Betrayed (Wolf Gatherings Book 6) Read Online Free Page B

with each passing moment. She wanted him found, and she wanted answers.
    Heather slept restlessly that night, in part due to the throbbing in her leg, and in part due to the mysterious disappearance of her mate. The Spencers had not had any success finding anyone near the main ranch property.
    But now, with dawn creeping in, she was wide awake. As she stared at the horizon through the window of her room in the main house, she heard a commotion. It started far away and grew louder as whoever it was approached her room.
    She was lifting her upper body to sit when the door flew open and Natalie’s mate, Jerome, burst into the room with his son Scott on his heels. Her gaze immediately shifted to the black wolf pushing past them both, however. He bounded into the room and skidded to a stop when he spotted her. He cocked his head to one side and sat on his haunches for a moment. If wolves could smile, he was doing so.
    “I’m sorry, Heather,” Scott began. “He was roaming around outside when I went to the barn. He made it clear he wanted in the house even shifted.” Scott’s voice was fearful.
    “It’s okay.” Heather didn’t take her eyes off the black wolf.
    Suddenly he bounded onto the bed in one leap and sat at her feet.
    “Oh,” she gasped, leaning back.
    He was ragged around the edges, in need of a bath. He was also invading her space. But he was hers.
    “Oh,” Jerome repeated. Even in wolf form, there would be no way to hide the fact he was her mate from anyone. They would all sense it. “Now I see the urgency.” He chuckled as he stepped forward. He took the wolf’s jaw in his hand and turned his face, forcing the black wolf to meet his gaze. “You get one warning, fellow. I don’t know you, and I have no idea why you haven’t shifted, but if you hurt one hair on this woman’s head, your ass is mine. You hear?”
    The black wolf nodded. He transferred his gaze back to Heather and stared at her.
    “Give us a minute,” Heather said. She watched as the black wolf made himself at home at her feet.
    Scott spoke up next. “Are you sure? We don’t know anything about him. He could harm you.”
    “If he wanted to hurt me, he would have done so yesterday. He saved my life and brought me to you.” Heather didn’t look at Jerome or Scott as she explained. She didn’t feel the stress they felt. She was perfectly calm gazing at her mate. She knew instinctively he would protect her against any enemy on the Earth. She wasn’t in any harm in his care.
    Except maybe for her heart. His narrowed gaze gave her a chill, and he never stopped watching her.
    Jerome and Scott left the room, shutting the door behind them. They mumbled something about being closeby, but Heather barely listened.
    She stared at her mate, clearer than she’d been in almost twenty-four hours.
    He stared back.
    “Well, are you going to just lie there?” She narrowed her gaze, waiting for him to shift. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you in human form. Perhaps we could even have a conversation,” she sassed.
    The black wolf lifted his head and ducked his nose to look down at her, as if to say, “I’ll damn well shift when I’m good and ready.”
    “Seriously?”
    He continued to stare. His breath landed on her ankle, tickling her skin.
    She pulled it away from his face, only to be brought up short, wincing at the pain.
    He mewled and scooted back, blinking at her with sorrowful eyes.
    Ah, not so tough after all . She stored the information away for safekeeping. He might be playing the big bad wolf, but he also cringed to see her suffer.
    “Fine. I’ll go first. I’m Heather. Heather Peters. I’m from Oregon.” She paused.
    His ears had perked up.
    “Wait. Why am I telling you all about myself when you’ve shown no interest in reciprocating?” She threw her hands down and then drew the covers up higher on her body, realizing she lay there in nothing more than a tank top with no bra.
    In fact, the wolf lowered his gaze to her chest