Chapter 25 - Bigby

I wake up to Rosa's smell surrounding me on all sides. I take a deep breath, feeling her ass slotted into my lap firmly, her hips wiggling against my cock, which is already hard.

My phone is on the nightstand. I could grope for it, look to see what time it is, but I'm enjoying the feeling of her too much. I raise a hand, running it up and down her front, skimming over her breasts, feeling her nipples perk up under my thumb.

"Bigby," she murmurs, pressing back into me, hard, her hand skimming down my abdomen, her fingers slipping under the waistband of my sweatpants.

When her hands wraps around my cock, I let out a sharp breath. She strokes it delicately, like she's afraid to hurt me, and I grunt, thrusting into her hand.

I need to be inside her again.

Sliding my hands up her legs, I hike her nightgown up to her hips, my fingers slipping past her panties to find her already hot and slick with want. I pant against her neck as she hooks her thumbs in my pants, dragging them down, over my hips, so my cock springs free.

I grab her hips, dragging her against me, my dick just at her entrance, pure, blinding need guiding me.

A loud pounding on the door jolts both of us, and I pause, waiting for a moment, hoping it's just my imagination. Who could possibly be banging on my door at this time of night? Rosa has frozen, too, and I assume she's wishing the same thing, and the thought of her wanting me inside her has me sliding forward again, reaching down and grabbing her as I nudge against her entrance.

Another series of knocks, then Aris's voice.

"Bigby!"

I roll over, pressing my face into the mattress, groaning into the sheets. My entire body is thrumming with need, but it can't be good if Aris is here. I pull myself from the bed, hiking my sweatpants back up over my hips as I move toward the door, reciting the presidents in my head to try and calm myself down.

I crack the door open just a bit, peering out at him. He's in his pajamas, breathing hard, his eyes intense when they meet mine.

"This had better be good," I growl, noting the faintest hint of sunlight glowing, lightening the sky a single degree. It must be around four or five in the morning.

I didn't realize Rosa was hot on my heels until she pushed past me, opening the door and addressing Aris directly.

" Kaila ?" Rosa says, brushing past me, which doesn't help my current situation at all, and grabbing Aris's shirt. "Where's Kaila? What's going on?"

He gently takes her hand and untangles it from his shirt, and I put my hands on her shoulders, bringing her closer to me. I can feel her body vibrating with fear, and I try to help calm her down by rubbing her back. Aris wouldn't be here like this if there was a problem with Kaila, but I can sense a different kind of worry in his eyes.

At least I'm not turned on anymore.

"Kaila is fine—the girls are fine. Linnea is there with Byron," he says, then shifts his gaze to me as Rosa slumps with relief. "S.O.S. from Ado—out in the woods."

" What ?" I ask, eyes widening as I reach for my boots. "He's been out there the whole time? Looking for him?"

"Don't worry about those—" Aris says, gesturing to my boots. "We'll have to shift. We have to go. And fast. "

I turn to Rosa, putting my hands on her shoulders. Based on what Aris is saying, we don't have time to take Rosa up to the house before going to Ado, which means she's going to be here alone. My entire body rebels against leaving her here, where her father could get to her, but I can't say no to Aris, and Ado needs us.

"Stay here, do you understand? Do not leave this house for any reason until I get back."

I expect her to say something like don't tell me what to do , but she just nods, tears in her eyes as she glances between Aris and me.

"Be safe ," she says, reaching up and pressing a hard kiss to my lips. I feel the mating bond shifting between us, growing stronger with each piece of herself that she gives to me. It makes me feel stronger and more capable, but also far more protective over her.

"I'm coming back to you," I say, before turning and walking out the door with Aris. When we reach the edge of my property, we shift, taking off through the fields, which eventually turn to woods.

It feels good to stretch my muscles, to run in wolf form, and we push ourselves harder and harder, flying through the trees faster and faster. It reminds me of those days before killing Varun, living in these trees, shifting nearly every day to fight.

The woods at this time of day are just as beautiful as the lake, and for a fleeting moment, I wish Rosa was here to see it; then I push the feeling away, feeling ridiculous. Of course, I don't want her here—I don't even want her at my house, alone.

I want this to be over, to have Rosa and Kaila safe, unafraid of Amon. It dawns on me, suddenly that if I want a happy future, a good childhood for my daughter, I'll have to make sure Amon dies, one way or another.

I smell them, which pulls me out of my thoughts. The scent comes before we see them—the sharp, acrid fear coming from Ado, and that slightly off smell that's just like Percy, but also not. When we come into the clearing, Ado is shifted, his wolf pure white, circling and snapping at Percy, who's in his human form but brandishing a weapon.

It's like a slap to the face, seeing Percy here, alive, after all these years. We all thought he was dead, gone to the serum, and I don't even want to imagine what he must have been going through in the meantime.

How is he alive? How have we not seen him in the area? How did he survive the serum this long?

Ado is trying to keep him contained without either of them getting hurt, and Ado already has a long, angry slash bleeding along his side. I can feel him projecting to Percy again and again, but Percy seems unable to hear it, or he's ignoring Ado completely.

"Let me go ," Percy growls, his voice raw and wounded, like he has to rip it open to use it. It drives directly into my heart.

Aris and I sprint into the clearing, pushing between Ado and Percy, circling so we have him surrounded on all sides. Aris projects to Percy for him to stand down, but he clearly doesn't hear, or can't listen. He's still brandishing the knife, spinning around, his eyes wide and rabid as he looks at us.

Percy looks different. Much, much stronger than before. Bigger, physically, both taller and wider than when we last saw him. His golden curls are falling into his face, matted and greasy. I don't recognize the clothing he's wearing. His chest is heaving, his hair is much longer and a mess, and his facial hair is coming in patches over his jaw.

I remember a moment together in a hotel room during one of our missions, just before heading back to HQ.

Why are you shaving? You've got nothing to shave.

Oh, shut up, Bigby, I know I can't grow a beard to save my life.

We can't let Percy hurt anyone else.

We can't let him hurt himself.

Percy was always the lightest of all of us, the one willing to make a joke to brighten the spirits. It's most unfair to him for this to be his fate.

Aris, Ado, and I try to calm him down, try to subdue him, but every time we get close, he brandishes his knife—and he's a trained shifter killer. Without killing him, we can't take him down gently. We need something like a tranquilizer, which we don't have.

I'm a meaty wolf; I know that. If anyone is going to make it through a knife wound from Percy, it's me.

I'm going, I project to them, ignoring their protests. Percy deserves better than this. I won't let it go on for a second longer.

Tears brim in my eyes as I launch at him, wrapping him up and bringing him down to the ground, feeling the sharp sting of his blade on my side as he screams in my ear.