itself—but Zoey’s scream of terror drowned out any shred of self-preservation.
My body contorted, joints popping and skin splitting to reveal the man beneath the wolf. The searing agony in my gut intensified tenfold, threatening to send me back to the blood-slicked pavement. Gritting my teeth, I shoved it down.
With a final roar tearing from my human throat, I completed the shift. I stood on two legs once more, bleeding but ready to fight. George had nearly reached the car. Zoey thrashed in his grasp like a wild thing.
“George!” I bellowed. “Let her go, you bastard!”
He whirled to face me, eyes widening at the sight of my battered human form. For a moment, his grip on Zoey loosened.
I sprinted toward them, my battered body screaming in protest with each jarring step. The pain in my stomach burned hotter than hell itself, and my head spun from the blood loss. But I kept my eyes locked on Zoey’s terrified face, using her as my anchor.
“Noah!” She reached for me, nails scrabbling against George’s arm. “Noah, help!”
“I’m coming, baby,” I growled through clenched teeth. “I’m coming for you. Just hold on!”
George snarled and yanked Zoey back toward him. The car door was only feet away. If he got her inside, if he managed to drive away...
A surge of desperation lent me a final burst of speed. I lunged at George. I had to get Zoey away from him. Even if it killed me in the process.
George’s eyes flashed with malicious glee as I stumbled toward them, weakened and bleeding. He knew I was in no shape to fight. Not after shifting with a bullet lodged inside me.
“Look at you, Noah,” he sneered. “You’re supposed to be some great alpha? You’re nothing but a pathetic mess. You can’t protect her. You can’t even protect yourself.”
I ignored his taunts, keeping my focus on Zoey. She was so close, her screams ringing in my ears. Just a few more steps...
But George was ready for me. As I lunged forward, he shoved Zoey into my path. Her body collided with mine, sending us both tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
The impact knocked the breath from my lungs, and white-hot agony seared through my abdomen. Zoey cried out, her hands grasping at me as we hit the pavement. For a moment, the world spun sickeningly around me.
“Noah! Oh, God, Noah!” Zoey’s panicked voice cut through the haze of pain. “You’re hurt! You’re bleeding so much.”
I blinked hard, trying to clear my vision. Zoey’s face swam into focus above me, her eyes wide with fear and concern. I touched her cheek, leaving a smear of blood on her pale skin.
“I’m okay,” I rasped, even as my body screamed in protest. “I’m not going to let him take you—either of you. I promise.”
But even as the words left my mouth, I heard George’s mocking laughter and the slam of a car door. Followed by the squeal of tires and the roar of the engine fading into the distance. Terror was etched on Ro’s face as he clung to the back seat, visible through the rear window.
I struggled to my feet, ignoring the searing pain in my gut. Zoey clung to my arm, her fingers digging into my skin. He was getting away. And he had taken Roland with him.
“He’s got Ro!” Zoey cried. “We have to go after them. We have to save my baby!”
I scanned the street for a vehicle. My mind raced, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I had to stay focused, had to push past the agony of my wounds.
Ro’s terrified face flashed through my mind, the boy I had come to love as my own. He was trapped in that car with George, crying out for his mother. For me.
“I’ll get him back, Zoey,” I growled. “I swear on my life, I won’t let that bastard hurt either of you ever again.”
Zoey’s hazel eyes met mine, a flicker of hope amidst the fear. She squeezed my hand tightly.
“I trust you. With everything I have, I trust you.”
Those words fueled me, gave me the strength to stagger toward Zoey’s abandoned car. I yanked open the driver’s door, thanking the gods that the keys were still in the ignition.
“Get in,” I told Zoey as I slid behind the wheel. “Call the police and tell them what’s happening. I’m going after George.”
Zoey scrambled into the passenger seat, already dialing 911 with shaking hands. I revved the engine, tires screeching as I peeled out onto the street.
George had a head start, but I’d be damned if I let him get away. Not with Ro’s life on the line. Not with Zoey counting on me.
I gripped the steering wheel, teeth clenched against the pain, and floored the gas pedal. The chase was on.
I sped down the road, my gaze locked on George’s taillights in the distance. Beside me, Zoey spoke rapid-fire into the phone, her words tumbling over each other as she relayed the situation to the 911 operator.
“He’s headed east out of town,” she said, her free hand gripping the door handle. “Please, you have to hurry. My son is in the car with him.”
Glancing over at Zoey, I saw the fear etched into every line of her face. I reached over and put my hand on her knee.
“We’ll get him back,” I promised, my words a fierce vow. “I won’t let George hurt Ro.”
Zoey met my gaze, her hazel eyes brimming with unshed tears. She swallowed hard.
“I know,” she whispered. “I know you’ll do everything you can.”
I turned my attention back to the road. We were gaining on George.
In the back of my mind, my wolf stirred, eager to break free and hunt down the threat to our mate, to Ro.
But I couldn’t shift again, not with the bullet still lodged in my gut.
I had to rely on my human strength and wits to save Ro.
I gritted my teeth, ignoring the searing pain in my stomach. My focus narrowed to a single point: the car ahead of us and the precious cargo it carried.
I thought of Ro’s innocent face. Hang on, buddy . I’m coming for you. Just hold on a little longer .
Beside me, Zoey remained on the call with the police dispatcher, her fingers white-knuckled around the phone.
“They’re sending officers to intercept George,” she repeated. “But she said not to engage him ourselves. It’s too dangerous.”
I shook my head, a humorless laugh escaping my lips. “Too dangerous?” I growled. “I don’t give a damn about the danger. I’m not stopping until Ro is safe.”
“I know,” she murmured. “And I’m with you. Every step of the way.”
“Come on, come on.” I willed the car to go faster. Every second counted. Every moment Ro spent in George’s clutches was a moment too long.
Zoey’s ragged breathing filled the car, and my sharp hearing picked up on her pounding heart. I wanted to comfort her, but I couldn’t tear my focus away from the road ahead.
“What if he hurts Ro?” she asked, her voice quaking. “What if we’re too late?”
The same fears clawed at me, too, but I couldn’t let them take hold. “We won’t be too late. I won’t let that happen. I swear, I will bring him home.”
Up ahead, George’s car wove recklessly through traffic.
Zoey leaned forward, her nails digging into the dashboard as she strained to see. “Oh, God,” she whispered, tears streaking down her face. “Baby, just hold on. Mommy’s coming.”
The distance between us and George’s vehicle shrank with each passing second. We were gaining on him, but the busy road made the car difficult to maneuver.
“Come on, you bastard,” I growled, grinding my teeth. “Pull over. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
But I knew assholes like George too well.
He wouldn’t give up without a fight. He was obsessed with control, and now that he had Ro, he would do anything to keep him.
Not because of some twisted belief that he’d offer Ro a better life or even because he loved his son, but rather, he wanted to cause Zoey pain and maintain his dominance over her life.
I slammed my foot on the accelerator. The car’s wheels spun, and the back end swung out, nearly hitting a parked car. The tires screeched against the asphalt as I fought to maintain control, my knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel so tightly.
“Hold on, Zoey,” I said through gritted teeth. My heart shattered at the absolute devastation on her face. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
My stomach throbbed, a constant reminder of the bullet lodged inside me. Each breath felt like a knife twisting in my gut, but I refused to let it slow me down. My wolf stirred beneath the surface, urging me to push through the agony and keep going.
The streets blurred together as I navigated the familiar roads of our town, my mind racing with possibilities. I knew this town far better than George did. Growing up, Nate and I had roamed these streets on four paws and four wheels. Every corner and landmark was etched into my memory.
If I could just get ahead of him, I’d cut him off before he reached the highway...