Page 18 of It's Kind of a Bunny Story
“Probably.” Linc smirked as he met my gaze. “I’m just the right amount of wrong, and I think our mate likes it.”
My heart fluttered at the glint in his eyes that told me of all the wicked things he wanted to do with me. It was at that moment I realized I was into bad boys.
While I’d known I was in love with Fletcher for years, I’d never considered what other types of men I’d want in my fluffle. Why bother when you knew choosing who would be your mates was a dream you couldn’t have?
I never would have guessed it, but I couldn’t deny I was drawn like a dung beetle to elephant crap? when it came to Linc. Something about his rough edges and bluntness made me feel safe.
And he was right. I relished knowing that if the council took me down, they’d do it at the cost of their own lives. Revenge was supposed to be beneath me, but I considered this more along the lines of returning a favor.
“Stop looking at her like that.” Copeland waved a hand in front of Linc’s face. “We need to stay focused and get packed up. No distractions!”
My inner bunny perked up her ears, knowing exactly what type of distractions he was talking about.
Fletcher cleared his throat. “Have you heard anything from the pack about the coyotes or our old burrow?”
“Yes, and what about the fire? Is it still burning?” I added, almost afraid to know the answer.
“The pack put out the fire and relocated everyone to a more protected area,” Linc assured me. “Wolves are still stationed around the cave, although there weren’t any disturbances overnight. The burrow hasn’t reached out to anyone in the pack yet. As for the few coyotes who survived, they hightailed it off pack lands and disappeared.”
“That’s a relief.” I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “How mad is the alpha that we brought trouble to his doorstep?”
“He’s not mad at you,” Copeland gave me a small smile. “You weren’t hopping around starting fires or threatening the lives of his pack. The coyotes and your old burrow are the ones responsible, and they are the ones he’s directing his fury toward. Stop trying to take the blame for things you had nothing to do with.”
My laugh came out dry and brittle. “That’s a lot easier said than done.”
“Then we’ll keep reminding you,” Copeland teased gently. “We know it is stressful to move you during your heat, but even Monroe and the alpha feel we need to move from the cave to the house as soon as possible. The cave sits on the pack boundary, making it easier for them to attack.”
“But where will we go?” I twisted the ends of my hair around my finger, unable to sit still thanks to the powerful combo of anxiety and hormones pumping through my veins.
“Home.” Instead of his trademark smirk, Linc’s smile was soft. “We’re taking you home.”
“I like the way that sounds.” Smiling at the men, I fought the urge to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Fletcher’s muscles flexed, his arms tightening around me. “Just because Charlee is doing a little better and can go longer between breedings, doesn’t mean it’s safe to move her. The strain on her body could cause her to relapse and lose the progress we’ve made. Giving her body time to rest and recover is the most important thing right now.”
Linc lifted an eyebrow, ready to challenge Fletcher. “You think we don’t know that? Keeping our mate safe—and alive—is our top priority.”
“Relax, you two. A fight will definitely stress our mate out.” Copeland moved between the pair, using his bulky frame to block their line of sight. “Our house is deep inside pack land. It’s surrounded by thick forests and deep ravines. The coyotes orburrow will have a hard time traversing that area if they decide to take another shot at kidnapping Charlee.”
“How long will it take us to get to your house?” Fletcher asked, voice flat and unconvinced.
“From here?” Linc rubbed his jaw. “Three hours if we walk in our human forms. This cave is too remote to access with a vehicle, but we could walk to the nearest road and have a car meet us there. Even with a Jeep, it will take about two hours to get to the house. The road is unpaved and winds around the mountain, rather than being a straight shot. It’s much quicker to make the trip in our wolf forms, which is how we usually get back and forth, other than a monthly supply run.”
Fletcher narrowed his eyes, already having figured out where this was headed.
Copeland stepped in. “Listen, if you two shift to your rabbit forms and let us carry you, we can cover the distance in less than an hour.”
My stomach churned. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea?—”
Fletcher cut me off. “Done.”
“Are you crazy? Why would you agree so readily?” I scrambled off his lap and stood, glaring at him. “You’re seriously considering this?”
Fletcher calmly listened, then spoke. “If they were craving rabbit, they had ample opportunity to eat me yesterday. You trust them, right?”
“Of course I do! But that’s not the?—”
“Good. Since we both trust them, the decision is simple. Your body needs to rest, and the shorter the trip, the better. That is worth sacrificing my dignity for an hour.”
