Page 64 of Knotting Autumn

Cole slumped into Sawyer’s hold. Sawyer looked like he’d been shocked with a live wire. Thorne staggered to his feet and surged toward them. Sawyer shoved Cole into his arms and jerked back, clearly not wanting to touch him.

Heart pounding in my ears, I surveyed the three bleeding and unconscious men at my feet. Only Hunter was standing just outside the door, a look of pure shock twisting his features.

Snarling, I reached down and slid the kitchen knife out of the man’s side. Blood gurgled out, pooling on the floor. Brandishing the weapon, I stormed to the front door.

Hunter walked backward, keeping his eyes on me.

Holding the weapon up, I yelled, “Don’t come near either of my mates or Cole, you piece of shit.”

Reaching the car, Hunter wrenched the door open and flung himself inside. He hit the gas, racing down the neighborhood street way too fast.

Sagging, I let the knife fall from my hand and clatter across the concrete. Sawyer appeared at my back, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face into my neck.

His emotions were turned up to maximum, and I shivered under the onslaught as he touched me. Our fresh mate bond pulsed between us, making it hard to tell what were my emotions and what were his.

“It’s okay, we’re okay,” I repeated, twisting in his hold to face him.

Eyes wild, Sawyer clung to me. Thorne shoved past us, half-carrying Cole to the SUV. As he returned, he grunted, “Gather your stuff. We need to leave now.”

Sawyer was shaking, but he followed me to the master suite where we shoved our belongings back into our bags and headed to the car without argument.

His hands were still trembling as we climbed into the back seat. Slouching into his seat, Sawyer stared at Cole with his lips parted. Cole shifted in his seat, his back arching and head tipping back as he sucked in each breath.

Thorne threw a bag into the back and climbed into the driver's seat. He backed out of the driveway, leaving the front door hanging open to reveal the bodies we were leaving behind.

“Where are we going?” I asked meekly.

“No idea,” Thorne answered.

Sawyer looked between us, his face taut with stress. “We can go to my cabin. It’s almost impossible to find. We will be safe there as long as we need, unless Hunter can track you through the bond.”

Thorne shook his head. “I don’t think he can anymore. It’s settled.”

“Good.”

Without any further discussion, Sawyer guided Thorne out of town and up into the mountains.

Chapter 21

Runaway Wolves

Sawyer gripped my hand so tightly it ached. Yanking it away, I furrowed my brows, but Sawyer was stubbornly staring out the window.

Cole looked over his shoulder with a baleful gaze, fixated on Sawyer’s profile.

What was their problem?

Guilt surged at even thinking that when he’d stabbed someone to protect Cole, but I was so grateful. Cole was important to Thorne, and he was becoming important to me too. Sawyer had no reason to defend him, but he did.

Grabbing his hand, I kissed Sawyer’s palm. He jolted, turning to look at me. After a second, his bright green gaze flickered to Cole and then purposefully back to me.

“It’s okay,” I murmured, turning his hand to kiss the back.

Cole let out a rumble low in his throat, somewhere between a growl and a whine. Sawyer flinched, and I let him go, curling my arms around my middle instead.

After thirty minutes of driving down the highway, Thorne pulled off into a gas station. We sat in awkward silence as he filled up the SUV’s tank and then pulled around to the back.

“What are you doing?” I asked tentatively.