Chapter Thirteen
Ranger stood at the end of the line of Guardians on the front lawn of the alpha’s home. Eleven Guardians were poised at attention as Talon paced, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Boris Small is working with the Community,” he started, holding up his hand when the line of males growled. “He needs to be stopped, and this is where I need you. I require four males to travel to North Carolina to meet up with the rightful alpha of the pride and remove Boris Small from power. You have two weeks to execute this order and return to me.”
“No!” Two female voices cried from the front door. Mary Grace and Nova stood there, tears falling from their eyes. The females were very pregnant and obviously had been eavesdropping on Talon’s conversation. Winter and Savage turned to intercept their mates as they came toward the line of males.
“I’ll volunteer.” Noah was the first to step forward.
“I’ll go,” Booth offered.
“As will I,” Storm growled.
“I’ll go,” Dane volunteered. “I do not wish my brothers to be separated from their mates.”
“No.” Ranger stepped to his friend’s side, lowering his voice. “I need you to stay and take care of my mate.”
“Ranger, don’t do this.” Dane frowned. “You could be hurt or worse.”
“I have to avenge her,” he vowed.
“The fuck you do.” Dane placed his hand on Ranger’s shoulder. “I’ll go for you.”
“Make your decision,” Talon ordered, pinning both men with a hard stare.
“I’m in,” Ranger offered as he turned toward his alpha, hearing a soft, feminine gasp sound from behind him. He didn’t even need to look to see that it was Hope.
“Fuck,” Dane cursed under his breath.
“Ranger?” Hope called out, but he didn’t move from his position in front of his alpha. “Damn it, Ranger Coleman! Look at me!”
“Answer your mate,” Talon demanded, raising his chin to indicate that Ranger was free to leave the meeting.
When he turned around, he expected to find her crying like the other females, but what he found was the look of fear on her face. Her sparking amber eyes were wide, and even though there were no tears, his mate’s bottom lip quivered.
“Hope,” he cooed as he approached, hoping he could ease any fears she had.
His mate turned on her heel and marched away, leaving him standing there with his mouth hanging open and his hands held out. He cursed loudly and started after her. For a moment, he didn’t know where she was going. It wasn’t until she started across the road leading to the cabin they’d acquired from Noah that he realized she wanted to hash out his decision at home.
This couldn’t be good.
As soon as the door closed, she rounded on him and punched him square in the jaw. “Are you fucking crazy?”
“What the hell, Hope?” he snarled, rubbing the spot she’d hit. Fuck! That hurt!
“He will kill you!” She began to pace, shaking her hand as she moved away from him. “Your fucking face is as hard as your damn head.”
“Would you stop pacing?” he begged, reaching for his mate, but she jerked away and narrowed her eyes. “Did you not hear me? I will kill him for harming you.”
“I promise you have never seen a male like Boris Small,” she warned.
“Boris Small will not hurt me,” he promised, finally capturing her slight body, absorbing her scent. She was still fertile, and he had to remind himself that now wasn’t the time to mount her. “We are trained, Hope. He is careless. This will be an easy takedown.”
“He will scent me the moment you get within fifty feet of him,” she explained, taking his shirt with her fists, tightening her hold on him as if she could use her strength to keep him from leaving.
“Hope, my angel,” Ranger sighed, reaching up to cover her fists with his own. “Let him try. I will kill him with my human hands and wallow in his blood in my panther form.”
“Please…don’t go,” she whispered, looking at her feet. When his mate’s eyes raised, they were completely amber and her panther whined in fear.
“I must go,” he replied. “This is for you, Hope. Your beast needs to live without fear.”
“She can live in fear as long as you are alive,” Hope whimpered. “If you go up against Boris Small, you won’t be coming home to me.”
Ranger didn’t think twice about capturing her lips for a heated kiss. His hand tangled into the back of her hair and made a fist to hold her in place. The need to be close to her was heavy in the air.
“I have to leave in the morning,” he panted. “Tonight, I’m going to show you exactly what I’m going to do to you when I return to celebrate your freedom from your past, my mate.”
The sound of tearing fabric was followed by the erotic sounds of their mating.
Ranger gritted his teeth against the sound of the female’s cries. Everyone was on edge because their Guardians were leaving the pride. Even with Talon’s calming presence, their people were worried and fearful of the events that would take place in North Carolina.
He tossed his bag into the back of Booth’s SUV and left to go find his mate. She’d awoken early and had left their cabin. He knew where she was and he wanted to wait until she’d worked off most of her fear and anger before he said his goodbye.
Being a Guardian with a mate wasn’t always easy. Their mates came first in all things, but the pride was a damn close second. The need to kill Boris Small was relevant, and she knew that. In fact, she’d said it herself when she had arrived at the pride that the male needed to be taken out.
Pride members mingled around, watching silently as the Guardians packed their things. The new Guardians, Taze included, stood close by. Ranger started to leave to find his mate when he was approached by his brother.
“We will take care of the pride to the best of our abilities while you are away,” Axel promised.
“You will do fine,” Ranger replied, shaking his brother’s outstretched hand. “Take care of my mate.”
“Always,” Axel vowed.
“Speaking of…” Ranger paused, looking around at the other pride members. They were all staying close to the ones they loved. “I need to go find Hope.”
Gravel crunched underneath his boots as he walked toward the dorm. Hope was angry with him; her panther was scared senseless. He’d do anything to make the two pieces of who she was whole again.
He stood in the doorway, watching as she threw punch after punch at the heavy bag without wearing any gloves. Ranger’s heart broke knowing she didn’t want him anywhere near Boris Small, but she had to know she wouldn’t be safe until that male was taken out of power.
As soon as he took the first step over the threshold, he froze. Hope stopped the bag from moving, leaning her head against the red leather. Her shoulders began to shake as the sound of her sobs reached his ears.
“Come here,” he whispered as he walked over and took her into his arms. “Do not cry, my mate.”
“My beast is cowering, and it’s making me feel anxious,” she whispered against his chest. “I’m afraid for you, Ranger.”
“Look at me, Hope,” he urged, cupping her face tenderly. When she looked up, her panther was close. Glowing amber eyes met his icy blue ones. His beast prowled but didn’t push for release to calm his mate. “I promise you that I will return home to you.”
“How do you know that?” she cried, slamming her hands against his chest. “You don’t know that!”
“Shh,” he cooed. “I refuse to let the afterlife take me when I just found you.”
She didn’t say anything for several seconds. Eventually, her features relaxed and her human eyes returned. Ranger leaned in to press his lips to hers, feeling his panther calm at the touch.
“I love you,” he admitted, closing his eyes. “This is new, Hope. Damn, I feel you in my heart. I feel you in my soul. If this is love, then I want to capture it and hold it forever.”
“You…love me?” she stuttered.
“How could I not?” He winked, silencing her with another press of his lips.