Chapter 20 Triple Threat
Triple Threat
Eventually Sawyer and I made our way out to the living room. Thorne scrolled his phone, typing out messages, and Cole was nowhere to be found.
Grabbing a drink, I dropped onto the sofa. Sawyer draped his arm around me. I caught him eyeing the rapidly-healing bite mark he’d given me.
The mate bond hummed between us, more solid when we were touching. His satisfaction and possessiveness filtered through, and I couldn’t help nestling into his side.
While my bond with Thorne was intense and fiery, this one with Sawyer felt playful and grounding, anchoring me to safety. Grinning, Sawyer stole the can from my hand and took a swig.
Our attention was stolen by a figure appearing in the hall.
“We need to move. Hunter is on his way,” Cole said, breathless. The heel of his hand rubbed at his temple.
“How?” Thorne rose, rolling his shoulders. “We should have had a few days!”
Cole shook his head. “Mia texted. He loaded up a whole crew.”
“Wait, we didn’t discuss going anywhere else,” Sawyer growled, slamming the drink onto the coffee table. “This is exactly what we said we wouldn’t do. We aren’t going on the run with you.”
“Wait, we need to think this through,” I said, climbing to my feet. My fingers twisted in the hem of my shirt.
“No, they aren’t taking us away from our lives!” Sawyer declared.
I flinched. Sawyer and Thorne faced off, looking ready to rip into each other, and I had no idea what to do. Somehow I didn’t think fucking them would work in this instance.
Thorne snarled. “I’m trying to make sure you stay alive.”
“We’ll be safer without you,” Sawyer argued.
Cole looked to Sawyer, his soft gray eyes pleading. “Sawyer, please come with us. Things will not go well if you leave here without us right now.”
“How am I even supposed to know you’re telling the truth? I was always told seers weren’t even real.” Sawyer threw his hands up, taking a step back.
Recoiling, Cole curled in on himself.
“Cole, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be an asshole. It’s just…” Sawyer trailed off.
Hands pressing to his head, Cole’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he dropped.
“Cole!” I shrieked, scrambling across the room to his side. Grabbing his shoulders, I pulled his head into my lap.
Thorne knelt beside us, while Sawyer hovered behind him.
Eyelids fluttering, Cole twitched in my lap.
“Is he okay?” I asked.
Thorne brushed his hair back tenderly. “Yes, he’s having a vision. Give him a minute.”
Cole lurched up, curling over and retching. Thorne held him steady until the heaving stopped. Collapsing back against me, Cole’s eyes opened. The pale gray was lighter, like liquid silver.
“He’s here,” he rasped. “It’s too late.”
“Shit!” Sawyer jogged to the front door, looking out the narrow window beside it.
Thorne hooked his arms under Cole’s and lifted him, half-carrying him to the sofa. Once Cole was in place, Thorne followed Sawyer to the entryway.
Perching beside him, I pressed my palm to Cole’s forehead. His skin was cold and damp. “How can I help?”
“Touch me, please.” Cole sank down, his eyes squeezed shut. “I’m trying to keep myself from passing out.”
Wasting no time, I straddled him, wrapping my arms around his upper back and hugging him as firmly as I could manage.
His quick breaths slowed, and his tense frame slowly relaxed.
“Autumn?” he mumbled. “It’s going to be okay.”
“Of course it is,” I replied, placing a kiss on his temple. He was clearly in pain, but he took the time to reassure me, when I was trying to comfort him.
“Someone’s here!” Sawyer yelped.
I glanced up, having a clear view of the front door from my spot on the sofa.
Thorne rested his arm against the front door, his head hanging down as he tried to strategize. “How many?”
“Looks like three, no, four guys getting out of the van. They’re big dudes. Should we make a run for it out the back?”
“Cole isn’t up for that,” I snapped.
Thorne twisted, his eyes narrowing as he took me and Cole in. “You guys should go back to the bedroom and shut and lock the door.”
“What difference would that make?” I met his stare boldly, challenging him. I couldn’t move Cole that far. He was relaxing under my touch, but his hands still shook.
Sawyer glanced out the window again. “Do you have any weapons?”
“No. Why would we?”
“Because you’re on the run, you fucking moron,” Sawyer growled, sprinting to the kitchen.
Sawyer was crossing the living room with a chef’s knife in hand when the door splintered.
Throwing his hands up to protect his face, Thorne was shoved back into the wall.
A huge werewolf, a head taller than Thorne and twice as wide stormed in.
Past him, two other thugs jogged past a smirking Hunter.
Thorne shook off the shock and stepped in the brute’s path, bringing his fists up.
“Can you move?” I asked Cole.
He shook his head. “No use.”
“That’s not very helpful,” I growled, climbing off his lap.
Thorne swung at the huge man, landing a punch that was promptly ignored. His opponent lashed out, hitting Thorne in the stomach. He doubled over, and the two other men pushed past him and advanced on us.
Sawyer threw himself forward, brandishing the knife. One guy lurched back, but the other moved forward, obviously thinking Sawyer wouldn’t actually use it. He was very wrong.
Slashing forward, Sawyer left a crimson line across the man’s stomach, making him stumble back. Unfortunately, the other man leapt closer and grabbed Sawyer’s wrist, twisting it until the knife tumbled away. With a vicious uppercut, he sent Sawyer sprawling across the floor.
The massive man who broke down the door advanced on us, but Thorne flung himself onto the man’s back, looping his arm around the man’s neck to choke him.
The intruder with the blood blooming across his stomach reached for me, and I jerked back, keeping out of reach. Cole met my eyes, and I wanted to cry at the quiet acceptance there. I wanted him to fight, to do something, but he let the man who had punched Sawyer haul him up by his arm.
In slow motion, the huge werewolf sank to his knees and dropped. Thorne released him, scrambling to his feet beside the felled giant.
While I was staring at Thorne, the man with the bleeding stomach grabbed my wrist and dragged me forward a few steps. Screeching, I jerked in his hold, bringing my other hand up to claw at him.
Eyes blazing like a demon, Thorne launched himself at the man. He grabbed the man’s wrist and squeezed, causing him to release me. Snarling, Thorne punched him, sending blood splattering across my shirt.
I couldn’t help my horrified scream. Eyes wide, I stumbled back a step.
The third man who had knocked Sawyer down was dragging Cole out the front. I had to help him. It would be too late if we didn’t stop him right now.
Taking a step in his direction, I faltered as Sawyer darted in. Grabbing the man by the shirt collar, he shoved the knife between his ribs.
“Don’t you fucking touch him,” he growled, his hand wrapped around Cole’s waist to support him as the man fell to his knees.
Surprise ricocheted through my mate bond, followed by a flood of desire and rage.
Cole slumped into Sawyer’s hold. Sawyer looked like he’d been shocked with a live wire. Thorne staggered to his feet and surged toward them. Sawyer shoved Cole into his arms and jerked back, clearly not wanting to touch him.
Heart pounding in my ears, I surveyed the three bleeding and unconscious men at my feet. Only Hunter was standing just outside the door, a look of pure shock twisting his features.
Snarling, I reached down and slid the kitchen knife out of the man’s side. Blood gurgled out, pooling on the floor. Brandishing the weapon, I stormed to the front door.
Hunter walked backward, keeping his eyes on me.
Holding the weapon up, I yelled, “Don’t come near either of my mates or Cole, you piece of shit.”
Reaching the car, Hunter wrenched the door open and flung himself inside. He hit the gas, racing down the neighborhood street way too fast.
Sagging, I let the knife fall from my hand and clatter across the concrete. Sawyer appeared at my back, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face into my neck.
His emotions were turned up to maximum, and I shivered under the onslaught as he touched me. Our fresh mate bond pulsed between us, making it hard to tell what were my emotions and what were his.
“It’s okay, we’re okay,” I repeated, twisting in his hold to face him.
Eyes wild, Sawyer clung to me. Thorne shoved past us, half-carrying Cole to the SUV. As he returned, he grunted, “Gather your stuff. We need to leave now.”
Sawyer was shaking, but he followed me to the master suite where we shoved our belongings back into our bags and headed to the car without argument.
His hands were still trembling as we climbed into the back seat. Slouching into his seat, Sawyer stared at Cole with his lips parted. Cole shifted in his seat, his back arching and head tipping back as he sucked in each breath.
Thorne threw a bag into the back and climbed into the driver's seat. He backed out of the driveway, leaving the front door hanging open to reveal the bodies we were leaving behind.
“Where are we going?” I asked meekly.
“No idea,” Thorne answered.
Sawyer looked between us, his face taut with stress. “We can go to my cabin. It’s almost impossible to find. We will be safe there as long as we need, unless Hunter can track you through the bond.”
Thorne shook his head. “I don’t think he can anymore. It’s settled.”
“Good.”
Without any further discussion, Sawyer guided Thorne out of town and up into the mountains.