Chapter 80

Harper’s POV

I’m pulled from the darkness by snarls and screams. The echo around me, making my head throb with how loud they are, and my first thought is that rogues are attacking. I try to push myself up, but the pain in the back of my head and in my shoulder makes me fall to the concrete again.

Concrete. Not grass.

So, I’m not in the pack territory.

I look around to find myself in what seems like a back alley. A white van is rumbling behind me, ready to drive away. The sounds of scuffles, growls, and shouts come from somewhere, but I can’t find where it’s coming from.

Then, everything comes crashing back.

Becky, the phone call, the pain in the back of my head.

She knocked me out.

“Run!” Becky shouts and I watch helplessly as she runs past me. Another person—a man—follows closely behind her, but the sight of the large wolf chasing them is what finally has me pushing up onto my hands and knees.

Lucas.

He came after me.

I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I can’t stop the relief that bubbles up within me.

Then, my gut churns as Lucas—or his wolf— pounces on Becky’s companion’s back, sinking his teeth into the man’s shoulder. Lucas’s wolf tosses the man aside like he weighs no more than a stuffed toy before going after Becky.

He gets his teeth around Becky’s calf and drags her back. The scream that echoes through the ally is full of fear and is hair-splitting loud, and I slam my hands over my ears. My shoulders slump forward, and I sit back on my heels as dizziness and pain make my head spin.

I groan.

Lucas’s wolf is still using my attackers as chew toys, and I realize that if I don’t stop him, he’ll probably kill them. I don’t think that’s Lucas in charge, not with how viciously he attacked and ignored their pleas.

“L-Lucas, stop!” I cry out, trying to get his attention. “Don’t kill them! We need them as evidence.”

The wolf’s head whips up, instantly dropping Becky’s leg. The moment he sees me, his eyes change from a dark orange, almost red color, to his usual golden wolf eyes, and he races back toward me.

He’s moving so fast that I shriek and drop to the ground, thinking he’ll tackle me or knock me over. Instead, he slides to a stop, sniffing at me. Then, the enormous wolf nudges me with his nose until I roll onto my back, and he can climb on top of me.

Again, he starts sniffing me, then licking me. My arms, legs, neck, face; he licks and snuffles at me everywhere. It tickles, but I still push him. He may have just saved me from kidnapping or possibly death, but that doesn’t mean I forgive him.

I shove at Lucas’s large form, but groan when pain zips up my arm and settles in my shoulder.

The wolf instantly stops and moves, giving me space to sit up. He stands by my side, though, not leaving my side. His presence, no matter how angry I am, makes me feel safe, but I also notice something else. Becky and her companion aren’t on the ground any longer.

My evidence is getting away.

“Wolf, can you get them without killing them?”

The wolf nods, his eyes determined, and when I nod, he takes off. I watch from my seat on the ground as he chases after my attackers. After tackling them to the ground, he grabs them in his teeth by the backs of their clothes and drags them to drop in front of me.

Then he waits. I’m not sure why until he moves to shove himself under me and allow me to use him as a crutch. But, instead of leaning on him, I lean against the wall, which has him huffing.

However, his anger works in our favor because Becky squeaks and cracks, “I’m sorry! It wasn’t my idea, but I liked the money!”

“What money?”

“L-Logan gave us a percentage of every wolf soul he transported when we allowed him to store them in the clinic’s storehouse,” she gushes, tears rolling down her cheeks. The man beside her groans and drops his head forward.

Becky hiccups and looks up at me, “Please don’t let him kills us.”

“He won’t… if you cooperate when his men take you into custody,” I tell her, watching as two familiar men walk down the alley. I’m not sure when Lucas contacted them, but I’m glad they’re here. I don’t have to worry about keeping Becky and her friend captive.

I watch as the two men tie Becky and her companion up and toss them into the back of their own van.

Lucas’s wolf barks at them, but he doesn’t leave my side as they leave. In fact, I’m surprised he’s still in wolf form and hasn’t changed back to his human form. I stare at him for a moment, trying to ignore the desire to touch him, to hug him.

“I’m still angry at you,” I say while hobbling toward my car.

Lucas’s wolf is there in a second, helping me walk again. He doesn’t shift, doesn’t bark, doesn’t do anything except help me get to my car. It’s strange how he watches me climb in, then watches as I crank the car.

His eyes never leave me, even as I pull out of the parking spot, and that’s when I see him move. He follows the car, running behind me as I turn out of the parking lot and into the street. He clearly doesn’t care that there are humans around, which is not like him.

Instead of staying hidden and running home, he follows me all the way back to my little motel. When I climb out of my car, he’s there to catch me as a dizzy spell hits me.

“This doesn’t change things,” I grit, pushing against him to stand. A rumbly hum comes from his wolfy body, but I ignore it and head toward my room.

Thankfully, I have a room on the first floor, but irritatingly, as soon as I open the door, Lucas’s wolf forces his way inside. He circles the room, sniffing and searching like there’s going to be an unseen danger in the small room.

Then, when he finds nothing, he moves to the end of the bed and sits.

“What are you, a guard dog?”

Intelligent gold eyes find mine, and a shiver runs down my spine.

“You’re not staying here, Lucas.”

He only tilts his head in response, and damn me, it’s cute. I shake the thought away, remind myself about how he threw me into a prison cell, and then about how he didn’t even try to listen to me.

But, I also like that he’s here. Something in me wants him to stay and protect me, like he did by showing up here today.

Too tired to argue, I shuffle over to my bag and pull out a set of sleep clothes.

“I expect you to be gone when I get out of the shower,” I mutter before locking myself in the bathroom and leaving him behind.