Little Red (28 page)

“We will make sure nothing happens to him.”

My eyes shift to Ethan as another pain courses through me.

I fight to keep a normal stance and expression.

The Kentucky pack and full moon is clouding their judgment, otherwise they would pick
up on my pain immediately

“Oh Ethan,” I sigh.

“Please.”

“Red, I have to defend you.

I have to show them that I won’t give you up,” he says.

“I have to show them that they cannot have you or hurt you.”

“Why you?” I ask as I feel a few tears dribbling down my cheeks

He quickly wipes them away and smiles.

“Because you’re mine, Red.”

I can’t fight off the horrible feeling that I have.

I look into Red’s eyes, and I take her in: how beautiful she looks in her red sweater
dress and tall, flat black boots, the way her skin glows even with a few minor bruises,
her full lips, bright eyes, and soft hair that I so love to bury my face in…Red…My
Red.

I trail up to her and drop one hand on her waist, letting the other run in her hair.

I pull her in for a kiss, a deep one that I’m not embarrassed to show my brothers.

I feel her moan softly as she pulls me closer, begging me not to go.

“I love you, Red.” I look at Ian.

“Please, keep Red safe.”

Ian is quick to give me a nod as I feel Aaron’s hand on my shoulder

“Lock the door behind us,” I order

Red takes a few steps, making Ian gently tug her back

Before I take the step out the door I hear her say, “I love you, too.” I take one
last look at her before the door slams shut.

Aaron and Colt have already bounded into the woods with James, Eli, and Trent on their
heels.

I blow Red one last kiss that she can’t see, and I sprint after them

We run into the woods.

The Kentucky pack’s smell is as strong as it has ever been.

It fills my mind and body with a rage that I can only hope the run will release from
me.

My heart leaps from my chest as I see their scent has led us directly to Elise’s cabin
and the place of Red’s attack.

I feel my body tremble, and I glare at the full moon.

It’s not just the moon; it’s my sheer anger toward them that I feel take me over.

I suddenly feel Eli and Aaron on me.

They feel my struggle

“Parker pack!” I hear a voice taunt.

“Nice to see all of y’all out.” He emerges from behind a tree.

He’s older, just as Trent said.

A few inches shorter than me with salt and pepper hair that’s a little too greasy
for my taste.

“Allow me to introduce myself.

I am Beau Avery.”

“Why did you follow us all the way to our home?” Aaron growls, gripping my arm

Beau tilts his head back and laughs.

“You were stomping all over our territory.”

“It was only temporary,” James says.

“We left.

We came home.

You followed us!”

“At first, we wanted to teach you a lesson,” Beau says.

I begin feeling the woods.

Counting as I go.

Beau is one.

Two more off to the right of the cabin make three.

Another close to Beau makes four.

And, the last behind the cabin makes five.

“You did stomp all over our territory.” He laughs again.

“But, then, when we got here,” he smiles such a twisted smile I feel myself lurch
forward, only to be held by Aaron and Eli, “we found out that you have something that
we want.”

My eyes flash as I fight the rage that is pushing itself through my body.

I shake and tug on Aaron and Eli.

I feel their feet slide in the dirt.

I’m becoming more than they can handle

“What exactly is that?” James questions, locking himself into a strong, powerful stance.

He’s bigger than Beau, younger too.

He knows he could take him

“Why, it’s pretty Little Red Riding Hood.” Beau grins

I let out a crazed growl as my brothers fight to hold me.

Aaron digs his fingers into my bicep as I pull forward

Beau lets out a laugh as his eyes lock onto mine.

“Oh, she’s yours.”

“She is!” I growl.

“And, you will not lay one hand on her.”

He only laughs.

“We’d planned on laying more than one hand on her.”

I can feel Eli and Aaron work harder to steady me as I fight to free myself.

The rage washes over me.

My Red.

She’s mine

“We were just going to have a little fun with her.

But, then,” Beau continues, stepping to the side, “this happened.” He pulls another
man to join him, the blonde one with a broken nose and busted face.

“This here is my baby brother, Jax,” Beau tells us.

“And my oh my, did he want your Little Red…so bad that he took her.”

I bite the inside of my jaw, hard, drawing blood and creating a spot of ragged flesh

“But, your little pup over there got to him and did this,” Beau says.

“I mean, look at his pretty little face.”

Jax’s twisted and broken face grins.

“You think you’re so strong.

You really think she’s safe?”

I see Aaron’s silver eyes flitting into the woods, feeling for the others.

I feel his panic, his worry, but I can’t move my eyes from Jax

“Just wait until I get my hands on her.

The things I’ll do to her, she won’t even recognize herself.

First, I’ll get rid of your little half-breed pups.

Then I’ll fuck their mama.

And, the best part, I’ll give her back to you and see if you can put her back together
again.”

A growl releases from deep inside me as I try to break from Aaron and Eli.

To my surprise, before I can move, James lunges forward, attacking Beau and knocking
him hard on the ground.

I feel Aaron suddenly release me as his eyes lock with mine.

“There’s three missing!” He cries before sprinting into the woods, leaving Eli to
hold me back.

The pack members from the side of the house have emerged, and Trent has managed to
use brute force to knock them both down with ease.

Colt makes a dash for the final member in hiding, which to our surprise has already
recognized our strength and took to the cover of the woods

My eyes lock on Jax, who smiles and winks, sending me even deeper in my rage

I manage to work through the hard tightening in my lower belly.

They’re coming so hard and fast that I hardly have a moment to breathe

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Ian asks

I give him a nod as I lean back in Ethan’s recliner in the downstairs living room.

As long as I breathe, they will pass quickly enough.

I stare hard at the clock again.

It hasn’t been that long, I remind myself.

No more than a half hour, surely.

Ethan is fine.

I’m sure he’s fine

The loud ringing of Ian’s cell phone makes me jump.

I panic and stare as he talks.

“What?” He sounds shocked, worried.

I take a breath and rub my belly

Please, don’t let it be Ethan, let him be okay,
I think.

Let them all be okay

I hear him end the call with haste as he meets me at the recliner.

“Red, you have to go up to the loft,” he tells me as he lifts me from the plush, cream-colored
seat

I look at him with worry, and for once he returns with a worried glance.

My mouth drops, but I make no argument as I trail up the steps to the loft.

The loft overlooks the downstairs living room with an open balcony.

I look behind me for Ian, but see he’s still downstairs

The loud crash of the front door swinging open and thumping into the wall makes me
jump.

I slump to the floor as another pain hits my belly and see that Jeb, along with two
other men, have entered the house.

They’ve left Ian outnumbered, three to one

Jeb laughs.

“Well, if they didn’t leave the little playboy all to us.” He shakes his head.

“You’ll never take on the three of us.”

I slump to the ground as another pain hits.

This is not happening.

Not now.

I feel the tightening in my lower belly become unbearable as a sharp pain hits my
back.

I hear Ian’s feet bound for the stairs and Jeb’s voice trailing just behind him.

He has a plan.

He has to.

He would never just lead them up to me.

Ian reaches the loft and turns to face the steps.

He does have a plan! As Jeb approaches him, Ian begins laughing.

“Jeb.

Fucking seriously, who picked that? That must be why you always have a stick up your
ass.” Jeb doesn’t think.

He’s quick and lunges for Ian.

Ian is faster.

He hunches his body into a squat, catches Jeb, and sends him flying over the loft
banister

“Ian,” I whimper

His eyes turn to me.

“You’re safe.

I’ve got you, Red.

I’m not leaving you.”

I can tell one of the men is helping Jeb, and it sounds as though he’s in bad shape.

Anyone would be after hitting the hardwood floor from that height.

The third man comes running for the stairs and Ian is poised at the top, ready to
make his move.

I will myself off the ground and to the couch.

I pull myself up and into the corner where I lean back.

That’s when the other set of feet come rushing in.

I cup my hand over my mouth, begging myself not to scream.

If more are coming, where is Ethan? I can barely look as the steps grow near.

I let out a drawn out breath, surprised to see the other set of loud feet are Aaron’s.

He grabs the third man, tossing him off Ian and down the steps.

I begin to hear the men bound for the door.

Aaron and Ian are quick and begin to follow

“No!” I yell.

“I won’t let you! You will not kill again!” I scream.

“Not because of me!”

They both stop dead in their tracks as I pull myself off the couch.

I can feel my breaths are becoming rapid as I pant.

“Where’s Ethan?”

Aaron looks at Ian and back to me

“Where is Ethan?” I ask again

“I left them,” Aaron says, “in the woods.

I saw they were down by three.

I knew Ian would need help.”

Before I can make it to them, another hard pain hits.

This time, I give in and cry out.

Balancing myself the best I can as my water breaks and splashes against the hardwood
floor

“What did you just do?” Aaron cries

I look at Aaron, unable to speak

“It’s okay if you were scared,” Ian says.

“You don’t have to be embarrassed.”

Aaron elbows Ian hard as I try to catch my breath.

“Fuck; son-of-a-bitch, Ian! She’s in labor!”

They both exchange a quick glance as I fight to steady myself and breathe through
the pain.

They rush to me, one on each side, and balance me as I let out a soft whimper.

“I told him.” I weep.

“Not tonight.” I look at Ian.

“I told him,” I repeat

“Red, you have to tell us what to do.” I hear Ian

“Call Maggie,” I tell them as I finally feel as though I’ve caught my breath

“Should I get you on the couch?” Aaron asks

I shake my head.

“The floor.

Just grab some pillows.”

“Shouldn’t we take you to the hospital?” Ian asks, jamming the screen of his phone

I shake my head.

“Not without Ethan!” I scream

Aaron looks at Ian.

“Maggie is her doctor; she’ll tell us what else to do.” Aaron’s eyes meet mine.

“Hold on, Red, just hold on.

At least ‘till we get Ethan here.”

I feel the tightening in my belly return, and the sharp pain courses to my back.

I squeeze hard onto Aaron as he begins supporting my weight.

“Aaron,” I cry out, gritting my teeth.

“Please, someone get Ethan.” I weep

“First, let’s get you on the floor,” I hear Ian say as he begins piling the pillows
from the couch in the most open space