CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Nathan strode out of the restaurant as soon as the lunch meeting ended. It was a good meeting, and there were smiles all around as he shook hands with his new business partners. After telling Lucien and Jennifer that he would see them back at the office, Nathan sped off in his Porsche.
Nathan could feel his animal prowling just beneath his skin. His wolf was tense and unsettled, urging him to go to his mate.
Nathan knew that Kerry was meeting Simone for lunch at their favorite cafe. The two women had a lot of catching up to do and Kerry probably wouldn't appreciate him barging in on their girl talk.
But he needed to make sure that she was all right.
His wolf had reared up halfway through the meeting and clawed furiously at him. The crazy animal wanted to get to Kerry at once. Nathan didn't know what was going on with his wolf, but he managed to force his beast down long enough to conclude the meeting.
Nathan drove to the cafe at top speed and was out of the car in a heartbeat. Even before he entered the cafe, he knew that Kerry was gone.
He pushed through the door and looked around the busy little cafe, his nostrils flaring. Traces of her scent still lingered. His eyes darted to that corner table where a gentleman now sat sipping his coffee and reading the paper. His mate had sat at that very table not too long ago. And she had left in a panic. He could taste her fear in the air, and his wolf reared up in fury.
Kerry was in trouble. His mate and his unborn pup were in danger.
Nathan growled and rushed back to his car. As he floored the accelerator, Nathan stopped holding his wolf back and let the beast rise to the fore. His wolf snarled and glared out of his eyes. Claws stabbed out from his fingertips and his canines sharpened and elongated.
He kept his human shape but his beast was in control of his senses right now. His wolf could track his mate to the very ends of the earth. Nothing and no one could keep his mate from him. No one messed with his family!
The mate bond tugged him towards his mate, and Nathan could sense his mate's spiking panic and pain. Someone was hurting his mate, causing her grief and terror.
His Porsche skidded up the curb in front of a small corner house on a quiet street and Nathan burst from the car, half shifting as he ran. Kerry was in the house. He could scent her terror and desperation, and he smelled her blood.
Terror and wrath clouded his mind as he rushed up the front steps. He had never felt such sharp, agonizing fear before. He had never been afraid because he never had anything to lose. He never realized what was missing in his life. Finding his mate, experiencing love and family was the most amazing thing that had happened to him. His world had suddenly bloomed with vibrant color, and it made him see and feel so much more.
It had taken him so long to find his mate. He couldn't lose her!
Nathan put his shoulder to the front door and splintered the damn door as he charged into the house. There was an overturned chair in the corner of the living room, and Nathan followed the scent of blood into the kitchen.
There were blood splatters on the kitchen floor. Not all the blood was Kerry's.
He heard the sound of running water and heard noises coming from the bedroom. Nathan slammed into the bedroom and saw that the door to the attached bathroom was locked.
Nathan kicked it in swiftly and he saw Kerry on the floor. There was a flash of a blade and Nathan ducked just in time. A man lunged at Nathan and his knife grazed the tip of Nathan's ear.
Nathan grabbed the man and threw him to the floor. He didn't even bother looking at that human trash as he rushed to his mate.
Kerry was lying on the wet bathroom floor, coughing and spluttering. Nathan cut the bonds around her wrists and ankles with his claws and sat her up. He saw Simone in a corner, vomiting wretchedly. The tap was still running and water sloshed over the edge of the filled bathtub. Nathan saw Kerry's barrette floating in the water and there were lines of blood between the tiles.
Nathan roared in fury. The bastard had tried to drown the two women.
He had slammed them against the tiles and forced their heads underwater.
“Nathan...” Vaguely he heard Kerry's voice, but he had only one thing in his sights right now.
He wanted blood. He wanted the blood of the man who had tried to kill his mate and unborn child.
Nathan shifted into wolf form and leaped to the door to block the man's escape. The human male was burly with glittering close-set eyes. He held up his hands and tried to smile as Nathan prowled towards him.
“I'm just leaving, okay?” he said, licking his thin lips nervously. He glanced towards the bathroom and said, “I didn't know they're yours.” He gave a small, ingratiating laugh. “I would never touch your girls.”
Nathan snarled. He had come across men like that before. They often twisted facts and situations to their advantage, and they had no qualms lying and taking advantage of others. But these bullies were cowards and they were quick to try and find a way out once they recognized that they were facing a much stronger opponent.
Nathan heard Kerry's soft cry from the bathroom and he turned to glance behind him.
Immediately, the man lurched forward, his knife flying towards Nathan's neck.
Nathan twisted away and spun round to bite down on the man's wrist. The knife clattered to the floor as bones crunched and blood spurted. The man howled in agony and tried to jerk his arm back.
Nathan twisted savagely, and dislocated the bastard's arm. He was going to cause this wretched human scum as much pain as possible before killing him. Death was too easy.
No one hurt his mate and got away with it.
No. One.