Caught Between Three Billionaire Tycoons - Willa Hart Page 0,35

I wasn’t in the mood to be confused like that.

I decided to get outside into that fresh air and take a walk. Once I cleared my head, everything would be brighter.

11

Whitney headed toward the front of the house, and I went out the back way. I found the entire conversation difficult, and I wasn’t sure how to handle everything she said.

I still hadn’t been able to get ahold of the power guy and went a few steps from the back of the cabin to see if I had reception to try calling again. I wanted to get the fuck out of this place and try to do what I came here for—make Whitney mine.

It seemed the others were going to interfere with my plans far more than I thought possible. The universe deciding now was the right time for my electricity to fail felt utterly personal.

As I walked under the wide trees I started turning back toward the front of the house. I knew Whitney would most likely be on the porch or nearby, and I wanted to look at her even if I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say to her.

As I came up level to the side of the cabin, I saw my children playing not far away. They were digging at something in the dirt, pointing and laughing. Whatever it was, it had captured their full attention.

Then I caught a scent on the wind. Deep and musky, tinged with old blood. Damp fur and wet earth. I raked my eyes around, knowing that this was not the scent of a shifter.

Then I saw the wolf.

He was stalking through the trees, head down. His paws moved in careful, slow steps and he was focused with careful intent.

Looking right at my children.

“Egan! Adara!” I screamed as I started running toward them. Off to my left, I heard a bloodcurdling scream as Whitney saw what was happening from the porch.

I heard the wooden steps thundering under her feet and I turned slightly to yell over my shoulder at her.

“No, Whitney! Stay on the porch!” I barely looked back as I turned to bolt toward the kids.

They were too far away, and the wolf was too close. Fear was rising in me and I knew I just didn’t have enough time. Even if I shifted, I could never make it and the wolf fuckling knew it.

I screamed their names again, feeling my body shuddering as the change started flowing through me. I heard my babies screaming in fear and trying to run but stumbling, not even sure which way to go. Egan had his arms around his little sister and his eyes were glowing gold. I saw when determination took him over as he saw I was too far away, and he was alone with his sister in front of the coming threat.

Without hesitation, he shoved Adara behind him and took two steps forward. He put up his tiny, eight-year-old fists and roared. The sound that came out of him was not human at all, and I saw the wolf’s stride falter, just slightly at the onslaught of rage that poured from my son.

I felt tears stinging my eyes. He knew he couldn’t stop the wolf. He knew there was no competition. But he was willing to let the wolf get him if it would keep his sister safe.

I roared again, and the wolf didn’t slow down. It didn’t glance my way. The predatory eyes were locked on to my children and it knew all it would have to do is sweep by, open its jaws and grab one and keep running into the forest. Easy prey.

Just as the wolf started getting closer and Egan took a brave stride toward it, there was a roar off to my right that made the forest tremble.

A huge black bear swept from the trees like something out of a horror movie. Its fur was almost entirely black. Its eyes were red with fury and it charged into the wolf, swiping it with razor sharp claws. Even as it rolled through the air, it turned and snapped at the bear, going for its soft snout.

Daire. The black bear was Daire, and he was fighting the wolf.

Daire was protecting my babies.

Egan was stumbling back from the fight, falling on his knees as he tried to press Adara back. They both screamed as Daire and the wolf crashed down next to them, locked in a mortal struggle.

I saw my son’s face, white and terrified as he