Warrior Wolf (Protection, Inc 4)

“In the nick of time,” Rafa suggested. Destiny punched his arm.

“In that case, I’m glad,” Lucas said, ignoring the others. “I only wish it had been sooner. I hope your wounds heal quickly.”

“They will,” Nick said. Then he too paused, making Raluca realize that the awkwardness was mutual. Then, determinedly pushing past it, he added, “I’m glad things are about to get even worse for fucking Constantine. He deserves it for what he did to you.”

“Thank you, Nick,” Lucas said, with surprise but no more self-consciousness. Then he turned to Raluca. “You were magnificent. And I’m very happy to see you again.”

“Thank you. I’m happy to see you as well.” She’d never loved Lucas as a mate, but she looked forward to having him as a friend. He’d always been kind to her, even when she’d taken her helpless anger at their unwanted engagement out on him. “I hope we can fly together soon under more peaceful circumstances.”

“I look forward to it,” Lucas said, smiling. “Please don’t think America is always like this. That was the first time I’ve ever fought in the sky.”

Raluca smiled, then stood up and turned to Grigor. “I have something I wish to tell you. Before you are conveyed to your wretched dungeon, I wish you to repeat it to everyone you see.”

“I will ensure that he does,” Lucas said. “And I can also repeat it, if you wish.”

“I do.” Raluca drew in a deep breath, speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear. “Renouncing the crown was not a girl’s whim, but a woman’s true desire. I do not want to be queen. I will never want to be queen. Look at me now. Truly look at me.”

Raluca followed Grigor’s appalled gaze from her sequined miniskirt to her black leather corset. Both were torn and blood-stained, not that she cared. But her disreputable state probably helped to drive her point home.

“This is what I want.” Raluca made a wide gesture, encompassing Nick, his team, and all of Santa Martina. “This is my home. These people are my family. And this man is my mate.”

She knelt by Nick and kissed him gently on the lips. He responded with surprising enthusiasm. She hadn’t expected him to have that much energy, but either he was feeling better or he really wanted to help her with her demonstration. Raluca was drawn into the kiss, returning his passion with her own until she momentarily forgot why she was kissing him and where she was. They only broke off when Nick ran out of breath. When Raluca looked up, she was satisfied by Grigor’s incoherent sputterings of horror, outrage, and disgust.

“That is all,” Raluca said.

Nick added, “And tell them that if anyone wants to mess with my girl, they’ll have to go through me and my team first.” He indicated the body of the black wolf. “Ask Price how that worked out for him.”

Grigor was still spluttering with impotent outrage as Lucas transformed into a dragon, unceremoniously grabbed him in his talons, and flew off with him.

An ambulance pulled into the alley, sirens wailing and lights flashing. Catalina and Ellie jumped out, carrying a stretcher. Hal ruffled Ellie’s blonde hair as she passed him, and she glanced up with a quick smile.

“There you go, Nick,” Hal said. “They’ve come to take you home.”

Nick’s eyes glistened at Hal’s words. He blinked hard and didn’t reply.

Hal briefly rested his hand on Nick’s shoulder. Then he and Shane helped Ellie and Catalina lift Nick on to the stretcher. Nick reached out, catching Raluca’s hand.

“Shane, go in the ambulance,” Hal said. “Raluca too, of course.

The rest of us will meet you there. If any more of us get in, you won’t have room to turn round.”

Raluca climbed into the back of the ambulance with Nick, trying to keep out of the paramedics’ way without letting go of his hand. Hal hadn’t been joking; it was a tight squeeze.

Catalina took the driver’s seat while Shane and Ellie tended to Nick in the back, driving fast yet smoothly as the siren wailed.

“How did you find us?” Nick asked.

“We got an alarm when your phone broke,” Shane said. When Nick looked puzzled, Shane went on, “Fiona put it in the last time she fixed up our phones. If one breaks, it sends an alarm to the others, along with the last location it was in.”

“I thought that didn’t work,” Nick said. “Hal stomped on a phone to test it, and nothing happened.”

Shane shrugged. “It didn’t work reliably. She installed it anyway, just in case. Lucky for you, it worked this time. Lucas had just come in, so he took Hal and Destiny and Rafa, because they were closest. Hal called Fiona and me. We drove in, then snuck up from behind.”

The ambulance slowed, blocked by an enormous truck. Catalina flicked a switch, and her voice boomed out over a bullhorn. “MOVE TO THE SIDE. THIS IS AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE. GET OUT OF OUR WAY!”

The truck swung aside as if it was embarrassed, and Catalina resumed darting in and out of traffic.

“Catalina drives like you,” Raluca said to Nick, partly because it was true and partly to distract him from all the needles Shane and Ellie were sticking in him. “Don’t you wish you had a siren and flashing lights, too?”