Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 59405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59405 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 297(@200wpm)___ 238(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
And I needed to know about this ketamine thing.
Like, how was it possible that the beautiful, kind, responsible vet I knew and loved had become a drug supplier.
It didn’t make sense.
I’d thought about it the entire plane ride, which was thankfully only about an hour.
I kept coming back to that one thing she’d said in the truck after the county fair.
Sometimes people get themselves into things without fully understanding the consequences.
It wasn’t an excuse. Especially since Charlie was way too smart to not understand consequences. But she was innocent. Naive.
It was possible she’d gotten herself into some kind of predicament.
Maybe she even required help. That she was in over her head and needed me to save her. To protect her.
That thought had my wolf snarling. I felt him, right beneath the surface, struggling to get free. He wanted to protect Charlie.
But I didn’t even know if she needed my protection. Or would want it. Her bailing in the middle of the night was a pretty sure indication she might not want anything to do with me. Then again, maybe she was protecting me?
My wolf didn’t like that at all. Charlie was a fragile human. I was really hard to kill.
Fuck—what would I do if it turned out she was a drug supplier? That she wasn’t who I’d believed she was? Would I be able to walk away from my mate, right when I’d found her? Would I be okay turning her in to the local police? How could I have a mate behind bars?
I probably wouldn’t go moon mad as a half-breed. Thankfully, I wasn’t that alpha. But still, I didn’t know what it would do to my wolf. I might go a different flavor of insane. The human kind.
Fuck! I crushed the half-full water bottle in my hand just as the plane touched down, causing water to flood over my legs and the floor. The guy on the other side of the aisle gave me the side-eye, but I didn’t give a fuck what people thought about me.
All I cared about was this shit with Charlie.
I got off the plane and marched to the rental car counter, where all they had was a tiny white compact two door.
“Fine,” I growled, signing the damn papers, not giving a shit. I’d cram my body into a car three sizes smaller if it meant getting to my mate. As long as it had an engine and wheels, I didn’t care if it was a clown car.
As I jammed my legs under the dash, I came around to the same thought I’d had the whole flight over: there had to be an explanation. The woman I knew wouldn’t be in the drug trade for money. It just wasn’t like her.
I couldn’t believe it. I wouldn’t.
I would show up and demand an explanation—for the ketamine and for leaving without a goodbye. And not accepting my calls or texts.
Then I would tell her I was a wolf.
That she was my mate.
After that, we’d figure shit out from there.
As far as plans went, it was pretty fucking flimsy, but it was the best I had.
Because everything—my life, my future, my sanity—revolved around that woman. I just had to pray to fate this was salvageable.
26
CHARLIE
Claymore’s horse property was nothing like Wolf Ranch. Nestled in the foothills of the mountains above Denver, it sprawled in a large open expanse between the rugged terrain. There were acres to ride, but the mountains that surrounded it on all sides were unforgiving. This area was nothing like Montana. Claymore’s house—mansion—was set back from the road but was visible to all who drove by. It appeared to be intentional. Claymore’s wealth was on full display. The stable was state-of-the-art. The fencing around the corrals and paddocks was metal and indestructible. Everything was immaculately groomed and… perfect.
Just like I’d tried to be. A week at Wolf Ranch, with the neverending prairie and big sky, I felt almost claustrophobic as I pulled up behind the back side of the stable. There was a gate to the paddock there with room to park the trailer. I wanted to get Seraphina outside to stretch her legs not confined to a stall.
So much had happened while I was gone, which had only been about a week. I’d changed. I’d lost my virginity, but that was just a label. I’d opened up—and not just my legs—to Levi. Others, too. I saw that work wasn’t everything, that being there for Pops was what was important. And other connections.
Levi.
Fuck. No, I wasn’t going to think about him now.
Hopping from the truck, I went around to the back of the trailer to let Seraphina out.
“You!” Dax shouted, and I jumped a foot as the sound echoed around the inside of the metal trailer. Seraphina tossed her head and tried to retreat, even though she and Dax were buddies. Maybe, like me, she’d had a change of heart about him.