They heard a scream off in the distance, and then nothing. Brenna exhaled. They would never see Stuart again, and she wasn’t the least sorry about his demise.
Roman came back a few minutes later and went directly to the stream, and Brenna could see him wash off his muzzle.
“Can we at least climb a tree?” Nicole asked.
“Stop being scared. He won’t hurt us.”
Brenna stood when Roman stalked them. He started growling a few feet from her and kept moving toward her. She laughed when she fell to the ground, and he was on top of her.
“Oh, no,” Nicole screamed.
“It’s okay, Nicole.”
Roman pinned her to the ground and started licking her face.
“Yuck, stop,” Brenna said. Roman growled harder and put more weight on her, making her giggle. She tried pushing him off, but she was laughing too hard.
“What the hell is going on?” Nicole yelled.
Chapter Twelve
Roman couldn’t stop shaking. When he first felt his mate’s terror, he’d been outside a building. He scanned the area and couldn’t see her, so he started walking, following her scent.
He didn’t say anything to anyone because he was focused on his mate.
After getting into the forest, he changed form and ran the way she was going. He could have taken the truck, but her scent wouldn’t have been as strong. He kept to the edge of the trees and came upon them as the man pulled Nicole from the car.
The man was dragging Nicole, but otherwise, both women were fine. He stayed close because he wanted to be there if things went south, but farther in the woods so he could kill the bastard who threatened his mate.
When he finally showed himself, he could smell and see the relief on her face.
He couldn’t believe it when she taunted him and called him a dog, and he told her without words that she’d pay for that later, which he knew she understood.
After taking care of the threat, he left the body, knowing the scavengers would be on it within the hour. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to kill a human or even another shifter to protect the pack, and he knew it wouldn’t be the last time either.
He led the girls back to the car.
Brenna hugged him. “Thank you, mate,” she said in his ear. He huffed and waited until they both got in the car, and it turned around, heading for the town.
He followed them part of the way and then cut across to get home and dress before they arrived. Roman walked outside of his house, tucking his shirt in. He’d taken the time to shower quickly before dressing.
He was at her door and opening it before she turned thekey. He pulled her out and into his arms. “Never again, mate. Do you understand?”
She nodded against his chest, and her arms tightened around his waist.
“God, I think you took ten years off my life,” he said.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“You will be sorry for that dog crack.”
She giggled, making him smile.
“Would someone like to tell me that the hell is going on?” Nicole said, and every word got louder and filled with frustration.
Brenna looked up at Roman and laughed at the look on his face. “She won’t tell anyone.”
“Fine.” He looked at Nicole. “Let’s go into the house, and we’ll explain.”