Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 47519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 47519 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 238(@200wpm)___ 190(@250wpm)___ 158(@300wpm)
“There’s something very wrong there.” Brian squinted into the distance, trying to remember exactly what he had sensed when he entered the Green Field territory. He shuddered. “I don’t know how to describe it, but as soon as I entered that pack, something was off.”
“I’ve been living on my own for years, and when I came back to Green Field, I wasn’t in the best shape but, yeah, it’s all wrong.”
“You were a breath away from death. If I hadn’t come there when I did…” Brian’s chest seized at the knowledge that his mate could have been lost to him forever.
“I’m here.” He took Brian’s hand in his and squeezed it. “Maybe the Ruperts have sullied the atmosphere with their evilness.”
“I don’t think that’s a thing.”
“Maybe not directly, but if the Alpha isn’t connecting with Mother Nature or his pack members, or worse, if he’s repelling them, then sure, it’ll infect the whole atmosphere. That’s probably what you sensed and it’s why we need to go to Green Field and end Rupert Jackson’s reign.”
Brian opened his mouth to once again insist that he’d handle the mess in Green Field when he registered exactly what Keith had said. “We?” he asked.
“Caught that, did you?” Keith grinned. “In the interest of moving things along, I’ve come up with a compromise. We’ll go together.”
“Fine, but I don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll handle Rupert Jackson, his son, and his minions. You can be there to put the pack members at ease.”
He expected Keith to be upset and push back at the idea of Brian doing all the fighting but instead he looked amused. “Alright. You can take the lead, mate.”
Chapter 12
“Good morning,” Keith said the moment he sensed his mate waking. “I made you a protein shake.”
Forehead creased, Brian rubbed his eyes. “What?” He squinted up at him. “Why aren’t you asleep?” He blinked a few times, raised himself onto his elbows, and turned toward the window. “It’s still dark out. What time is it?”
“It’s early o’clock. Also, those curtains are total pervs. They stare at us when we’re going at it. Have you considered switching them out?”
Brian flopped back down, covered his eyes with his forearm, and sighed. “Did you just say an inanimate object is watching us?”
“Uh-huh. The pattern looks like eyeballs. I normally don’t care about design choices, but if they’re going to have the privilege of seeing us do the naked dance, they should at least cheer or something. They just hang there, quiet. It’s rude.”
He raised his arm and reached out to Keith. “We can change the curtains. Come back to bed.”
“That’s one option.” Keith nodded. “Counteroffer. You down this shake that’s sure to fill you with energy, and we start our day.”
“Keith,” Brian whined.
“Aww, that’s adorable.” Keith set the drink on the nightstand and straddled his mate. “Are you actually tired?” He brushed his hand over Brian’s hair. “Do you need more sleep?” He kissed his forehead. “Or maybe you want cuddles.” He brushed his lips over Brian’s cheek and then his neck.
“Mmm,” Brian moaned softly. “Feels good.” He wrapped his arms around Keith and then frowned. “You’re dressed.” He tugged on his T-shirt. “Why are you wearing clothes?”
“Because you’re naked, and if I was naked too, we wouldn’t leave this bed.”
“That’s my point.” He shoved his hand under the back of Keith’s shirt. “Take it off.”
“We need to go to Green Field.” Unable to resist the pull of his mate, Keith kissed him gently. “If we don’t leave now, something super-duper urgent will come up that demands your immediate attention and we’ll lose the day. Again.”
“I’m not avoiding it on purpose.”
“I know you’re not. But also, you’re totally avoiding it on purpose like you have been for weeks. Care to tell me why?”
“Things happen. Leading a pack keeps me busy.”
“Uh-huh. It’s been two weeks since Rupert Jackson’s last plan failed and his cringey spy ran off. She knows we know what she was up to, which means he knows we know what she was up to. He’s weak, but he’s also paranoid and not as inanimate as those curtains, which means his somewhat functional brain will realize we’ll eventually suspect him.”
“Was that English?”
Deciding to get to the point, Keith said, “We can’t keep delaying this trip or he’ll make his next hairbrained move.” He grinned at Brian. “Hairbrained. Get it? Because they took your hair as part of their plan. Hair brained.”
“We don’t know that they have a plan or that they’re doing anything with my hair,” Brian said, but he didn’t sound like even he believed himself.
“She didn’t take enough for a sex doll so what other reason could she have for absconding with a few pieces of your hair?”
“Sex doll?”
“If I was gathering parts of you, it’d definitely be for something sexual,” Keith explained.