Wild Instinct by Sarah McCarty Read Free Book Online

just one woman, not even trained in battle skills. Sarah Anne closed her eyes and tried again. Reaching out into the vastness of the night, searching for a connection with something bigger than herself. Please, keep them both safe.
    A feeling of peace settled over her. She blinked. Meg cupped her cheeks in her tiny palms.
    “We find ’Siah now, Mommy?”
    Sarah hitched her up. The feeling of peace disappeared as if it had never been. “He’ll be waiting for us at our special spot.”
    With everything inside her, she hoped he would be.
    “What if he’s losted?”
    He couldn’t be lost. “Auntie R is with him.”
    “What if they got hurted?”
    Dear God, Megan had to stop bringing up all her fears. She didn’t have the strength to fight them when so starkly presented. “Then we’ll make them better.”
    “What if—?”
    “Megan Lea, be quiet!”
    Meg gave that little huff that preceded a full-out squall.
    Oh, God, now she was snapping at the child she did have. Sarah Anne pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. “I’m sorry, baby. Mommy’s just tired.”
    Meg’s lip quivered. “I don’t like yelling.”
    She’d been impervious to it until the rogues had broken into Teri’s apartment, beating and raping the other woman while Meg lay in her crib listening. As much as she wanted those wolves dead for what they had done to Teri, she wanted them dead for the fear of men they’d put into her child. Except for Garrett. She bit her lip. Meg had no fear of Garrett.
    “Then I won’t yell anymore.”
    Meg’s lower lip stuck out. “I don’t like it when you yell inside, either.”
    Oh, dear heaven, she couldn’t say things like that where anyone could hear. Among pack, differences like Megan’s were not tolerated. “Sometimes people just get angry.”
    “But your mother doesn’t have to be angry anymore,” Garrett said as he came up to them.
    Sarah Anne should have known he would follow.
    “Why?” Megan asked.
    “Because it’s my job to make sure she’s not upset.”
    “And if she is?” Sarah Anne asked.
    Garrett’s gaze met hers. The green in his eyes seemed so much more pronounced. “Then I take care of it.”
    It was a predictable male response. “I can take care of it myself.”
    Megan frowned at her. “But he’s bigger.”
    Yes, he was. Much bigger. With broad shoulders, lean hips and enough muscle layered over both to make any woman’s mouth water. “Might doesn’t make right.”
    Megan clearly didn’t get the reference. “But he’s bigger.”
    Garrett’s smile took on the depth of full amusement. “At least your daughter understands the natural order of things.”
    Natural order her aunt Fanny. That totally chauvinistic attitude was the main reason she’d left the pack. “She’s not full wolf.”
    Garrett’s feet settled shoulder-width apart. “Which is more than enough reason that she should stay pack. A wolf mate could protect her.”
    “And who will protect her from the wolves?”
    His head tipped back. Arrogant man. “The same ones who will protect you. Cur and myself.”
    “You’d have no right if her mate claimed mate privilege.”
    Tilting his head to the side, Garrett hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans. “Damn, I must have gotten all respectable-looking since joining Haven if you think I care about pack law when it comes to what’s mine.”
    “You’re a Protector.” And Protector loyalties are always pack.
    “I’m your mate first.” Though his position didn’t shift, she felt his attention home in. “And I protect what’s mine.”
    And he considered her his. He wasn’t going to be easy to shake, down the road, but for now, maybe she could use it. “Then you have to protect my son.”
    “That’s already been taken care of.”
    Why couldn’t he understand? She put her hand over Meg’s ears. “Nothing is ‘taken care of’ until I have him back.”
    “You’ll have him back tomorrow.”
    “And until then?”
    “You’ll have