“Then go. I’ll take care of the bodies,” Lucas said.
Liam started making his way back to his mate. Awful scenarios kept playing in his head. He trusted Logan to guard Eli. Liam tried to reach out to Eli again but his mate was in panic mode. Liam tried to send soothing and calming emotions through the link, unsure if it would work.
Both of them were new at this. Neither of them fully understood what the mating bond was capable of yet. What if Steve and Eli’s family finally managed to track Eli down?Liam had to admit that when nothing happened after a few weeks, he put Steve and Eli’s family away from his mind.
Completing the lodge’s renovations was his number one priority. Cursing himself, Liam pushed his powerful body faster. Bears weren’t natural runners like wolves but his speed could still take an opponent by surprise on occasion.
Branches whipped at his face. He dug his long, wicked ebony claws into the earth. Liam pictured himself slicing the enemy to ribbons with them. Sweat trickled down his back. Liam was getting close.
The lodge loomed ahead of him. The dark wooden roof peeked back at him through a cluster of trees. He threw back his head and let out a roar to tell his mate he was coming. Eli, hang on, Liam thought.
He blamed himself for leaving his pregnant Omega at the lodge. Liam should’ve woken Logan up and let him look for Lucas while Liam stood guard over his mate.
Too late for regrets. He only hoped he could reach his mate in time. Liam pushed his way past two trees. The lodge was finally just a few feet from him. He heard the loud thud first. Wood cracked and splintered.
Logan barrelled right through the front door, a big black muscled werewolf nipping at his heels. Logan was covered in rake marks and blood. Liam then saw his mate.
Time came to a halt. Another werewolf, a leaner one with brown fur, padded towards Eli. Eli’s hands shook as he pointed a shotgun at his attacker.
Fury like Liam had never known, swarmed him. How dare this puny and pathetic werewolf attack a pregnant Omega, his Omega?
Neither Eli nor his attacker seemed to notice his arrival. Liam took two, three long strides towards them.
Eli looked up and saw him. Relief filled his Omega’s features. Eli scrambled away from his attacker. The werewolf didn’t have a chance to give chase.
One swipe of Liam’s massive paw sent the pathetic bully sprawling backwards. Logan must’ve dispatched the other werewolf by now but Logan wouldn’t interfere. His brother understood this was Liam’s kill.
The brown-furred werewolf opened his jaws and let out a warning growl. Liam wasn’t the least bit impressed. Liam padded towards him.
Mercy didn’t exist in his dictionary. This furry bastard might not be a Rogue but once he came after Eli, he just signed his death sentence.
The werewolf must’ve underestimated Liam’s speed because he wasn’t fast enough to dart away. Liam drove his claws into his opponent’s belly. The werewolf whined. He didn’t get off on pain and violence but at that moment, he wanted this fool to hurt, to suffer.
Liam looked over his shoulder to where Eli still sat in the dirt. The asshole who attacked his mate wasn’t going anywhere, not while he remained skewered on Liam’s claws.
Eli’s eyes were wide and he wrapped his arms around his belly. Eli and he shared a look of understanding.
This fucker had to die. Liam returned his attention to the werewolf. The bastard didn’t deserve a quick end, but he didn’t want Eli to continue watching his horror show.
Eli had been through enough today. Liam sunk his fangs into the struggling werewolf’s neck. He ripped out the bastard’s throat, ending his misery.
Eli
“I’m sorry,” Logan told Eli for the third time that evening.
“Logan, enough,” Eli said.
All four of them sat down for dinner. After the long day everyone had, Eli bet everyone was hungry. He managed to whip up some sandwiches and chips.
“You’ve apologized too many times.” Eli added.
Liam couldn’t stop glowering at his brother. Logan clenched his jaw so hard, Eli had a feeling he had plenty to say to Liam.
Good grief. All three Griffin brothers were a mess, covered in bandages and cuts. Since they refused to go to a hospital, Eli tended to each of them as best as he could before they sat down for dinner.
How could Eli explain to both Liam and Logan that he was fine? The worst was over. For now, they could breathe easy. Lucas was the only one who seemed oblivious to the tension in the room.
“Are you going to eat those chips?” Lucas asked Eli.
Eli shook his head, passing his plate to the hungry werebear.
“I trusted you to do one thing,” Liam finally said through gritted teeth.
Eli could sense Liam’s testy grizzly through their mate bond. If this went on any further, Liam and Logan would start brawling in animal form. Eli couldn’t have that.
All of them had worked so hard on the lodge and these two knuckleheads could easily wreck all the renovation work. They definitely have to replace the front door. Right now, it was boarded up with a sheet of plastic.
The kitchen was also a mess thanks to Logan’s fight with the other werewolf. Eli cleared his throat. He reached out across the table and brushed his fingers over Liam’s arm. His mate blinked and looked at him.
“Liam, Logan did his best. None of us knew Steve brought back-up. It could’ve been worst.”
It was true. Steve could’ve hired more men. Lucas made a sweep of the woods earlier. The werebear found no additional scents, no signs of other intruders, much to everyone’s relief. Steve probably didn’t expect much of a fight.
“And Logan,” Eli said. “Thank you. If you weren’t there, I would’ve ended up dead. Once Steve saw my baby bump, he went berserk.”
Steve had no intentions of bringing Eli back alive.
“You lied to him,” Liam said, sounding thoughtful. “You said the twins were mine.”
Eli blushed. Guilt settled in
