Read Love Bites (Bitten Book 4) for Free Online Page A

impulse. “Look, I know that you think I’m a liar and that everything I told you yesterday was bullshit, but it wasn’t. Please, call me back. There are things you don’t know about me and about wolves. If you did, you would know that—” A long beep sounded, cutting off my message. “Fuck!”
    I shoved my phone in my pocket and stalked out of the alley, heading toward my truck. I would give Ricki some time to cool off tonight, but our conversation would be continued tomorrow. Whether she liked it or not.
    I just hoped that convincing Donna to give me Ricki’s address wouldn’t be as difficult as getting her phone number had been. I had to laugh because I knew that hope was futile. Donna would rake me over the coals and Conner would sit back, watch, and laugh. Shit.
    *     *     *
    When my phone rang at three in the morning, I was still awake, staring at the ceiling above my bed.
    I sighed and reached out an arm to snatch my cell from the side table. “Atwood.”
    “I need you.”
    I sat straight up in bed at Lachlan’s tone. “What’s wrong?”
    “The Faction moved on Kerry Gayle tonight. There was also a scout near Belinda’s property, but they left when they realized she wasn’t there. You need to get your mate and come to the compound. We need to close ranks and figure out our next move.”
    I rubbed my forehead. “That’s going to be…difficult.”
    Lachlan’s silence was his only response.
    Sighing, I explained, “Brittany Hayes gave Ricki the impression that there is a sexual relationship between the two of us. She wouldn’t stop long enough to let me explain and won’t take my calls.”
    “So get her, bring her here, then take time to talk to her,” he stated simply.
    “I wish it were that easy.”
    After a long pause, Lach replied, “I’ll get her address from Conner and send a few pack members to keep an eye on her apartment until the morning. When things settle down a bit, I’ll have a talk with Brittany and George.” For a moment, I thought he was done, but he continued. “And Calder, you need to settle things with your mate as quickly as possible. Now is not the time for a drawn out courtship. She needs to be under pack protection immediately.”
    “I will. I’ll see her later today and we’ll talk. Thanks for your help.”
    “I’ll see you soon.”
    “Understood.” I disconnected and threw back the sheet to climb out of bed.
    As I dressed, I put my issues with Ricki out of my mind. Though I wanted to contemplate what I would say to her and how to fix the mess between us, I had a job to do. I was beta of the MacIntire pack. I couldn’t afford to let my focus waver, especially when war was brewing.
    The Faction had yet to openly attack the pack but, in a meeting with the vampire council and the witches’ High Priestess earlier today, Lachlan had suggested that Cornelius the Slayer would likely set his sights on other groups within the supernatural community. He was right. After the vampires, it appeared the witches were next. It was only a matter of time until the enemy turned on the pack. Particularly since we had openly allied ourselves with vampires, witches, and other shifters.
    Ten minutes after my conversation with Lach, I was in my truck, a cup of cheap gas station coffee in my hand. The drive to the compound normally took around an hour and a half, but traffic at 3:15 in the morning was almost non-existent, even in Dallas. I made it to the pack settlement in an hour. Though the ride was shorter than usual, it still felt too long. I passed the time by calling Conner and Lex and arranging for them to send some vamps to act as back up to the pack members that Lach had already assigned to keep an eye on Ricki. I also endured a lecture from Conner on how to deal with human women after I told him what happened with my mate earlier that evening.
    He only laughed when I told him it was too little, too late. “It’s never too late,” he responded cryptically.
    I