You Wouldn't Dare (Khaos Trilogy Book 1), стр. 90

feelings were strong enough to project over the bond to me, even though I had downplayed it so I didn’t stress her out. Early pregnancies can be risky for anyone, never mind werewolves. Our she-wolves will give birth after a mere six months of gestation, there is a lot of development to take place during the first twelve weeks and the baby needs their mother as calm as possible. Which is why I couldn’t tell her what was happening – I had recognised the signs. Violet was experiencing the breakage of a lost pack member. She had never been a Luna before, so it made sense that she didn’t recognise this, but as soon as I felt what she was feeling, it had me alert. The only reasons I hadn’t demanded we leave instantly had been to keep Violet calm and also to ensure that whoever was attacking my pack had not sent recruits after us.

If that was indeed what was happening – maybe one member had met their mate and left the pack. I doubted it, but it was better than the alternative.

I was concerned, but not panicked. I was almost positive that should anything severe have happened, I would have felt it, no matter how much my wolf was retreating. He wouldn’t block this out. Somehow, he would know to come through. I knew it.

Yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was my mother’s doing. Goddess alone knew where my father was, but I had made enormous progress when it came to tracking down my mother - and I hadn’t been quiet about it either. I wanted Nyx to know exactly who it was that ended her life when the attack eventually came, and I should have warned the pack better that she may try to attack first.

Stop, this is exactly I trained what the warriors for!

That much was true. The warriors were deadly, disgusting wolves, but they were made that way. Each one had a past similar to my own, we were all well aware of what the others had been through and that’s the reason we fought the way we did. They knew Nyx would be ready for us. I was sure of it. Violet had to be my priority right now, I would let them worry about the pack for a day more until I could get home to them.

I couldn’t risk the safety of my unborn child by frightening Violet and demanding that we return home straight away. This had to be dealt with as calmly as possible. She had to think we were leaving out of a mild curiosity, not because I was slowly but surely becoming frantic.

I turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around my hips, looking through the doorway at Violet’s softly illuminated silhouette as she slept. If someone had told me this time last month that I would soon find myself mated and with my first child on the way, I would have laughed in their face. This wasn’t the life that the Fates had decreed for me - mine was one of suffering and heartache, and in a flash, Violet had defied all the Gods to bring the first ray of hope I had experienced in a long time. I would do anything to keep her.

This cabin already held so many fond memories for me, but every further second I spent here felt as though the walls were closing in on me and my breathing was getting more and more constricted. Something was happening, and I needed to be there to help, not stuck in the mountains.

Once again, I found myself at war with myself, wanted so desperately to keep a hold of the love I had found, or give in to my true nature and fight like the beast I really was. I had to hope Violet loved me enough in return to accept what I needed to do. If an attack was imminent or indeed already happening, then the safest place for Violet right now was back with her mother until I could get my affairs in order.

Either she went willingly, or I would have to drive her away.

I signed as I closed the bathroom door and climbed into bed next to my beautiful mate.

She gave a small moan of contentment as she snuggled in next to me and automatically my arm wrapped around her, pulling her in closer. She fit me perfectly. How could I let her go, even for a moment?

My life was never my own. Like a puppet on a string, I had been played and manipulated since the moment of my violent conception, and not a damn thing had changed since.

“Khaos, slow down! You’ll run us off the road driving like that! What the fuck has gotten into you?”

She was right. The moment I had gotten behind the wheel of the car I had driven like a madman. I wanted so badly to shift and run home, I’d be there already if it wasn’t for all these fucking traffic lights and one-way systems.

I pounded the steering wheel as another light turned red as I approached it and turned to Violet with a tight smile, “I’m getting you a swear jar for that mouth of yours. I’ve had a bad impact on you.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bit of spare change. “Here. Debt repaid. Now come on, out with it!”

What was I supposed to say? I need you to go back and live with the mother you despise because I can no longer keep you safe? I need to leave you behind, so you don’t see me for the beast I really am. I wasn’t the madman the rumours made me out to be, but I also was not the man in the image Violet had painted in her mind.

I was a fucked up version of them both,