Ava’s POV
As I carry the slightly crushed picnic basket back inside, I wonder if I should tell Cameron about Rachel sneaking around in the woods behind the packhouse. For some reason, I have a bad feeling about her, and not just because she wants my man and is willing to beat my ass over it.
A vivid memory of Chris grabbing my wrist this morning comes to mind. I slap my palm against my forehead.
I totally forgot to tell Cameron! He distracted me when he started telling me that he wanted to send me away…because he didn’t think I would be safe here…
Hmm.
On second thought, maybe I won’t tell him about Rachel and her Scary brother. He doesn’t need any more reasons to try to send me away, especially with yet another attack.
I feel a pang of worry when I think about Cameron running off after another attack. Who was it this time?
As I walk past Caleb’s office door, I lean against it to see if I can hear anyone, but it’s quiet.
I chew on my lip as I make my way down the hall and into the dining hall, figuring this was the best place to hear news first.
I was right. A large crowd was gathered, both Lycans and my pack members. The double doors were open and the crowd spilled outside as well.
I place the picnic basket on a table and work my way through the crowd towards the open doors.
I finally slip past a Lycan and see outside. Ralph is standing by Eric as they look towards the woods.
He looks at me as I make my way towards him.
“You should be inside.”
“What is going on?” I ignore his advice.
He sighs and gestures towards the woods.
“Another attack.”
“Do we know who was attacked?”
“The Blue Moon pack.”
“Wait, what?” I’m confused, I thought they stopped attacking them when Cameron arrived.
Eric looks at me and notices my confusion.
“They were on their way here, they were ambushed.”
I feel a bit queasy.
“H-how many Blue Moon members were attacked?”
Ralph and Eric look at each other.
It was Ralph who answered.
“Fifty.”
I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth.
Fifty?
So much for them picking off one or two victims at a time.
“Are they…are they okay?”
They exchange another look.
Before they could answer, someone started shouting and Ralph grabbed my arm as his eyes get a glazed look. He holds me a second and then looks down at me.
“Go inside. Get Lily and go inside. Do not come back out. You don’t want to be here.” He gives me a hard look and then jogs off towards the trees, followed by Eric.
I swallow and watch him for a second before I decide that I think I really don’t want to be here, and I turn towards the door. I catch sight of Lily trying to push past the large crowd and I make my way towards her.
When I get close enough, I grab her arm.
“Lily, turn around!”
The crowd is getting louder and more people are pushing past us in waves to come outside, jostling us and trying to pull us apart.
“What?”
“Lily, turn around, let’s go inside!”
Someone shoves hard between us, breaking my grip on Lily’s arm.
I watch as she follows the crowd towards the trees, being shoved to the side.
I chew on my lip for a moment before fighting my way towards her.
“Lily!” She is just in front of me.
She turns to look at me wide-eyed and then turns back towards the trees just as people start emerging from them.
The crowd falls silent as we watch.
I throw my hands over my mouth in horror.
Several of our men and the Lycans are emerging, all carrying wounded, bleeding men, who must be the Blue Moon pack members.
I feel sick to my stomach. I don’t want to see this.
With the crowd watching in stunned silence, I reach up and grab her hand. She jumps and turns around.
“Lily.” I whisper. “Let’s go back in.”
She nods quickly and I pull her silently through the crowd and back into the packhouse, escaping the scent of blood and sweat.
I try to erase the image of what I just saw, but I cannot help wondering if any of the men survived…and my stomach turns over.
I race over to a trashcan to the side of the room to throw up.
Clinging to the sides of the trashcan, I wait until the room stops spinning before I stand up and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. I turn to look at Lily and see that she has slumped onto the floor, looking like she is in shock.
I go and reach down to help her up and she grabs my hands. We walk silently out of the dining room and down the Alpha hall until we reach her bedroom, where we both sit across from each other in two armchairs and look at each other.
“Ava, I’m scared.”
Me too. I can’t say that though.
Instead, I just close my eyes, but then instantly reopen them. I do not want to see the images that came to mind, it makes me queasy.
“What do you think will happen?”
I think of Cameron sitting across from the table earlier telling me that he doesn’t think I’m safe here…
“I think Cameron might make me go up North.”
Lily’s eyes go wide, and her lower lip sticks out.
“You would go with me.”
Her face instantly changes to a thoughtful expression.
“Oh!” She thinks for a moment. “Where exactly is Cameron’s pack?”
Uh.
Kind of embarrassing for me to admit that I haven’t a clue. Cameron and I never talked about it. I don’t even know where my mate lives. All I know is that it’s somewhere up North.
A tiny laugh escapes me, and I cover my mouth with my hands.
Lily looks at me in bewilderment.
I clear my throat and look at Lily.
“I have no idea.”
Her eyes go wide, then her lips curl up slightly too.
We hear hurried footsteps coming down the hall and we both stand, glancing at each other, as someone pounds on the door.
“C-come in.” Lily’s voice is small and high pitched.
The door swings open and Cameron and Caleb both enter, both covered in blood.
I rush over to Cameron and wrap my arms around him, trying not to breath in the smell of blood on him.
He pats me on the back briefly and then gently steps away, grabbing my hand.
I look up at him and he gestures towards the door with his head and starts pulling me out the door.
I follow Cameron in silence up to our bedroom, but we don’t just stop there. He pulls me into the bathroom and starts the shower, turning back to me as he slides his shorts off before coming over to me and turns me around to start unzipping the back of my dress.
The dress falls off and I reach back to undo my bra, but he gets to it first. I quickly pull down my panties and kick them away, reaching up and undoing my still slightly damp braid.
He grabs my hand and steps into the steamy shower, pulling me in with him, and wraps his arms around me as we stand under the hot water for several minutes without moving or talking.
I finally pull away and grab the soap, helping him wash the blood off his torso and back. He grabs the soap from me when I’m done and turns me around, running his hands over my shoulders, arms, back…then he wraps his arms around me and grabs my chest.
I reach up and place my hands on his as he massages my breasts, leaning back so I’m against his hard stomach.
He turns me around and lifts me up so I can wrap my legs around him as he pushes my back against the shower wall. He leans down and kisses my neck before he places his hands on my bottom and lifts me up enough to position himself and pushes himself inside of me.
We both let out a groan of satisfaction.
He moves fast as I hold onto his shoulders and it’s over quickly.
He kisses my forehead and holds me tight against him as the water drips from his head down my neck.
We finally get out and dry off, still not talking.
I’m not quite sure what to say.
I watch Cameron dry off and run the towel roughly through his damp hair before tossing the towel aside and grabbing my hand to lead me back into the bedroom and to the bed.
We go to sit down, and Cameron grabs my towel, dropping it on the floor, and pushing me gently to the edge of the bed.
“Lay back.” His voice is gruff and I don’t hesitate to obey.
He gets on his knees in front of me and places my thighs on his shoulders.
I sigh, knowing what is coming, and close my eyes in anticipation.
He puts his tongue in-between my legs and I’m grateful as every thought in my head melts away, so all I can think about is what Cameron is doing to me and how amazing it feels.
The climax comes fast, and Cameron sits down beside me.
I prop up on my elbows to look at him.
He grabs my face and kisses me slow and softly on the lips before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me onto his lap.
I wrap my arms loosely around his neck as he kisses down my neck, down my collarbone…oh!
I gasp as I feel his teeth and a quick but fleeting pain, instantly replaced by a hot, tingling wave starting at the bite and radiating through the rest of my body, even my toes.
I look at him in surprise as he pulls back.
“You’re turn.”
I swallow and take a deep breath.
I give him a quick kiss on the mouth, on his neck, and hesitate just slightly at his collarbone before I place my teeth against his skin and bite down just until I break the skin.
He sighs and I lift my head to look at him, my official marked mate, as his sexy voice gets in my head.
“You’re officially mine now, and I am officially yours.”
I can’t help a smile as I squeeze tighter against his neck and give him another kiss.
He falls backward onto the bed and rolls over so we are side by side.
“You know you have to leave now, right?”