Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109329 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 547(@200wpm)___ 437(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
That was before Momar had devised a way to hide his people from the basajaunak. Aurora assumed another discussion about it was just around the corner.
She trotted in a zigzag across the grass. The back door was always locked unless Nessa was in the garden or sunbathing on the grass. Unfortunately, Nessa was doing neither of those things.
Aurora bumped against the wall along the side of the house, leaving a trail of blood in her wake. Add that to the list of things she’d have to remedy.
More zigzags along the little path beside the potted plants led her to the gate in the wooden fence. She stared up at the metal clasp securing it for a moment before looking straight ahead at the wood. She had to shift.
She’d been dreading this.
Taking a deep breath, she regained her human form and then fell forward against the wood. Metal clanked as the latch held against her weight. She straightened up, nearly cried as she lifted her hand to release the latch, and then nearly cried again when she remembered she had to pull instead of push.
Tomorrow she’d look back on this and call herself a weakling. A baby. A whiner. She’d forget how much her muscles screamed, how utterly depleted she was, and make light of the stinging, throbbing, aching wounds all over her bruised body. She’d get up, and she’d do it all over again.
She didn’t bother shutting the gate behind her. Maybe the earth would tilt on its axis and do it for her.
Around the front corner of the house, her knee released too early and she slammed against the wood. Her other knee gave up entirely and she spilled onto the hard concrete.
“Jesus, Aurora.”
She recognized that voice. Damn. Of all the people to see her like this—not able to hold her own or maintain her decorum. Why the hell was he here?
“I just tripped, it’s nothing,” she mumbled.
She pushed up to her knees when a large, strong hand wrapped around her upper arm. Sue paused, and she could feel the barest of movement in his fingers, so subtle it was almost lost in her fatigue.
Exhaustion prevented her from being just as subtle and from refusing his help.
He hauled her straight up, not touching any other part of her body. It was out of respect, she knew, offering her the opportunity to regain her feet without accepting too much help. It was one of those times when she wished she weren’t an alpha, or even a shifter, maybe. Able to just call it like it was—she was drained and everything hurt like hell. She didn’t have the drive to go on.
Then again, if she weren’t a shifter, she’d be tired and in pain for a lot longer.
“Susan, how are you?” she said dryly, always somehow caught at her worst by this alpha-turned-beta. “Enjoying your day?”
His fingers slacked but didn’t release her.
“I’m good, thanks,” she said, because there was no way he’d read it in her body language. Her mind was telling her body to do things, but it ignored her. Instead, her hips shimmied, her legs trembled, and her upper body pitched the opposite way.
He released his hold. She took a deep breath, steeled herself, and straightened, fighting to control her limbs and torso.
“What’s up?” she said. Gritting her teeth, she turned to face him, hiding as much of the pain and weariness as she could.
Concern shimmered in his dark eyes, echoed throughout his body.
“I’m fine,” she said, wishing he’d just tell her what he wanted so she could go in and crash onto the floor. “What’s up?”
His breath through his nostrils was a little too forced. The flaring within his arms a little too prominent. He was frustrated and pissed.
“You don’t have to play tough with me, Aurora.”
His movements, fast and strong, made her flinch. He flung her arms over his shoulders as he leaned in. His arms came around and he scooped her up, his hold loose and mostly professional, a beta carrying his subordinate. Or maybe a beta carrying his alpha’s niece.
“Honestly, Susan, I am—”
His irritation increased.
She sighed.
If he insisted, she wouldn’t bother complaining. Instead, she focused on not dropping her head to his shoulder and passing out. He was a lot more comfortable and warmer than lying on the floor on her face. Though she’d still probably end up there anyway.
“Keys?”
“It’s a blood offering to the ward. Any part of me will do.”
He bent so as not to jostle her and reached for the handle from under her legs, continuing to support her weight. The door swung open and he carried her through before jerking to a stop on the threshold.
“Just on the tarp in the middle of the living room will be fine.” She snapped her eyes opened, not even realizing they’d drifted closed as he’d walked. Her vision swam.