Mating with Connie, feeling his wolf, it had all felt right, and he didn’t regret a thing.
He didn’t have to wait long before Lana appeared.
“Alpha, what are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to take Connie out to lunch. Where is she?”
Lana looked at him and Tanner, who gave her a smile and a wave.
“I’m confused. I had a call saying that you wanted to meet Constance at the construction site.”
Gage frowned. “Why would I want to meet her there? I haven’t called anyone.”
Lana glanced at the phone. “Tiffany said she had a direct message from the alpha. Constance was to meet Gage at the construction site. I … you didn’t call?”
“The mark,” Tanner said.
“I gave her the mark.”
“But if someone has told her I did?” Tanner asked.
Gage took off, running out of the library. He had to get to the construction site.
“Dad, I’ll grab the car.”
“No time.” He called upon his wolf, shedding his skin right there in front of the pack. He didn’t even care if there were any humans close by. He needed to get to his woman.
The moment his wolf was upon him, his senses went on hyper-alert, and he heard everything.
“Help. Please help.”
He heard his mate. She was hurt. There was no time to waste.
He took off, running in her direction. He needed to get to her. The wolf didn’t hold back. Charging forward, determined to get as close as possible to their mate.
Have to protect her.
Keep her safe.
Gage sensed his son was close as well. Ignoring all distractions, he went straight to his mate, breaking out in speed as he ran, getting to the clearing and close to the building site. The door that had been locked was now open, swinging in invitation.
A growl emitted.
After going through the gate, he felt the ground beneath him, sensed her close.
Changing back into human form, his wolf wanted to come back out, to get her, and then exact his revenge.
He kept a firm grip on his wolf, knowing if he allowed him out, there would be nothing left of Tiffany.
Connie’s screams hit him in the core. Panic seized, and he followed the sound, finding her in one of the pits with a spike protruding from her leg. The scent of blood was heavy in the air.
Rushing toward her, he cupped her face as she breathed a sigh of relief.
“You found me.” Her tears turned into full-on sobs.
“I’ve got you. I’m here.”
“I don’t think it’s good, Gage. I’m so sorry. I thought you had called.”
“I know what happened. I’m here to take care of you.” The damage was bad. “Fuck!” He could lift her off the spike, but right now, it was helping to stop the blood flow.
“Please, get me out of here.”
He cupped her cheek. “I need you to turn. I need you to let me bring the wolf.”
“I can’t.”
“Connie, if you don’t, you’re as good as dead, and I can’t have that. I love you, baby. You hear me? I love you, and this is not how it ends. Not for us. You’re going to be my wife. You’re already my mate, and I did that because I lost patience with waiting. I want you, always. Don’t leave me. Trust me.”
She gasped. “You love me?”
“Yes. I love you so damn much. Didn’t you know?”
She shook her head. “I hoped, but I thought you were getting bored with dealing with me. I didn’t know what to think.”
He kissed her. “I’ve loved you for a long time, Constance. My Connie. You’re mine. Please, trust me.”
“I love you too. That’s all I could think about. I don’t want to die here. I wanted you to know how I felt.” She sniffled. “I had the biggest crush on you, and now, this is a dream come true. I could never love your son because I loved you. Always you.”
Gage kissed her again. He knew this already. He’d heard Connie tell his son how she felt about him. She had never told him to his face. “So let’s do this. Let me bring your wolf. She can heal faster.”
“It’s going to hurt?”
“Like a son of a bitch, but you will make it. If I pull you off that spike, you’re going to bleed out. There are limits to what we can do. You know this.”
She nodded, and he saw the tears in her eyes. “I love you.”
“I love you.”
“Are you ready?”
She shook her head but told him yes.
His heart broke as he tapped into his energy, bringing forth the alpha, commanding Connie, his mate, to change. He’d hated the sounds of her screams before, but now, they were worse. Bones broke, shattered, and came apart. Her body morphing, changing, twisting until finally, the wolf emerged, and without his help, she pulled her leg free with a whimper.
However, Connie didn’t linger. She took off, and Gage watched her just as Tanner came to the construction site with Tiffany at his side.