Free Rough Wolf by Alanis Knight Page B

wander back to Geo. I wouldn’t let this sweaty, smelly pig… and let me tell you, he smelled like rotting flesh or some other similar horrid stench… break me. I remembered the way it had felt lying beside Geo the night before with his arms around me, listening to his heart beat as we fell asleep together. I remembered that first night we met by the lake, when his wolf had attacked and he’d said he had trouble containing him. I remembered him calling me beautiful, and cooking me breakfast. Soon, Rocco’s voice faded away, and all I could hear was Geo telling me he loved me.
    I don’t know how much time passed, minutes… maybe hours… but my thoughts of my mate were eventually interrupted by the sound of a shrill alarm. Startled, I jerked to attention, and I heard Rocco’s chair overturn as he scrambled out of the room, the metal door banging shut behind him.
    “Bring her!” I heard Vince shouting frantically. “Bring her now!”
    Rocco exploded through the door and hurriedly untied me. He left my blindfold in place, and he yanked me to my feet and dragged me, stumbling, along with him.
    “Here she is!” Rocco yelled breathlessly.
    The air grew cooler, and my bare feet fell onto damp earth.
    “See, I told you, she is unharmed,” Vince said.
    “Keep your hands where I can see ‘em!” shouted an unfamiliar voice.
    I felt arms around me, and I instantly melted into them. I knew at once they belonged to Geo.
    “Are you alright, darling?” he asked me softly.
    I nodded weakly and he began to lead me somewhere. He pulled off my blindfold as he guided me along, and I could see a large number of squad cars and police surrounding the area. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Vince and his cronies with their hands in the air as dozens of guns were pointed in their direction. They stood before the entrance to some sort of bunker.
    Geo took me a safe distance away, well beyond the wall of police. His arms caged me protectively as he spoke.
    “Vince, have you met my adoptive father, Commander Walter Hastings?” Geo shouted.
    “Your… father?” Vince asked, eyes wide.
    “Yes, Vince,” Geo nodded. “This is my father. And your days of kidnapping and trying to start turf wars is over.”
    “You didn’t tell me his father was a freaking cop!” Rocco hissed at Vince.
    “I didn’t know, you moron!” Vince snapped.
    “Get on the ground, now!” shouted Commander Hastings.
    Vince and his pack slowly lowered themselves to their knees and then fell face down on the ground. Officers swarmed them, putting them in handcuffs. I knew that even if they shifted, they were unlikely to escape. There were just too many officers and too many guns.
    I had just noticed one face was conspicuously missing when Commander Hastings approached.
    “Son,” he said to Geo.
    “Father,” Geo returned. “Dad, I’d like you to meet my new mate, Dora. Dora, this is my adoptive father, Walter Hastings.”
    I extended my hand, and the man took it and squeezed it firmly.
    “Welcome to the family,” he said. “I hope my son will bring you around sometimes.”
    “I’d like that, Commander Hastings,” I said, smiling.
    “Call me Walter,” he insisted.
    “Walter,” I agreed. I glanced around once more and then looked at Geo and asked, “Where’s Max?”
    “He’s not here?” Geo asked.
    I shook my head and said, “I don’t see him.”
    “Don’t worry, we’ll find him,” Geo said.
    But I couldn’t get a nagging feeling of worry out of my head.
    Geo helped me into the back of one of the patrol cars and he slid in beside me. One of Walter’s deputies drove us back to the cabin. Greta was waiting outside, and her face, which was drawn with worry, suddenly lit up. I noticed she was wearing clothes for the first time since I’d met her.
    The moment I exited the car, she nearly knocked me over with a huge hug, and then she suddenly gasped and back away.
    “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” she shrieked. “Gosh, I’m so sorry.