Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 95196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 476(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
The wolves didn’t follow us, at least; they remained outside the circle, prowling while staring at me and drooling. The intelligence and hatred in those neon eyes…
I shrank back. “I–I want a weapon,” I told my husband.
The muscles between his shoulders bunched. He tossed me a dagger hilt first without looking my direction. Shaky as I was, I missed and had to swoop down to grab it.
How would Isobel handle this situation? Yawn and check her nails? Demand a folding chair and popcorn? No way would she ever break down and cry or beg to go home. I was probably embarrassing my big bad berserker king with my weakness. I mean, he and another king had just stabbed each other in an attempt to provoke his rage. Granted, Callen had claimed he liked my softness. But. The dagger shook in my grip.
He stepped in front of me and twirled his ax, daring the manimals to come closer. The snarling wolves pawed at the ground, only to part. A grinning Tavish walked behind them, all casual-like, as if a war wasn’t being waged in the background. He hadn’t shifted into his wolf form; he looked exactly as he’d looked before. Annoyingly smug.
Was he about to betray Isobel and announce their relationship? Sweat dampened my palms.
“Hello, Mr. King,” he said to Callen, his slow drawl grating on my nerves. “Donna worry. I’ll take my toys and go home soon enough. I just wanted tae meet the new Mrs. Bruce, is all.”
Lie! He wouldn’t risk his army for such a silly reason. Especially since he’d already met me. But why act as though we were strangers?
He turned and inspected me from head to toe, as if he’d never seen me. “She’s prettier than the last one. But is she stronger? Let’s find out, shall we?”
Silent, tense, Callen stalked forward. “You are dead.”
“Not today. But I’ll grant you a go at me very soon.” Smile growing wider, Tavish backed up, disappearing in the mist.
Surviving wolves ran off, fleeing the battlefield. The horde of berserkers, both American and Scottish, crouched to give chase. But Callen straightened and howled an otherworldly sound that chilled my bones. Malachi joined in and every berserker stood down, twitching as if fighting the supernatural adrenaline zipping through their veins. Some even bit the metal of their weapons.
Frozen and soaked, I scanned the devastation outside the circle and gagged. No matter how magnificent my host was, I wanted out of this brutal world. ASAP.
Scalding water poured over me, but I couldn’t get warm. I stood under the shower spray with my head tilted back, letting the evidence of the battle, and my tears, wash away. I missed the old days when I’d only theorized about the validity of berserkers and wolf-shifters.
To escape this nightmare, I needed a new plan. And money for a false ID, motels, food and travel. But I couldn’t sell my necklace. Callen had stored it in a locked case once we arrived home. Hie might owe me twenty-five thousand pounds; he might not. I’d lost track of the end result of our bargain. I could only seek and attempt to claim it. If he denied me, I’d have to steal it. Then, as soon as I reached Oklahoma and facilitated a soul switch with Isobel, I’d call him and explain the situation. Tell him everything. The trade. Isobel’s betrayal with Tavish. The mole in his midst. I would even promise to pay back what I’d taken.
I’d then go into hiding to keep myself safe, since berserkers even killed the innocent party. A fate I didn’t enjoy, but accepted. He, in turn, would ensure Isobel never switched with another person and faced her consequences.
But, to perform a corrective trade, I needed Tavish. Someone I didn’t trust, even though he’d kept my secret. Especially because he’d kept my secret. What game did he play?
Did it matter? Whatever his aim, I would pay him to do the switch, then execute a double cross, helping Callen defeat him. First, though, I’d have to send the wolf a message. But how? The mole?
A mystery I must solve. The most likely culprit was Buzz. He’d guarded my door the day of the invasion. He and Ponytail had witnessed Isobel’s first interaction with me. Or perhaps the mole was Mackenzie; her boldness with me suggested she’d shared an uncommon familiarity with Isobel. What if she knew of the switch? Hmm, that was worth exploring.
I shut off the water, toweled dried, blotted my damp hair, and dressed in a blue camisole, a white cashmere cardigan, and comfy tights. Hmm. Still cold. How I craved Callen’s warmth.
My phone lay on the bathroom counter, near one of two gold faucets. A blinking light alerted me to a message. Whoa! Twenty-seven messages, to be exact, all from Isobel. Most were selfies of her with my mom, and my chest ached. Both women were smiling. Only one image came with text.