#the wolf series
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galvanizedfriend · 25 days ago
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Klaroline Fic: The Wolf IV [3/13]
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Summary: Five years after the downfall of the Mikaelson family, Caroline returns to New Orleans to fulfill the promise she made to Marcel: one day, she would be back for the man he has been keeping prisoner in the bowels of the old compound, and she would not be leaving without him. But the plans to abandon the city's eternal loop of tragedy behind once and for all are thwarted when a new enemy with unexpected old ties resurfaces, threatening not just Eve's life, but Caroline's as well. -- S04E03 Where You Left Your Heart ✨ Morning comes as an oppressive affair to Klaus.
After years withering away in an underground hole, watching the sun rise again makes him ill at ease. This infinite stretch of blue over his head, so brutally bright, is an assault on his senses. Makes him feel exposed. Even his lungs protest the crisp and clear air, thick with dew and the smell of lush trees on the cusp of summer.
It’s so… pure.
For five years, Klaus' entire universe was reduced to the barren space of a meager salt circle, surrounded by nothing but darkness. There was no solace in that glorified grave, no respite. Every second he spent there was laden with a crushing sense of despair that devoured what little soul he had left.
All of this vastness, this breathtaking beauty, so rich with its light and vibrancy... It doesn't feel real anymore. The richer and livelier the world around him gets, the harder it becomes to anchor himself in the here and now.
He should be glad it's over, exultant to be out of that awful place. Instead, Klaus feels… Unmoored. Adrift.
No wonder he couldn't shut his eyes for a bloody second all through the night. He has never been much of a sleeper, but he is still weak with the traces of dark magic ravaging his system, a weariness that weighs heavily in his bones. No amount of blood bags seems capable of dispelling the fog of exhaustion strangling his mind. And still, no matter how ardently he wishes for a few hours of blissful unawareness, Klaus cannot sleep.
All of his attempts have been wretched failures. The moment he dares to shut his eyelids, his head splits in half. He gets transported back to that dungeon. Swallowed by darkness. Swamped with misery. Taken with a paralyzing fear that when he opens his eyes again, it will be to find out that this has all been just another hallucination, an elaborate trick of his fractured mind.
What should have the soft and tender contours of a sweet dream is permeated with suspicion and unease, warped into a nightmare.
He resists the mental exhaustion, grinds his teeth against the way sunlight feels like pinpricks on his skin, fights the urge to resort to old habits and withdraw into the house with a bottle of bourbon to numb himself out. It's awful, but the sheer unpleasantness of it comforts him.
Pain he knows. Pain he can endure. His oldest and most honest ally.
It's only everything else he's having a hard time trusting at the moment. Read the full chapter here -- Started writing, had a breakdown, bon appetit. 🫠 Thanks v much to my lovely friend @definedareasofuncertainty for not telling me to fuck off when I kept sending her requests to re-read things she'd already read twice! ❤️ And for being so supportive and making me believe I didn't have to start over from scratch for the third time. 🥲 Also to the very lovely folks who have reached out to me through tumblr or AO3 to talk about this fic during these FIVE MONTHS HIATUS (what the actual fuck, when did five months happen?). You are lovely and amazing and ily! As always, your comments/messages/kudos/reblogs mean the world to me! ❤️ My brain is rotten but I did my best, hope you enjoy it!
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lewmagoo · 1 year ago
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i bleed like a wolf | rhett abbott
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part two of a curse i cannot lift
description: in which he takes back what's rightfully his
warnings: 18+ only, werewolf au, smut, p in v sex, pregnancy, perry abbott, murder, violence, blood, kidnapping, angst, allusions to torture, character death, gun violence
pairing: werewolf!rhett abott x f!werewolf!reader
listen to the playlist here
notes: this is the third part of my 'the wolf' series! be sure to read the previous part here. access the series masterlist here
dedication: to @lovinglyeternal, without you this series wouldn't have been born. also to @bro-ooke; thanks for beta reading this for me!
Rhett had no recollection of being led into the kitchen, but he soon found himself seated at the old wooden table while his mother handed him a glass of water and told him to drink. He barely registered Perry and his father, trailing in after him. 
The hand that held the glass shook. He felt like he was in the midst of an earthquake. Everything was spinning, spiraling, teetering out of control. 
The kitchen was a flurry of activity and voices. Perry wanted to head toward town to search for Amy. But Rhett was frozen, unable to move. How could he, when his entire world had just shattered to pieces around him? The thought of you being gone forever was more than he could bear. 
But unbeknownst to him, there was still a glimmer of hope. A little black wolf pup was running as fast as her little legs would take her, following the road home by muscle memory. She had to get home, had to find her father, had to find Uncle Rhett and tell him what had happened. 
However, as small as she was, It took her quite a while to get home, and by the time she crossed the entrance to the reservation, it was well past nightfall, and nearly sunrise the next day. She was panting heavily, exhausted and overheated. But she couldn’t let herself succumb to that exhaustion yet. 
She could see her grandparents’ house just up ahead. If she could just run a little more, she would make it. She would be safe. 
Back in the Abbott household, nothing had been resolved. Rhett was in some form of shock, it seemed. Cecilia had already snapped at Perry twice, telling him to get out of his brother’s face when he got antsy and demanding. 
Rhett still held the truck keys tightly in his palm. He wouldn’t let go. Even after they’d begun to dig into his flesh. Perry had even tried to wrench them out of his grasp, but Rhett was strong, and in his state of shock there was no reasoning with him. 
“Goddammit, we’ve gotta do something!” Perry exclaimed. “I can’t lose Amy too! Not after what happened to Rebecca. I can’t!”
That seemed to snap Rhett out of his limbo. His eyes narrowed, and he stared straight ahead as he broke the silence. “You can’t lose Amy too?” He spoke, his voice trembling. “You lost Rebecca because of your own fuckin’ stupidity. That was all you. And for all you know she’s probably out there still alive and well! But I just lost my…I lost…” He couldn’t get the words out. My wife and baby. 
Perry stared at his brother. He opened his mouth to reply in anger, but he was interrupted by the sound of distressed yipping at the door, followed by loud scratching against the wood. Everyone shared confused looks before Cecilia rushed forward, pushing past her sons to open the back door. 
The doorknob smacked against the wall as she let it go, and a choked gasp tore itself from her throat as she looked down, taking in the sight of a panicked little pup. She picked up on the little one’s scent, and she knew immediately that it was her granddaughter. 
“Dear God in heaven!” She exclaimed, bending to take the exhausted wolf into her arms. She turned to face the three men, who all wore shocked expressions. Rhett shot out of his seat. He knew her by scent, too. So did Royal and Perry. 
Everyone started talking at once, Perry demanding his daughter be handed to him, Rhett asking if he could talk to her, until finally, Cecilia held up a hand. “Enough! Can’t you see the poor baby is scared out of her mind?! Let me take care of her and then you can ask her questions!” She exclaimed. 
“Ma…” Rhett breathed as she walked past him. He was trembling, his eyes alight with tears. 
She paused, her face softening as she placed a gentle hand against his chest. “I know. Just let me get her settled and we’ll see if we can get ya some answers.”
He watched helplessly as his mother walked away with Amy in her arms. That little pup was the only one with answers on what had happened to you. Rhett’s only lifeline. 
Slowly, he trailed after his mother, but did not follow her up the stairs. As desperate as he was to get answers, he didn’t want to put the child through any more stress. So he lowered himself down to sit on the bottom step, and he put his head in his shaking hands, allowing himself to weep openly into his palms. 
Meanwhile, in a place not far from the wolf reservation, Luke and Billy Tillerson were just pulling into the driveway of the Tillerson Ranch. Patricia was eagerly waiting on the doorstep with a cigarette perched between her fingers. 
“Did you put the collar on her?” She called out as the boys climbed out and rounded the truck to open the bed. 
“Yeah! Hope it’s on right!” Luke called back. 
Patricia watched as her sons lifted your unconscious body out of the truck bed, a thick, metal collar fastened around your neck. As they carried you to the doorstep, she stopped them, reaching out to tug on the collar. “It’s on right. The light is green.”
“You’re sure this will keep them from being able to track her?” Billy asked curiously. 
“Your father really taught you nothing? Of course I’m sure. As soon as you put this on, he completely lost the ability to sense her. For all he knows, she’s dead. Now go ahead and get her down into the bunker. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
Luke bit back a reply at the jab at his father, and instead moved to take you down into the belly of the house. Hunting was not something he or Billy had practiced in a long time. Patricia had been the one who pushed it. After she left, Wayne didn’t continue to train them in any way. They didn’t hone their skills or learn any of the new technology being produced for hunting. 
While yes, werewolf hunting was illegal, it didn’t stop groups of people from participating in it. They’d just learned to do it discreetly to avoid detection. It was an industry that generated millions of dollars. 
Patricia was one of the best hunters in the world. She’d even had a hand in producing some of the most elite pieces of hunting equipment out there. Including the collar around your neck. 
It acted as a sort of cloaking device, interfering with the ability mates had to sense each other. As long as you wore it, it would be impossible for Rhett to find you just by sense alone. It also had a few other neat little features. Such as inhibiting one’s ability to shift. With the collar around your neck, you would not be able to shift into wolf form, at least not without experiencing excruciating pain. If you tried too hard, it might even kill you. 
But you were entirely unaware, still out cold as Luke and Billy took you beneath the house and into the old bunker that had once been used to keep hunting equipment, and, contain the occasional werewolf captive. 
You were deposited into a cell, and a chain attached to the wall was then fastened to your collar, effectively anchoring you in place. You were now a prisoner, with no chance of escape. 
Back at the Abbott place, the atmosphere was tense. Rhett wasn’t sure how much time had passed. He’d been crouched on those steps the entire time, raking his hands through his hair, his mind racing as he imagined all the scenarios. What had happened to you? How had Amy escaped? Was there still a chance that you were alive?
Rhett was no fool. He was smart, and part of him had a sinking feeling that this was no accident or freak occurrence. And if he had to guess, he would put the Tillersons behind this, because they were the ones with a personal vendetta. 
But he didn’t know that for sure yet, so he remained there, crouched on the steps, agonizing over the thought of harm coming to you and his unborn child. The two greatest loves of his life. 
He was nothing without you. A shell of himself. A half of a whole. Werewolves mated for life, and to lose that kind of bond? To be stripped of one’s other half? The pain was unbearable. Unfathomable. 
“Rhett.”
The voice of his mother drew his attention to the top of the stairs. Cecilia was gazing down at him, a bleak expression on her face. His heart dropped, and he stood, his legs trembling. 
“You need to come up here.”
So he did. Moving on autopilot, he took the steps two at a time. In the meantime, Perry had heard Cecilia’s voice, and he stepped out of the kitchen, eager to follow after Rhett. 
“What’s going on?” He demanded. “Is Amy okay?”
“I just need Rhett right now,” she tried to reason. 
He grabbed the railing, standing at the foot of the steps. “No! She’s my daughter, let me see her!”
“Perry, I am not asking you, I am telling you, stay down there!” She exclaimed. “You’ll see your daughter soon enough. I am not gonna stress her out more than she already is. You’ll see her one at a time, and that’s final!” 
“Ma, get outta the way,” he threatened, already up the steps, facing her, standing a head taller. But Cecilia wasn’t backing down. 
What mattered most was finding out what happened to you. She didn’t like keeping Perry from his child, but she knew he would only inflame the situation if he got involved, and Rhett was already on edge as it was. Not to mention how fragile Amy was after what she’d experienced. Cecilia didn’t want to add to her granddaughter’s stress. 
Behind her, Rhett was easing open the door to Amy’s room, and his eyes flickered around the dimly lit space, soon falling upon his niece, who had returned to her human form. She was curled up in the bed, clutching her favorite plush animal to her chest. 
When she heard him come in, she lifted her head, then moved to sit upright. “U-Uncle Rhett!” She cried. Immediately, her bright eyes filled with tears. 
Rhett hurried to her bedside, kneeling alongside it. “I’m here,” he whispered, taking both of her little hands in his own much larger one. “I’m right here.”
“I’m sorry!” She pulled her hands away to throw her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry! I-I tried to stop them! I tried to get them to let go!” She wailed. 
“Who, baby? Who?” He asked, leaning back to look into her tearful face. He lifted his hands to hold her damp cheeks. 
“Luke and Billy! They fo-followed us and then they took her away!”
He stared at her. His own eyes welled with molten tears. “Did…did they…” he could hardly bring himself to say the words. He had to force them out, and they were bitter on his tongue. “Amy, is she dead?”
“I-I don’t know!” She whimpered. “I shifted and then I hid! But I…I heard them say something about how they got what they came for.”
It was the tremor he noticed first. Wracking through the very center of his being, branching out through his extremities. His hands twitched against her face, and he pulled them away. His chest constricted, tightening like someone had just wrapped a length of rope around him and pulled it taut. 
This was what he’d suspected. But it still felt like an ice-cold dagger had been driven into his heart. It took his breath away, and he stumbled backward, away from his niece. 
His legs were moving of their own accord as he turned, yanking the bedroom door open and ambling out into the hall. He was vibrating. Heat rushing through every inch of his being. He felt as if he was outside of himself. Not of his own body. 
He found Perry still at the top of the steps, arguing with Cecilia. The eldest Abbott looked up to find his brother approaching. In the shadow of the hallway, he caught sight of the murderous glint in his eyes. 
“What have you done?” The snarl that left Rhett’s throat was inhuman. His chest heaved. His hands shook. Cecilia turned around, and when she saw Rhett’s face, her heart dropped. 
She had seen this look many times before on Perry. Raw, untamed, unchecked rage. But she had never seen it on Rhett. Not once. He was always the one who had perfect control over his wolf. Always the one that never shifted out of anger. Always the one who was very aware of his nature and kept it in check. 
Now, here he stood, his eyes glowing yellow, and she knew that this was the very first moment Rhett was going to lose control entirely. And something in her also knew there was no talking him off the ledge. She stepped out from between her sons, knowing that what was about to happen was inevitable. 
“This is all your fault,” Rhett growled low in his chest. He took one, two, three steps closer. 
“What the fuck did I–”
“I told you to confess!” He roared. “But you didn’t! You’re a fuckin’ coward!”
“I couldn’t let them take me away from Amy!”
“Oh bull-fuckin’-shit! They stole everythin’ from me because they think that I…they think that…”
Rhett couldn’t get the words out. He was too overwhelmed. His body shook, and he knew he couldn’t control it. His fists were clenched at his sides, claws drawing blood as they dug into the skin of his palms. His mouth parted as his fangs grew. His breathing was labored and animalistic. 
“He was trying to take the land from us! I did us all a favor!” Perry shot back. 
Rhett’s eyes widened. “A favor?! A favor?! You murdered him in cold blood! All because he made a comment about your wife! Who, by the way, left you because she was fuckin’ terrified of you, you abusive piece of shit!”
That line was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Perry froze, his own eyes glowing like fiery embers. Then, within a split second, both brothers were lunging at each other, the two of them tumbling down the steps in a mess of claws and fangs, growling like wild beasts. 
Cecilia was shouting. Yelling for Royal to do something, anything. Amy came running out of her room at the sound of the commotion, ignoring her grandmother’s pleas for her to go back inside, to get into bed and rest like she was supposed to. 
“No!” The little girl cried out, ducking out of Cecilia’s reach as she scrambled down the steps. “Stop! Please, stop!” Suddenly, her father and uncle were no longer men. They had both transformed into wolves, snarling and snapping, clawing at the other. 
“Please! No!” Amy was screaming, terrified that one would kill the other. Royal intervened, pulling the child away from the two animals.
“Get back upstairs!” He shouted, handing her off to Cecilia’s waiting arms. 
“Royal! Get them apart! They’ll fuckin’ kill each other!” The woman yelled as she held a struggling Amy against her chest. 
Royal turned, just as a blood-curdling yelp cut through the air as Perry’s wolf gained dominance over Rhett. Their father threw himself between the two wolves, shouting, desperately trying to keep them at bay. He knew that Perry would kill Rhett if he didn’t stop him. The wolf had already overpowered him as it was. 
Finally, after much struggle, Royal managed to wrench Perry off of Rhett, dragging the wolf across the room to put space between the two. 
“ENOUGH!” The Abbott patriarch bellowed, eyes flashing. 
Both wolves heeled. 
“I’m not gonna let you fuckin’ kill each other! Get back in your human form so we can talk about this like civil folk!”
It was Rhett who shifted back first. His human body was bloodied, crimson glistening along his neck and torso from the scrape of claws and teeth. But he would heal just fine. 
Chest heaving, he stepped back toward the stairs, where he snatched his jeans, quick to tug them back on. His shirt was too far gone, it had been torn to shreds amid his transformation and lunging at Perry. 
Rhett was still shaking, and he struggled to get his belt refastened as the tremors ran through his fingers. Across the room, Perry was still in wolf form, growling lowly at Rhett as Royal stepped in to hold the animal back. 
Rhett locked eyes with the wolf. “Quit hidin’ behind your fuckin’ wolf and face me as a man!” He snapped, voice raw. “If you think you’re gon’ kill me, you got another thing comin’.”
Finally, Perry returned to human, though he was still vibrating with rage. “I should’ve killed you!” He snarled wildly at his younger brother. 
“You’re fuckin’ insane, you know that?! We don’t kill pack members!” Rhett shouted back. Perry tried to yell something in response, but Rhett shook his head. “No, you shut your fuckin’ mouth. You’re gonna make this right, okay?! I’m takin’ you to the Tillersons right now and you’re gonna tell ‘em everything.”
Perry’s eyes widened, his face paling. “I’m not doing that! They’ll kill me!!” 
Rhett laughed incredulously. “After what you did?! I’d say it’s fuckin’ deserved! An eye for an eye! You’re the reason my mate was taken from me! So you can pay for your crime! A fair price to pay after I lost everything!”
But Perry didn’t like that. He turned to his father. “You said you’d talk him off the ledge!” He exclaimed. 
Rhett froze. His gaze flickered to Royal. “What the fuck does he mean by that?”
His father looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “I…” He started, unsure of what to say. 
A sick feeling roiled in Rhett’s gut. “You knew?! This whole time you knew he killed Trevor and you kept it a secret?!” 
“I was tryin’ to protect the pack!” Royal defended. 
“Yeah?! Well you’ve done a real bang-up job, Dad! Fantastic, really!” Rhett bitterly replied, his chest heaving, his eyes alight with tears. “Both of you are to blame for this! You’re comin’ with me to the damn Tillerson Ranch, we’re settin’ this right!”
“Son, that’s a death sentence! They’ll shoot us on sight!” 
Rhett stood there in the middle of the hallway, staring at his father. “You…you really don’t…” he couldn’t get the words out. He took a moment to breathe in deep, grounding himself so he didn’t shift again. “Th-they took my wife and baby from me. Does that mean nothing to you?!”
Both men remained dead silent, and Rhett scoffed, the sting of betrayal flashing through his chest. “I wouldn’t expect Perry to know what it’s like since Rebecca wasn’t his mate. But you should know, Dad. What if they took Ma from you?”
Royal hesitated, and then bowed his head. “I…I thought I was doin’ what was best for the pack. I was tryin’ to protect my son.”
“I’m your son too!” Rhett cried. If anything, this situation had shown him how broken his family truly was. 
He took a deep breath, letting his eyes drift shut. He knew what had to be done, and he was tired of arguing. “The three of us are goin’ to the Tillersons to sort this mess out. But first, I’m callin’ the sheriff. She needs to be involved if we’re gonna do this right.”
He didn’t give a shit if Perry and Royal didn’t like it. He had to find you. Had to know what fate you’d met. And if he truly had lost you, he would take you and give you a proper ceremonial burial, as you deserved. 
Little did he know that you were still very much alive. 
In the depths of the bunker beneath the Tillerson house, you were just beginning to stir from unconsciousness. You were incredibly groggy, and your limbs felt like they were filled with lead. 
The first thing you noticed was the hard concrete, cold beneath you. The second thing you noticed was the thick, restrictive collar around your neck. 
And then, it all came rushing back. You gasped sharply, scrambling to your feet, suddenly alert as your panicked eyes took in your surroundings. Metal rattled against metal, and you looked down to find that you were chained to the wall. 
“Don’t bother trying to escape,” a mellow female voice reached your ears. “That collar around your neck inhibits your abilities. You won’t be able to use your strength to get free.”
You growled, whirling around to face the woman who stood in the shadows just outside your cell. 
“Where am I?!” You demanded.
“You’re somewhere hidden. Your husband won’t be able to sense you. He has no idea where you are.”
Your eyes flashed gleaming yellow. “What do you want with me?! And where’s Amy?!”
“I don’t know who Amy is. But I do know that you’re going to tell us everything we want to know.”
You snapped at her, and she laughed. “What, are you trying to scare me? Honey, you can’t hurt me as long as you’ve got that collar on. You try to transform, it’ll probably kill you.”
That got your attention, and you drew back. You then placed a hand against your abdomen, not willing to do anything that could potentially harm your baby. 
“Luke!” The woman called out, and seconds later, he appeared in the corridor. 
“Take the wolf out of its cage. It’s time we question it.”
She spoke of you as if you weren’t there, reducing you to an animal, rather than a person. “I have a name, you know,” you spat. 
The woman scoffed. “And I don’t care to know it. You’re nothing more than a wolf to me. I’d have killed you and sold your pelt already, if I didn’t need you at the moment.”
With that, she walked away, leaving Luke to unlock your cell.
“Why are you doing this?” You asked him. But part of you knew why. Whatever issue the Tillersons had come to your doorstep with the other night was the reason for this. 
Luke remained silent as he stepped toward you. Frightened, you backed into the corner. “What are you doing?!”
“Just gonna ask you a couple questions,” He simply said as he readied the key to unlock the chain holding you to the wall. 
“Why can’t you ask them in here?” 
He didn’t reply. You whimpered, making yourself as small as possible against the wall. Normally, you would fight tooth and nail and shift into your wolf, but you were terrified of what the collar might do to you if you tried. 
“No!” You shrieked when he reached for you. 
“Please don’t make this difficult. I don’t want to have to sedate you again.”
“No! No! No!” But he’d already grabbed you, and try as you might, you couldn’t break free from his grasp. Your normally heightened strength had been reduced to human weakness. Luke was now much stronger than you. 
He dragged you out of the cell and down the corridor, where Patricia was waiting impatiently. There was a steel examination table in the middle of the room. An overhead light illuminated it. 
Your heart began to pound in your chest. There were restraints on the table. You knew instantly that you were going to be tied down. To your right, you saw an array of tools and weapons. Things that made your stomach turn. You knew they were going to be used on you. 
“Wait! Wait!” You cried. “Please! You can’t! I-I’m pregnant!” Ice-cold terror was rushing through your veins at the thought of harm coming to your baby through whatever inhumane means of questioning they used on you. 
That gave Luke pause. He looked at his mother. “Mom, wha–”
“Don’t tell me you believe her?” Patricia cut him off. “She’s lying! Trying to get us to feel sorry for her! Now get her on the table!”
“No! I’m not lying, please!” You wept. “I’m just over thirteen weeks along!”
But it did nothing to stop the inevitable. Luke wrestled you into the table and fastened you down so you couldn’t escape. Then, Patricia was standing over you. 
“If you tell us everything we need to know, then we won’t hurt you or your baby.”
“What do you want to know?!” 
“What did your husband do to my son?”
You stared at her. “He didn’t do anything!” You replied. 
Patricia laughed. “You expect me to believe that? Trevor went to talk to your husband the other day and then he disappeared. You don’t find that suspicious?”
You were beginning to piece it all together. The reason for Luke and Billy’s visit the other night. The reason Rhett had been so tense and unlike himself. You’d caught bits and pieces of the conversation he’d had with the brothers the night they showed up on your doorstep. Rhett had sounded surprised. You knew he hadn’t done anything to Trevor. He wasn’t like that. 
“Wh-when did Trevor come to talk to him?” You asked. 
Patricia stepped over to the table of items, seemingly deciding which one she wanted to use on you. “Sometime Monday morning. He never came home. So what happened? Did Rhett kill him?”
“Rhett was with me! We were at a checkup with my midwife!” You tried to reason. 
“You wolves will say anything to avoid consequence.” She pulled out what looked to be a stun baton. She pressed the button and electricity crackled to life at the end of it. “I’ll ask you again. What. Happened. To. Trevor?”
“I don’t know! I swear I don’t!” 
Your vision went white when the electricity came in contact with your body. 
Meanwhile, back on the reservation, Rhett was racing against the clock. He’d called the sheriff, and she was already on her way. This was going to end with his brother going to jail, and Rhett couldn’t find it in his heart to feel sorry for him. Not after Perry’s actions had resulted in Rhett losing what was most precious to him. 
Joy Hawk had no idea what she was getting herself into when Rhett called her that evening as she was sitting down to dinner with her wife and daughter. The urgency in his voice told her that something was dead wrong. He wouldn’t say why he was calling, just that he needed her to come to the wolf reservation immediately. 
She kissed her daughter on the head and reluctantly informed her wife that she had to miss dinner. She tried not to let her daughter’s sad expression affect her, but it made her chest ache as she walked out the front door and latched it behind her. 
It took her twenty-five minutes to reach the Abbott property, and when she did, Rhett was scrambling outside to meet her. When she saw the desperation in his eyes, her brow furrowed in concern.
“What’s goin’ on?” She asked. 
“My wife, she…she’s gone. The Tillersons took her.” His voice trembled. He took a shuddering breath that did little to calm him. 
That sprung Joy into action, following him into the house as he led her. “How long?”
“Since this afternoon.”
“How do you know the Tillersons have her?”
At that, Rhett swept his arm out in front of him, motioning to his brother as he brought the sheriff into the kitchen. As she took in the sight of the family around the table, she was reminded of a scene she had walked into not so long ago, when Rebecca had disappeared. This all felt too familiar.
“Why don’t you go ‘head and tell her, Per?!”
Perry hesitated. When Joy’s gaze fell upon him, he looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Tell me what?”
“I-I don’t–”
“Perry!” The gruff loudness of Rhett’s tone made everyone jump. He wasn’t about to let Perry lie right through his teeth. 
“They took Rhett’s wife because of me. Because I killed Trevor Tillerson.”
At her son’s admission. Cecilia let her head fall into her hands. Royal closed his eyes. Even though they already knew it was coming, hearing it said out loud made it real. 
“I…you’re serious? You’re tellin’ me the God’s honest truth right now?” Joy asked, staring straight at Perry. 
“I am. I can take you to the body if you need. But it’s the truth. I killed him.”
She leaned back, entirely flabbergasted. “Okay. First of all, I’m gonna need to call this in.” Then she turned to look at Rhett. “Our highest priority right now is findin’ your wife, but first, I need to report this back to the station and I’ll be right back with a game plan.”
Rhett caught her arm, and she saw the raw fear in his eyes. “I think…I think she might be dead,” he croaked. 
Joy lifted her hand and gently placed it over the one he had on her arm. “Let’s not go there yet, okay? Let me call the station. We’ll get to the bottom of this, I promise.” 
She stepped outside and sauntered to her cruiser, where she grabbed her radio and put in a request for backup and a forensics team. She had no idea how this was going to unfold, but she had a gut feeling that it wasn’t going to be pretty. 
As soon as she radioed the station, she made her way back into the house. “Alright, I’ve got backup on the way. Let me just ask a few more questions to clarify what’s going on here.” She took a notepad out of her front pocket.
Rhett was growing restless. He was so desperate to find you. He wanted to march right up to the Tillerson house himself and demand they release you. But he couldn’t go in there alone. Not when they could shoot him on sight with a silver bullet, rendering him dead in minutes, if not instantly, if the bullet went to his heart. 
He’d be no good to anyone if he was dead. But oh, how hard it was to sit around and wait, not knowing what had happened to you. He still could not feel your presence, but there was part of him that believed maybe there was still hope. But he knew that was simply wishful thinking. 
As soon as the rest of the Wabang Sheriff’s Department and the coroner’s office showed up, things shifted into action. Joy organized a small group to go out and locate the body. Perry was instructed to lead them to it. After which, he would be placed under arrest and taken to the station. 
In the meantime, Cecilia took it upon herself to inform the rest of your family as to what was happening. It was not right to keep them in the dark any longer. They needed to know.
While that was taking place, Joy grabbed her most trusted deputy, Raven Perez, and informed her of the situation with the Tillersons.
“I want you to come with me,” Joy told the woman, “I don’t know how they’ll react to police presence, I don’t want to risk going in there without someone to cover my six.”
Raven nodded, her dark eyes serious. “Okay. You think we need to call in the state police? I have a bad feeling that this is not going to end well.”
Joy considered her words. “No, but we might have to if things escalate. I have no idea what we’re walkin’ into here. I haven’t dealt with werewolf hunters head-on before.”
“Okay. I’ll keep them on standby just in case.”
The two women moved to head to the cruiser, but they were interrupted by a determined cowboy. “I’m comin’ with you,” Rhett’s voice suddenly cut through the air. 
Joy stopped, staring at him as he stood there, a determined look on his face. She was already shaking her head. “Absolutely not. You need to let us handle this.”
His shoulders went tense. “Joy, they took my mate. There’s no way in hell I’m gonna stand back while someone else goes to find her. I need to go with you. And if…if she’s dead, I need to be there to bring her body home so we can give her the burial she deserves.”
The sheriff hesitated, eyeing the man before her. She’d never seen him so broken. In all her dealings with Rhett during the investigation into Rebecca’s disappearance, he had always been a steady, quiet force. But now, his shoulders had dropped low in defeat, and his eyes were haunted with shadows of grief. 
She also knew how sacred burials were. Her own culture was very methodical and traditional when it came to the way they carried out such things. Wolf burials held that same sense of ceremony and honor. 
But it was strictly against protocol to allow him to come. She was just asking to get in trouble by involving him. But as she gazed into his mournful blue eyes, she found herself nodding her head. 
“Okay. But you stay behind me at all times. Do not try anything that’ll get you killed. Got it?”
“Got it,” Rhett echoed. 
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Raven spoke up, glancing between the werewolf and the sheriff. 
“No. But we’re doin’ it anyway. Let’s go.”
The three of them climbed into Joy’s cruiser, and off they went, the bright morning sun lighting the way. In the backseat, Rhett was vibrating with nervous energy, his heart racing in his chest. His mind spun through different scenarios as to how this was going to go down. Would the Tillersons let you go once they got answers about Trevor? Would you be unharmed? Would you even be alive?
He closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths, filling his lungs with oxygen, trying to remain calm. He was partly afraid that he would lose control once he stood face-to-face with Luke and Billy. The prospect of losing you rendered him unable to keep his wolf at bay, and he briefly wondered what would happen if he ended up succumbing to that wild animal and lunging. Joy would have to intervene if it came to that. He just hoped it wouldn’t. 
The drive up to the Tillerson property was brief, and as soon as Joy turned onto the long, gravel driveway, Rhett leaned forward in his seat, thrumming with uncertainty and fear and the overwhelming need to find his mate. 
Once Joy threw the vehicle into park, the trio climbed out, and she led them up to the grand front porch. There, she stopped to knock on the door. Four precise knocks. Then she rang the doorbell, the sound of which could be heard from outside. 
A few moments later, the door came open, and out stepped Luke. Rhett tensed, and when he breathed in, he could smell your scent on Luke. 
Joy was saying something to him. But through the rush of blood in his ears, Rhett couldn’t hear her. His gaze was locked on the other man. A tremor ran down his spine, and a burning, churning desperation came to life in his belly. 
“Where is she?” He heard himself growling, a sound entirely foreign even to his own ears. Low and wild. Terrifying. 
Luke’s gaze shifted to Rhett’s. There was a flicker of fear in those stormy eyes. “Where’s Trevor?” He countered. 
Rhett was fighting the urge to go for the man’s throat. Your scent was so strong it almost brought him to his knees. “I can smell her on you! What did you do to her?!” His throat was raw from the snarl. 
Joy turned, holding her hand out to steady the wolf. “Rhett, if you can’t control yourself, I’ll have to remove you from the premises.” Her free hand was resting on her gun. 
But it was as if he didn’t hear her. “Goddammit, Luke! Did you kill her?!”
“I’m not telling you shit until you tell me where my brother is!” Luke shouted back. 
“ENOUGH!” Joy and Raven spoke at the same time. 
“We’re in the middle of searching for your brother right now. But I need to know if you have Rhett’s wife. If you do, I will be forced to remove her from your possession by any means necessary,” Joy said. 
Luke entirely ignored Joy. “You should’ve just brought us Trevor yourself, and we could’ve avoided this whole mess,” he spoke directly to Rhett. 
“And what, let you kill me on sight as soon as I stepped foot on your property?”
“Oh, like you killed my brother?”
“I didn’t kill your brother!”
“Then where is he, huh?! Cause it sure as hell don’t look like he’s alive!”
“Will you two stop already?! Luke, do you have her, or not?!” Joy demanded. 
In the meantime, Patricia Tillerson had it all planned out. Billy had just come down to inform her that Rhett Abbott had shown up with the cops, and no Trevor. 
“Fine,” she hissed angrily. “We’ll do this another way.”
She marched right over to you, still bound to the metal examination table. She’d been questioning you for hours and had gotten nowhere. You were exhausted, shivering, and drenched with sweat. 
“Wh-what are you doing?!” You fearfully asked, flinching away as she moved to abruptly unbuckle your restraints. 
“Get up,” she simply said. 
“No! What are you–”
“Get up!” A sharp slap to your cheek had you scrambling to slide off the table, but your legs nearly gave out as your feet hit the ground. 
A fresh wave of terror sliced through you, heightened when you watched her grab a gun loaded with silver bullets. She clamped her hand around your upper arm, sure to leave a bruise, and dragged you along. You didn’t have the strength to fight her, and when you tried, she pulled you forward hard, so that you stumbled. 
Your legs felt heavy, and your feet dragged like your shoes were made of iron. Tears ran down your cheeks, and your mind raced, trying to figure out what was happening, where she was taking you. Was she finally going to kill you?
And that’s when you heard it. The sound of raised voices echoing through the corridors of the house. But one stood out above all the rest. Rhett. 
“Rhett?” You squeaked, and a sob tore from your throat. 
“Shut your mouth, whore,” Patricia snapped. She yanked you forward, right into the main entry area of the house. You could see Luke at the door, and beyond him, Sheriff Hawk and Deputy Perez. But they didn’t matter. Not when your eyes fell upon your mate. The one who you were certain was here to rescue you. 
“Rhett,” you tried to speak again, but you couldn’t make your voice any louder than a pathetic croak. Your throat was raw. 
But he saw you. His eyes, the bluest eyes you’d ever seen, flickered to you, and his entire face changed. His mouth moved as he spoke your name, but it sounded like a faraway echo. 
It seemed to all happen in slow motion. 
Before Rhett could even think, he was rushing forward, pushing past Joy, past Luke, fighting his way into the house. Multiple voices were shouting all at once. 
You should’ve seen the two officers unholstering their guns. Should’ve seen the way Luke ducked out of the way. Should’ve felt Patricia move beside you. 
In seconds, she’d lifted her gun and pressed it to your temple. Time slowed. Rhett stumbled to a halt, his arms coming out in front of him, a look of sheer horror in his eyes as his mouth opened to form…
“NO!” His chest burned. His eyes glowed gold. “LET HER GO!”
“Why should I let her go, wolf? You took my son from me. I’ll take the mother of your child away from you.”
“Please!” Rhett sobbed. “What do you need me to do?! I’ll do it. Just, please! Don’t take my wife and baby from me!”
“Is my son dead?”
“Drop the gun!” Joy’s voice filled the room. Loud and booming. Her weapon was drawn. So was Raven’s. “Drop it or so help me God, I will shoot you!”
“You shoot me, I take her with me!” Patricia shouted, pressing the gun more firmly against your head. You whimpered, fighting the urge to close your eyes. Instead, you focused on Rhett. He looked wild. Trapped, like a caged animal.  
“You don’t want to do this!” Raven exclaimed in the background, eyes trained on her target. 
“Yes I do! These animals stole my son from me! Either they return him, or I put a bullet in her head!” 
“Mom, just let her go!” Luke’s desperate voice tore through the commotion. “It’s not worth it!”
“No! Where is my son?! What did you do to him?!”
Joy wouldn’t say. She knew the moment she confirmed Trevor was dead, Patricia would pull the trigger. So she tried to diffuse the situation. 
“We’re lookin’ for him right now, Patricia! Don’t kill this innocent girl because you think Rhett might’ve had something to do with it! If you kill her, we will take you down!” The sheriff cried. 
There was no clean ending to this situation. Someone wasn’t going to make it out alive. 
In the midst of it, the shouting and the chaos and the fear, all Rhett could see was you. His only love. His mate. The other half of his soul. He saw your future together. He saw himself holding your baby for the first time. He saw you building a life together. Growing your family. Doing all the things you’d always dreamed of doing together. 
And he couldn’t let it be stolen from him. He couldn’t let you be stolen from him. 
So he fell to his knees, and he looked up at the woman who held your life in her hands. “I beg of you,” he breathed “don’t take her from me.”
She shifted, pressing the barrel of the gun tighter against your temple, her finger on the trigger. You whimpered, squeezing your eyes shut. Any second, she would squeeze that trigger and it would all be over.
Rhett knew what he had to do. “You want the truth? Fine, I’ll tell you the truth.” His mouth parted as his fangs grew. His eyes glowed bright as embers. “Trevor’s dead.”
Then he lunged. 
In a split second, the man was a wolf. An apex predator, all sleek black fur and tight muscle. You heard a gunshot ring out, and you expected your body to fall. But before it did, the animal was colliding with your chest, sending you plummeting toward the hard ground. 
But you never came in contact with it. A hand was behind your head, cushioning your fall. A shadow remained above you, broad and familiar. When you opened your eyes, you found your husband staring down at you, his face human again. 
“I’ve got you,” he soothed. He placed his body over top of your own, shielding you from what was happening around you. His hands were pressed over your ears, muffling the deafening sound of gunfire that would be murder on your sensitive hearing. 
And then, all at once, it was silent. 
Slowly, Rhett lifted his hands from your ears. “Are you okay?” He asked. His voice wavered. Frantic eyes searched your being for any signs of outward harm. He touched his fingers to the collar around your neck, and his chest flashed with anger. “What did they do to you?”
But you couldn’t speak. Tears rushed forth, blurring your vision, and immediately, you flung your arms around his bare shoulders. Deep, broken sobs wracked your body. Rhett held you tight, moving to sit upright as you clung to him, weeping into his neck, holding onto him as if you were afraid that if you let go, he’d disappear. 
“Don’t let go!” You wailed.
He was overcome, and he closed his eyes, nuzzling into you, his own tears burning hot trails down his cheeks. “I’m here, little wolf. I’m here, I’m not gonna let you go.”
Slowly, you turned your head, allowing your eyes to flutter open. That’s when you saw it. Patricia Tillerson lay lifeless on the floor. Her cold, dead eyes remained open and fixed on you, a haunting visual that would never leave you as long as you lived. 
“Rhett,” you whimpered, burying your face against his neck again. 
“Shh. I got ya, baby. You’re safe.”
You didn’t know how long you knelt there on that floor, clinging to one another, lamenting all that had befallen you. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered but this. Your arms around each other. Your chests pressed together. Your heartbeats intertwined.
All too soon, a gentle hand was placed upon Rhett’s shoulder, and Joy’s voice could be heard. “Rhett, we need to get you both out of here and rope off the crime scene. Is she okay to be moved?”
Rhett leaned back to fully look into your face. “Can you walk?” He asked you. 
Your strength was so depleted that you weren’t sure if you could. “I-I don’t know,” you whimpered. 
“Okay. Hold on a minute, let me get my clothes.” He gently set you on the floor before he quickly gathered the clothes he’d shed during his shift. Once he was clothed, he bent to help you to your feet, wrapping a secure arm around you as he carefully guided you out of the house and into the night. 
Deputy Perez, who was waiting for you outside the house, noticed the collar around your neck. “I’ll see about getting this off you,” she assured you, inspecting it more closely. “Is it a shock collar?”
“N-no,” you answered. “It’s meant to…to keep me from using my abilities. If I try, it’ll kill me.”
Raven nodded, her gaze intense. “I’ll see if Luke or Billy has the key for it.” She stepped away, leaving you and Rhett alone for just a moment. 
Rhett lifted his hand, gingerly touching the collar again. His eyes filled with tears, and he shook his head. “I-I’m so sorry,” he croaked. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner.”
You placed your hand over his own, intertwining your fingers. “It’s okay. I still knew you’d come.”
Moments later, Raven returned with the key in her hand. Your chance to finally have complete freedom, all held in a tiny piece of metal. You were so eager to be rid of the constrictive device, but when Raven reached out to unlock it, you instinctually flinched away, pressing yourself against your mate’s side. You knew Raven meant you no harm, but you were so fearful of any touch that was not Rhett’s. 
He held his hand out. “Let me do it. I don’t think she can stand anyone else touchin’ her but me.”
The woman nodded, gladly handing the key over. At that, Rhett turned to you, effectively shielding you with his body. “I’m gon’ get this off you, okay darlin’? You’re safe, it’s just me an’ you.”
You let your eyes fall shut as your husband carefully located the lock and inserted the key. He soothed you as he turned the lock, and then, all at once, the collar was gone from your neck. 
You let out a relieved sob. Before you, Rhett gasped, because all at once, he was hit with an overwhelming sensation. As if the missing half of his soul had just returned to its rightful place. He realized then that the collar had been inhibiting him from sensing your presence all along. At the realization, he pressed his forehead against yours, and both of you succumbed to silent tears. 
But all too soon, your moment was interrupted as Raven spoke up. 
“We’ve got an ambulance on the way for you,” she assured you, her deep brown eyes filled with compassion.
But you began to shake your head, retreating further into Rhett, tucking yourself back into his side, in need of the safety he provided. “N-no. No, I don’t want to go to the hospital,” you protested. “I want to see my pack doctor instead.” You trusted Doctor Tenpenny above all others. You had only ever gone to her your entire life. The thought of going to the hospital made anxiety roil in your belly. 
“Honey, you’ve been through a lot. It’s probably better that you go to a real hospital,” she tried to reason. 
“I said no. I’m going to my doctor. She’s the only one I trust.” After the traumatic series of events you had just endured, you didn’t want to experience any more discomfort. You didn’t want to sit in a sterile white room with a doctor you didn’t know examining you. You wanted your doctor. The one who understood wolf medicine, and knew exactly how to take care of you and your baby. 
Raven looked at Rhett, as if trying to get him to convince you to change your mind. But he was inclined to let you choose for yourself. You knew your body best, and if you felt that Doctor Tenpenny was the safest option after what you had gone through, he wasn’t going to make you change your mind. 
“We’ll go to our pack doctor. Thank you, Deputy Perez.”
Raven nodded, though she looked unsure. However, she didn’t want to push you any further. “Okay. You’ll need to sign a waiver stating that you refused treatment. You’ll also need to provide a statement as to what happened. I can take the statement whenever you’re ready.”
You looked at Rhett, and he saw the weariness on your face. You were depleted of any and all energy, and you desperately wanted to go home. 
His warm hand came up to rest upon your cheek, his touch loving. “You can do it, little wolf. I’ll be with you the whole time.”
And he was. He held your hand as you recounted each and every detail to Raven, and as he listened to your tearful words, and watched as you fought hard not to break down, he felt nauseated. He squeezed his eyes shut, trembling as he envisioned what you had been subjected to at the cruel hands of Patricia Tillerson. 
He hated that he couldn’t get to you sooner. He hated that you had suffered all of this, simply because of his brother’s heinous action. And he hated that he’d known about it, and had not gone to the police himself in the first place. If he had, instead of trusting Perry to do the right thing, then none of this would have happened. Rhett realized that in some ways, he was just as much to blame for what had happened to you as Perry was. 
He wanted to fall to his knees and tell you how sorry he was. But as Raven finished up her questioning, he could see how drained you were. Your tears had long since stopped, and the numbness had begun to set in. The time for emotional confessions and petitions for forgiveness would come later. For now, you just needed to go home. 
“Alright. That about does it. Thank you for being so patient, I know this is difficult,” Raven assured you. “Would you like me to escort you home in the cruiser?”
You nodded, though even that took more energy than you had. “Please.”
So, the two of you climbed into the back of the car, and you let yourself rest in Rhett’s warm embrace, your eyes growing heavy with exhaustion. He held you tightly and relished in your closeness. Your aliveness. 
He kept a protective hand against your belly the whole ride home. He could still sense your little one, which was a good sign. But there was still a fear in both of your minds, wondering if what you had been put through might cause you to lose your daughter. 
As a wolf, you had the ability to heal much faster than a human. Things didn’t affect you as badly because of your supernatural blood. But things like miscarriages were still possible. Especially if your body was put under intense amounts of stress. 
You let your hand rest over his own, and you sat in silence the entire ride, until Raven pulled into the wolf reservation. When you lifted your head from Rhett’s shoulder, you caught sight of the bustling activity taking place outside the cruiser. 
After Cecelia had informed the rest of your pack as to what was happening, they’d all gathered together to learn of your fate and wait for your return. Your heart ached, because you knew your mother would be beside herself. 
But the thought of being swarmed by everyone made your chest tighten with anxiety. You didn’t want to endure any noise or fanfare. Your nerves were shot and you were afraid you would succumb to a breakdown if you had to endure any more upheaval. 
“Rhett,” you whispered fearfully, grabbing his arm. “I can’t…I can’t handle all of them.”
“Shh,” he soothed. “‘s okay, we’ll just take ya to the house and have Doctor Tenpenny come see you there.”
Then he instructed Raven to drive over to the edge of the property, where your home was situated. She did so without complaint, and once she pulled the car to a stop, Rhett was quick to help guide you out onto solid ground, catching you when your knees almost buckled. 
“I’ve got ya.” With a kiss pressed to your temple, he led you up to the door, where he took a moment to locate the hide-a-key and unlock it. He turned back to wave at Raven, and then he took you into the house. 
“I’m gettin’ you up to bed,” he assured you, and you nodded, but the thought of climbing the stairs was too much for you. Rhett noticed your trepidation, and immediately, he was lifting you into his arms. He carried you up the steps and into your loft bedroom, where he stopped to carefully place you on the bed. 
He stood before you, big gentle hand coming up to lovingly stroke your cheek. You looked up at him, and your eyes welled with tears. 
“I thought I lost you,” he whispered. 
You closed your watery eyes, nuzzling into his hand. You couldn’t speak, but you didn’t need to. Your mate wrapped you in his arms and held you to his chest, assuring you that he was here now, that you were safe. And you knew you were. 
When he finally let you go, he knelt to reverently help you undress. He removed your shoes from your feet and got you out of your sweat-dampened clothing. You didn’t have the strength to get into the shower, so he took the packet of wipes you kept in your bedside table and lovingly wiped your body down before he put you into a clean pair of pajamas and got you into bed. 
As you settled in, he left a kiss on your forehead, and then slipped away to give the doctor a quick call. You had a few moments of peaceful rest before your mother and Doctor Tenpenny arrived. 
Rhett allowed you your emotional reunion with your mother, but once the doctor began her examination of you, he remained close by, perched on the edge of the bed, holding one of your hands in his own. 
“From what I can tell, baby girl is just fine. Her heartbeat is strong and there are no signs of distress. But I want you to stop by my clinic tomorrow so I can give you a more thorough examination, alright? For now, the best thing I can prescribe is rest. Drink lots of fluids. Try to eat to get your strength back up. Your body has been through a significant amount of trauma, and it’s going to take you a bit longer to heal than it normally would.”
You breathed a sigh of relief, rejoicing over the health of your baby. Rhett squeezed your hand, and you met his tearful gaze. This was one positive after the heartache you’d endured. 
The doctor left you with a few herbal remedies for any pain you might be experiencing, and finally, she bid you farewell. Your mother remained with you for a little while longer, unwilling to let you out of her sight just yet. 
But she could see how exhausted you were, so, reluctantly, she kissed your forehead and slipped out of the room, allowing you the peace you so desperately needed. Rhett walked her out, and she turned to him on the doorstep, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder. “Take care of my baby,” she told him. 
He mustered a smile, placing his hand over her own and giving it a squeeze. “Always.”
Once she was gone, Rhett stepped back into the house, where he made his way up the stairs and to your room again. He found you huddled under the covers, not quite asleep yet. When you saw him, you lifted your arms, reaching for him, beckoning him to bed. 
He took a moment to strip out of his shirt and jeans, leaving him in just his underwear. Then, he rounded the bed and climbed in next to you. Instantly, you turned your body, curling into him and burying your face against the slope of his neck. 
“Don’t let go,” you whispered when you felt his arms slip securely around your body. 
“I’m never lettin’ you go again, little wolf.”
And for the first time in forty-eight hours, you finally found rest. 
You slept for hours after that. Your exhausted body succumbed to a state of much-needed rest. Rhett was exhausted, too. Emotionally and physically. The trauma of losing you had zapped what strength he had left. So you slept wrapped around each other, grateful that you had been returned safely home.
But your moment of rest could only last for so long. Soon, it was time to wake up and face the world again. Rhett kept you shielded from it for as long as he could, dismissing any visitors that wanted to see you, because he knew you could not handle it.
However, life had to go on. A few days later, the sheriff showed up again to tie up some loose ends, and it pained Rhett deeply to watch you be put through the wringer all over again as you had to recall more details about what had happened. 
But Joy also had news to share. Some good, and some bad. 
“I know this has been hell for you, and I won’t take up any more of your time than I have to. But, we located Trevor’s body just south of here. We also found his truck at the bottom of Lover’s Lake. Perry confessed to the murder.” She leaned forward in her seat at your kitchen table. “I don’t know how much you’ve been talkin’ to your family lately, but last night, your dad came forward and confessed that he was also involved in disposing of the body. Did you know about that, Rhett?”
Beside you, Rhett’s eyes widened, and he shook his head in disbelief. “When we got into it at the house the other night, I found out he knew about it. But I…I had no idea he helped him hide the fuckin’ body.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to process what he’d just been told. Part of him wasn’t surprised. After all, Perry wasn’t smart enough to hide something like that on his own. He had to have had help. 
“To be frank with ya, this is a big fuckin’ mess. Not only do I have a werewolf killing a human, but I have hunters abducting a werewolf on top of it. The National Werewolf League wants answers as to how I let hunters operate right under my nose. Truth is, I had no idea they were actively hunting you guys. You know I haven’t been in office very long. I’ve been purposely kept in the dark as far as your history goes.”
“They weren’t actively huntin’ us. My dad had that agreement with Wayne when it came to huntin’. And ever since then, they haven’t gone after us. Until Trevor went missin’, then Patricia lost her fuckin’ mind and decided to target us,” Rhett explained. 
“I’m only sorry I didn’t know about it sooner. I really was naive enough to think that hunting was a thing of the past. But turns out, Patricia was actively hunting werewolves under the radar. Luke said he and his brothers haven’t done any hunting since their mother initially left years ago. But, that doesn’t change the fact that he and Billy were still involved in kidnapping your wife. So I want you to know that they will be punished to the full extent of the law. They won’t be able to hurt you ever again, and you have my word on that.” 
Rhett reached over to grab your hand, squeezing it gently. “Thank y’, Joy.”
She nodded, smiling softly at him. “You should also know that Luke has agreed to entirely nullify the contract your dad signed years ago with Wayne. That means that this land will rightfully belong to your family, and you will be free to live anywhere else you choose without facing repercussions from the Tillersons or anyone else.”
Rhett let out a breath of disbelief, leaning back in his chair and running his free hand through his hair. “Never thought I’d see the day,” he marveled. 
Joy held his gaze. “I’m truly sorry for the pain your people have had to endure. But I hope that this can be a step in the right direction to a better life for your pack, as well as packs all over the world.”
Finally, the sheriff stood from her chair, grabbing her hat from the table. “This is far from over. I just hope the two of you can find peace and healing in the midst of it.” Her gaze shifted to you. “Wishin’ you all the best with that little one you’re carrying. I hope she grows up in a world where she can feel safe and accepted.”
“So do I,” you firmly replied as you stood to shake her hand. 
“I’ll see myself out. We’ll be in touch,” the woman finally said. Then, with a tip of her hat, she turned, and walked out of your home, leaving you and Rhett bathed in silence.
“Y’ alright, little wolf?” He asked you. He rounded the table, where he gently wrapped an arm around your waist. 
You sighed deeply, leaning into him, letting your strength leave you as you let him support your weight. “I’m just…tired.” The last several days had been the most taxing period of time you had ever been through. Although your supernatural healing abilities had healed any injuries you had sustained, your spirit was still wounded from what you had endured. Your exhaustion was less physical and more mental and emotional now.
He nodded mournfully, lifting his hand to tilt your face toward him. “I know. So am I.” A tender kiss was pressed to your temple, lingering for a moment before he pulled back. The blue of his eyes was breathtaking, so brilliant and clear. “But we’re gonna be okay. We’ll get through this together. You, me, and this little pup. It’s us against the world.” His hand came to rest on your abdomen. 
You mustered a soft smile, your eyes glimmering with tears. When you let your eyes flutter shut, those tears slid down your cheeks. Rhett’s fingers were there in an instant, wiping them away. Wordlessly, he let his forehead rest upon your own, and you could feel him trembling against you. 
He grew serious, and soon was overcome with the guilt he had been carrying with him since you went missing “Darlin’,” he whispered, “I…I need to tell you somethin’.”
You looked at him expectantly, and he reached behind himself to pull one of the kitchen chairs out, which he sat upon. His large hands took hold of your own, and he looked up at you with an intensity in his gaze. It made your stomach drop. 
“A few days before the Tillersons took you, I found out that Perry killed Trevor. I told him to go to the sheriff. I gave him two days, told him that if he didn’t come forward, then I would. But he never did. And then, they took you. And I…I just keep thinkin’, if I had just said somethin’ myself, then maybe you wouldn’t have been taken from me. Maybe you wouldn’t have suffered at the hands of that fuckin’ monster Patricia. Maybe you–”
“Rhett.”
He went quiet. 
Your gentle hands came up to cup his cheeks. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for this. Perry is the one that committed the crime. He’s the one that tried to cover it up. He should have gone forward himself. It isn’t your responsibility to right his wrongs. This is solely his fault.”
“But I…I should’ve been lookin’ at the bigger picture. I should’ve anticipated them takin’ you. But I didn’t. I could have lost you forever. I could’ve lost my child forever. I failed as your protector. And for that, I’m beggin’ your forgiveness.”
More tears flooded your vision, and you shook your head, falling to your knees along with him, hands still framing his face. “Baby, you don’t need to beg for my forgiveness. You didn’t fail as my protector. You were there when I needed you most. If you hadn’t stepped in when you did, I wouldn’t be here with you right now. I’m alive because of you. So don’t you think for one second that you failed me, or our child. Because you didn’t. You saved us.”
A soft sob escaped his throat, and he lowered himself to the floor with you, wrapping his arms around your body, much like he had when he came to your rescue that fateful night. It was your turn to hold him. Cradling his head against your chest, letting him listen to yours and your baby’s heartbeat. Reminding him that you were alive, that you were safe, that you weren’t going anywhere.
Your journey was not over. In fact, it was just beginning. The nature of this situation would spark national coverage, especially since the League had gotten involved. There would be trials to attend, trauma to relive, and difficult decisions to make. But for now, if only for a brief moment in time, the two of you were safe in your little bubble, wrapped in each other’s arms. 
And you longed for it to never end. 
“Rhett?” You softly spoke, after your emotions had waned. You were still on the floor, but you had shifted so you were sitting cross-legged in front of each other. 
His tired blue eyes flickered to yours. 
“Can…can we pretend, just for tonight, that things are normal? These next few months are going to be rough on both of us. I just want to pretend we’re back to the way things were before all this. Even if it’s only for tonight.”
Your husband smiled softly. “I’d like that.”
So, together, you stood from the floor, and Rhett pulled you in to kiss the top of your head. One brawny arm slid around your torso, and he nuzzled his nose against yours. “Wan’ me to take ya into town for some pizza?”
You considered his offer, placing your hands against his chest. “How about we finish off some of the leftovers in the fridge? I’m afraid if we go into town people will bombard us with questions.” Dealing with people sounded like an overstimulation nightmare for you. 
Rhett nodded. “You’re right. Don’t know what I was thinkin’.” He glanced over at the fridge. “Guess we do have plenty’a leftovers to get through. Your side of the pack really knows how to take care of people when they’re strugglin’.”
He was right, your pack members had been making meals for you and Rhett ever since you’d come home. The meals were deeply appreciated by you, because neither of you had the energy to cook. 
“Go sit and rest, darlin’,” Rhett told you. “I’ll heat everythin’ up and we can just eat in the livin’ room.”
You smiled, leaning into him as he ducked down to kiss you tenderly. Then he ushered you off to the living room while he buried himself with heating up dinner. 
In no time, you were cuddled up on the couch together, the television playing in the background as you ate, and it all felt so normal and mundane. Something you had been craving these last few days. 
You sat with your legs across Rhett’s lap, and he kept a steady hand against your thigh, thumb rubbing circles on the skin. For the first time since you had come home, you felt yourself relaxing. The tension melted away from your muscles, and you allowed yourself to relish in the domesticity of it all. 
You didn’t finish the movie playing on the screen. Neither of you were particularly interested in it. You were more interested in the closeness and the intimacy you shared. His gentleness was a soothing salve after you what you had experienced at the hands of Patricia Tillerson. 
“Do you wan’ head up to bed?” He softly asked you, after your head had fallen to rest upon his shoulder. 
Sliding into the comfort of your bed and then being wrapped securely in your mate’s arms sounded incredibly appealing. So you offered a sleepy smile and nodded your head. 
Rhett sent you upstairs with a kiss, promising to join you momentarily, after he put the dishes in the sink and shut off all the lights for the evening. So you trudged up the steps into the loft and busied yourself with getting ready for bed. 
Since you had come home, you hadn’t taken the time to go about your usual nighttime routine. The best you could do most evenings was brush your teeth and change into pajamas before collapsing into bed. It was all you had energy for. 
But tonight, you decided it was time to carry out that routine, in the hopes that it might make you feel somewhat normal. After you changed into your pajamas, you took the time to cleanse your face before you took a seat at your vanity. The vanity Rhett had made for you when he was building your home. A warm-toned wooden dressing table, complete with carved details and a rounded mirror, giving it a vintage appearance. The mirror faced the bed, and the reason for that was because Rhett loved watching you put on your makeup and skincare products. He found you so effortlessly beautiful in those moments. 
Moments when life had seemed so much simpler. Now, everything felt muddled and complicated. Eventually, that gloom would clear, but until then, you were stuck in the midst of it, waiting for the sun to shine. 
But there were glimpses of that sunshine happening all around you. Such as the tiny heartbeat you could hear alongside your own. Or the smile on your husband’s face when he stepped into the room to find you at your dressing table. 
You could see him in the mirror, and you smiled back, eyeing him as he approached you. There was a look of awe shimmering in his eyes. When he reached you, his large, warm hands came to rest on your shoulders. 
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured as he leaned down to kiss the top of your head. 
You closed your eyes, melting beneath his touch. “I thought maybe doing my skincare might help me feel a little more normal, too.”
“You all finished?”
“Just have to put moisturizer on.”
“Hold on one sec.” He slipped away quickly, ducking into the adjacent bathroom to wash his hands. Moments later, he emerged. “Let me put your moisturizer on ya.”
You giggled at that. “Why?”
“Because I want to. C’mon, give it ‘ere.” He reached for the bottle, which you handed to him. Then, he knelt before you and turned you in your chair so you were facing him. Ever so carefully, he gathered the moisturizer on his fingers, smoothing it around for a moment before he began to delicately smooth the cream over your skin. 
Your smile began to fade into an expression of bliss as he caressed your face, and your eyes soon drifted shut. His touch was so comforting, and he worked with careful precision, making sure he wasn’t too rough on your delicate skin. 
You got lost in the feeling, and if only for a moment, your mind went blank. It was only you and Rhett. No troubles. No anxieties. Just peace. 
And then he spoke, his voice gravelly, coming from deep within his chest. “All done.”
When you opened your eyes, his own were staring back at you. You were so close, your noses were almost brushing. You both could feel that magnetic pull, drawing you to each other. You didn’t know who moved first. But it didn’t matter. Seconds later, your lips were joined in a searing kiss. 
You weren’t quite sure what came over you. All at once, the crushing weight of desire threatened to consume you whole. A fire ignited in your belly, and you surged forward, sliding off your chair and onto the floor. Funny, you seemed to find yourselves on the floor together a lot these days. 
Rhett gasped against your mouth at your sudden movement, entirely caught off guard. He parted from you, searching your face. “Whoa there, darlin’,” he breathed. 
“Rhett, I…” You began, but trailed off. An ache had begun to blossom through your chest. An intense need, unlike anything you’d ever felt before. 
“What? Tell me what you need.”
“I need you.”
He hesitated. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna do anythin’ that you aren’t ready for.”
Your hands clutched at his collar, your body pressed against his own. “I’m sure. I need…I need to be close to you. Need your touch.”
You spoke with deep sincerity. This was not a moment of crazed lust. This was a moment in which you so deeply desired intimacy. You needed to be joined as one with your mate, needed the safety that came from being in his arms, wrapped around his body. You needed him. 
He let his forehead rest against your own, his eyes drifting shut as he breathed in deep. He wanted you, too, just as badly as you wanted him. He had missed being close to you in this way. 
“C’mon, little wolf. We’re not doin’ it on the floor. Want my girl to be comfortable on our bed.” He guided you to your feet, his hand against the small of your back as you were led to the bed. 
After the cruelty you had suffered, Rhett wanted you to experience nothing but softness and gentleness. You would never suffer under a harsh, unforgiving hand ever again, he would make sure of it. 
Reverently, he laid you upon the bed, his cerulean gaze fixed tenderly upon you. He held your stare as he climbed onto the mattress with you, his body covering your own as he hovered over you. 
You lifted your hand, cupping his cheek. “You make me feel so safe,” you whispered. You knew it was what he needed to hear, after he felt like he’d failed you and your child. And you meant every word. 
His mouth curled into a fond smile, and his eyes filled with tears, which dropped down onto your cheeks, pulling a soft giggle from you both. 
“Sorry,” he murmured, “I just…I love you. More than anythin’ in the world.”
You kissed him. “I love you too. ‘Til the day I die.”
One more lingering kiss before he leaned back, sitting on his haunches. He helped ease you out of your shirt, and then your shorts, keeping his movements slow and predictable, soft and loving. 
When your body was exposed to him, he sighed out desirously, as in love with you as he’d ever been. “So beautiful, all for me. My pretty little mate.”
You felt warm beneath his praise, and your eyes drifted shut as a lazy smile graced your features. When you heard the jangle of his belt buckle, your eyes came open again, and you watched as he undid the leather, his hands moving with ease.
He was quick to kick off his jeans and underwear, and you reached out to tug at his shirt, lifting it off his body to reveal his form underneath. Lithe muscle and golden skin from days of working outside without a shirt. 
Your hands came up to touch him, smoothing over his shoulders, across his chest, down his abdomen. He felt so warm and familiar beneath your touch. You realized just how much you had missed touching him like this. All you had done the last few days was kiss and embrace. You had not bared yourselves to one another in that time, because it was the furthest thing from your minds. 
But now, here you were, bodies exposed, skin to skin, and it felt right. His lips on yours felt right. His hands on you felt right. His chest against yours felt right. And when he lowered his body against your own, and you felt that heavy hardness nestled against your center, you sighed in contentment. This was good and natural and precious. It was just what you needed during a tumultuous moment in your lives. So you relished in it. 
Nothing was rushed. You took it slow. It wasn’t about pleasure. It was about the closeness. And Rhett made sure to drive that point home. He began his descent of your body, kissing your skin as he went. He was worshipful, reverent, and adoring. 
He breathed in your scent, closing his eyes and relishing in its sweetness. It was a reminder that you were here, alive and safe in his arms, right where you belonged. 
He paused when he reached your abdomen, and he let his hand splay protectively over it. He could hear your tiny little pup’s heartbeat, and he let his head rest there for a moment before he left a series of kisses all along your belly. 
You gazed down adoringly at him, reaching your hand out to brush his hair away from his face. He moved his head to kiss at your wandering fingers before he came back up to engulf you with his body. 
With his forearms near either side of your head, you felt caged in, in the best way. He had overcome all of your senses, blotting out any lingering anxiety or unease you might have still felt. 
His face was all you could see, the low bedroom light framing his head like a halo. He looked so beautiful like this, with love shining in his eyes. Love for you. 
“Gon’ make love to you, baby,” he murmured, ducking forward to nip at your bottom lip. 
“Go on then, cowboy,” you softly encouraged with a smile, tapping your heel against the back of his thigh. 
Humming in amusement, he kissed you again before he snaked his arm between your bodies to stroke his fingers through your slick. Two fingers inched inside you, pulling a gasp from your throat before he added a third. It wasn’t like you needed help trying to take him. You were made to accommodate him. As mates, your anatomy was meant to fit together, like two pieces of a puzzle. But that didn’t stop Rhett from getting you ready for him, making sure you were soaking around his fingers before he even considered sliding his cock inside you. 
You let your eyes drift shut, focusing on his thick fingers within you. But it wasn’t enough. They didn’t fill you like his cock did. They didn’t connect you in the way you so desperately needed. So you whined, leaning up to kiss him and beg into his mouth. “Pl-please.”
“I know, I got ya,” he hummed, before his tongue delved past your lips to taste you. Meanwhile, he reached down to align himself with you. You felt the plush head of his cock catch against your entrance as he dragged it through, gathering your slick as he went, and you gasped, your eyes widening at the feeling. 
Oh so slowly, he began to inch into you, and you found yourself jolting against him, letting out the softest of whimpers, your mouth brushing against his. 
He held your gaze, and the deep blue that reminded you of the depths of the ocean was almost too much to behold, but you found yourself unable to look away nonetheless. This felt natural. It felt right.
He kept going until he was fully nestled inside you, your anatomy stretching around him. Then he sighed out blissfully, his eyes fluttering shut as he reveled in the feeling of your wet warmth snug around him. “Feel so good, darlin’,” he hummed against your parted mouth. 
You whimpered softly, wrapping your arms around those broad shoulders of his. You finally felt safe and protected. Like nothing could hurt you as long as you were wrapped around your mate. He was so warm and familiar, and he smelled so good. A deep, woodsy scent that was unique only to him, and smelled like home to you.
You remained like that for a few moments, just cherishing the closeness, the intimacy of being joined as one. But the feeling of him inside you soon had you aching for more. 
With a soft sigh, you kissed at the corner of his mouth. “Move. Please,” you whined, nose bumping against his. 
He obliged, swiveling his hips, pushing himself further into you, filling you in a way that only he could. That thick cock brushed against all the pleasurable spots inside you, and with each push and pull, it stole the breath from your lungs. He’d only just begun and he was already sending you into orbit. 
His pace was slow. Careful, deliberate thrusts of his hips against yours, remaining as close as possible to your body. Chest to chest. Heart to heart. Tied together by a crimson string of fate. And then his mouth was on yours again, hot and open-mouthed, your breaths combined as one force. 
“Oh, oh darlin’,” your husband sighed. “Missed bein’ close to you like this.”
“Missed it too,” you squeaked. The tears were already beginning to gather along your lash line. “I…I thought I’d never get to be with you like this again.”
His own eyes became glassy, and he shook his head. “Shh, don’t talk like that. I’m here now. I’ve got ya, you’re safe and sound, and I ain’t never gonna let anyone take you away from me again.”
You knew he meant every word. He would move mountains to ensure your safety. He would go to war for you and your child. The realization was overwhelming. You had never been loved in such a way before. He loved you with a ferocity, an unmatched intensity, and it took your very breath away.
“L-love you,” you whimpered. 
“I love you too, little wolf. Always gonna love you.”
You slipped into a comfortable, sweet silence after that moment. No words were needed. Your soft sighs and hums were enough. Your bodies did all the talking instead. Moving together of one accord. Rhett built his own rhythm, a steady sway, relishing in the way you clenched around him each time he brushed past that sweet spot nestled deep within you.
You clung to him tightly, as if you were afraid he’d disappear into thin air. And maybe you had every right to entertain that fear. What if this was all a dream, and you’d wake up back in that dark, cold cell again, entirely helpless?
But Rhett seemed to sense your trepidation, and he soothed you. “You’re okay, honey. I’m right here. We’re safe, in our bed. Nobody’s gon’ hurt you.”
He was right, you knew he was. No harm would come to you. Not here, in the reverence of your bed. Not here, in the arms of your one true love. Not here, in your home. The realization sent those unshed tears spilling forth. Once the dam broke, there was no stopping it. 
“Rhett,” you whispered, and then you buried your face against the side of his neck. In a moment of deep catharsis, you let go of your emotions, letting them bubble from you like a rushing stream of water. 
“Shh,” he soothed, and in an instant, he changed positions, so that you were in his lap, held tightly in his arms. He didn’t stop, because you didn’t want him to. You needed this. You craved this. Even as you sobbed openly against his shoulder, hot tears dripping onto his skin. 
One large hand settled on the back of your head, while the other came to wrap around your back. Every inch of your body was pressed against his, and you couldn’t tell where you ended and he began, but you wouldn’t have it any other way. As you cried, he whispered soothing words in your ear, and you held on to every last one of them. 
I love you. You’re safe. I’m here. 
It made you cry harder, tears of gratefulness and relief. Fate had smiled down upon you, and seen fit that you were reunited with your soulmate. The one that had been created just for you. The missing half to your whole.
The one who loved you then lifted his hand, and slipped his fingers into your mouth. It soothed your cries, and you blinked at him, eyes bleary. But even through the haze, you could see that he, too, was weeping. 
His fingers on your tongue grounded you, and you were able to fully immerse yourself in the moment, closing your eyes as you focused on the feeling of him inside you, pelvis undulating against yours. You began to rock your hips in tune with his own, slow at first, but soon faster and faster. 
That’s when the need took over your brain. An animalistic desire that drove you as you began to rut into him, holding on tightly, your nails digging crescents into his skin. A fire had been ignited in your belly, and you chased that warmth, growing bigger and bigger until it had nearly become a wildfire. 
“R-Rhett,” you squeaked, lifting your head to meet his gaze again.
“I know,” he groaned. “Let go when you need to, little wolf. I’m right behind you.”
You pressed your forehead to his, whimpering as you chased your high. You moved fluidly together, with only one goal in mind. So close, so close, so close. And then, all at once, “oh!” and you were freefalling. 
You threw your head back, mouth open as it overwhelmed you. An all-encompassing heat that tore through you, sending you convulsing in Rhett’s arms. He growled, his eyes flashing gold at the feeling of you clenching rhythmically around him. Moments later, he too was overcome, and as you drifted down from the precipice, you could feel the warmth of his seed flooding the very core of you, claiming you as his own. 
It took several moments for either of you to come back to earth. You remained in each other’s arms, bodies still connected. His lips pressed at your feverish collarbone, kissing your skin, bringing you back to him. 
When your vision finally cleared, you lifted his head so you could fully look into his face. Wordlessly, your mouth was against his again, kissing him lovingly. Hands came up to tangle in his hair, fingers scratching gently against his scalp. 
You weren’t sure how long you stayed that way. It could have been five minutes, it could have been twenty-five. But soon enough, Rhett moved to ease his soft cock from you, and you whined at the emptiness. Fingers soothed into your mouth again, pacifying you as he let you rest against the mattress. 
“You’re okay. Need t’ clean you up, darlin’.”
“Don’t let go.”
“I won’t. Just gonna carry you to the bathroom, alright? Give me girl a nice warm bath.”
You agreed, allowing him to move you into the bathroom, but not before he made sure you had a blanket wrapped around you so you wouldn’t catch a chill while he filled the bathtub. It was such a mundane moment, but you cherished it, because for just a little while, you could pretend everything was normal. Your husband was simply taking care of you after making love to you, just like he always did. 
But as sure as the water began to cool down as you finished your bath, so the coldness of reality settled in. You could not pretend things were normal forever. Both of you knew that. And as you slipped into bed that night, you spoke of it. 
“I…I’m scared,” you whispered. “Of what’s coming.”
With the League getting involved, and you being the victim of an egregious crime, your life was going to be in upheaval for the foreseeable future.
Rhett sighed softly, pressing his lips to your forehead. “I am too.” But then, a glimmer of hope. Gentle fingers tilted your chin up. “But think of it this way. We’re one step closer to makin’ the world a safer place for our little girl. I’m sure they’ll be passing stricter laws against wolf hunting. And with the Tillersons out of the picture, we’re already on the right track. We’ve got a fighting chance at seein’ hunting eradicated for good.”
“You really think our baby will be able to grow up in a world where hunting doesn’t exist?”
“I hope so. Nobody should have to live in fear of bein’ hunted for sport. Our kind have a right to protection, just like everyone else. If I have to go to fuckin’ war to make it happen, I will. There’s nothin’ more important to me than makin’ sure you and our babies are safe.”
Again, your eyes filled with tears, and you leaned in to kiss the man before you. “No matter what, we fight together,” you said. “Me and you.”
“Me and you,” he echoed, intertwining his hand with yours. 
It would be no easy feat, but together, you would get through this. And in the end, you would give your daughter, and other werewolves alike, a chance at life in a better world, one without hunters, where they could live wherever and however they pleased. 
No one would suffer beneath the point of a silver arrow ever again. All wolves would be free.
-
taglist:
@westpastor @happyrebelruins @bobfloydsbabe @myfandomchangesalot @mikpieboo @petersunderoos96 @eighthwvnder @yanna-banana @bradshawsbitch @sebsxphia @rhettabbotts @milesmillergf @briseisgone @up-thereinthesky @gohnspants @hangmanapologist @wkndwlff @damrlova @withahappyrefrain @michaego @whisperofsong @kmc1989 @peachystenbrough @callsign-magnolia
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bullet-prooflove · 5 months ago
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Birthday Celebration Bingo: Surprise Party - Joe Velasco x Reader
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Tagging: @plaidbooks @witches-unruly-heart @storiesofsvu @rosaliedepp @thatesqcrush
Part of The Wolf Universe:
Criminal!Joe:
The Wolf - Joe meets his queen in an unexpected place.
Reward - Joe rewards you for your loyalty.
One More (NSFW) - Joe ruins you when you display your devotion. 
Pictures of You (feat: Mike Duarte) - Mike discovers you’re alive.
Bleed - Joe learns the story behind your scars.
Flowers (feat: Mike Duarte) - It’s been a long time since Mike has bought you flowers.
Use Me (NSFW) - Joe surrenders to you.
Love Letter - Terry gives you the letter Joe left for you.
Red Flag - Terry thinks your a red flag in Joe’s operation.
Mi Amor - You decide to tell Joe how you feel.
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Joe doesn’t expect to see balloons when he walks through the door of the Soreno’s. He doesn’t expect the confetti cannon that goes off in his face either, showering his expensive suit in a haze of glitter nor the exclamation of surprise that erupts from the guests. He was expecting a quiet, intimate dinner with his wife, not a full on event.
Nobody has ever thrown The Wolf a surprise party. He’s completely stunned as people approach him, shaking his hand, giving them their best wishes. His gaze meets yours across the room and you give him that smile, the one that absolutely ruins him.
You’d been tangled up in one another when he’d told you he’d never had a birthday party. You were talking about your childhood back in Boston, the house where you grew up, the bouncy castle that had deflated when your drunk uncle tripped over the plug.
“We never had parties.” He tells you, his thumb chasing over the apple of your cheek. “My mother was dead and my father was too busy building his empire.”
“It sounds lonely.” You say softly. He can see the sadness in your eyes, the compassion, the empathy. You are the only person he trusts with these parts of himself, the only person he shows his vulnerability.
“Let’s not talk about that.” He murmurs against your lips, his naked body draping across yours. “Not when we could be doing other things.”
You hadn’t forgotten that conversation. You had known that his father was abusive, you’d seen the scars on his back, ran your fingers over them but you hadn’t realised the extent of it. Joe was nothing to that man but clay to mould into his own image. His emotional wellbeing, his happiness wasn’t a factor, especially as a child.
It’s the expression on his face that captures you when he walks into that room, that rare moment of joy on his features. It makes the weeks of planning worth every single second.
“You have been a naughty girl.” He whispers into your ear when he catches up with you. His arm wraps around your waist drawing you to him, his firm body pressing against yours. “Keeping things from me.”
There’s a growl in his voice, it’s dark and teasing as his nose trails up along the curve of his throat, his fingers toying with the knot of the midnight blue wrap dress you’re wearing. One pull is all it would take, but he can’t stand the thought of another man’s eyes on you, even if he’s the one fucking you.
“If you can spare me ten minutes perhaps I can give you your other birthday present.” You say, your eyes bright with mischief as you guide his hand underneath your dress. His fingertips skate over the lace tops of the thigh high stockings you’re wearing and his breathing hitches. “I bought something a little special, something for your eyes only.”
His lips brush over yours, his kiss full with a thousand unspoken promises. You’re wet already, a damp patch growing across the sheer fabric of your panties.
“I’m gonna need more than ten minutes, mi amor.” He murmurs, his thumb chasing along the line of your jaw. “Especially if I want to thank my wife properly.”
Love Joe Velasco? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.
Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee
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absurdthirst · 3 months ago
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Hello! I saw the post about the monster boyfriends so this prompted me to ask. Will there be a follow up to the werewolf Tovar one from a couple of years ago? I adore that one and return to it frequently.
There will be!
I am so sorry, I know that I've been promising an update.
To be honest, I am so conflicted on how to take it, or how I want it to go. I can play it out in my head 🥴 but I can't make the words work. I am slowly pecking away and it and hopefully it will be done soon!
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terrapia · 18 days ago
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No war, no peace ’Till I lead them all
↪ Blood Sweat & Tears | Ambessa, The chosen of the wolf
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spikeface · 4 months ago
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friends <3
(x)
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mrs-gauche · 6 months ago
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The Dread Wolf Take You (Part 1)
~~Link to the complete 31 page comic here~~
"Imagine that, overlooking the god in your mids!"
May I present, my attempt at illustrating the last four pages of Tevinter Nights. 😁 (Also, the first time I'm posting art on here!)
As the whole thing was quite literally too long to post on tumblr, I uploaded the full version on a customized site made for reading webcomics (via ComicFury). Feel free to check out the link above if you like to read the rest! Also, if you're on mobile, there's a "Scroll View" option for easier navigation. :)
And, obviously, HUGE spoilers for those who haven't read Tevinter Nights!!
On a personal note though, I can't believe I actually finished it... As it had been a *very* long time since I drew (and finished) anything, let alone a 31 page comic and reading Tevinter Nights again finally sparked my motivation (and the courage to post it lol). So I want to thank Patrick Weekes for helping me overcome this massive art block and over two decades of Case Closed mangas for inspiring me how to draw an overly dramatic "exposing the imposter" moment. 😂 I tried my best to be as faithful to the book as possible and it took me forever, so... hope you like it! :D
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heatherchasesyou · 3 months ago
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Why dis Claudia look so mad 😩
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daily reminder that on the side of the wolf pack’s LAATs in arubesh, it says “Plo’s Bro’s”
Proof:
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theaccursedninth · 3 months ago
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//people that skip series one baffle me. You miss SO much! The introduction of the Time War, the Doctor’s early and raw struggle with PTSD, you miss watching he and Rose first fall in love, you miss Jack and Mickey and even Tosh’s introduction
You miss the Badwolf, the power of her love, you miss the return of the Daleks, Jack’s revival…EVERYTHING that the rest of the franchise is built on starts with Nine’s era. Skipping those thirteen episodes robs you of its heart.
It’s 2024. NO MORE SKIPPING NINE😤
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lewmagoo · 1 year ago
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a curse i cannot lift | rhett abbott
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description: in which everything he holds dear is ripped from his grasp
warnings: 18+ only, werewolf au, pregnancy, allusions to sex, perry abbott assaulting people (idk how else to word that lol), murder, violence, blood, kidnapping, angst, werewolves are unfairly targeted in this world
pairing: werewolf!rhett abott x f!werewolf!reader
listen to the playlist here
notes: this is part of 'the wolf' series! you technically don't have to read the first part but it'll make more sense if you do. access the first part here. access the series masterlist here
dedication: to @lovinglyeternal, without you this series wouldn't have been born. also dedicated to @bro-ooke ; thanks for beta reading this for me!
From a young age, Rhett Abbott had been taught that there was no greater honor in life than to obtain a mate. In wolf culture, finding one’s mate was a fateful, sacred occurrence. It was the joining together of two souls as one entity.
And he had found that oneness when he found you. The moment you walked into his life, his entire world changed. His fierce loyalty had always been dedicated to his family, but when the two of you joined your bloodlines, his loyalties changed. 
It wasn’t that he’d turned his back on his family. Far from it, in fact. But they no longer came first. It was you that came first, above all others. Together, you were responsible for loving and protecting each other. You had made that pledge to one another on your wedding day, a blood oath that was unbreakable and would withstand the test of time. 
Rhett had heard stories of the sacrifices mates were willing to make just to protect one another. But he’d never fully understood the magnitude of such a thing until he had a mate of his own. Sometimes it scared him, and made him feel a little wild, knowing the lengths he would go to to protect you. 
But he wasn’t alone, because you were just as territorial over him as he was of you. You had one another’s backs, and swore to each other that you would keep the other safe. However, he would one day find himself unable to fulfill his part of that promise to you, all because of the foolish actions of one man. And those actions would result in Rhett losing you. 
But hell hath no fury like a wolf whose mate is stolen from him. And when Rhett Abbott’s fury was unleashed, no one would walk away unscathed. 
Neither of you could have ever imagined your lives would be turned upside down. You had only just begun your mateship together. You had made a home for yourselves on Abbott land - an old barn at the edge of the property that Rhett had converted into a living space for the two of you and the family you would soon create together.
Life together was sweeter than you ever could have imagined. From the moment you met him, you felt an all-consuming sense of peace, knowing this was who you were meant to spend the rest of your life with. He was the one that had been formed for you by the cosmos before either of you was even born. A collection of burning, blinding, brilliant stars all forged together into one beautiful man with ocean-blue eyes. 
But, even for mated werewolves, life still had its difficulties. One’s hardships didn’t miraculously disappear once one found their mate. In fact, the joining together of both of your packs posed its fair share of brand-new issues. 
Particularly, the issue of keeping secrets. 
The Abbott family was very secretive. There were things weaved through the fabric of their family history that Royal had done his best to bury. Chief of those secrets was the fact that the land they lived upon was not their own. 
Historically, werewolves were not treated like high-class individuals. In fact, they were often treated like the scum of the earth. The bottom of the barrel. Humans were afraid of their wild tendencies, and this resulted in irrational, widespread fear. 
The wolf community had fought long and hard to obtain equal rights, and after a seemingly never-ending battle, they had finally made some headway. Laws had been put in place, protecting werewolves and their families from discrimination and inhumane treatment. 
Laws had also been put in place against hunting werewolves. These laws had been passed in all fifty states before you or Rhett were even born. The werewolf hunting business had once been very successful, but these days, hunters were almost non-existent. Hunting and killing werewolves was now considered a federal crime. 
You were of the belief that hunting for sport had been eradicated. The elders in your pack had lived through the days of the hunters, and had seen the laws passed forbidding hunting. They all believed the worst of it was behind them. 
But little did you, or your pack, know that there was a family of hunters right in the very town you were living in. A prestigious family at that, one whose money was tainted by the blood of hundreds of innocent wolves.
The Tillerson family had been hunting for centuries. The only reason they decided to stop was all thanks to a little truce made with Royal Abbott.
Long before either of his boys was born, Royal had struck up a deal with Wayne and Patricia Tillerson. The Abbotts were to remain on a specified plot of land. As long as they held up their end of the bargain, the Tillersons would not harm a single hair on any of their heads. But if the Abbotts or their future offspring tried to move to unapproved plots of land, they were fair game. 
The reason for this was that they didn’t want werewolves sullying the reputation of Wabang. It was a beautiful town with rich land and even richer oil wells. Werewolves would only drive away tourists and potential buyers that might come through seeking land and agricultural gain. 
So, Royal and his wife settled on that specified plot of land, and it became known as the Northeast Wyoming Wolf Reservation. After that, all was seemingly fine and dandy for decades. until your pack came along. 
Your pack originally left your hometown because tensions were rising with a neighboring pack. Your family had every right to live there, but the other pack harbored animosity against all of you, and instead of enduring an all-out war, your family, namely your alpha, decided it best to move elsewhere for the safety and well-being of the pack. 
So, you found yourselves in Wabang, Wyoming. You joined forces with the Abbott pack, and in a twist of wonderful fate, you met Rhett, the son of Royal, which proved to you that you were always meant to come here, because in any lifetime, in any universe, you would always find him. 
Royal was the alpha of the Northeast Wyoming Pack, which wasn’t much to speak of, as it was only him and his family. Royal was old and tired. When your pack came along, and it became clear that you and Rhett were to be mates, Royal willingly gave up his alpha status, because there could only be one alpha over a pack.
He allowed your uncle, Malakai, who was already the alpha of your own pack, to take leadership of the now-conjoined pack. Royal was willing to wash his hands of all of it, and it struck you as odd at first. What wolf willingly gave up their statues like that? But It would all make sense when you eventually learned of his motives. He didn’t want to be the one held responsible if anything happened to the pack. He knew if the Tillersons ever targeted the pack, the responsibility of protecting them would no longer fall upon himself. It would fall upon Malakai. And any wolf who was incapable of protecting their pack would face consequences from the National Werewolf League.
But there was, of course, the fact that Royal hadn’t been honest with your family from the beginning. He had welcomed you into the reservation, allowing you to settle there and make homes for yourselves. He had given over his alpha status. For all intents and purposes, he seemed genuinely happy to welcome your ragtag group into the fold. But he never bothered to warn you that if any of you decided to live elsewhere, outside of the reservation, you might just encounter some hunters. 
Rhett hated that his father refused to tell the truth. Royal had even made his family swear they wouldn’t say anything. His reasoning was that it might cause a full-blown massacre if word got back to the Tillersons that the wolves were trying to rebel against the guidelines put in place. 
While other state governments recognized werewolf hunting as illegal, the Tillersons had a particularly close relationship with the governor of Wyoming, and the leader of the state had essentially promised that he would look the other way if the wolves violated this agreement and ended up dead. He was just as money hungry as the Tillersons, and he harbored a hatred for werewolves. He was in agreement that the wolves were bad for business and was perfectly content to get rid of them if it meant protecting the state. 
While Rhett understood his father’s fear, he believed it was wrong and dangerous not to tell your pack the truth. So, in the early days of your marriage, he finally decided that he could no longer sit on this secret and potentially allow it to put a rift in your marriage, or result in your family being harmed. He wanted to reveal everything to you.
So, one night, he called for a family meeting with just your pack. He had already revealed the truth to you privately, and together, you had agreed that it was only fair to inform the others. So he stood before your family that night and explained to them that they were not as safe as they thought they were. 
It took guts for Rhett to go against his father like that. In your eyes, by putting the good of the pack before everything else, he displayed true alpha qualities, and something in you made you believe that someday in the future, he had what it took to take on the role as the new alpha of your pack.
But until then, there were things that needed to be sorted through. Such as the fact that there were hunters in your midst. Your family took the news better than you were expecting, but they were, of course, angry about being lied to. 
“But hunting is illegal. How the hell are there even still hunters around?” One of your cousins, Jace, asked. 
Rhett sighed. “The Wyoming government doesn’t give a shit about us. The Tillersons have the governor by the balls, he’ll look the other way if wolves end up dead.”
“We could report it to the League.”
“Y’ could,” Rhett replied, “I don’t know how much good it’ll do ya. They’d need proof that the Tillersons were actively hunting wolves. And so far, they aren’t. They’ve kept their noses clean for years. Without proof, the League won’t do anythin’.”
Finally, Malakai, the alpha, spoke up. “This is why your dad gave up his alpha status and let me keep mine when we joined packs, isn’t it? So none of the responsibility would fall on him.”
Rhett grimaced, nodding slowly. “I think so. But you’ll have to talk to him about that. Like I said, he didn’t want me t’ tell any of you. He was tryin’ to avoid a war with the Tillersons. If we start violatin’ our agreement with them, they might get trigger-happy.”
A murmur went through the pack. They didn’t like this situation, but at the moment, there was nothing that could be done. As long as everyone followed the contract put in place, there would be no trouble. And for the time being, it seemed as if nobody had a choice in the matter. Until another course of action could be figured out, things would remain exactly the way they were. 
Rhett felt awful to have to break such news to the family. But in the end, you quietly assured him that he’d done the right thing. “I know going against your dad wasn’t easy. But I’m proud of you for making the right decision.”
“How come I still feel lousy about it?” He grumbled. 
“It’ll pass,” you assured him. 
And it did. 
After that moment of honesty, his relationship with your family deepened. They all respected him for what he’d done. He felt loved and accepted in a way he never had before. He found a family that loved him for him. Not for what he could do for them. Not under any conditions. They just loved him. And he could hardly fathom why, but he was grateful. 
But above all else, the purest of loves he’d ever felt was your love. Undying, withstanding the rest of time. You adored him, you would lay down your life for him, and he, you. Sometimes the realization stole the very breath from his lungs. Being with you just felt right. He was no longer held down by the binding loyalty he had to his own family. While he still remained loyal to them, you came first, before anyone else. 
He made a pledge in his heart, determining that when the two of you had children of your own, he would never put them through what he’d had to endure as a child. A ‘tough love’ father who thought men displaying emotion was weak, and a mother who ultimately loved her children, but her loyalty to her husband overshadowed them, and made them feel like they were not as important. 
Rhett would love his child unconditionally and allow them to express their emotions without fear of judgment or consequence. He would be gentle and forgiving and kind, because children deserved such mercies.
As fate would have it, he would one day receive that opportunity.
After your marriage, it didn’t take long for you to fall pregnant. With the way you went at it together during your first heat, there was no doubt in your mind that it would result in conceiving a child. And sure enough, a little while after that initial heat cycle, it happened. 
Funnily enough, it was Rhett who figured it out before you even came to the conclusion yourself. And it was all because your scent had changed. 
Between werewolves, one’s mate was attracted to them by scent. A mate’s scent was unique and intoxicating to the other. Neither of you would ever forget the first time you caught the eachother’s scent, when you initially met. It was overwhelming and all-consuming. 
But now, something was different. 
Your scent had changed. That intoxicating, spicy, sweet scent you emitted, for his senses only, had changed into something lighter. Sweeter. Almost like cotton candy. It caught his attention one morning as you were getting ready for the day.
“Stop,” he spoke, his tone low and even. He’d caught you by the arm, his large hand gentle against you.
You smiled curiously as he tugged you closer. “What?” You asked, a breathless giggle on your lips at his behavior.
“Y’ smell different.” He buried his nose against the side of your neck and inhaled deeply. It tickled, but you remained still, watching curiously as he trailed his nose lower, intent on finding the source. He froze for a moment, only to quickly drop to his knees before you. There, he nuzzled your abdomen, breathing in again. 
A look of tender amazement softened his features, and he gasped, lifting his hand to press over your tummy. Then his gaze flickered up to meet your own. There were tears in those bright eyes. “You’re carryin’ my pup,” he whispered. 
Your own eyes widened, and you lifted your hand, covering your mouth in surprise. It wasn’t entirely unexpected, because you had been hoping this would happen. But you were still overcome with wonderful, all-encompassing elation. 
You laughed for joy, kneeling on the floor with Rhett and throwing your arms around his neck. “A baby! We’re having a baby!” You cried happily.
But he leaned back, a strange sense of wonder illuminating his features. The corners of his mouth tugged upwards into a sweet smile. “We’re havin’ a daughter,” he whispered in response, throat tight as tears glimmered in his eyes. 
You stared at him in amazement. “H-how…?”
“Your scent. When Rebecca was pregnant with Amy she had that same kinda scent. Like pink cotton candy. Or maybe bubble gum. You smell the same.”
That revelation pulled a musical laugh from you, and you threw your arms around your husband again, bubbling with an excitement that warmed your belly like fizzy champagne. 
Laughing with you, Rhett leaned back, nuzzling his nose against your own before he kissed you fervently. You melted into him, bodies fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. 
“I knew it wouldn’t be long before I put a pup inside ya,” he murmured against your lips, mouth hot on yours. 
You smiled into the kiss. “I knew it, too.”
He pulled back to fully admire you. “My beautiful mate,” he murmured in adoration, splaying his palm over your abdomen. “Mother of my child.”
He spoke with such reverence, but beneath it was a possessive air that made you shiver. You were his. He was yours. Your hearts belonged to each other, intertwined by the Fates themselves. 
“Love you,” you sighed, eyes fluttering shut as you let yourself lean into his warm touch. 
“I love you too, little wolf.”
You relished in that quiet, intimate moment together, overjoyed that you were finally starting your own family. 
There were a few select moments in your lifetime that you would consider the best moments of your entire life. Discovering that Rhett was your mate was one of them. Your marriage to him was another. And finally, learning you were expecting a baby was the cherry on top. 
You couldn’t hide your happiness if you tried. As mates, it was your shared dream to further your bloodline. It was considered the highest honor in werewolf culture. You were teeming with excitement, eager to reveal the news to the rest of the pack. 
It wasn’t easy to hide, as it was. They would be able to sniff it out no matter how much you tried to hide it. So you didn’t bother hiding it at all. That very day, you shared the news with your families, receiving an emphatic “I knew it!” From your mother, and an excited “I can’t wait to have a baby cousin to play with!” From Rhett’s niece Amy.
That night, a grand celebration followed, and you swore that you didn’t stop smiling once . Oh, how your life had changed. After you announced it to your loved ones, you were happily thrust into the process of making preparations to welcome your little one into the world.
This, of course, included visits to your pack doctor, Rose Tenpenny. You had known Rose your entire life. She was a skilled pack healer and midwife who subscribed to ancient remedies and medicines, the knowledge of which had been passed down to her from her mother, and her mother’s mother before her. There was no one else you’d rather have look after your and your baby’s health than her. 
You were on cloud nine as baby preparations followed. The women of the pack got together to make a memory quilt for your baby. All the men set to work building furniture for the nursery. And, best of all, Rhett took it upon himself to build a cradle for the babe. He was skilled with his hands, and he considered it the greatest honor to build this little bed for your child. He put so much love into the creation of that bed, and it touched your heart. 
Everything seemed so perfect. Too good to be true. It felt as if nothing could ever take this joy away from you. That is, until it all came crashing down like a mountain avalanche. 
Ever since your union with Rhett, you had had a rocky relationship with his brother, Perry. Rhett himself had a complicated past with the man, and since your marriage, he had distanced himself from his brother. He didn’t like the way Perry behaved toward you. Both of you knew it was because Perry harbored jealousy against Rhett. 
He was jealous of what you had. Jealous that his little brother had a mate and he didn’t. But the reason Perry didn’t have a mate was because of his own stupidity. He had tried to force it to happen on his own rather than waiting for fate. He fell for a girl named Rebecca. She wasn’t his mate, but he insisted she was. Claimed everyone else didn’t know what they were talking about. 
Perry had somehow manipulated Rebecca into believing they were mates. Or, at least, from what Rhett could see, she just went along with it to keep Perry happy. If she wanted to leave, the intention was dashed when she fell pregnant with his child. 
She made the decision to stick it out and see if a baby would change Perry’s demeanor. But it didn’t. In fact, it seemed that he only got worse after Amy was born. Rebecca put up with it for the first seven years of Amy’s life, and finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She disappeared into the night, seemingly without a trace. 
Perry insisted something had happened. That she would never leave of her own free will. Someone had to have taken her. Rhett, however, believed that she did leave on her own. 
You knew things had to be bad for her to leave her own child behind. That went against every instinct of a mother wolf. It made you wonder if there was more to the story. If she’d left with the intention of coming back for her child, but she had met an untimely demise in the process. You supposed you would never receive an answer to that question. 
Perry delusionally claimed that he could still feel her out there. Between mates, it was a natural occurrence to be able to feel the other’s presence. And many times, when one was in danger, the other could sense it. Perry insisted he had this with Rebecca, but you knew he didn’t. He had no idea where she was because she wasn’t his to begin with. 
In the meantime, his jealousy against his brother only continued to fester. Their relationship had already been strained as it was, but since Rhett had brought you into the picture, it was even worse. The only good thing to come out of it was your relationship with young Amy. 
She was sweet as pie and even at her age, she knew the way her father behaved was wrong. It broke your heart that she had to deal with such things, but she didn’t let it slow her down, or change the way she felt about you and Uncle Rhett. 
Perry attempted to remain civil while Amy was around, but there were times when he just couldn’t help but run his mouth and get himself in trouble. It had happened on numerous occasions, to the point where Rhett didn’t like bringing you around him 
And after you found out you were expecting, your mate grew all the more protective of you. This primal need to keep you safe burned in his belly, and he wouldn’t allow anyone to harm or disrespect you. 
But no matter how protective of you he became, Rhett always had full control over his wolf at all times. He could shift at will, and even when he was intensely angry or upset, he could still control the shift and keep himself from going off the rails. But Perry did not have that same control, and because of this, Rhett was always on guard when he was present around you. 
His older brother was notorious for losing his temper. Rhett had seen it time and time again. Perry had always been like this. Even as a young boy. 
When werewolf pups are born, they are born entirely human, and do not yet possess the ability to shift. That ability usually comes at around ten years of age. 
And Perry gained that ability like clockwork on his tenth birthday. Teaching him how to control the shift was a beast in and of itself for Royal and Cecilia. They struggled like hell to help him learn how to shift at will rather than involuntarily. 
Around that time, Rhett was still very small. It proved incredibly difficult to raise a little one and train a brand-new wolf. Some things fell by the wayside. Rhett did not receive the love and attention he so desperately needed during that moment in time. It was hard for him to get acclimated as he grew older. 
But he saw the way Perry was, how wild his wolf was, and he decided that when his own wolf came in, he would be nothing like his brother. He would learn control. 
And he did. Royal and Cecilia hoped Rhett’s ability would rub off on Perry. But, unfortunately, it did not. Instead, Perry got into trouble, and Rhett was always lumped in because he followed his brother around everywhere. 
But the worst moment of all was the day Perry lost control at school. 
There had always been high tensions between the Tillersons and the Abbott brothers. The three boys had an innate hatred of wolves, a prejudice ingrained within them thanks to their parents. Luke and Billy weren’t particularly aggressive toward Perry and Rhett. But Trevor? He and Perry especially hated each other. 
Trevor was known for mouthing off. He’d mouth off at his parents, at his teachers, at innocent passersby in the school hallways. He was a loose canon, and it was only a matter of time before he went off on the wrong person. 
Trevor foolishly decided he was going to mess with Perry that day. He caught him in the empty hallway as Perry and Rhett were leaving school. He started jeering Perry, daring him to “go werewolf” on him. Rhett, who was only twelve at the time, and significantly younger and smaller than Trevor and Perry, tried his best to pull Perry away. 
But it was no use. The situation escalated until Perry was lunging, and suddenly, there was screaming, and Trevor was on the floor, clutching at his throat as blood poured from a slash wound caused by Perry’s claws. 
“What did you do?!” Luke shouted as he knelt beside his wounded big brother. “You’re dead, Abbott! You hear me?! Dead!” 
A teacher heard the commotion and came out, only to realize in horror what had happened. 911 was called, as were the Abbott and Tillerson parents. Perry was kept locked in a classroom, alone, until further help could arrive. 
In the end, Trevor’s wound was only superficial, and he would go on to make a full recovery. However, he would walk away with a permanent scar on his neck. Four claw marks, acting as a permanent reminder that he’d been attacked by a wolf. 
The offense should have garnered a heavier punishment. Patricia Tillerson was out for blood. She wanted to kill Perry for what he’d done to her son. But Wayne had a different approach. As money hungry as he was, he was fine to settle on a payment for what had happened. 
Royal paid the Tillersons a hefty sum of money, which nearly drove his own family into financial ruin. They were already struggling to stay afloat as it was, and giving away that big of a sum of money set them back severely. But if he paid the sum, the hunters would leave the Abbotts alone. 
So he gave them the money, and after that, the Tillerson boys were enrolled in a private school the next town over, and the instance was swept under the rug. 
Angry over how it was handled, and the lack of justice for her son’s pain, Patricia threatened to leave Wayne. He told her to go, but his condition was that she couldn’t take her boys with her. He refused to let his sons go, and he threatened blackmail if she went ahead and took them anyway. So she left, alone and angry, determining that one day, she would gain the retribution she sought. 
It took many years, but that opportunity finally presented itself when Wayne Tillerson dropped dead. 
You’d heard about his death. The whole town had. But you didn’t care in the least. As far as you were concerned, one less werewolf hunter in the world, the better. But that still left three of his sons. 
When Wayne was alive, he refused to let anyone but his lawyer and his accountant read any legal or financial papers. He didn’t let his sons get involved. But when his health started failing him, it became necessary for the boys to step in. As the eldest, Trevor took that mantle upon himself. 
But it wasn’t until his father died that he really started doing a deep dive into the seemingly endless paperwork. Financial statements, property deeds, the whole nine. For Trevor, it was the property deeds that caught his attention. Specifically the deed for the land on which the Abbotts lived. 
He noticed an interesting little tidbit. It appeared that the property line had been mistakenly marked, and needed to be moved back a significant distance. But it just so happened that that specific plot of land was where you and Rhett lived. 
Driven by greed, Trevor took the deed to the family lawyer, insistent upon getting the go-ahead to deliver the news himself. It wasn’t difficult, and soon, he was headed right for the reservation, smug as could be, ready to deliver the blow to your family. 
However, when he came lumbering up to your house and knocked loudly on the door, he received no answer. “Abbott!” He shouted, banging a little louder. But the house was empty. You and Rhett had left earlier that morning so you could go in for your monthly prenatal checkup with the pack doctor. You were both blissfully unaware that your lives were about to be turned upside down. 
Back at your house, Trevor was tempted to shove the legal paper he held in his hand in your mailbox, but his heart was set on delivering it in person. However, he saw the next best person to deliver it to when he caught a glimpse of Perry just down the way, saddling up his horse. 
A smirk tugged at the eldest Tillerson’s mouth. He brushed his fingers over the claw marks that scarred his neck. Maybe this could be his way of getting back at Perry for what he’d done to him all those years ago. 
So he marched right toward the stables, and when Perry saw him coming, he visibly tensed. He hadn’t seen Trevor in a long time. As volatile as Perry was, even he himself had no desire to get into it with the man. He knew he’d end up killing him if given the chance, so he kept his distance. 
Now, however, Trevor was coming right at him, and there was no way of keeping his distance any longer. 
“Hey, Abbott!” He called. 
Perry sighed. “What?”
“Any idea where that brother a’ yours is?”
Perry shrugged as he tightened the cinch on the saddle. “Fuck if I know,” he mumbled. 
“Well, I have a little somethin’ for him.”
“Huh, guess you’ll have t’ wait ‘til he gets back.”
“I figured I’d just give it to you instead, an’ you can pass the word along.”
Perry rolled his eyes, stepping back toward the stable when he realized he’d set his hat down inside. “I ain’t your messenger, Trevor. Just leave it at his doorstep or somethin’.”
“Thing is, I really wanted to deliver it in person,” Trevor continued, following Perry into the stable. “I want you to read it, too.”
Again, the Abbott brother rolled his eyes, whirling around to snatch the paper from Trevor. “Fine! I’ll give it to ‘im, if that’ll get you off our fuckin’ property.”
At those words, Trevor’s smirk turned into a wicked grin. “Actually, it ain’t your property.”
That caught Perry’s attention. “What?”
“Read it.”
With furrowed brow, Perry quickly unfolded the paper and his eyes skimmed over its contents. Heat flared in his chest. “This is fuckin’ bullshit.”
“You wish. It’s legit. Either you all move that fence of yours back, or you’ll get fined by the state. And you and I both know you ain’t got the money to pay that fine, since your daddy gave it all away to get us to keep our mouths shut about what you did to me when we were kids.”
That struck a chord. The heat in Perry’s chest grew hotter. “You’re just lucky it wasn’t worse,” he grumbled. 
Trevor scoffed. “So you’re saying I should be thankin’ you for not ripping out my throat?” He laughed heartily, though it was fake. “Fuck you, Abbott.” His first mistake was reaching out to shove at Perry. 
The wolf growled, his eyes flashing yellow. “Get your goddamn hands off me.”
“What are y’gonna do, hm? Kill me? Maim me?”
Perry got in his face. His body trembled as he fought to control his shift. But he had no control, because he’d never learned it. “You got five seconds to get the fuck outta here.”
But Trevor wasn’t afraid. He stood chest to chest, hunter to wolf. “Do it. I dare you. Then they’ll come lookin’ for me, and when they find out you killed me it’s over for you wolves. Is that what you want? To destroy all that civil rights shit your kind fought for?”
Perry seemed to consider his words, and Trevor nodded in satisfaction. “That’s what I thought. You don’t have the balls.” And then, as he was prone to do, he had to add one last blow to his monologue. “Bet that’s why your wife left you. She realized you were a spineless fuckin’ co-”
He never did finish those words. In mere seconds, Perry was lunging, growling, out of control. And then, Trevor was on the hay-scattered floor, bleeding out, his throat slashed like it had been so many years ago. Except, this time, he wasn’t walking away alive. 
Perry stood over his body, his chest heaving, growling like a wild animal. The paper he’d been holding had fluttered to the floor, and the breeze blew it into a corner to be forgotten. 
Just like that, Trevor Tillerson was dead, and as the blinding red rage cleared from Perry’s vision, he realized what he’d done. He stood there, staring at the blood on his hands, and the blood on the floor, and he felt as if he was frozen in place, his feet fastened to the floor with concrete.
What should he do? He’d just killed a goddamn human. If news got out about this, it would be very, very bad, not just for the Abbott pack, but for the entire werewolf community. But Perry was very quickly beginning to panic, unsure of how to fix the egregious crime he had just committed. 
So he did the only thing he knew how. He scrambled out of that barn, climbed onto the back of his horse, and set off at a gallop to his father’s house just down the way. It was nearly lunchtime, so he knew that Royal would likely be home, in the kitchen, waiting as Cecilia prepared his lunch for him.
The kitchen was quiet, save for the sound of Cecilia humming as she readied the food. Until, suddenly, Perry came bursting through the door like a bat out of hell. She dropped the knife she was holding. “Good Lord, Perry!” She exclaimed.
Royal looked up, brows raised. And that’s when he saw the blood. Cecilia also noticed, and she put a hand to her mouth. “What on earth happened?!”
Perry looked at Royal, entirely ignoring his mother. “Dad, I need help.”
Just by looking at his son, Royal seemed to know what ‘help’ entailed. He stood from his seat, already moving to grab his hat from the peg near the door. 
“Royal, what-”
“I’ll be back soon, save me a plate,” he simply said as he followed his son out the door. 
Cecilia fought the urge to chase after them. She wasn’t stupid. She knew what that blood meant. And she’d picked up on a specific scent when Perry came in. A scent she knew, but was too afraid to admit it. The less she knew, the better. But she had a feeling she was going to find out what had happened sooner than later. 
Outside, Royal had a plan. “C’mere,” he said to his son, motioning him toward the garden hose. “First of all you need to wash this shit off so you don’t get it everywhere.”
Perry proceeded to scrub the blood from his hands, and then Royal led him to the truck. “You mind tellin’ me what the fuck happened?” He asked, voice low. 
Perry sighed, lowering his head. “Trevor Tillerson came snoopin’ around.”
“Yeah, I know that, I can fuckin’ smell him on you. How did it end with you covered in his goddamn blood?!”
So, Perry recounted what had happened. Every last detail. And as he spoke, Royal paced back and forth, his boots kicking up gravel as he did so. Once his son finished, he stopped, turning to look at him. “Alright then. Let’s fix this. Before your brother gets back. The less people are involved in this, the better.”
“You…you ain’t callin’ the sheriff?” Perry asked in disbelief. 
“I call the sheriff, not only do you go to jail, but it puts this whole fuckin’ pack in danger. I ain’t gonna let a group of humans run us outta our home. So we’re takin’ care of this ourselves.” He jabbed his thumb toward Perry’s horse. “Go take the tack off that horse and toss it in the back of the truck. You probably got blood all over it and that’s just gonna act as evidence if anyone comes snoopin’ around here.”
And so, the two Abbott men set about covering up the crime. They placed Trevor’s body in the back of the truck, they scrubbed the stables clean, and then, Royal instructed Perry to get into Trevor’s truck and follow after him. Royal drove his own truck and Perry followed him deep into the west pasture and as far up into the woods that the vehicles would allow them to. Then they carried Trevor the rest of the way until they came upon a good spot to bury him. 
All of this took quite some time, and by the time the body was in the ground, Royal breathlessly turned to Perry. “Drive the truck up to Lover’s Lake and let it sink.”
And so, Perry did what he was told. 
Just like that, the crime was covered up. Trevor Tillerson was six feet under, and the only two people in the world who knew about it were Royal and Perry. But it wouldn’t stay that way for long. 
In the meantime, you and Rhett were just arriving home from your midwife appointment, blissfully unaware of what had just taken place. You were purely, incandescently happy. Doctor Tenpenny had given you a gleaming bill of health. The tiny babe within you was growing just as she should. 
You were still quite early on, so you hadn’t begun to show yet. But that didn’t stop Rhett from resting his large hand against your belly from where he sat beside you in the rickety old GMC Sierra he drove. He was so very excited to be a father. The excitement sparkled in his eyes and you swore that blue had gotten impossibly brighter.
“I am so fuckin’ in love with you, little wolf,” he murmured once he’d thrown the truck into park. He leaned across the seat to kiss you sweetly. 
You smiled against his mouth before you replied. “I’m so fuckin’ in love with you too.”
“M’ sweet wife.” His thumb ran circles over your abdomen. “Can’t wait to see you all round with my pup.”
You hummed, eyes fluttering shut as you relished in his warm touch. “Soon,” you assured him. 
“I know. It’ll happen quicker than we can blink. Then we’ll be holdin’ our brand new baby girl.”
You kissed him again, unable to voice your feelings, because the words got caught in your throat. But that was okay, because no other words were needed. 
Soon, Rhett slipped away and rounded the truck to open your door for you, which you gratefully accepted. “I was thinkin’,” he said, his arm slung around you as you walked up to the house. “Maybe I’d stop in town and grab us some lunch? I gotta bring the horses in from pasture first but after that I’ll get goin’.”
“Oh, would you?! I’ve been craving fries from Lucinda’s!” You exclaimed. 
He smirked. “I know. As if you didn’t give me enough hints by sayin’ ‘I could really go for some fries!’ all mornin’,” he teased. 
“Sorry, I’m just starving,” you said with a laugh. 
“I’ll get ya your fries,” he assured you, “an’ a milkshake, too.”
Happily, you leaned in to kiss his cheek. “You’re the best.”
“I know,” he said right back with a knowing glint in his eyes. 
You pushed at his chest as you shook your head at him. “Go tend to the horses, wolf boy.”
He stole another kiss from you, playfully swatting at your ass before he finally slipped away, allowing you to head back inside, your heart warm as you did so. 
He headed over to the stables, and when the grazing horses saw him they immediately perked up. Particularly his mare, Esmeralda. She trotted up to the fence, letting out an excited whinny. 
“Hey t’ you too, girl,” he said, reaching out to scratch her chin, her favorite place to receive pets. She eagerly searched his flannel pocket for treats, but came up with nothing. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Got tied up takin’ mama to the doc. I’ll bring ya somethin’ next time.” He kissed her muzzle, and then he pulled back to saunter over to the stable so he could pull the doors open. 
On his way up the lane, he caught sight of Perry approaching on horseback. But he noticed something a little off. The horse wasn’t saddled, nor was he wearing a bridle. 
“The fuck you ridin’ bareback for?” Rhett asked with a slight laugh, raising a brow at his brother as he got closer. 
“Cause I felt like it,” Perry mumbled as he slowed the horse and finally slid to the ground, boots kicking up gravel. 
“I’ve never seen you ride without a saddle in my life,” Rhett continued. 
“There’s a first time for everythin’,” Perry dismissed. 
Rhett eyed him. He seemed a little…off. Not like himself. “Per, you feelin’ alright?”
“‘m fine,” he snapped. 
Rhett sighed, shaking his head at his brother’s antics. He wasn’t sure what had gotten up his craw, but he decided it best not to ask questions. 
Until he stepped into the stable as Perry led his horse to his stall. A strange scent hit Rhett as soon as he crossed the threshold. Strong and chemical, like bleach. But there was something else, something underlying. He breathed in deep, his face comforting in confusion. 
“You smell that?” He called to Perry. 
His first clue as to something being wrong should’ve been that Perry froze. “I don’t smell anythin’,” he said as he opened the stall door. 
“Bullshit, it’s strong as hell,” Rhett countered. He stepped further into the building and breathed in. “I smell blood.”
Perry didn’t say a word, but just from his posture, Rhett knew he was lying. He never was good at hiding his guilt. As soon as he pulled away from the stall and moved to leave the stable, Rhett stepped into his path, blocking him. 
“Why the fuck does it smell like blood and bleach in my stable?” He demanded, voice low, gaze hard. 
Perry’s wide, brown eyes flickered away, looking everywhere but his brother’s face. He didn’t say a word, and it sent a flash of sizzling anger through Rhett, like a bolt of lightning. “Perry!” He barked. 
“Get outta my way, Rhett.”
“No! What did you do, huh?! Hurt one of my horses?!” Rhett wouldn’t stand for harm to come to any of his animals. He’d beat Perry to a pulp if he found out he’d hurt one. 
“I didn’t touch y’re fuckin horses!” Perry snapped. 
Rhett could hear how fast Perry’s heart was beating, pounding erratically against his rib cage. He was lying. “If it ain’t horse blood, then whose is it?”
A beat of hesitation. Then another. And soon, it became clear that Perry wasn’t going to say a word. Rhett growled angrily and finally stepped aside. “Get the fuck out.”
And he did. Perry hightailed it out of that stable, guilt weight at his shoulders. Rhett was going to get to the bottom of this one way or another. But for now, he had a group of restless horses to tend to. 
With a deep sigh, he rolled his head to loosen the tension in his neck, and then proceeded to get the horses gathered and into the stable. Just to be safe, he checked each one over for any potential injuries. But they were all unharmed, as he’d expected. 
Rhett wasn’t stupid. He knew that the scent he’d caught wasn’t horse. It was human. This was someone he knew, because he recognized the underlying scent. But he didn’t want to say it out loud, didn’t want to admit who it was because then that would mean… surely his brother hadn’t killed someone, right? Perry was volatile at times but he’d never killed anyone. However, Rhett knew perfectly well what the man was capable of. 
He’d seen him lose his temper. He’d seen the way Perry couldn’t control his wolf. He was capable of killing. He was one step closer to going rogue and that thought made Rhett’s stomach turn. 
He hoped it wouldn’t come to that point. 
In the meantime, there were other things to tend to. Rhett decided he didn’t want to go snooping. He was afraid he would find something that he wished he never knew. So, he shook the thoughts out of his head and proceeded to get the horses situated. 
A little while later, he was finally making his way back to the truck, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. A shower sounded appealing, but his first order of business was, of course, picking up lunch for you. 
It was a thirty-minute drive into town, so by the time he returned, it had been over an hour that he’d been gone. In that time he’d tried to push the incident with Perry out of his mind. He knew that you would notice something was wrong, and he didn’t want to potentially drag you into whatever mess his brother had just made. You were meant to be enjoying this time as you prepared to welcome your little one, he didn’t want to put any undue stress on your shoulders. 
So he put his best face forward and sauntered into the house with milkshakes and bags of French fries in hand. You’d heard him pull up, and you eagerly hopped up off the couch, where you’d been reading a book that your midwife had given you. 
“I was about to start gnawing on the couch,” you remarked with a smile as you scurried up to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks for picking this up. You’re so good to me.”
“Anythin’ for you, little wolf,” he hummed. He never thought he’d turn into such a sap, but having a pregnant mate will do that to a guy. Not that he minded. You were worth getting sappy over. 
“You still gonna call me little wolf once our little is born?” You asked him as you settled at the kitchen table, eager to tear open your bag of fries. 
Rhett smiled as he sat across from you. “You’ll always be m’ little wolf. Even when we’ve got a little wolf of our own.”
His words warmed your chest. He made you feel so loved. You couldn’t wait to see that love translate into the way he handled your daughter. He was going to be a wonderful father, you just knew it. 
Your meal progressed with comfortable conversation, the two of you discussing your plans for the rest of the day, and what the schedule looked like tomorrow. It was a sort of domesticity that you loved. 
After lunch, it was back to business as usual. The day continued like any other, with nothing seemingly out of the ordinary. Rhett had even sort of forgotten about his encounter with Perry in the stable, and went about his work day like normal. 
By the time evening rolled around, everything seemed perfectly fine. Rhett came inside to shower, and you got dinner on the table like you usually did, one of your favorite records playing on the antique record player you kept in the living room. 
Rhett was still in the shower as you began setting the table, and you were interrupted by the sound of a car pulling up. Then there were hurried footsteps, and seconds later, the sound of pounding on your door. 
Brow furrowed, you set the plate you’d been holding onto the table, tuning in to the agitated voices of two men on your porch. Something was wrong. Wiping your hands on your apron, you strolled over to the door, rolling your eyes when the pounding came again. 
You pulled the door open to reveal Luke and Billy Tillerson. You stared at them in surprise. You’d heard of them plenty of times. You knew what the Tillerson name meant. But you’d never met them. Now here they were, standing right in front of you, and you could tell something was wrong. 
“Can I help you?”
“Beggin’ your pardon, Mrs. Abbott. Is your man home?” Luke spoke. He offered a charming smile, as if it fixed everything. 
“He’s busy. Why do you ask?”
The man shrugged. “Just need to ask him a couple questions, is all. We can wait right here for him.”
“We’re about to sit down to dinner. Can you come back tomorrow?” You offered. You got the sense that they suspected your husband of something. It made your heart quicken in your chest. 
Luke narrowed his eyes, still fighting to be polite. “Now would be preferable. Really gotta talk to him.”
“Well, like I said, we’re about to—”
Suddenly, there was a strong hand on your shoulder, and Rhett was gently pulling you back, placing you safely behind him as he stepped into the doorway. “Hope you ain’t botherin’ my wife,” he said. 
Luke raised a brow. “Botherin’ her? I was askin’ where you were. Mind steppin’ outside so we can talk?”
Rhett had a sneaking suspicion as to what this was about. So he turned to you. “Stay inside. I’ll be back in a minute.” He left no room for debate. 
Quickly, he stepped outside, pulling the door shut. He motioned for both men to follow him off the porch, leading them a little ways away from the house, hoping your enhanced hearing wouldn’t pick up on the conversation. 
 “What do ya want?”
“Trevor came up here earlier today. He hasn’t been home since.”
Rhett remained neutral in expression, but the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. “Really? I didn’t see him. You sure he was here?”
“Yes, I��m sure! Came here himself to give you papers about the land you’re on.”
Rhett’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Papers? What papers?”
Behind his brother, Billy huffed. “Oh, come on. Don’t play dumb with us.”
“No, I’m bein’ serious! What papers?!”
Luke folded his arms over his chest, shifting his weight to one foot. “He came up here around 9 o’clock this mornin’ to give you papers tellin’ you that you have to move the property line back. The land you’re on right now isn’t yours.”
Rhett felt his chest tightening. “I don’t know anything about any fuckin’ papers. But I do know this land belongs to my pack and you ain’t takin’ it.”
“Look, I’m not the one who wanted to kick you off the land. If it was up to me I wouldn’t really give a shit, as long as you all keep to yourselves. But Trev cares. He talked to the lawyer. Got him to put some papers together tellin’ you to move. You’re really tellin’ the truth when you say you never got the papers?”
“I didn’t get the damn papers. I never saw Trev. I was gone this mornin’ with my wife. Didn’t come back ‘til around 10:45. Then I brought m’ horses in from pasture and went into town. I didn’t see hide nor hair of Trevor the whole time and that’s the God-honest truth.”
Luke sighed deeply, nodding his head. “Alright, alright. I believe ya. Thing is, we haven’t been able to get ahold of Trevor all day. Somethin’ happened.”
Rhett could take a pretty good guess as to what had really happened. He was putting the puzzle pieces together in his head, and his blood was beginning to boil with rage. He was tempted to tell them to go ask Perry, but he held his tongue. Part of him feared what might happen if he blew the whistle. What would it mean for the pack? Even so, he kept himself calm and steady and refused to give away 
“Listen, if I hear or see anythin’, I’ll let you boys know. Until then, I’d like t’ have a nice dinner with my wife.”
It didn’t seem like Luke wanted to let it go, but he finally relented. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”
He nodded at Billy, and the two brothers turned and walked back toward their shiny new truck. Rhett remained fixed upon the driveway, his arms crossed over his chest, making sure that they actually left. 
As soon as they were out of sight, he sighed deeply, bowing his head. He was torn. Should he confront Perry and try to get him to confess? Or should he just leave it? After all, the less he knew, the better. 
Rhett thought of you, and the daughter you were expecting. He didn’t want anything to endanger your future. What would happen if it got out that a wolf had killed a human? All eyes in America would be on their community. Years of rights that had been fought for could be threatened. 
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario. In reality, it could only end up being Perry who would pay for the crime. Maybe justice would be served fairly. But in his heart, Rhett knew that wasn’t the case. Trevor Tillerson had been looking for an excuse to run the wolves into the ground. Maybe he’d get his wish from beyond the grave. 
“Rhett?” Your soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. He turned to find you standing in the doorway of your home, a look of concern on your face. “What’s going on?” You’d only caught bits and pieces of the conversation. Your heightened hearing was very useful, but you had to really focus to be able to utilize it. You had thought it best not to listen to what the men were saying, even if you were curious. If Rhett told you to stay inside, you knew he must have sensed some sort of danger. 
He didn’t want to involve you in this any more than he had to. He worried that he might get pulled into it, and he didn’t want to take you down with him. He shook his head, letting out a sigh as he sauntered back to the porch. “Just…just don’t worry about it, alright? Let’s eat supper.”
“You’re not in trouble, are you?” You asked in fear. The prospect of hunters on your property made you uneasy. 
“Nah, nothin’ like that. It’s better if we don’t talk about it for now. Let’s just eat supper.”
So you dropped it, even though you didn’t want to. The way his features had gone tense told you not to keep pushing. If he wanted you to know more, he would tell you. 
Dinner continued as normal that night, but Rhett was quieter than he usually was, very clearly troubled by something. 
“Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it?” You reiterated as you stood at the sink washing dishes, with Rhett beside you drying them. 
“Darlin’, I’m askin’ you right now not to bring it up. I…I don’t like keepin’ things from you but I’ve gotta think this one over before I say anythin’. Understand?”
You nodded, turning your body to face him. “Okay. You’re just worrying me, is all.”
Rhett sighed softly and tossed his dish towel aside before he reached out, large hands resting on your hips and pulling you close. “I’ve gotta do what I have to to protect you and our pup. And that’s what I’m doin’ right now. Protectin’ you. And askin’ you to trust me.”
You placed your hands on his chest, meeting his gaze. “I do trust you.”
That was all he needed to hear. 
Over the next few days, he was still waging a war in his mind, trying to decide what to do. It was almost as if he was in denial. If he didn’t acknowledge Perry, if he didn’t confront him about the crime, it didn’t happen. Everything was fine. 
But as he was cleaning out the stalls in the stable one morning while the horses were out to pasture, he came across something very incriminating. A crumpled piece of paper shoved away in a corner of a stall, forgotten.
Curious, Rhett bent to grab it, straightening up and letting his pitchfork rest against his side as he opened the paper. He scanned the words printed across the page, and his stomach dropped. So this was what Luke had been talking about. 
Rhett stared at the paper, trembling in his grasp because his hand was beginning to shake from the anger bubbling up within him. This only confirmed what he suspected. But before he flew off the handle, he needed to get to the bottom of this. He needed to ask Perry what had really happened. 
So Rhett tucked the paper in the pocket of his jeans, set his pitchfork aside, put his hat back on his head, and set off toward the Abbott house up the lane. He walked with purpose, his eyes set hard ahead of him. 
He could see his brother and his father up ahead, both working on a repair in the corral fence that stood in front of the house. Royal was the first to catch sight of Rhett, and he nodded in silent greeting, curious as to why his son was in such a hurry. 
“Rhett,” he called out to acknowledge the younger man’s presence. 
But Rhett wasn’t there for Royal. “Can I borrow Perry for a sec?” He asked. His tone was urgent. He didn’t miss the way Perry went tense. 
“Can it wait?” Royal asked. “Gotta get this fence done, we got a new horse comin’ in today and it needs to be ready.”
“It’ll only take a few minutes,” Rhett countered. 
Perry sighed, but relented, setting down the crowbar in his hands before he turned and stepped out from under the fence. Rhett was already moving, encouraging his brother to follow him as he walked away from the corral. 
When Rhett finally stopped, he pulled the piece of paper he’d found in the stable from his pocket. “Mind tellin’ me what this is?” He needed to hear it from his brother’s mouth. 
Perry went still as a statue, his face pale. That reaction sent fire through Rhett, and his grip tightened on the paper, crumpling the end. “What the fuck did you do?” He hissed. 
“N-nothin’!” Perry tried. 
“Bullshit! I want you to say it! What happened in my stable, huh?! The blood I smelled? Now this paper? I know Trevor Tillerson was up here the other day. Luke came lookin’ for him that same night. I didn’t wanna believe that you were capable of somethin’ like this, but maybe you are.”
Perry was hesitating. He’d gone dead silent, as if he was frozen in place. He didn’t know what to say. And that only served to piss Rhett off. 
“Talk to me, goddammit!” 
“He wouldn’t shut up,” Perry finally relented. “Kept runnin’ his mouth off and I just…I snapped.”
Rhett stared at him. Eyes wide. Chest heaving. He let those words wash over him, and they felt like searing acid on his skin. “You…snapped?”
“He said somethin’ about Rebecca and I just saw red! Next thing I knew he was on the ground covered in blood!” Perry was trembling. Tears were shining in his eyes. 
Rhett was vibrating. “You fucking killed him. In my stable.”
“Like I said, I just snapped!”
The younger Abbott could hardly bear to look at his brother. His head was spinning. Deep down he’d known Perry was guilty. That he’d killed Trevor. But now that he’d actually admitted it? It felt like a gut punch. 
“I can’t believe you…” Rhett trailed off, hands clenching at his sides. “No, I can believe it. You’re out of fuckin’ control, Per. This is serious, you hear me? You just put the whole pack in danger!” 
“I–” Perry started, but Rhett held up his hand. 
“No, y’know what? You’re gon’ make this right. You’ve got two days to clean up the mess you made. Either you go to the sheriff, or I will. And if I have to do it, it ain’t gon’ be pretty.”
He shoved the paper into Perry’s hands. Then he got in his face, chest to chest. “If they start goin’ after this pack, there ain’t gonna be a place safe in heaven and earth for you. And if you think I’ll protect you when they do, you’ve got another thing comin’.”
Then, Rhett turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving Perry standing there in the driveway, staring down at the paper that had started it all. For the first time since he’d killed Trevor, the severity of the situation seemed to set in. He thought of Amy, his young daughter, and how this would affect her. If he lost her, he had nothing left. Could he really go through with confessing to this crime? Even if it meant losing what was left of his family? 
Rhett was a man of his word. If Perry didn’t confess, he would do it for him, just as he said he would. But Perry felt lost. Uncertain. His judgment was clouded by his own guilt. So he turned to his father again, asking for help, because he didn’t know what to do. Royal would have an answer. Surely he would. 
“I’ll talk to Rhett,” the Abbott patriarch assured his eldest son. “See if I can talk him off the ledge. I ain’t gonna let Amy lose you like she lost her ma, alright? She needs her daddy now more ‘an ever. I’ll fix this, son.”
But this was not something that could easily be fixed like a downed corral fence. It was a sinking ship with a cracked hull that no amount of sealant could repair. And whoever remained left on board would surely drown in the depths of the ocean.
In the meantime, Rhett was reeling. Now that he knew the truth, he worried that the Tillersons might show up on his doorstep again. And this time, he wasn't sure if he could lie. He was worried that they had begun to suspect him of having something to do with Trevor’s disappearance. He might soon be faced with the choice of staying quiet, or exposing his brother's nefarious deed just to save himself from being accused of it. He would not go to jail for something he didn’t do. He had a wife and a child to think about. 
And when faced with a choice between his mate and his brother, Rhett would always choose you. 
He hoped that Perry would do the right thing and confess to his wrongdoing. But if he made no move to fix the mess he made in two days’ time, Rhett would have no choice but to intervene. It was necessary for the good of the pack. 
However, things were already spiraling out of control quicker than he even realized. 
Just across town, on the Tillerson ranch, a sleek, black limousine was just pulling into the expansive driveway. Luke and Billy stood outside the house, waiting for the lone passenger to step out of the car. 
The driver came around and opened the door, and moments later, Patricia Tillerson gracefully emerged from the back of the limousine, her heeled boots kicking up dust as she did so. 
She stood there for a moment, reaching up to remove her sunglasses as she eyed her sons. “First your father. Now this?” She finally spoke. She had been in town a few short months ago for Wayne’s funeral. Now, here she was again, under an entirely different circumstance. “Have you made any headway into finding your brother?”
Luke shook his head. “We were waitin’ for you before we did anything else.”
Patricia sighed. “This whole time you could’ve been– you know what? Nevermind. Let’s talk inside.” She stepped past the two boys and made her way up to the large house, walking with purpose as she did so. 
Luke and Billy dutifully followed her. 
Patricia’s first stop was the liquor cabinet, where she poured herself a glass of brandy. Then she turned to her sons. “Tell me again what you’ve been doing to find Trevor?” Her gaze was hard. She didn’t think they’d been doing enough. 
“We…we went to the reservation the other day to ask around about him. Rhett Abbott claims he never saw him. I believe him, he’s an honest man, and–”
His mother scoffed. “Man? Luke, honey, he’s an animal. A savage beast, if you will. There’s no telling the lengths he’d go to throw you off his trail.”
“But Ma, I don’t think he was trying to throw us off,” Billy echoed, shaking his head. 
“Shows what you boys know about wolves. They’ll say anything to get off the hook. That fuckin’ pack had something to do with Trevor disappearing. And I pray to God it’s not the case, but they’ve more than likely killed him. Or worse, turned him into one of them. Either way, he’s dead. No son of mine will succumb to the werewolf curse. I’d sooner kill him than let him be turned.”
“So what do you want to do, then? You told me not to call the sheriff, so I didn’t. I’ve stayed silent about this, waiting for you to get here. The more time we waste, the less chance of finding him alive,” Luke pressed, motioning his arms impatiently. 
Patricia downed her brandy in one go. “If they have Trevor, they aren’t going to give him up easily. So we give them a little…incentive.”
Billy and Luke shared a look. “What kind of incentive?” Asked Billy. 
Their mother folded her arms over her chest, squaring her shoulders. “They took one of ours? We’re going to take one of theirs. We’ll interrogate ‘em while we’re at it, try to get some answers as to what really happened to Trevor.”
They were hunters. And Patricia the best of the best. It would be easy to get back at the Abbott pack. They just had to find the most vulnerable member. 
There were plenty to choose from. Between the little ones in your own family, and Amy on Rhett’s side, any number of those pups would be a good target. But Patricia Tillerson had done her research. 
It was Rhett’s portion of land they were after. And Rhett just so happened to have a mate. What better way to find his ultimate weakness than to steal the one he loved above all others? 
So, she instructed her boys to stake out the property. To track yours and Rhett’s whereabouts so they could discreetly step in and carry out their intended mission without him intervening. Because they knew, if he caught them, he would not let them go without a fight. And it was very likely that they would have to put him down if he came at them. 
How fortuitous it was that the very next day after they began their stakeout, you left the property to head into town, without Rhett. The only other person you had in tow was Amy, and she wasn’t a threat whatsoever. 
Luke shared a look with Billy. “Guess that’s our chance,” he remarked, and his younger brother nodded in agreement. 
So they followed you into town, sure to stay a good distance back so you didn’t suspect anything right off the bat. 
In the cab of Rhett’s truck, you and Amy were entirely unaware of the impending danger. You had a few errands to run in town, and Amy was always up for going on excursions with you. Although she had packmates her own age now, she had spent her whole life surrounded by adults, and had essentially been raised by her grandparents and Uncle Rhett, so it was a little difficult for her to integrate herself in with kids her own age. Even if those kids were also wolves like her. 
Besides, she’d had to grow up fast because of what had happened with losing her mother. Your heart ached for the part of her childhood that she’d lost, but she seemed to have adapted okay. Even so, you always made sure to include her whenever you had plans by yourself. She was always eager to spend time with you because she loved you for the way you loved her Uncle Rhett. 
“I’ve never seen him smile so much,” she’d told you, early on in your relationship with Rhett. “You make him so happy. I’m glad he found you.”
And from then on, a bond was formed between you and the little blonde girl. She didn’t have a mother, and it made your heart ache. So, in a way, you took on that role. You couldn’t fully raise her in the way her mother would, but you reached out to her and spent time with her as much as possible, in hopes of providing some sort of nurturing. 
And now there was a new baby on the way, and Amy was teeming with excitement at the prospect of welcoming a little cousin. You could tell she was going to be a big help to you once the baby finally came. She was already asking to babysit, when she got a little older, of course. 
Today, you were doing a little shopping to pick up some groceries for Cecilia for the family dinner that you were all having that night, and to buy odds and ends for the baby’s nursery. Amy was just bouncing with eagerness to help you pick things out. You also planned to take her out to lunch at the little diner in town, and you were going to try out the brand new cafe that had just opened. Wabang had little to no coffee shops at all, so a new one was the talk of the town. 
Amy didn’t drink coffee yet, even though Uncle Rhett once let her try some of the black coffee he always drank. She said it tasted like dirt water, and it turned her against coffee altogether. Instead, she was looking forward to having a strawberry banana smoothie as a treat to drink on the way home. 
Little did you know that you’d never make it home that day. 
You set about your errands without a care in the world, listening to Amy rattle off facts and highlights about the book she’d been reading lately. She talked your ear off, but you were perfectly happy to listen. 
You were unaware of the eyes watching you as you eventually crossed the street to stop at the butcher’s shop. Or when you finally ended the day by stopping at Half Moon Coffee. 
You didn’t notice anything until you were finally back on the road, headed for home. And this time, Luke didn’t bother trying to be inconspicuous. He followed you closely, and when you glanced in your rearview, you realized who was in that shiny new F150. 
Your stomach dropped, and you let your eyes flicker back to the road. Without saying a word to alarm Amy, you pressed the gas down, speeding up. Luke sped up as well. Your heart quickened in your chest. A feeling of ice cold dread settled in your gut, spreading throughout your extremities. 
“What’s wrong?” Amy asked beside you. She could sense your discomfort and hear your pounding heart. Although she had not yet developed the ability to shift into her wolf, her heightened senses had begun coming in clear and sharp. She picked up on things a lot quicker than she used to. 
“Nothing,” you lied.
“Are you sure? You’re scared.”
You knew you couldn’t lie to her. You glanced at her from the corner of your eye. “We’re being followed. I want you to grab my phone and call Uncle Rhett, okay?”
You knew Rhett would be able to sense that you were in danger. That was how it worked with mates. But you wanted Amy to call him so he was immediately aware of the situation and knew exactly where to find you. However, she never got the chance to call him, because in a split second, your assailant sped up, shot around you, and then, several feet ahead of you, slammed on his brakes. 
You shrieked in surprise, jamming your foot down onto your own brake. Amy let out a yelp, and your phone flew out of her hands and onto the floorboards. Instinctively, your arm shot out in front of her, protecting her from going forward. 
As you skidded to a stop, narrowly avoiding colliding with the other truck, your first thought was to back up and go the way you’d come. If you got close enough to town you might be able to ask for help. But something told you that it wasn’t going to be that easy. Even so, you tried it anyway, throwing the truck in reverse and frantically turning the wheel. You almost had it, too. If it wasn’t for Billy jumping out of the Ford and easily firing two arrows from a crossbow into the tires. 
You heard the hissing before you realized what it was. Then the truck shuddered, and you realized the tires were going flat. “No!” You cried. You hit the brakes again, and soon, the truck slid to a rough, jarring halt.  You could see the brothers quickly approaching through your side view mirror. 
“What do they want?!” Amy cried, trembling with fear beside you. 
You knew you had to protect her. So you turned to her, eyes locked into hers. “Get down on the floor. Stay in this truck and do not get out. See if you can call Uncle Rhett. I-I’ll get out and talk to them.”
But you never got the chance. Suddenly, your door was yanked open, and you gasped in surprise, coming face to face with Luke. 
“Get out of the truck,” he said. 
“Please, this isn’t–”
Billy lifted the crossbow, pointing it right at you. “Get out!” 
With trembling hands, you fumbled to unbuckle your seatbelt, chest tight with fear as you scrambled out of the truck. Behind you, you could hear Amy crying, scared out of her mind. 
“No!” She wailed, grabbing onto your arm in a futile attempt to keep you from going with them. 
“Amy, baby, let go of me!” You exclaimed, afraid they’d hurt her if she didn’t settle. But when you glanced back at her, you saw a wildness in her eyes. She’d already lost her mother, she was terrified of losing you, too. 
But in the blink of an eye, you were hauled out of the truck, kicking and screaming. Luke was strong, but you were a wolf, and you were stronger than him. It wasn’t that difficult to pull yourself out of his grasp, and you growled threateningly, whirling around to face both men, daring them to come closer.
But one had a crossbow fitted with silver arrows. You could tell by the way they glinted in the sun. If Billy shot you with one of them, it would not end well. Silver was was like poison for werewolves. And you thought of the babe inside you, and how it might harm her. You didn’t want to risk getting shot. 
But it was still your instinct to fight. “What do you want with me?!” You cried, baring your fangs, your eyes flashing gold. 
But both of them grabbed you at once, wrestling you against the side of the truck, even as you snarled and snapped and struggled. You managed to catch Luke by the face with your claws and leave a considerable slash in his cheek, at which he growled in pain. But it only angered him and his adrenaline made him even stronger. 
Amidst the scuffle, you felt something sharp against the side of your neck, like a pinprick, and then, a thick, metallic collar was fastened crudely around your throat just as your body began to betray you. 
You gasped, and suddenly, you had no control of your limbs. Your brain screamed at you to fight, to flee, to preserve yourself. But you couldn’t move. Before you even realized, you were plummeting toward the ground, and your vision swam with black spots until, finally, you succumbed to unconsciousness entirely. 
Billy looked at Luke as they stood over your crumpled form. “What should we do about the kid? Wanna take her with us too?” Billy asked. 
Luke sighed, reaching into his back pocket to grab a handkerchief to dab at the wound on his cheek. “Ma wouldn’t want us just to leave her. I’ll grab her, she could be useful. You get this one into the truck,” he motioned toward you before he sauntered around to the passenger side of your GMC. 
However, when he opened the door, expecting to find a distraught Amy, he came up with nothing. The cab was empty, and Amy was nowhere to be found. 
“What the fuck?” Luke whispered to himself. “Goddammit!” 
Where on earth could she have gone? All that surrounded the was open plains. In the amount of time it took to get you down, there was no way she could’ve found a hiding place that quickly. 
Hurriedly, Luke ducked to check beneath the truck, and the truck bed, only to come up empty-handed. He cursed again, kicking at one of the slashed tires. 
“She’s gone!” He exclaimed to his brother. 
Billy’s eyes went wide. “How?!” He asked as he shoved the bed cover closed on the F150, effectively covering up the fact that you were currently laying inside it. 
“I don’t know! I thought they couldn’t shift that young but maybe she did and that’s how she got the slip. I guess it’s not that big of a deal, but Ma will still be pissed we let her get away.”
Billy shrugged it off. “Whatever. We don’t even have to tell her the kid got away since she doesn’t know she was here to begin with. ‘sides, Rhett’s mate was who we were after anyway. We got what we came for. Let’s go.”
And so, the Tillerson boys climbed back into their truck and headed off toward their ranch, your unconscious body hidden in the back. 
Meanwhile, in that old, rickety GMC, a furry little wolf pup was just squeezing out from under the front seat, where she’d hidden herself from the view of the hunters. She crept toward the door, where she stuck her head out and sniffed at the air. She smelled the remnants of gasoline and exhaust, and she whimpered. 
Amy wasn’t sure how she’d ended up in this predicament. One moment, she was watching in terror as you were ripped away from her, and the next, she was shrinking, and when she looked down, her hands were little black paws. 
Driven by her fear, she managed to wedge herself beneath the bench and hide there until the Tillersons left. Now, she had no idea how to shift back to human, but she knew she had to get help. So she launched herself onto the dusty ground, and took off in the direction of home. 
Meanwhile, at the Abbott ranch, things were in upheaval. 
Rhett had been out with his father and brother, searching for a lost steer that had somehow gotten away from the herd. Rhett claimed a coyote probably got to it. Royal insisted the animal was simply lost. 
Halfway out into the south pasture, Rhett was hit with a sudden shock of anxiety, as if someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water on him. 
“Whoa,” he gently spoke to his mare Esmeralda, tugging on her reins to bring her to a stop. He gasped sharply as, all at once, this horrible, consuming wave of dread began spreading within his chest. 
“No,” he croaked, and just like that, his entire world began to spin off its axis. He clutched at his chest as his heart began to pound. It felt almost like a heart attack, except he knew it was nothing of the sort. 
You were in danger. 
“Somethin’s wrong!” He desperately shouted ahead to Royal and Perry. He hardly recognized his own voice. It was a guttural, anguished cry. 
He urged Esmeralda into a gallop, hurtling toward the other two men. “Gotta go back!” Rhett cried. He spoke your and Amy’s names, and that immediately got their attention. Together, the three of them set off for the house, with Rhett urging Esmeralda as fast as she could go. 
As soon as he made it to the house, he eased the horse to a stop and, quick as lightning, jumped to the ground. Although he had the ability to sense when you were in danger, that ability did not allow him to pinpoint your exact location. He had to follow you by sense alone, and the closer he got to you, the stronger that terrible ache in his chest would get, letting him know he was on the right track to find you. 
He’d never felt this before. Not to this magnitude. He had always been told that it was an intense feeling, indescribable in every sense. And it was. It was the strongest sensation he’d ever felt. Like his heart was outside of his body, pulling him toward you. 
The second his feet hit the ground, he was running, sprinting into the house in search of Royal’s truck keys. He startled his mother, who was in the kitchen making preparations for the dinner that night. 
“Goodness gracious, what’s happened?!” She asked her son. He shouted over his shoulder that you and Amy were in danger, and Cecilia gasped, her heart dropping at the thought of her granddaughter and daughter-in-law being harmed. 
Keys in hand, Rhett threw himself toward the old Ford Ranger, flinging open the door, ignoring the voices of his family members shouting after him. His vision was tunneled. The only thing that mattered was getting to you. He was just about to turn and tell Cecilia to inform your parents of what was happening, but then, altogether, he froze.
A chill ran down his spine, and he sucked in a ragged breath. “No,” he wheezed. “No, no, no.”
“I-I can’t feel her,” he whispered. He wrenched the truck door back open, and he locked eyes with his mother, who was waiting concernedly nearby. His knees nearly buckled as his feet hit the ground. He stumbled forward, and Cecilia caught him. “Mama, I can’t…I can’t feel her!”
“What do you mean you can’t feel her?” She asked her son. But she knew. 
“She’s…she’s just gone! I can’t…I don’t…” Rhett could hardly speak. His throat felt like it was constricting, cutting off his airflow. A harrowing sense of dread washed over him. He knew what this meant. All of them did. If a werewolf could no longer feel its mate’s presence, it could only mean one thing. 
That mate was dead. 
And that realization drove Rhett to his knees. Cecilia caught him so he wouldn’t hit the ground hard. He clutched at his mother’s shirt, his face buried against her abdomen, and he wailed out his pain, the agony of which was too great for him to bear. 
Perry was demanding something above him. Shouting about finding Amy. But Rhett couldn’t hear him. He was deafened by the rush of blood in his ears. Deafened by the ringing sound. He thought of you, and the baby you carried, and he wept. 
Just like that, in the blink of an eye, he’d lost everything. 
To be continued…
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tagging: (a mix of those already on my taglist/those who were tagged in the first part)
@cdauni @gothamrots @happyrebelruins @bobfloydsbabe @myfandomchangesalot @mikpieboo @petersunderoos96 @eighthwvnder @yanna-banana @bradshawsbaby @bradshawsbitch @sebsxphia @rhettabbotts @milesmillergf @briseisgone @laluneveillesureux @gohnspants @hangmanapologist @wkndwlff @damrlova @withahappyrefrain @michaego @whisperofsong @kmc1989
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twixted-spoon · 2 months ago
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Bad Wolf.
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freakrenaissance · 9 months ago
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"The need to protect his mate" 🤤 I love this series so much! Werewolf pero is so sweet
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Breaking Point {Werewolf!Tovar x F!Reader}
Rating: Explicit
Word Count: 4.6k
Warnings: NON-CON mentions, pregnancy, voyeurism, masturbation, mentions of oral, werewolf fucking, unprotected sex, cream pie
Comments: Pero is slowly losing his mind around his mate, craving her as the full moon looms close. Trying to resist the animalistic urges of the monster. Until he finds her in the woods, in the spot where he had planted the babe in her belly and that night the wolf takes control again. 
**Thank you @wheresarizona for the lovely beta!
DEAD DOVE - DO NOT EAT: This is a monster fucking fic. If you can’t handle the fact that non-con is a part of this, please roll on by. 
|| The Wolf Series MasterList || MasterList ||
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Click Keep Reading only if you have read the Rating and Warnings and understand the warnings may not be complete to avoid listing spoilers. As AO3 says ’creator chooses not to use warnings’. You also agree that you’re the right age to be consuming anything here.
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He smells her everywhere. That scent permeates his nostrils, both as the beast and as a man until he finds himself going mad. Cloying and sweet, often laced with the tangy scent of a wet cunt, arousal. Making his cock stiffen and his countenance even gloomier as he tries to ignore it. To pretend that he doesn’t smell her pheromones rolling off of her in waves. Like a siren beckoning sailors to their water graves on the craggy rocks. He had never believed his kind were real, so why could sirens not be? 
Keep reading
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dubblebubbleibuprofen · 1 year ago
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This is how I’m coping ok. It’s ok.
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silicated · 2 months ago
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legacy
1 | 2 | [3] | 4
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textsfromthetva · 3 months ago
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Loki + tumblr [207/?]
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