Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 78

Carter

I was in the shower when my phone rang. I stepped out and saw it was Briar. Why was she calling? She just left. A feeling of dread swept over me. I swiped across the phone to answer as I wrapped a towel around my waist.

“What's wrong?” I immediately asked.

“He’s left me flowers,” the words didn’t register properly. 

“What do you mean, Briar?” I said, yanking on my pants, not bothering with underwear, ready to run out the door.

“They are the same … flowers he left in the window of my apartment just before I escaped the city,” I could feel her panic through her words.

“Is anyone still there?”

“I dunno, I didn’t go in, I just locked myself in the truck and called you.”

“You did good, put me on speaker, and come here. I’m going to text Mazzie and we will check it out. I’d come get you, but I don’t want you hanging out there if someone may still be around.” I heard the engine come to life and the sounds of her peeling out of the front drive onto the road.

“Carter?”

“Yes.”

“I’m scared,” her voice broke, and so did my heart.

“I know, baby,  so am I, but you will get here faster than I will get there. Deep breaths, you got this. Don’t worry about the speed limit, just get here,” I said, placing her on speaker, and texting Mazzie and Lana in a group. The engine roared in the background as she accelerated.

Carter: 911, I need you guys at my place, both of you.

Mazzie: Are you serious? It's like 1 am.

Lana: What's up, Papa Dog?

Carter: Briar's ex

Mazzie: Rodger, that

Lana: I’ll bring my kabob sticks

Carter: Just get here asap

“Briar, baby?” I asked as I heard her gasp for breath. “Breathe, baby, please,” I said, as I ran down the stairs. “Listen to my voice, in, 1…2…3…4…5, out, 1…2…3…4…5.

“I’m gonna,” a wheezing inhale,” I’m gonna black out.”

“No, Briar, you don’t let him win,” I said, throwing the front door open. I heard her truck over the phone as it came off the pavement with a screech and hit the gravel of my driveway. 

“You're almost here, I’m right here,” I coaxed her. Thank Goddess, I thought, jogging down the porch steps, but I had to halt myself. She would be coming in hot, and may, or may not, faint and lose control of the vehicle. I heard the truck coming before I saw it barreling down the drive. She threw it into park, making it screech to a halt before leaning her forehead on the wheel as it came to a stop next to my work truck. I ran out, opened the door, and dragged her out as she gasped for breath.

“I’ve got you,” I said, as she sagged into me. I scooped her up, bridal style, and took her inside. Rosie whined following me, and Tucker got out of his place on the armchair as I sat us down on the couch.

She was my first priority, so I sat there stroking her hair, and letting her know I was there, until her heartbeat evened out, until she could breathe again. That's when Mazzie and Lana busted through the door, and Briar shot up in a panic, ready to bolt. Rosie barked in warning, and Tucker arched his back, his hair sticking out like a feral thing, and hissed. I stood and wrapped my arms around her. “It's ok, it's just our girls,” I tried to soothe. A shudder ran through her as she borrowed her face into my chest, and she sobbed silently.

“Shit. What the hell is going on, Carter?” Lana asked, shutting the door. I ran soothing strokes down Briar's back as she struggled to pull herself together.

Mazzie and Lana’s faces fell. This wasn’t the same woman who had defeated Miranda, the next Delta, a few hours before.  

Briar tried to pull away as she wiped at her eyes. I held her to me with one arm and tilted her chin up. “Nothing and no one is going to get to you so long as I have breath,” I swore to her. Her breath shuddered at the weight of my words. “That mother fucker shows up, I’ll kill him.” I knew my words to be true as Briar soaked them in, she was quiet, considering the weight of that vow. Her eyes did not leave mine. She nodded before I allowed myself to let her go. 

“The…light was off when I got home, so I was going to use my phone’s flashlight to unlock the door. I didn’t even make it up the steps. They were the same flowers he left in my bedroom window… just hours after I grabbed my shit and ran. There is no other person who would send me those flowers. There’s only two people that know I’m here and he doesn't know who they are. I need to call Misty. My phone…” 

“I’ll get it,” I told her, and Mazzie followed me, leaving Lana with Briar.

“So we are potentially burying bodies tonight?”

“Strong possibility,” I said, grabbing Briar’s phone and bag out of her truck. My eyes scanned the woods, my nostrils flaring as the pure lividness within me searched for an outlet for its rage. Nothing.

“Easy, Carter, you need to play this smart.” I narrowed my eyes at her.

“He’s a wolf, isn’t he?”

“He’s an Alpha,” I growled out. Mazzie’s features contorted into shock, she hadn’t known Briar before his scent dissipated. Whatever was left of him would be gone only if he died or Briar properly mated another wolf.

“You're serious?” Mazzie asked, and I just gave her a grim look, and nodded as we went back inside.

She wanted details and more information, I just wanted to make sure Briar was OK, see what information we could work with from her hacker friend.

Lana and Briar were sitting on the couch, Lana holding her hand, with Rosie at her feet and Tucker in her lap. I handed Briar her phone and Briar dialed Misty as I sat beside her wrapping my arm around her shoulder. Mazzie took the spot next to Lana.