Page 22 of Fierce Protector
Oh no. She could not lose her composure in the middle of Dilly’s.
Opal reached for her hand, a small pucker between her brows. “Demi, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Her voice came out too faint. She covered it by taking a sip of water. The coolness felt good sliding down her throat.
Opal’s eyes seemed to hold a lot of questions. She got the feeling that the woman saw too much.
Clearing her throat, she attempted to take control of the body that she no longer felt like she had any control over. “What can be done about the wolves?”
“I’d like to see them. I could attempt to dart one with a tranquilizer and see if it’s wearing a tracker. All the wolves from the state park have trackers on them. But going out to a ranch late at night is a little hard with Rainie.”
Opal’s three-year-old daughter.
The woman was a single mom. If she could do it, so could Demi.
“I could dart the wolves. I have to care for a lot of animals that aren’t domesticated.” She sipped her water and felt a little better with each mouthful.
Opal eyed her. “Are you sure you’re feeling okay? You look like you want to—”
The sickness hit at once. Demi leaped out of the seat and raced for the bathroom.
She’d barely bent over the toilet before soothing hands rubbed her back.
“It’s gonna be all right, Demi. I promise the morning sickness doesn’t last long.”
Oh god. Opal knew.
The clock was ticking. Demi needed to figure things out—now.
That brought up another worry. Ledger.
Chapter Five
“Sorry I’m late.” Ledger braced himself in the doorway of the dining room. As his gaze fell over the table where his buddies sat, his senses prickled. Tension rolled off them.
Colton tilted his head toward a vacant seat, and Ledger moved to the worn wood table. When he took his place beside Wolfe, he noted the concern etched on each of their faces.
“What the hell happened?” Tightness filled his chest, same as it had when they received orders in the military.
Seated at the head, Colton traced a finger over a map spread on the table. The corners were held down by small rocks. From several places down the table, Ledger couldn’t make out what was on the map, but he could guess that it wasn’t the location of that last strike in the Middle East.
“Here.” He pointed to a spot. “This is the location of the ranch where a wolf attack happened last night.”
“Jesus. Wolves? You’re sure?” Elbows landing on the table, Hunter leaned forward.
Colton nodded. “The cow was bleeding heavily when they found it. The rancher managed to get it to the barn, and the vet was called.”
At those words, Ledger’s gut lurched. Demi. She’d left the Gracey to rush to another animal in need. That had to be the call.
He hadn’t stopped thinking about her since. One part of him wanted to find her and haul her over his knee and spank her for running away from him before he got the answers he needed.
The other wanted to caress that sexy rounded ass and then fuck it.
Under the table, he flexed his fingers in an attempt to rid himself of the feel of her in his arms…wrapped around his cock.
Colton planted his other index finger over another spot on the map. “Here’s the Gracey.”
From here, Ledger couldn’t make out the fine details of the map, but Colton’s fingers were too close together for any of their comfort.