by Brynn Burke
My heart rate slows, eyes close, and exhaustion sets in. I desperately needed to hear something like what he just said to me.
I can feel my eyes getting heavy and my mind drifting off to a safe place.
Sleep.
Need sleep.
"Thank you," I think to myself inside my head, too tired to open my mouth and speak.
I hear a set of gasps, and then he hugs me tighter, closer.
As if I, too, were his lifeline.
6
Wyatt
She spoke.
She spoke without moving her lips.
Telepathically.
If I ever had any doubt about her being my mate, it was gone as soon as I heard her ‘thank you’ inside of my head. There’s no question about it. Oksana is my mate.
I knew what she was to me when our eyes locked on one another’s at the auction, but this just cements things further.
What I find strange is that Killian is the one looking at her in awe and Elliot is just standing here in confusion.
"What just happened? Why did the two of you gasp?" Elliot asks, while Killian is shaking his head.
"Did you not hear her?" I ask. Both Elliot and Killian reply at the same time with different responses. While Elliot says no, Killian said yes.
Elliot looks over at Killian and gives him a strange look, then he turns to me.
"If she he spoke to you... telepathically... why couldn't I hear it? We are connected, so why is he," he points over to the douche bag. "Hearing her and I'm not? He's not even kin... or pack. Actually, he's a entirely different race of supernatural. That… is just not fucking possible."
We don't have time to question it. We need to leave, to get out of this area. If Killian caught up to us... it's only a matter of time before true danger rears its ugly little head.
Archer.
I turn to walk away, keeping my mate as tight against me as I can. I expect them to follow but they just remain rooted in place.
"We need to get out of here. Now." I tell them and sprint off to the location where we parked the truck on the other side of the tree-line.
As soon as we are back at the truck, I climb in the passenger rear side and rearrange Oksana in my arms.
"Killian, get in. Elliot, drive." I order as I shut the door.
I honestly don't want Killian anywhere near Oksana, but in this type of situation… Any type of help against the enemy is welcome.
I didn't know the extent of what Archer has done to her, but I’ve seen the scars that cover her body. Whatever it is, whatever he's done, it isn't anything I wish upon anyone. I've been her before. I've been a slave. I've been tortured, raped, beaten and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
With Killian’s looks, he might as well be Archer’s twin. That's why as soon as I saw the fear in her eyes, I knew I had to intervene. She looked the same exact way I would if I ever had to see Adaline again. Thank fuck that was never, ever going to happen.
I don’t know how this is going to play out. Killian clearly stated that Oksana is his mate, but she is mine as well. From the moment I saw her, I witnessed her eyes change to the yellow of the wolf... she is mine.
So, what does all this even mean? Never have I heard of anyone having more than one mate.
Elliot jumps around the truck and gets into the driver's side, but Killian takes off and in seconds he's back, hoisting his motorcycle up into the back. He hops in the passenger side and lets out a puff of breath and a slight laugh.
"Well, who would have thought I'd deliberately be spending time with you two knuckle-heads?"
I hear Elliot grumble. "The feeling is mutual."
Elliot turns around and asks where to. I sit here for a minute and try to think. I honestly have no idea. Will there ever be a place that Oksana will be safe?
Oksana wakes a bit and whispers something under her breath, someone by the name of Hadley and then mumbles off a phone number. She asks me to please call her. After the words are spoken, she returns back to slumber.
I don't know if it's such a great idea bring another person into a situation quite like this, but I see Elliot pull out his phone and type the numbers in. The phone rings throughout the Bluetooth system of the truck before I can even state my opinion.
The phone continues to ring until a woman answers, sounding panicked.
"Oksana, it that you?"
Our side remains silent.
Since Elliot called her, when he looks at me practically asking me if I were going to talk, I just look down at Oksana as if to say busy. He huffs out a breath.
Clearly our lack of response pisses off the woman because she speaks again and let’s just say… she’s not entertained. “Who the fuck is this? I can hear you fucking breathing in the phone like some kind of perverted creep.”
Killian let’s out a belly deep laugh.
"I like her. She knows what kind of person you are without even meeting you." Killian says loud enough for her to hear. Elliot gives Killian a murderous look and coughs to clear his throat before speaking.
“Hi… erm… ma’am… My name is Elliot, I…”
“I don’t give a fuck who the hell you are… what do you want?” Now it’s my turn to laugh, holy shit… who is this female? No words come to mind in a way for me to describe her.
Feisty?
Sassy?
Nope... not good enough words.
“Well… we were asked to call you. I don’t know for what purpose… possibly to let you know she is safe or maybe…”
“Oksana? Where the hell is she? If you don’t put her on the phone right this second, I will find you and fucking kill you.”
“Well she is currently…”
“Now! I am not fucking kidding.”
I look down at Oksana resting peacefully in my arms. I don’t really want to wake her, but this female is kind of scary and that’s saying something since I turn into a big bad fucking wolf.
I slowly shake her, saying her name. The last thing I wanted to do is startle her. She’s already been through so much, too much.
“Oksana…” She pops one eye open looking at me. Her eyes once again the yellow color. She grabs the back of my head, pulling me down to her. The first touch of her lips upon mine leaves me frazzled. It's slow, passionate, seeking. She's not rough, she's not aggressive. Just curious. I grab her face and hold it in my hands as I give a slight caress of her cheek with my thumb. It is like nothing I have ever experienced before, and I can feel the need and want start to grow between my legs.
Oksana pulls her head back from mine and as we look into each other's eyes I witness the yellow start to fade into a color similar to caramel. Light brown and absolutely gorgeous. She reaches up and touches her lips and then she slightly bites the bottom one. Even though she is still covered from head to toe in dried blood, I see beyond that. I see the beauty she possesses.
The moment is shattered by the screaming of the female on the phone.
She is throwing yet another threat at Elliot. I think this time it has to do with his fork and his cock – not even going to ask, but Oksana pops up and responds to her.
"Hadley, calm down. I'm here. I'm here."
"What the fuck is going on? Who are these dick-bags you're with? Where are you? I’m coming to find you. I don’t know these men and I sure as hell don’t trust strangers with your well-being. Especially not after you’ve been missing for fucking years!"
"I... I... don't know exactly." Oksana tells her friend while sitting up, looking around out of the window.
"We're just about to hit the city," Killian says and that's when Oksana notices the man riding shot gun.
7
Oksana
I’m so caught up with him, the werewolf who sits in the back seat with me. It’s odd, to be so infatuated with someone and yet I don’t know his name. My eyes scan over his features and as I do, I realize that I didn’t notice the person sitting in the front passenger seat until now.
It’s him.
How could my savior let this vile man near me?
I turn my head to face the man who helped me, if man is even the word for him.
“I trusted you!” I think just before I hurry to the other side of the truck, needing to be away from him. How could he betray me so quickly? How!
The strong, confident woman who reared her head up during the auction is now gone. In her place is a meek, weak, scared little Rabbit.
Just thinking about that nickname makes me want to vomit… but I better get used to it right?
Since it’s where I’m most likely headed back to.
“You can still trust me, Oksana… It’s not him… it’s not Archer. This to you, I swear.”
“What?” I turn my head to stare at him, completely flabbergasted. Bullshit that isn’t Monster! On top of it, I swear I could just hear his voice inside my head.
He inches closer to me and grabs my hand.
“It’s not him,” he assures me in the most serious tone of a voice. I look at him and then up to the front of the car to the man who resembles my tormentor. I look back and forth at the two of them quite a few times and shake my head.
There is nothing I can do except trust this man. At this moment in time I will trust them… it doesn’t mean I have to like it. I want nothing to do with the man in the front seat. He plagues my mind with nightmares looking just like Monster… and as soon as I can, I will be ditching every last one of them.
I don’t like this connection I feel, the way my body is responding to the man holding my hand and I say man because right now he looks exactly like one. You'd think over the years I wouldn't want to be touched, but for some odd reason he makes me feel me something I haven't felt in a very, very long time - safe. I can’t explain it, how he is a stranger and yet I feel this way whenever I am close to him.
"Why aren't your eyes glowing?" I curiously ask. I can hear Hadley's voice off in the distance, but it is as if I am in some kind of trance. The only thing my mind can think about is him.
I look into the eyes of my savior, whispering yet another question. One I should have asked already, but everything has been too chaotic.
“What’s your name?”
He just looks down at me with a smirk on his face and leans in, making it feel like we are the only two people in the world. “Wyatt. My name is Wyatt. And as for the glowing eyes, it doesn't happen often, not unless we feel threatened, angry, in a sexual situation or it someone very important to us is in danger."
I nod my head, pretending that what he said makes sense to me but it doesn’t. I have no idea what to think of everything. Just a few hours ago I was in the clutches of that horrible Monster.
Did this mean everyone knows about their existence? I am just about to ask when the vehicle lurches forward.
Everything happens in slow motion and I feel like I’m watching an accident in a movie.
I am being thrown forward, just about to go through the window of the truck when once again I am wrapped within the arms of someone. They drag me towards them and use their body as my shield. The noise is deafening, as the metal scrapes against the hard ground. The truck is tumbling over and over again, and through the whole thing I hold my breath.
The commotion comes to a halt and it feels like my heart is going to beat right out of my chest. The person who has protected me, his body is slumped over my own and I know he is bleeding. Or I’m bleeding.
I honestly can't tell at this point. I can feel the warm liquid going over my skin and smell the metallic scent lingering in the air. It's like I can taste it on the tip of my tongue and for some unknown reason I want it.
I want more of it.
It’s a strange thing to crave - blood. But so many times I have felt this need. I try to chalk it up to me needing some food.
Nutrients.
Red meat.
Anything but this…
The excess weight that is on top of me is starting to make it hard to catch my breath. I know I am about three seconds from having a panic attack. The feeling of walls caving in on me confines me. Mentally, I feel trapped but physically I am as well.
I try to speak but nothing comes out except a small croak, a puff of air with a slight mewling sound.
"Oksana!" I hear the rushed voice coming from behind me. Make no mistake, I can hear the fear in their tone.
I breathe in, trying to let the person who said my name know that I am here, that I am alright, but I can't speak.
I notice the truck is flipped upside down, but what I find weird is that none of the glass has shattered, just the metal of the truck closing in on itself.
There is a lot of clatter going on from behind me. I try to turn my neck, but I wince in pain.
Yeah, that's not happening.
A few moments later, sun light filters through the truck so bright my eyes start to water. I close them to fight off the shine burning my eyes until I can get used to the light.
Since the windows are tinted very dark, I honestly forgot it was daylight.
The body on top of me is being removed and finally, I can get some air inside my lungs. I close my eyes and take in deep gulps of air.
When my eyes pop back open, I see Wyatt on the outside of the vehicle holding his hand out to me. I lift my arm and go to take his, but I see something that turns my stomach. The bone of my forearm is sticking out of the skin. My eyes go wide and if I had something in my stomach, I’m sure it would have come up already.
Wyatt climbs in after me, crawling on his stomach, most likely after seeing the panic written across my face.
Why do I not feel pain?
Why don't I feel anything?
I just continue to stare at this injury in complete shock.
How is this possible?
"Oksana, I am going to grab you under your arms and pull you out okay, love?"
I nod, and nod. I can’t fucking stop nodding. Shock works the body in mysterious ways it seems.
He does an army crawl as he gets closer to me. Looking down at me, Wyatt kisses my forehead right before he slides his arms under my own and lifts me with him, proceeding to scoot backwards out of the vehicle.
The sun continues to blind me as I’m inched out of the mess. It's been so long. So long since I’ve felt this warmth on my skin. The sounds of the birds and critters roaming about. It's like a dream come to life.
As soon as Wyatt can, he crouches from the prone position and pulls me out further. He picks me up and carries me over to the man who resembles Monster. I can see his chest rising and falling but he is banged up pretty bad by the blood pooling around him… he needs medical attention if you ask me. Wyatt goes to place me on the ground next to him, but I can't... not yet, the wound is just too fresh and I’m not going to lie. This man scares the shit out of me.
So, I cling onto Wyatt for dear life.
"Oksana, I need you to remain here. Elliot is still in the truck and I really need to go get him. I know you are scared, and I wish I could take that from you... but I can't. I need you to be strong. This man,” he points at Killian, “He will never ever hurt you.” I look down at the man, Killian. My arm may be fucked up but if Wyatt trusts him, I guess I have no choice but to abide by his words.
"Give me your shirt!" I say to Wyatt. He doesn't question me; just does as he is told. He removes it and hands it to me. Giving the top of my head a kiss before he is sprinting to the other side of the truck to retrieve his twin.
I take the shirt with my good arm and place a piece in my mouth and then I start to tear up strips. Make shift bandages is the only thing I could think of in order to help Killian and myself until we were able to get to a hospital. I don’t know why I want to help him, given that he still does scare me… but I have to trust in Wyatt right now and the only way to keep my fear out of bay is to keep busy.
I have always been interested in medical practices. I even took CPR and EMR classes when I was in high school, becoming certified at the age of f
ifteen. Haven’t used any of this in years, but I’m hoping it will all flood back to me.
The strips will just have to work.
First things first, in order for me to be of any use to Killian, I need to help myself first.
I take a thick strip of the shirt, it’s a long section plus I take two smaller ones. I use a smaller strip and wrap it a few times around the top of my arm right under my arm pit, then I place a piece in my mouth and with my other hand I pull, as hard as I can. As soon as it is tight enough, I tie it in a knot. Tourniquet, done. No more bleeding at the moment.
I tie a knot the end of the thicker piece using my teeth and my good hand. It takes a moment to figure it out, but somehow I manage. I place what I made, which is a sling around my neck. I just need one more thing.
I go to stand up and almost fall down from the world spinning around me. I need a splint, but I can’t pass out.
I take it easy, slow going.
I walk over to the trees and grab two thick sticks that have fallen, and go back to Killian's side. I lay my strip down on the ground and place the two sticks on it with room for my arm to go in the middle.
Now this is going to hurt.
My arm is twisted at an odd angle, but I need to splint it as it lies. That means I can’t move it. I need to be very careful as I wrap it.
I take a deep breath, grab my broken arm with my good one and place it in the center of my two sticks and cloth. I let out a grunt of pain, but honestly... this is nothing. Yeah it hurts and I have never seen my bones sticking out of my body before, hence the shock reaction I had when I first noticed it… but this pain, it's barely noticeable with the tourniquet on. I have been through worse, so much worse. Or maybe the shock is keeping the pain from setting in. Who knows.
I carefully place my broken arm inside the sling. It’s stable, it’s in the sling and now I just have to be as careful as possible, so I don’t do any further damage.
I look down at the man named Killian. I don’t trust him, how could I? After the past few years… all the pain and suffering… it didn’t matter though, Wyatt told me this was not Monster and if that were true, I didn’t want his death on my hands.
