Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
“Don’t be selfish.” I ignore Caleb’s scolding. I just want to fucking hold my mate.
“You had her first and I didn’t give you shit about it, did I?”
“I didn’t get to come in her. I count that as you giving me shit.”
“Stop it!” Lizzie shouts and lifts her head from my chest to glare at the two of us. I blink at her pissed-off expression.
“How the fuck did she hear us?”
“Lizzie, can you hear us, little one?” I question her telepathically and wait for her response. I get nothing, not a damn thing.
“I’m sorry, baby girl.” The fuckface decides he’s going to scoop her off my chest to cuddle her and I grit my teeth to keep Lizzie from sensing how pissed I am. I don’t want her getting upset again.
“Knock it the fuck off, asshole.” I fucking hate that he’s taking her from me. I only just lay down with her.
“You knock it off! You can keep petting her, but I get to hold her now.”
“I told you two to stop it!” Lizzie pushes off of Caleb and makes to stand with her back toward us.
“You can hear us?” I’m overwhelmed with happiness, but as I search for her wolf, I can’t feel her or hear her.
“Talk to us.” Caleb pleads with her in my head, but she doesn’t respond. Instead her shoulders start shaking and that gets both of us up on our feet.
“Don’t cry, little one. We won’t fight. I promise.” I still don’t know how the fuck she knew we were fighting. Rubbing her shoulders I try to console her, but she only sobs harder.
“You can’t hear me!”
Caleb looks to me before answering her, “We heard you, baby. We’ll stop fighting. Dom’s just a little moody today.”
“No, you can’t hear me! I keep talking to you. I can hear you, but you can’t hear me.” Her voice cracks and the realization breaks my fucking heart.
“Your wolf can hear us?” My wolf paces inside of me at the mention of his mate.
Lizzie nods and buries her head into Caleb’s chest while reaching for my hand. I take her little hand in mine and squeeze it while gently rubbing her back.
“Try again.” My softly spoken words are meant to offer her comfort, but her head rears back and she practically spits at me.
“I am! I’m screaming in my head and you can’t hear me!” Tears spill down her reddened cheeks as she shudders from the chill of the air.
“Let’s go home,” Caleb speaks into Lizzie’s hair, but he glances at me with a pained look. I’m sure I share his expression. We don’t know how to help our mate. I don’t like feeling helpless but that’s exactly the situation I’m in right now.
“It’s all right, little one. She isn’t ready for us to hear her, that’s all.”
“We’ll keep on loving you and one day she’ll learn to trust us and let us in.”
“You can’t know that,” Lizzie says. Her words are hard, but then she softens her tone to add, “What if she never does?” She sobs into Caleb’s chest. My poor mate.
Caleb pulls away so she has to look at him when he answers, “Then she never does and life will go on. Everything will still be perfect. It might even be a good thing. When we have pups, you’ll be able to listen in and they won’t hear you.”
I chuckle at Caleb’s reasoning and add, “Our pups won’t be able to get away with shit.” Lizzie looks between the two of us as a small smile plays at her lips.
“You two won’t be able to get away with anything either.” She wipes under her eyes and rubs her hands against her thighs, pulling herself together. “I really don’t like it when you fight.”
“I’m sorry, baby, I was just fucking with Dom. I’ll stop.” Fucking Caleb, why’s he gotta be the hero?
“I’ll stop too. I don’t want you to get upset.” She cuddles into my chest and I kiss her hair. Her warmth and touch are everything. I can’t imagine hearing but not being heard. My poor mate.
“I love you two,” she whispers and molds her body to mine. Caleb and I both murmur our love for her and as unfortunate as it is, there’s a bond that’s unbreakable. It’s stronger with every small step. Forward or backward.
“Time to go home, baby. They’ll be heading out soon and I’m sure Grace is going to be lonely with Devin leaving her behind. You want to ride one of us, or do you just want to walk?” Caleb runs his hand up and down her back while he talks and I can tell she’s losing her energy.
“My feet are going to hurt if we walk.”
“Piggyback ride?” he suggests. A grin covers his face and I snort a laugh at his words.