Chapter 242

Fiona POV

I let myself sink into Ethan’s chest, sobbing as his arms surround me. One hand cradles the back of my neck while the other pulls me closer by my back. That pleasurable, calming tingle from his touch sweeps through my body, giving my body a chance to finally relax.

It feels like I can finally breathe. Having him here, touching me, holding me, is like coming home. He’s so warm and solid.

“I-I…”

A sob bursts from my mouth, and he hushes me softly.

“Shhh. We’ve got you, little mate,” his rumbly voice coos, and when I look up, golden eyes are staring down at me. Honestly, they’re almost the only thing I can see in the dark room. I can see the outline of his body, but not much else.

“Z-Zev.” My voice comes out as a broken, raspy whine, but I don’t care. They came.

I don’t know how they found me, but it means the world to me that they did. I mean, I never thought Ethan would leave me, but I was worried he wouldn’t make it in time.

Guilt taps my mind, and I do feel bad I thought that way, but being locked in this room for who knows how long.

“How long… how long have I been here?” I sniffle, wiping at my tears. I squint against the darkness, wishing I had my wolf vision.

“Two days, and far too long,” he answers, hugging me closer. Only two days? It felt like it was much longer than that. I lean into Ethan, still feeling weak and a bit sick as everything crashes down on me.

Then, a wave of dizziness hits, and I stagger.

“Let’s get you out of here. You need to be checked out.”

Nodding, I follow him to the window and stay tucked into Ethan’s side until he crouches beneath the window he’d jumped through. I look at him then up at the window, gasping when Aaron pops his head through.

“Give me your hand,” he calls. “I’ll pull you out.”

Happy that they’ve come, I look back down at Ethan and find him holding his hand out. He nods toward it and then pushes me up when I step into his hand. My entire body surges upward, but before I can fall or teeter, Aaron grabs onto me.

“I’ve got you, sis.”

And he does. Aaron pulls me up until I’m sitting on the grass outside, looking up at the chaos around me. People fight and wolves attack each other. One runs toward us, but a man I don’t recognize jumps forward and slams his shoulder into the wolf’s chest, sending it flying back.

“Come on, we need to get out of here,” Ethan says, suddenly at my side. He helps me up while Aaron takes up the position on my other side, wrapping an arm around my waist.

They walk me around the building we’re behind and just as we round the corner, I hear his voice. The man who has been holding me captive shouts, “Ethan Montgomery, I challenge you!”

Ethan stiffens, a growl falling from his lips as he then releases me to Aaron and stalks forward. The man who kidnapped me saunters across the grass with a smirk on his face, but Ethan is having none of his crap.

My mate runs forward, shifting mid-run, and jumps on my captor. Without mercy, Ethan, or more likely Zev, sinks his teeth into the man’s shoulder then his arm, not giving him a moment to change into his own wolf form.

I watch in shock and awe as they tumble to the ground and as my mate growls, hooks his claws into the man’s chest, and digs them in. A feral, earth-shaking growl tumbles from Ethan’s muzzle. It sends a shiver of awareness through me, and Aaron takes in a sharp breath.

Everyone stills and turns to look at the two Alphas fighting. Or really, they turn in time to see Ethan rip into the man who kidnapped me.

“I’ve never seen Ethan so angry,” Aaron mutters, his wide eyes never leaving the bloody scene in front of us. Honestly, I thought the fight would be more difficult, but Ethan dealt with him like he was nothing, and as the man slumps to the ground, every wolf that doesn’t belong to Ethan stops moving.

Ethan’s wolf body shrinks away, and after wiping the blood off his face, he turns to me, holds his hand out, and smiles.

“Let’s go home.”

I lean back against Ethan’s chest as the IV fluids filter into my body, allowing me to relax. Uncle Mandra’s healers fuss over me, checking my vitals, the babies’ vitals, and tittering about how horrible it is for someone to drug a pregnant woman.

They make sure to give me plenty of fluids and medicine, only leaving once Ethan commands them to.

“We’ll come back in a little while,” Aaron says before he, my father, and Uncle Mandra all turn to leave.

“Wait!”

They turn, waiting like I asked while I use Ethan’s thigh as an aid, I sit up. Opening my arms, I beckon them forward and wait as they come toward me and finally lean into a hug.

“I know I already said it,” I murmur, sinking into the group hug, “But thank you for coming to save me.” They squeeze me tighter but not tight enough to hurt me before pulling away again. I haven’t gotten to known them very well, but they showed up in a way that only family can. Them and Ethan.

They’re my family now.

Once they’ve left, Ethan pulls me back into his chest and buries his nose in my neck. He inhales deeply, rubbing his nose along my neck until he lands on the mark he left there, which sends a shot of warmth and pleasure into my body.

“I swear, Fiona. From now on, nothing will hurt you,” Ethan vows. “You will never know the fear you felt during these past two days again.”

“You can’t promise that, Ethan,” I whisper while also making sure to send comfort and understanding down our bond. I don’t want him to think I’m doubting him. “I know you want to protect me, and I love you for it. Thank you for saving me.”

A low, rumbly growl vibrates his chest. Gorgeous golden eyes flash, and I smile.

“You too, Zev. Thank you.”

He growls again, the sound seeping into me and warming me further.

“Let’s move the wedding up,” Ethan murmurs. His lips brush my ear, which again sends a shiver through me, and before I can answer, Ethan’s teeth slowly scrape down my neck to the mark he’d made previously.

Electricity flies through my veins, lighting up my body with his every touch. The sharp points of his K-9 teeth notch against the tender skin that connects my neck and shoulder, and I bite my tongue to keep from moaning.

“I want to marry you, and I don’t want to wait any longer. I want to have you as my mate and my wife.”

“Yes,” I whisper, turning and looking up at Ethan. “I want that too.”

As the words leave my mouth, Ethan’s teeth sink into my shoulder, marking me a second time and making me moan. My head falls back to his chest, my eyes fall closed, and my entire body loosens, relaxing fully against my mate.

In my mind, my wolf howls in excitement. She and I love the way he runs his tongue over the mark, sealing it a second time, but I can’t wait. Turning, I plant my lips on Ethan’s lips, claiming him like he just claimed me.