William by Sam Crescent Page A

what you’re thinking,” William said.
    “You saw Emma even after she died,” Robert reminded him.
    “This is different. Katie isn’t dead. She’s a fighter.”
    William knew Robert doubted him but he didn’t care. Katie was alive and he was going to find her. “Count me in.” He flipped the phone shut.
    He stared at himself in the mirror. His sandy blond hair flowed in wet waves around his face. The stubble on his face had grown over the last few weeks. Shaving would have been a waste of time. He ran a hand over the growth on his face, not sure what to make of it. His eyes were lifeless. The sparkle that had returned for a short time while Katie had been with him had faded with each of his failed searches.
    The one woman in over a century he’d promised to protect with his life and she was at the mercy of the Alpha wolf of the Beyer West pack. The fiercest pack in the world. The same man who’d searched the globe, murdering witches until no one knew if they even existed anymore. Katie had been the first one in decades.
    Inexperienced, innocent and beautiful.
    He wanted her for his own.
    His heart ached to feel her close. He’d been with her for such a short time, her fiery attitude and crazy powers a warm welcome against this bitter loneliness.
    He’d lost Emma and finally come back from the brittle edge of sanity. If he lost Katie, he would go over the line and never return.
    This ended with Katie by his side as his wife and mate, or it ended with his death.
    He refused to continue without her.
    He jumped into the shower, preparing for the night ahead, the smell of peaches soothing his bitter beast.

Chapter Five
     
     
     
    “They’re coming again, witch,” said the man in the other cage opposite.
    Katie didn’t care. She was touching her lips, where William had kissed her. Had it been a nightmare or a salvation, going to sleep? Feeling William wrapped in her arms for even a moment had been so beautiful.
    He’d asked her to fight and that was what she would do.
    “Witch.” The voice echoed off the walls. The voice of the man who had taken her.
    Katie refused to move, to give him any power over her.
    She closed her eyes and pictured William. She wished he was here to comfort her.
    “Witch.” The sound louder now and closer.
    When she sensed that he was by the bed, she rolled over and glared at him. “Fuck off,” she growled, shooting her arm out to spit her magic at him.
    He was faster and, already weak, she couldn’t stop him. He grabbed her wrist and knocked it aside. The magic hit the wall and died. Wasted energy, magic and power. He jerked her to her feet.
    “When are you going to learn your place?” he snapped in her face.
    She kneed him in the balls. “When you learn yours, dog.”
    He fell to his knees and his grip on her arm loosened. Being with William had brought back her fighting spirit.
    Katie lashed out and kicked him in the balls again, then ran for the door. He scrambled up and caught her around the waist, hauling her off her feet and tossing her over his shoulder. Katie pummelled his back.
    “Let me go, mutt.”
    Her little fists did nothing against the strong back. She knew her knuckles would be bruised. His muscles were like rock.
    He smacked her ass. Outraged, she bit him. He tensed and howled in pain.
    Katie waited for retaliation but nothing came. He simply straightened up and kept walking.
    Katie didn’t know where he was taking her. She couldn’t see anything.
    He dumped her on a huge bed. Katie scrambled off to the other end and ran for the door, but he grabbed her by the waist and threw her down. Katie knew it was hopeless. Moving to a sitting position, she sent daggers his way with her gaze, folding her arms.
    “A little fire left in you,” he complimented her.
    Katie turned away, not caring if it made her look childish. The man was a monster.
    “Want some wine?” he asked.
    She refused to take the bait, her heart pounding, her mind spinning. She refused to allow