Rage (The Beast King Brides Book 4) by Charlene Hartnady

Author:Charlene Hartnady [Hartnady, Charlene]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-12-17T16:00:00+00:00

Me: Someone is here. They’re outside

I’ve just pushed “send” when there is a loud bang at the front of the house. I start to run to the bedroom door, intent on locking it, but there is no time. Within seconds it’s there. A werewolf. It’s huge, taking up the whole doorway. Its golden eyes are focused on me. It growls low and deep, and my blood turns to ice. I take a step back and then another.

I pull in a breath, wanting to scream.

“Don’t!” I can barely understand the grating word it says. “Be quiet.” It sounds harsh and rasping. More animal than human. I feel my blood drain.

All I can see are its long, sharp teeth and its clawed hands. One of its hands is closed over something. What is it holding? I note that the appendages are more like hands than paws, but still so animal-like it’s frightening.

I am struggling to breathe. I’m fighting panic. I want to run and scream, but neither of those things will help me now. In fact, if I run, I will provoke its hunting instincts. Never turn your back on a wild animal. Don’t show fear. Do not run. Stand your ground.

I square my shoulders.

“I want her,” he grinds out. I know that he is talking about Stevie. “Won’t hurt her,” he adds. “Just to talk.”

Yeah, right.

Does it really expect me to believe that?

“Need something from her,” he says. “Important. I won’t stop until…have it. Rogue can’t watch…forever. I don’t want…hurt her.”

I have to work hard to understand what it is saying. Have to work even harder at keeping my cool. My breathing is ragged.

“What do you need?” I ask. My voice is a touch hysterical. “What do you want from my daughter?”

The werewolf puts something down on Stevie’s side table. He turns, blocking my view of whatever it is.

“We can do this the easy way, and Stevie stays safe, or the hard way, and she might get hurt. You decide.” He looks up, his eyes shifting from left to right. Then he is flinging open Stevie’s window, leaping out, and running away. I watch in both awe and horror as the creature easily jumps my back fence. It’s seven feet high.

Ten seconds later, both Rogue and Stevie are there.

“Mom!” Stevie yells. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She grabs onto me.

“What happened?” Rogue growls. “The front door was kicked in. I can smell that fucker.” He sniffs the air. “I still can’t place him. It’s all wrong!” He looks confused.

“He was in his werewolf form.”

I’m not sure if Rogue sees something in my eyes. Maybe it’s the panic in my voice. He puts his arms around me, and I feel instantly safe. I shouldn’t, but I do.

“I got you,” he says. “You’re safe now.”

I’m embarrassed when I realize that I’m crying. Big, tumbling tears. “He wants Stevie,” I sob. “You were right.”

“It’s okay, Mom. He didn’t get me,” Stevie says. She rubs my back.

I pull myself together. “It’s not okay,” I say as I pull away from Rogue.

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