Chapter 252
252 – I Know How To Take A Stand
Madeline:
“If you don’t give me work, I’ll stay here and keep annoying you, ” I warned.
The moment I said it, Baxter rolled his eyes. He stretched out his hand and passed me a coil of rope, then handed me a small hatchet.
“Cut thinner branches and stack them near the marked stakes, ” he told me in a flat tone.
I did not know where he had gotten the tools from, but I silently thanked Ron. He was likely the one who had brought the toolbox.
I got to work right away, kneeling to snap twigs and trim rough ends, keeping the piles neat.
Elara and Gina gathered fallen branches and carried them over together.
Bodhi hovered near Baxter, holding the stakes steady while Baxter drove them into the dirt with a stone.
“Keep the branches straight,” Baxter instructed without looking up.
“ I will,” I replied, tightening the rope around a bundle.
He measured the ground again, pulling the line taut, then cleared more space.
We worked for four to five hours before I noticed Baxter and my children starting to look tired.
“Okay, we’ll take a short break. I’ll see if I can find some meat,” Baxter said
I had seen and heard that many pack members would leave fully grown chickens, goats, and other animals in the woods for rogues to feed on, as a quiet act of kindness.
I nodded at him, though I was not sure how quickly he would find anything.
At the same time, I helped the kids wash their hands and faces by the river, and they took turns using the
restroom.
It was devastating, yet my children were much calmer than I was.
I could tell they saw everything as an adventure, a challenge. I, on the other hand, had too many other worries.
When we returned to our main spot, I saw Baxter coming back with several chickens, at least three of them.
My kids jumped up and down happily. He had already cleaned the chickens, likely knowing that if he brought them back alive, the kids would want to keep them as pets instead.
It was all we could do. We needed food.
“Oh my God, Daddy, you’re such a hero,” Elara exclaimed and Baxter smirked proudly.
“Okay, now we’re going to bring in more wood to start the fire,” Baxter stated, as we realized most of the wood nearby would be used tonight.
“There’s a river if you want to wash your hands,” I told him.
He nodded and set the chickens down near our bags. The kids immediately followed him.
Of course, he did not tell them to stay back. They only wanted to be near us.
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I walked over with them to make sure they were not bothering him while he cleaned up.
Right in front of me, he bent down and washed his face. His hands moved over his body as he splashed water across his chest, rubbing it over his stomach.
I quickly looked away. It was an intense sight, and it made me uncomfortable for more than one reason.
My wolf reacted sharply, and I groaned under my breath, forcing my attention anywhere but on him and how distracting he looked.
Things started to heat up when Baxter splashed water over his body and through his hair.
I decided to join him. I needed to wash my hands too, and at least this way I would not focus only on him.
I knelt down and ran my hands through the water, then splashed some onto my face. I did it again, then a third time.
As I rubbed my hands over my face and turned slightly to my left, I caught Baxter looking at me before he quickly looked away.
He cleared his throat and stood up.
His shirt was tucked from the edge into his pants pocket.
“All set. We should go cook the food,” Baxter announced, glancing around.
Why did he have to be shirtless? It made it hard for me to focus on anything else when his abs were on display.
We started heading back together. The moment we reached our spot, I froze.
The chickens were gone. Marks in the dirt led away, as if someone had run off with our food. 1
“Mommy, somebody took our food,” Gina cried, breaking down immediately.
Baxter picked her up and held her close while I stared at the tracks. They led toward the trail, the one that went up into the mountains.
“ I know who did this,” I growled.
Before anyone could stop me, I was already moving toward the trail to confront the thieves.
“Madeline, you need to calm down. I’ll take care of it,” Baxter called out, but I did not care.
When I reached the top, there they were. A fire burned outside the cabin, and three chickens were already roasting over it.
“You fucking thieves,” I screamed, rushing toward the three of them.
The uncle. The husband. And fucking Bonnie.
Even the kids stopped playing when they saw me charging toward their mother.
The moment I reached them, I shoved Bonnie’s husband aside and moved straight toward her.
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.