“Hit squad. He disowned her and—”
My words are cut off when the front door shatters open, the wood splintering as Althea runs in behind Banner, her face going white when she sees us.
She falters for a split second, her training kicking in only when I snarl at her. Falling to her knees, she snaps on gloves and gets to work, yelling at Banner to grab me when she takes Hannah out of my arms and pushes her to the floor. I resist for a moment, my hands curling into fists of denial before Banner manages to wrestle me away.
I’m still in shock, cold, numb as I watch Althea work furiously, slapping gauze and bandages to the wound to stop what little bleeding there still is since I know that there can’t be much blood left in Hannah.
Not moving, barely breathing, I listen to her yell and curse, her eyes going black as night in her stark white face.
“I need blood! Bear—”
“No!” I yell, knocking her aside to get to Hannah, my wolf snarling at the thought of any other male giving her blood.
I don’t feel anything when I open my writs but fear when I shove it half way down her throat and nothing happens. Goddammit—!
“Goddammit! Swallow, you stubborn fucking female!” I yell, my breath coming in pants of violent fear before I see some trickle down her throat.
When I’m woozy from blood loss, Banner drags me back and latches his mouth onto me, closing the tear I just made while I keep my eyes peeled on Hannah for any change.
I see nothing, my chest aching at the thought that I was too late.
More noise interrupts and the sound of yelling takes over when they bring in a gurney and try to lift her onto it. I’m so certain they’re going to take away her dead body I go crazy, something inside me breaking at the thought of her being gone, completely gone.
“Goddammit, Logan! Banner, knock him out for fuck’s sake! They need to get her out of here to the clinic before it’s too late. Go Althea! She’s not going to make it if you wait any longer.”
That’s the last thing I hear before a brick wall slams into my face. My ears ring, and I have the urge to pass out before my wolf rears up and snaps at me, forcing me to fight through the blow and get back to her, save her somehow.
“Christ, he’s not going under. Oh for God’s sake, Logan. Snap out of it. You want to be out, not knowing how she is?” I hear, the sound of Banner’s snarls brining me back to some kind of awareness.
The red receding from my vision lets me know I’m calming, and I shake my head to clear the aggression while Banner helps me to my feet and keeps me standing.
“Goodness. You Kilter males are blessed.”
I’d laugh at Prissy’s gasp and Nick’s aggressive snarl, but right now I feel as if I’m a second away from losing my skin when someone shoves a pair of pants at me and starts helping me into them.
“Let’s go. Banner, you have him? Good, we need to get to the fucking clinic and make sure that female lives, even if I have to drain half this pack of blood to keep her alive. Mika, stop crying you’re upsetting Bear. Now, let’s fucking move, and Logan, you’d better explain what just came out of your mouth, boy!”
I shake myself, nodding at him to let him know I’ll tell him anything he wants and follow them out to the waiting cars with Banner snarling beside me.
He may be angry at me, but my brother sits beside me, his hand gripping mine as we make our way to where Hannah may already be dead.
Chapter Ten
Logan
“This cannot be true.” Prissy gasps, her eyes going wide, as tears shimmer and fall to her cheeks.
I look back at Nick, my own eyes dry and filled with fury, as he snarls and tires to comfort his mate, his own anger filling the little waiting room where we’re all sitting, waiting for any news to come through the door.
The clinic is locked down, the doors shut tight and chained to keep out anyone who dares to think they can come in here and lay a finger on Hannah.
“How is this possible? They know the laws,” Nick growls, his anger reaching epic proportions when Bear glares at him and snarls.
“I told you a year ago that some of the things Hannah was dropping in her ditzy way were alarming. I told you she let it slip that she gets birth control for Marley Rubens because the female is terrified that her mate will discover she doesn’t want more young.” He growls, shushing Mika when she sniffles.
“How does that in any way equal fathers sending a fucking hit squad for his only daughter?!” Nick yells, jumping up to pace the waiting room. “Jesus Bear, I didn’t once expect that shit like this would happen in the pack. Even the Jackals don’t do this shit, and you know those bastards still live in the Dark Ages where females are concerned.”
“Well, it seems that we’ve been missing a hell of a lot where our own females are concerned, and I—for one—am going to ensure that we clean up the filth in this pack. This is what happens when you let the riffraff think they’re above everyone else!” Banner grates, making me shake my head and lean back with a sigh.
“I didn’t believe her when she told me they’d come for her. She was so desperate she begged me to let her go. I never thought…” I rasp, swallowing to clear my throat.
Mika comes over to sit in my lap, wrapping her arms around me.
“You didn’t know, Lo. Let’s face it, Hannah lies so much that it’s hard to tell the difference.” She giggles, making me smile.
“Meek, don’t be mean, lenia,” Bear says softly, coming over to take her back and reseat himself.
Aaah, the mated males and the curse of possessive jealousy.
“I’m not. Really, I’m not trying to be mean, just honest.”
“She’s not a bad person, as I have been trying to tell you all for months. She’s just never known better. She does try though. She thinks I don’t know that her little ‘slips’ of information where intentional, but I’ve always known.” He grunts, his mouth thinning when I scoff.
“Why would she tell you a damn thing that’s going on behind the scenes of the elite?”
“Because contrary to what you think or tell yourself, Lo, Hannah loves me. No Meek, baby, don’t get mad. We’re friends or we were friends before I abandoned her, and she is very loyal to those she loves.”
“List must be two strong then,” Prissy mutters, making Bear’s jaw clench and Banner grind his teeth.
“Yeah, maybe she isn’t always nice, and maybe she can be a bitch, but when’s the last time anyone treated her with anything but dislike? You think she has any reason to be nice or give a shit about any of you?” he asks, looking away with his eyes shining silver.
I feel my own guilt hit me and look around to see even Prissy go red with guilt, her mouth trembling.
“She isn’t always nice and honest, and yes, maybe she’s a bitch, but you know what guys, she’s always been loyal to me. Even when I refused to see her or talk to her anymore.”
“Yeah, because she wanted to ruin your mating with Meek,” I point out, hating the automatic insult that just slips right off my tongue.
Shit, that isn’t fair.
“Shut up, Logan. You have no idea who Hannah is, and if you don’t want to, then leave her the fuck alone. She’s got enough on her plate as it is.”
“I saved her life!” I roar, my wolf snapping when he sneers at me.
I hate that I’m jealous, that hearing Bear claim any part of Hannah makes my wolf foam at the mouth.
Mostly I hate that I am still being an asshole, even with her blood soaking my hands. In more ways than one.
“So fucking what? Bravo asshole, for once you did right by her instead of always trying to hurt her,” he says nastily, looking away in anger. “The fact still remains that whatever is going on with her, she’s in danger.”
“No, she isn’t, not anymore. I will kill anyone who comes after her,” Banner says flatly, his eyes daring me to say otherwise.
I snarl back, not disagreeing, but not happy that Banner thinks he’s going to be protecting my
female, and yes, I just said that because no fucking way will I allow my Fated, a female I just blooded to be cared for by another.
It’s not ideal, and I am not quite happy with it, but I know that this, whatever this is with Hannah, is a long time overdue. Like or not, love or not, I should have demanded a mating years ago and made her change her ways.
I’ve let her run wild for way too long now and just look how she’s fucked up her life. No family, no friends beside a mated male who can’t go near her and a demented feral.
Hell, I should have spanked her ass the day she slapped me and told me she loves Bear and locked her nasty ass in my house.
“Look Ban, as much as I get your anger, and trust me, I do, I just blooded my Fated. No way is she under your protection,” I say and snort, ignoring his muttered insults when I sit back and look at Nick. “We need to do something about this.”
“And we will, but right now, I can’t rock the boat and announce to the council that my lead enforcer ripped apart one of their sons,” he says, sitting back down so Prissy can curl into him.
“Well, I did, and I’d do it again,” I say, baring my teeth.
Nick smirks, his eyes going silver, and I hear Bear’s own chuckle join in when I hear the aggression in my voice.
“Yes, you did. Look Logan, let’s be real here. Right now, I have a missing female no one knows is missing, no idea where to find her, no idea who took her or why, and the council is up my ass, as usual. I can’t go to them and tell them you killed Goose Banes because he was trying to kill Hannah Seers. Damon will deny anything I accuse him of, the Banes will be out for blood, and none of it will change a thing. I’d still have Barbie’s disappearance to explain and a lot of shit that I don’t have time to deal with,” he says reasonably, making me close my eyes and sit back tiredly.
“I know, but what about Hannah? She’s defenseless in all this Nick. All she was doing was trying to survive when she ran away. If I hadn’t been so pissed that she’d bested me, I would never have reached her in time. As it is, I caught a whiff of Brig Seers out there before I found Bane ripping her throat out. What do you want me to do, accept that those assholes tried to kill my female?” I ask, snarling when I hear myself say the word without thinking.
Goddammit.
Bear grins, his mouth pulling into a full smile when I sneer and roll my eyes.
“Of course, I’m mating her! I blooded her,” I say, defending myself as best I can.
Oh sure, this reaction has nothing to do with you constantly getting a hard on for her for the last two months or dreaming about her smug smile while she rides your dick. Or thinking about going down on her for hours before you breed her.
I mutter a silent curse, accepting that I am screwed where she’s concerned and sigh tiredly as I scrub a hand over my chest, my heart hurting when worry creeps in and the thought of her dying keeps plaguing me.
It’s been an hour now, surely there should be some news, I think, praying to God that everything is okay. She was in such bad shape when I reached her, had already lost so much blood. It took me too damn long to get her help, I think, tensing when Banner shoves an arm around my shoulder and leans close.
“She’s a fighter. You think that stubborn female is going to let them win?”
“What if she doesn’t have a choice?” I rasp, swallowing loudly when pain clogs my throat.
Pounding at the door has us all flying up, Banner and I snarling at the thought of a threat coming at Hannah again.
“Nick! Open the door.”
I relax when I hear Dad’s voice, frowning when Nick opens the door and Mom bustles in carrying a picnic basket, clean clothes, and a teddy bear the size of a five-year-old kid.
“Good Lord, you’re covered in blood! Oh God, are you hurt?” Mom yells, shoving things at Dad to come over and run her hands along my naked chest.
I shake with laughter, my amusement almost overcoming the fear I feel because this is my mom; nuts. The female would skin me alive if I got hurt badly enough to bleed this much. After she cried herself to death.
“Relax Mom, it’s not mine.”
“Oh my God, it’s all hers? Oh Logan, I am so sorry, I, this must be so—”
“She’s not dead,” I rumble, blinking back emotion and hoping that’s true.
Mom stills, deflating like a balloon and swipes at her eyes.
“She’s…”
“In surgery. Goose Bane snapped one of her arms to immobilize her and bit into her throat. She must have turned just in time because he didn’t get straight into her jugular,” I say, knowing that less than an inch saved my female long enough for me to help her.
Less than an inch and she’d have bled out before I killed Bane. That knowledge has my temper flaring to the point I’d happily kill him all over again, just to hear his pitiful whines echo in my ears.
Coward.
Only fucking cowards take pleasure in killing females, defenseless females already weakened and lacking the strength to win. I took pleasure, atavistic pleasure, in seeing his eyes fill with fear when he realized I wasn’t a weak female for him to torment.
Weak bastard probably didn’t expect to come up against the lead enforcer of the pack, or that he would have any opposition killing Hannah. I don’t care how I struggle with my feelings for her, I swear on my honor I will never allow anyone to hurt her again.
“Dear God, what sort of male attacks a female out in the woods? Was he feral, rabid?” she asks, making Dad grin and throw Nick a wink.
“Mom, we’ve been over this before, only werewolves can go rabid,” Banner sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose while fighting a smile.
“Well pooh! How am I supposed to know that? Now, Logan, go shower and change, you look like you just killed someone.” She huffs, blushing when she realizes what she just said.
“I’ll go after we hear something.” I laugh, kissing her red cheeks while Dad sighs and shakes his head.
“Still sticking your foot in your mouth, Ros, my sweet,” he tsks, making her growl.
“I’ll shove it up your ass and out of your mouth if you don’t stop riling me, Dennis Kilter.”
“Now lenia, don’t go broadcasting our sex life,” he teases, earning himself a slap to the chest before Mom sits and gets serious.
“What the hell is going on? First that poor Kendall girl and now Hannah Seers. I don’t care who it is, no one deserves that.”
I grunt, grinding my teeth hard, reminding myself that Mom can’t change her opinions overnight. Even I have the odd slip or two, still allowing myself to think the worst of Hannah.
I may not think the best of her, but whatever I feel, I need to change it because I just blooded that female without once hesitating and I will mate her. Nothing will stop me.
I don’t want my mom and mate at each other’s… Well, you get the idea, so it’s up to me to start laying the brickwork.
“Mom, please. I don’t want to deal with your feelings now when my Fated is lying on a table, fighting for her life. Give it a rest or go home.”
She stills, her eyes going wide before she looks away, her lips trembling. I understand, I really do, and I feel like shit speaking to her this way, but for God’s sake, whatever happens after this, I won’t ever forget seeing Hannah’s wolf under Banes, his wolf ripping into her throat.
It’s a sight that will haunt me forever, as is the fact that her own brother did nothing to stop it.
I’m going to wait, just until I know she’s okay, please Jesus, and then I will make that motherfucker suffer.
Oh, I won’t kill him or even beat him to death like I want to. I’d lose my job and have to face council discipline or put Nick in a tough spot trying to defend me, but I do hand out work schedules, and whatever happens after this, her brothers are going to understand the term “hell on earth.”
“I’m sorry. I… It’s a habit, I suppose,” Mom says softly, taking my hand to squeeze it.
“It’s okay, I’m guilty of it too.” I
grimace, leaning my elbows on my knees as the room goes silent and we wait what feels like hours.
Time ticks slowly, the silence almost deafening before Althea walks into the room, her scrubs covered in blood and sighs loudly.
“She’s in recovery. Wait! You can’t go in there until I have a serious conversation with whoever is going to look after that female,” she says, stopping me in my tracks.
“What’s this about, Althea?” Nick barks, rising when she sniffles and wipes her eyes, her hand shaking.
“I don’t think I can discuss this in public. Hell, I shouldn’t be discussing it with anyone, but I’m throwing the doctor title out the door for a minute because I can’t not mention what I just discovered.”
My heart stalls, blood leaching from my face when the somber tone reaches me, her anger and sadness making my wolf twitch to life.
“Just spit it out, Allie! What is it? Is she going to be okay? Is it her arm? It was badly broken…did it…what…?” Nick asks, his own face going pale with whatever he’s thinking.
Althea sighs, shaking her head and looks back at me with a fierceness I have rarely seen in her before. It’s almost as if she herself is struggling with her wolf, fighting against whatever has upset her this much.
“Are you with her?” she asks, ignoring Nick’s growl to meet my eyes head on.
My first instinct is a no, but my wolf is far beyond the point of control and I find myself grating a yes, daring anyone, even me to argue.
“Whoever is looking after her has to be wary of spooking her. She doesn’t seem like a coward to me, but with everything I found, I wouldn’t rule it out after what she just suffered.”
“Althea!”
“Those bruises weren’t all as a result of the attack. After we stabilized her and gave her some of Gro’s blood—”
I snarl, wanting to rip the male apart for daring to—
“Calm down! We had to. She was flat lining, and we didn’t have time to come out and call you. It was now or never Logan, and I personally prefer to save my patients no matter what a male may want. As for the rest, after we stabilized her and got most of the blood cleaned up, we discovered a lot more injuries. You probably missed it with the blood and your own panic, but Hannah Seers is covered in old bruises, scrapes, and what we now know are many healed breaks. After I took a few x-rays to confirm.”
Greyriver Shifters Page 34
