Loving The Beast Within (Sequel to Shifting Love)

Chapter 29: The Wake Side Motel

“Dante,” I whined for the third time in the last hour, “Can we please find somewhere to spend the night? We have been driving for over thirty-six hours.”

“It’s not safe to stop yet,” he kept repeating.

I reached up and gently placed my right hand on his shoulder. The tension immediately eased from his body and finally his beautiful blue eyes looked into mine.

“Teague needs to rest and I am tired of being in this car. We need to stop for at least a couple hours. I can only imagine how the others are feeling. The pack needs to rest.”

He sighed and I knew I had won. He knew the pack wouldn’t last much longer at this pace. Everyone needed a few hours rest to refresh themselves. We had only stopped twice for gas and even then Dante wouldn’t let us linger for too long. He was convinced someone would be following us.

“Just for a couple hours.”

I turned back to face the front and locked eyes with Teague through the rearview mirror.

“Teague, please stop at the next exit with a hotel.”

“Yes ma’am,” he chuckled.

Ten minutes later, Teague pulled the car off the highway. A road sign indicated a motel about a mile or two off the highway. I told Dante if this was anything like the movie Psycho that I would come after him and haunt him for the rest of his life and afterlife.

But the moment the car stopped I rushed out the door. My legs were thankful to be able to stretch out for more than a few seconds. I sighed in relief as I stretched out my limbs. I knew the rest of the pack would be thankful for the rest as well.

“I’m going to go to the front desk and see what we can do about some rooms,” I called over to my mate, who was talking to Teague.

Before I moved even two steps I was swept off my feet and thrown over a massive shoulder.

“Like hell you are going anywhere alone,” he growled possessively.

I shook my head and giggled while he walked us towards the front desk. Cooper and Teague cautiously looked around our surroundings while following their Alpha. It made me wonder if life was always going to be like this.

Would I ever be able to go somewhere without needing constant protection? Was I condemned to a life where Cooper would have to follow my every move? I loved Cooper but a girl yearned for privacy and freedom.

I lifted my head up and took a long, hard look at our pack behind us. Were they condemned to live a life on the run? I hated that we had to leave our home, but I knew it was for the best. We couldn’t stay there any longer. For some reason Christian and Regan wanted us gone and Walter would never stop hunting us until we were either in his possession or dead. I didn’t even want to think about the mountain lions that were possibly hunting us as well. This was just one huge mess.

“Stop thinking too much,” Dante whispered.

“I can’t help it, Dante. How did things get this bad?”

He slowly pulled me down off his shoulder and into his arms. He gently ran his hand through my hair and cupped my chin. His beautiful blue eyes looked deeply into mine.

“I know it seems like we are constantly fighting for our life together, but I swear Ari that you will always be safe with me. The mountain lions won’t come for us and Daniel swore to me that once we left Christian and Regan would leave us alone.”

“But what about Walter? He is the most dangerous of them all.”

“We will be ready for him this time. The next time he comes after you will be the very last time he breathes.”