Page 77 of Protected By Her Mate

Without another look I leave, climbing down to where Luke is still cowering on the balcony. When he sees me, he shouts and when I join him on the balcony, he flings himself against me, crying as he buries himself in my fur.

I shift and hold him against me. Tears gather in my eyes at his distress and I do my best to sooth him, rubbing my hand up and down his back.

When his sobs lessen, I say, “We need to get back to your mom.” She knows everything that’s happened and is in my head demanding I bring Luke to her. “Can you climb onto my back and hold on real tight?”

He hesitates, then asks, “Is that lady gonna come back?”

“No, she’s never coming back. I made sure of it.”

He looks worried for a moment, then nods, trusting me. “Okay, I can hang on tight.”

I shift to my wolf and lower myself to my stomach so he can climb on. When I feel his arms wrap tightly around my neck and his knees squeeze my ribs, I take off, my new mission reuniting him with his mother.

Chapter 29

Got your six

CHARLIE

“Ma’am, would you like to sit down while you wait?”

I glare at Officer Burton, deciding not to respond. If I do, I’ll say something we’ll both regret.No, Officer, I do not want to sit and call me ma’am again and you won’t have to worry about a rampaging shifter being the worst thing that could happen to you today. I continue pacing.

Though I know Luke is safe, I’m beyond anxious to get my son back. Until I see him myself, touch him, I won’t be able to settle.

I also saw Edie’s death, though Lennox tried to push me out thinking I would despise him after seeing him kill someone. But after watching Edie throw my son off a building, if Lennox hadn’t killed her, I would have devoted my life to hunting the woman down and destroying her.

Officer Burton’s radio squawks and he speaks into it, then says to me. “Lennox is on his way up with Luke.”

“Thank god,” I breathe, wanting to rush out the door to greet them but knowing it’s best to wait for them here where we can have privacy. There’s no telling what shape Luke is in, mentally and physically.

Thinking of his terror feels like a punch to the gut and fills my eyes with tears. Though I know it’s not my fault, it’s hard not to feel like a failure of a mother. My job is to protect my child at all costs, yet he was taken from me. Snatched from his school, a place that should be safe for him. What if he never feels safe again?

The door opens and Lennox’s huge white wolf jogs in, Luke sitting astride him. I register the blood on both Luke and Lennox. “Oh my god!” I cry out as I rush toward them. Luke holds his arms out and I scoop him up, crushing him against me as he cries, his sobs mingling with mine.

Officer Burton jerks his head at the other officers in the room and they leave, allowing us a private reunion.

I sink to the floor, shifting Luke so he’s sitting in my lap, cradled against me. Lifting my shoulder to catch the tears leaking down my face, I whisper, “I have you, baby. Nothing bad is ever going to happen to you again.”

I catch Lennox’s blue-eyed stare. He’s still in his wolf form and, at first, my turmoil clouds my ability hear his thoughts, but as I gradually settle, I realize it’s shame keeping him in this form. He thinks he’s to blame for Luke’s kidnapping.

I reach out, silently asking him to come to us. He pads over, his paws whispering against the hardwood. With a soft whine, he sinks to the floor next to me, resting his head on my knee and snuffling Luke’s leg.

“It’s not your fault,” I tell him, still rocking Luke in my arms.

Luke’s tears are drying up and his sobs have turned to hiccups. “L…Lennox saved me, mom.”

“I know,” I tell him, hoping Lennox can see the truth in my mind and heart, but his wolf is stronger than ever, blocking me from reaching the human underneath. “Lennox is our hero.”

I run my hand over his head, rubbing his ears. Then I rest mine and Luke’s combined weight into Lennox. I press my ear to his side, listening to his heartbeat.

Luke wraps his free arm around Lennox and we sit that way for several minutes, breathing together, feeling the heartbeat of our small family.

Lennox’s ear flicks against my forehead and his wolf latches onto the word, thinking it over and over again, letting it sink in.Family, family, family.

Yes, I whisper silently to him.You are part of this family. Both you and your wolf. We love you. We need you. Please don’t blame yourself.

At my lack of condemnation, Lennox’s wolf retreats within his head, pushing his human thoughts at me.I should have realized Edie would go after Luke. I should have done more to protect him. Should have gone to the school myself. Should have…

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