Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55491 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55491 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“Good thinking,” Becky said, nodding. “Give me your number, and I’ll call if I see anything or she’s really hiding or something.”
“Oh God, I don’t have everyone’s numbers!” My fingers shook as I opened my phone screen to enter her number in my phone.
“I’ll send a group text, so you get everyone’s,” Becky reassured me. “I have it up already. Just tell me your number.”
I gave her the digits followed by a quick tense hug before we parted ways. Once alone, it was even harder to stay positive.
Remy could be hurt. Lost.
What if we didn’t find her before something terrible happened?
What if…oh God! What if her mom had come out to the ranch and kidnapped her?
No, that wouldn’t be it. Lily had said she wanted to run with the wolves. She would’ve mentioned if she’d left with someone.
I kept hiking and calling Remy’s name until I was hoarse.
In the distance, I heard the howl of a wolf.
Hairs rose on my arms. When a chorus of other wolves answered the howl, I got downright scared. What if that was a victory cry from a hunt?
What if the hunt had netted them a four-year-old girl?
My knees buckled in fear. “Remy?” I screamed. “REMY! Where are you?”
22
WES
Rob’s distinct howl was a summons, and we all stopped and made our way to him. The moment I caught the scent of horses, I knew something was wrong. The women must’ve ridden up here because something happened. There was no other reason for them to do so. They knew it was a distraction, and it also made the horses skittish.
I raced to the crest where Rob stood, in human form, with Charlie and Natalie.
“Remy’s out on the mountain,” he said tersely, not waiting for me to shift. “She said she wanted to run with the wolves. The women are trying to find her. You go now, I’ll send the rest after you.”
I wheeled around and raced down the mountain, my paws scrabbling on the rocks with my speed. I stopped when I heard the call of voices. It was the women, calling Remy’s name. I pricked my ears, listening for my daughter’s answer.
There.
I wasn’t sure whether I heard her voice out loud, or if it was just wolf instinct guiding me, but I was certain which direction to go.
I turned and galloped down the mountain. The frantic sound of Joy’s voice calling Remy’s name grew louder. My mate was on the right trail, too.
Of course, she was. Because she was my mate. Human or not, she had instincts for her pup. And, yes, I now believed Remy was Joy’s pup, even after less than a week of knowing her. She had more love for my daughter and took more responsibility for her care than Soraya ever showed.
But I couldn’t think about Remy’s biological mom right now.
That was a separate cluster fuck.
Right now I had to find Remy.
“Joy!”
There.
I heard it–my daughter’s voice. The sound was weak and thin, but I was sure it was her. I stopped only long enough to howl and let the pack know I was on her trail, then charged in the direction of her voice.
“Remy?” Joy had heard her, too. “Where are you, baby? I’m coming!”
I skidded to the edge of a crevice and peered over the ledge. My little girl was down at the bottom. Naked, except for her little sandals.
Fate had to help me.
I lifted my snout to the moon and howled, letting the pack know I’d found her.
“Daddy!” Remy shouted, recognizing my wolf. She waved her little arms. “I’m down here!”
“I see you, Remy!” Joy was already skidding and sliding down the opposite edge of the drop-off. Shit, she could get hurt!
I leaped down to the ledge below me, then another, taking the sheer cliff face in small bites until I was down.
I raced to Remy, and she threw her arms around my neck and started crying.
“Remy–don’t move!” For a brief moment, I couldn’t understand the tension and fear in Joy’s voice.
Then I realized. She was afraid of me.
Her own mate.
She hadn’t seen me in wolf form. Still didn’t know what I was.
The yips of my packmates arriving and gathering on the ridge above only added to Joy’s fear. She shot a quick glance at them as she stooped to pick up a large rock, advancing slowly toward us with stealth. She gripped the rock out in front of her body, as if ready to use it.
“Slowly move away from the wolf, Remy,” Joy warned her. Her voice was calm and steady, but I heard the thread of fear. Sweat dotted her face, and her eyes were wild. She weighed the rock in her hand like a softball.
“I don’t want to,” Remy whined, not understanding why she should leave her father.
“It’s okay. Come toward me,” Joy beckoned with her free hand, still creeping toward us.