Pruitt begins to pull herself up, but Nicolai shoves his dress shoe clad foot into the middle of her back and forces her down again. “I’ll see you soon,” he promises her. He motions at his goons to let me go, and they mimic what he did to Pru, shoving me back to the floor.
I skid to a stop right in front of Pru, and the second the front door slams behind them, she begins sobbing. Her whole body shakes with emotion. I pull myself into a sitting position, careful to not put any pressure on my broken wrist, and hiss in pain when I feel it radiating from my ribs. One of those assholes must have broken one when they bodyslammed me.
I stay sitting on the floor and pull Pru into my lap. She comes willingly and sinks into me when I wrap my arms protectively around her. Her hands ball into the front of my shirt as she cries into my chest.
I hear my father on his phone, making calls to the enforcers. He alerts them that we are on a pack-wide lockdown and to go to the various safe houses around the city. Many of them with small children will end up staying here with us since it’s safest.
“Are you alright?” Mom kneels at my side and puts a soothing hand on Pru’s back. “Honey, what can I get you?” she asks her.
Pru shakes her head and continues to hide her face in my chest.
“We need something to clean up her neck.”
Pruitt doesn’t even flinch when Remington presses a swab with antiseptic into the wounds on her throat. I know for a fact that stuff burns like a motherfucker, but my strong little mate sits stone-faced. It took her several minutes to calm down enough that I could carry her over to the kitchen countertop where she now sits.
We all turn to look when we hear footsteps walking on the broken glass from the windows. The twins walk into the kitchen, anger distorting their features. Ranger’s eyes flash into their wolf form when he spots Pru. He hurries over to her, Ransom close on his heels.
“Pru, are you okay?” Ranger asks.
“Do you need anything?” Ransom questions at the same time.
It warms my heart that my brothers are as worried about my mate as I am.
“I’m okay,” Pru promises with a reassuring smile.
Remi rolls her eyes at our brothers’ worried faces. “Good God! Stop hovering and move out of my way so I can work,” she scoffs. Remi carefully places the bandage over Prue’s neck, covering the angry red puncture marks.
“Where is this fucker?” Ransom demands. “Why did you let him get away?”
“We didn’t let him get away.” I scowl at my brother. “He threated the lives of the humans in town if we tried anything.”
“Is he planning an attack?” Ranger has his arms folded over his chest.
“No.” Pruitt jumps off the counter. “He’s waiting for me to turn myself over to him.”
“Which isn’t going to happen,” I growl.
“Every day that I don’t, he’s going to kill someone in the pack!” she exclaims as if I don’t remember Nicolai’s words.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to prevent that,” Dad intercedes. “Until further notice, no one in the pack is to be alone. Everyone must travel or move in teams of at least two. This house is in lockdown—no one leaves,” Dad commands. “Pruitt, you will be staying here.”
“What about Addison?” she asks.
“Noah is already with her. He’ll keep her safe.” I reach for Pru, and she quickly intertwines our fingers. I think back to last night and this morning and frown. It’s scary how quickly your life can explode in front of you.
“We’ll be doing hourly check-ins with each pack member,” Dad continues, “and two people will be on patrol around the house, working in hour-long shifts. Ryker, where are Sawyer and Avery?”
“Sawyer sent me a text and said they were on their way back now,” I tell him.
While the twins had been looking into the possible rogue attack west of here, Sawyer and Avery were following their own lead about a dismembered body south of town. I feel guilty I haven’t been able to help them with the rogues, but I’m thankful my brothers were willing to step up to contribute. There has been such an influx of attacks lately; we can use all the help we can get.
“Okay, good.” Dad nods. “I’ll take the first shift of patrol with Ranger. Ransom and Remi, you’ll be next. Any questions?”
Remi raises her hand then points at Ransom with a slender finger. “Can I request a change of partner?”
“No.”
“Worth a try.”
26
Pruitt
I stand in the window, or what’s left of it, and watch as two more people go out to replace the pair already on patrol. This time it’s the enforcers, Kody and Logan, replacing Margot and a pack member I haven’t met before named Hallie. Hallie looks like she’s fairly young, and I feel horrible she has to spend her night patrolling the woods for danger, danger she’s only in because of me.
I should never have come back…
“Is that what you think?” Ryker questions as he comes up behind me. Dammit, I need to learn not to broadcast my thoughts. “That it would have been better if you’d never come back to Montana? To the pack? To me?”
I cross my arms defensively in front of me as I face him. “Right about now? Yes, I’m thinking that,” I say. “The man who’s responsible for my parents’ deaths is threatening everyone I care about because he wants me to be his mate. If I hadn’t come back, he would still have no idea where I was, and you would all be safe.”
“Pru, we’re all going to be okay, and we will keep you safe.” Ryker’s face softens as he looks at me. I know my words must have hurt him, but he doesn’t react.
“That’s another thing!” I exclaim,
