Free Vulfen Alpha's Mate by Laina Kenney

fright made it a losing battle. “Please.”
    “In the midst of the territory report, the Cadre was warned of an attack, but it was repelled easily. I left the warriors to handle it and came back to be with you,” Rylek said. “As I approached, I saw there were human hunters on your street and in your building. Miros held them while Valeri and I ran for you.”
    “Why? What did they want?” Ellie could hear her heart beating hard. She pressed her hand over her chest, feeling the thumping and trying to calm it.
    Miros spoke. “There were five humans, but they knew they were fighting a vulfen warrior. They know what we are. I called for our cleanup team.”
    “Before or after you stole the car?” Valeri asked politely.
    Ellie gasped at the thought that he had stolen someone’s car, but Miros ignored it. “Rylek, one of the humans got past me into the hallway.”
    “Yes, that human shot the Alpha.” Valeri sounded grim.
    “He shot you? I knew it. We have to get you to a hospital!” Ellie’s words were all jumbled together and her hands raced over her mate searching for the wounds. He stilled her hands and pulled her into his
     
    sheltering arms.
    “No, Ellie. I cannot go to a human hospital,” Rylek said. “Besides, they used bullets meant for humans.”
    Miros snorted at that.
    Ellie didn’t see any humor in knowing Rylek had been wounded. She glared at Miros. “Your Alpha has been shot. Stop laughing and concentrate on driving this rocket,” she said.
    Miros turned his attention to driving.
    Rylek looked at her in surprise. “Are you sure you do not wish to be a queen, Ellie? You sound very much like a queen.”
    She saw that he was trying to distract her from the seriousness of the situation, but she couldn’t allow herself to relax yet. She would fall apart.
    Valeri leaned in from the back seat and explained. “Human bullets are too small and too soft. If they want to do any real damage, they need to start using an elephant gun. If the bullet does go through the top layer of muscle but exits without touching an organ, the wound will heal overnight. It’s a few hours of pain, a minor annoyance, nothing more.”
    A bullet wound was a minor annoyance to these warriors. Of course.
    Rylek rolled his broad shoulders and made a face. “In this case,
    however, I am sure the bullet did not go right through. I can still feel something in there. I think Miros may have to pick the bullet out of my back.”
    Miros looked over quickly and grimaced. Apparently, that didn’t sound any better to him than it did to Ellie.
    “What about the Cadre? Are they safe?” Ellie’s voice was shaking
    as badly as her hands.
    She had directed her question to Rylek, but it was Valeri who answered. “We are meeting the Cadre at the Alpha’s estate outside the city. We’ll be there in a few minutes. It is well guarded, and you’ll be quite safe there.”
     
    Ellie didn’t like how Valeri had skimmed over her inquiry. If he thought that simple answer was good enough, he was about to find out the opposite. She wasn’t going to be placated. She wanted real information.
    She grabbed on to the feeling of irritation with gratitude. It was much better than the shock and chilling terror of a few moments ago.
    “I’m not worried about me right now. Rylek has been shot, and he
    won’t go to the hospital. I want to know if anyone else is hurt besides
    Super-Alpha?” she persisted.
    Valeri grinned at her. He seemed to enjoy her impertinence.
    “I will pick out the bullet, and Rylek will be well by tomorrow. From the initial report, the Alpha’s wound is the most serious, and in vulfen terms, it is not serious at all,” Miros said. “Do not fret, little queen.”
    She settled back against Rylek, mollified. Miros turned onto the highway, and they left the city behind.
    When they pulled into a long driveway lined with heavy woods, Ellie felt her heart rhythm begin to settle. What was wrong with her? She was a city girl born