by A. M Martin
I’m on my feet in seconds. No longer sitting by Avery’s side. A fierce growl rings out in the tense air. My wolf has almost taken complete control of my mental state.
It stops the others up short. Weariness is crossing their faces. Avery is mine to protect. Mine.
Just the thought of what she’s going through has me wanting to drop to my knees and howl. A quick glance over my strained shoulder shows no improvement to her empty state. It has my wolf stretching, pushing at me even more. My bronze skin ripples and rolls but I hold it together. Being more animal than man won’t help her. Not right now anyways.
“Kayden.” Jeff says a little Alpha is entering his voice, “You have to let us get close to her. It’s the only way to figure out what’s going on.”
Another growl rips from within my chest, but I move back to Avery’s side, giving Jeff a nod. Not able to say no to my Alpha. But how I want too.
I watch all three of them like the predator that I am. My wolf in the forefront of this show. My body is shaking and trembling as I hold back the change.
“What happened?” Jeff asks, hovering over Avery’s to still body.
Camron goes on to explain what went on with Avery when I only managed to snarl. My white teeth, turning into sharp canines. My full awareness is the girl I just met yesterday but means everything to me now.
“I don’t know?” Shelly says timidly, not moving any closer to either Avery or me and my rippling skin.
“Don’t know what?” I snarl, my sharp teeth coming close to slicing my bottom lip.
“What’s wrong with her. I don’t know what is going on. This is entirely new. She is an entirely new breed. I don’t know how to fix this or what to do.” Shelly cries out.
I don’t like that. Not one damn bit. They are the adults. They should know what is going on with her. I start to pace back and forth, never straying too far from Avery. My hands clench and unclench at my sides. What did she mean by new breed?
I shake my head. What to do? It’s driving me mad. There must be something, anything that I can do. It can’t; we can’t end before it even began.
I stop, a thought coming to my mind. “What if I bond us together? Could that work?”
“What?!” Cam yells, getting a burst of energy.
Shelly looks hopefully at a concerned Jeff.
“Could it work?” I move closer, almost on top of Avery’s prone body.
“If you have the connection, it’s a possibility, but you just met her Kayden. How could you know?” Jeff says crossing his arms, “That’s why I wanted you four to spend time with her. It was to see if one of you could form a bond with her.”
Yeah, I just met her and had my doubts at first. But she’s it. That part of myself I’ve been searching for. What every wolf hopes to find. Their life mate. I wasn’t sure at the beginning, but when Avery contorted into impossible shapes when I felt I would lose my soul if she died, something clicked deep inside of me. Inside of my wolf. There is no mistaking that lasting connection.
“I know,” I growl out, my right hand slapping my chest. I’m hovering. Waiting. Not able to do a damn thing without the Alphas approval.
Nervous energy flutters throughout my strung tight body. My breaths pick up.
The male wolves stare long and hard into each other’s eyes. Jeff gives a stern nod causing me to release a burst of air.
“You’re crazy.” Cam’s eyes are wide as saucers, “You can’t be serious.”
“Cam,” Jeff warns, stopping Cam’s protests.
“Take her to the house Kayden. Let’s hope you are not wrong and this doesn’t blow up into something worse. Once we deal with the others, we’ll join you.”
I bend down beside Avery; a hand goes under her knees and one under her upper back. I lift her up gently like she’s the most precious thing in my world and she is. Avery makes no movement, not even a twitch of her fingers when I get her cradle against my body and in my powerful arms.
That scares the air from my lungs.
She’s cold as ice. It seeps from her body and into mine, stealing the warmth from me. I don’t like the cold dead feel of her or the emptiness of her glossy eyes. Dread pools in my gut.
Maybe I’m too late.
“Stay with me,” I whisper into her ear. Praying for everything that I’m worth that she can hear me. That she’s fighting whatever this is, making her a ghostly shell.
My feet eat up the distance between the beach and the house. Moving as fast as I can with the strength and speed of my wolf. I can't be too late. This must work.
I rush through the back door and up the stairs.
Not wanting to cause her any more stress. I head to a guest room instead of her room. Remembering how she wanted her things gone.
I lay her down gently on the cream cover. Her body still and unmoving, not even a blink of her blank eyes.
What if she’s gone?
I climb slowing onto the full-size bed with Avery. My heart and breathing are going crazy. This is it.
I take a deep breath straddling her tiny hips and lean down, placing my hot forehead against Avery’s cold one.
She’s ice cold. Concentrate.
I’ve never done this before. Never been told how to form the life mate bond. It’s a well-kept secret to prevent non-mates from creating a bond that would eventually end in their deaths. If it’s meant to be, my instincts should take over, and everything should come naturally. At least that’s my hope.
Will she even accept it? Will she even know what’s going on? God, I hope so. This must work. It just has too.
I close my tear-filled eyes and look within myself to that buzzing connection I felt out on the beach.
There. In the core of my soul. It’s gold. Okay, what now. I think and ponder, looking around with my mind’s eye. Nothing is happening. I feel myself on the verge of panicking when I see it. A faint gold cord. I latch onto to it with everything in me. Electrical current snaps into my body, causing me to jerk.
Cold. God, it is so cold. Opening my eyes, I see nothing but the deepest blackness.
Excitement makes me giddy. I did it. I’m here in Avery’s mind.
I take in a deep breath and start to think of Avery. Her tiny stature. Her dark silky hair that I want to run my fingers through. Her icicle eyes. The way she glides across the ground. Her milky white skin that I want to touch and never stop. Those dark red lips I need to taste.
The more I think of her, the more I glow with our brilliant connection.
Lighting up the dark like a beacon. Now to find Avery.
I start walking forward. Following the pull of my blood. The beat of my heart.
What happened to you? For this silent darkness to be your mind.
I glide across the blackness. The light of our connection is glowing brighter. Soon I stop at a tiny figure curled on the ground.
Avery.
The closer I get the more of her I can see. She looks so tiny with her pale arms curled around her legs. Her forehead is resting on her knees. Her dark hair is like a curtain around her frail body.
Can she sense me?
I kneel in front of Avery’s prone body. A soft smile lights up my face. I place my hands gently on both of her small arms. She’s so tiny. My hands wrap entirely around her cold arms.
“Avery,” I say softly. Not wanting to scare her, but needing her attention. Needing her to see me, to hear me. My heart thuds painfully in my chest.
She’s so freaking beautiful. I already feel love for her. I’d protect her till my dying breath.
“Kayden.” Avery gasps out. A shiver rolls across my skin at the sound of her voice.
I just want to gather her up and never, let go, but first, I must get her the hell out of here.
Her head raises causing her silky black hair to fall backward like smooth water. Her blue eyes lock onto my face. Sadness is shining out at me through her gaze that has my lungs squeezing for air.
“Why are you here?” She whimpers, tears staining
her face.
A soft smile forms on my face. I see a little bit of life in her eyes and face. More so than before.
I sit down in front of her. Never taking my eyes away from her face and slowly lean in till our foreheads are touching, “You need me, Avery and I need you.”
It’s crushing for me to say that I need her. I’m a wolf. A soon to be dominant Alpha. I’m not supposed to need anything. But it’s a truth I will never come to regret. I do need her more than air.
I watch as panic forms on Avery’s face. She shakes her head no, hard and fast. Damn. She jolts our foreheads apart. She’s going to give herself whiplash.
I scooted even closer, catching her face by placing both of my hands on either side of her cheeks.
Surprise splashes across her features.
I can’t help but let out a breathy sigh as Avery leans into my palm. Nuzzling it as a wolf would. It prompts me to move closer wrapping my arms around her dainty body, shielding her.
A low growl forms in my chest. She needs to eat more. I feel nothing but skin and bones.
Placing my hot mouth next to her ear I murmured, “Yes, you do Avery. Let me help you.”
I feel her body tense up. It’s causing me to worry. Did I get to close? My instincts are pulling me to be close, and I can’t seem to stop myself.
“Don’t you feel it. This connection between us. We’re two halves of one whole.” I say softly.
“I don’t want to leave.” Avery whimpers, “To go back means never being free. Always cold and hard. Always on guard. I can’t.”
My heart thuds painfully in my chest at Avery’s words. I never really understood what kind of pain she’s in or the fear she feels. But this place here is not freedom. It’s a death sentence wrapped in darkness.
I turn her body slowly around in my arms inhaling her winter scent. Face to face my breath catches at the desolate look on her pale face.
“You have to leave this place, Avery. This isn’t real.” I speak softly but commanding. Wanting her to understand to really listen.
“It is. It’s real and so close to perfect.” Avery says with so much conviction in her voice that I know she believes it. And that scares me more than anything.
How can she believe this place is real? It is to an extent, but this is her mind. Her broken mind and if she stays here, her body will waste away in the real world. I can’t let that happen.
“No.” I snap out letting my anger get the better of me.
Taking a deep breath of air, I try again, hanging my anger to the back of my mind, “I can help you, Avery. In here you will waste away. Out there, in the real world, I can help you.” A tear falls from my eyes. My heart feels like it’s breaking inside of my chest.
“No.” She cries out.
It splinters my pounding heart knowing she feels safe in this endless cold darkness. I will fix this. I must. I will fix her, make her life better, worth living with me by her side.
“Please, come with me,” I beg and see a shudder run over Avery’s tiny body.
An idea pops into my head. Our connection is already so strong. Maybe knowing that I can’t stay with her will force her into coming with me. Could it work?
“I can’t stay here Avery.” My lips touch her forehead. I linger for minutes.
Enjoying the feel of her skin on my lips. Her smell all around me.
“Trust me.” I breathe out; squeezing my eyes shut. Please trust me.
I watch her face with keen eyes. Emotions and decisions warring inside of her.
“Okay,” Avery whispers, a tiny small on her pink lips.
My heart soars with happiness. A gorgeous smile breaks across my face.
I lean into Avery, touching my warm lips to her cold ones.
It’s like fireworks. Her lips. Her taste. So, sweet.
I kiss her slowly savoring the feel of her, the taste of her, my heart pounding in my chest.
I slowly slip my tongue into her mouth, moving it against hers. They tangle together in their very own dance that heats my blood to my very core. I groan pulling her closer. Kissing her harder.
An electric shock jolts me into Avery. Searing heat throughout my body. Then nothing but light takes us both away.
Avery
My throat. Ugh. It’s so dry my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth like glue. I go to reach up to my neck with my hand. My arms won’t move. I’m weak as a newborn babe. My eyes, I’ve come to find out won’t open either. They feel heavy and weighed down like I have a hundred blocks on just my eyes alone.
What in the hell happened to me?
The last thing I remember is the thick black ribbons that called to me like a siren. The cold feel of them as they twisted and turned up my arm. The intense pain and equal amounts of tingling pleasure.
Did I die?
No, that can’t be right. I can still feel things. Well, physical things anyways.
The aches and pains are zooming along my nerve endings. The hunger pains in my stomach. My bone-dry mouth. The soft feather bed I’m in with the smooth silk sheets sticking to my sweaty skin. The sun's warm rays on the side of my face.
Voices.
I concentrate on the muffled voice. Wanting to turn my head towards the noise but can’t. My sore fingers curl instead.
Like a volume button, the voices slowly turn up and come into focus.
“She should have woken up, right? I mean if he did it right, which he said he did and nothing went wrong. She should have woken up. It’s been three days.” It’s Camron, and now that I can hear him I get this zap of nervous energy.
I’d groan if I could.
“I don’t know Cam. Quit asking me.” Aden snaps out.
Why does Cam hang around someone so grumpy and snappy as Aden?
Then it clicks. Cam said three days. Three days. I’ve been out for three days. What the hell? And why are those two in here with me?
Where’s Jeff? Or Shelly? They’re the adults, why aren’t they here.
I ignore Cam and Aden snapping back and forth. I put my mind on moving my fingers more. It’s slow going and feels like I’ve never moved a day in my life. It's stiff and sore sending twangs of pain up my arms. I keep at it, and my fingers move more and more. The stiffness is leaving. Soon I can move both of my hands, slowly rotating my wrists, but my arms are made of stone. They don’t want to move at all.
Just that little bit has already worn out my tired body. Making me want to go back to sleep. I’ve slept long enough, and I really need to pee.
I start moving my eyes behind my closed lids. Side to side. Up and down. They begin to water, breaking away whatever it is that has them glued together. I get a small slit to open.
Seeing the color of cream, I believe it might be the heavy blanket covering me and making me hot.
I take a breath and jerk my eyeballs upward, causing my lids to pop open with them. Blinding light shines in my eyes. I blink and blink until I can make out my surroundings through a watery gaze.
I’m in an unfamiliar room. White walls. A single black dresser and a chair are the only items in the room other than the bed. I flick my eyes around, still not being able to move my ten-ton head.
Aden is leaning up against the closed door and Camron is pacing at the end of the full-size bed I’m swaddled in.
He’s a rainbow of colors. Grays, blues, greens, pinks, purples, reds, so many colors that I have no meaning for and don’t feel like deciphering now.
I stare and stare at him. Come on. Feel me staring at you. I want to know what happened and I need a drink of water and a bathroom.
I can’t swallow, and I’m going to pee on this bed if I don’t get help very soon.
He whips around. All the colors are blinking out lightning fast. An excited, anxious smile on his face.
He rushes to the right side of the bed. My eyes following his every move.
My head is moving a little. Progress.
“Get Kayden.” Cam gasps.
“Avery.” His head fal
ls to the side, shaggy hair with it, “How are you feeling?”
Stupid question. Stupid boy. Why Kayden? I don’t want him here with his annoying tingles. I need a drink and a toilet. Not Kayden.
My cracked lips open and I kind of grunt or something like it.
Cam just stares until the lightbulb goes off. Understanding widens his eyes, and he runs through a door I didn’t notice before.
I hear running water that doesn’t help my bladder. Bathroom then. He comes back with a cup and a bright pink straw, bending down he gets it to my mouth, and I suck.
God. That’s good. My tongue unsticks from the roof of my mouth as the cooling water flows and soothes my sore throat.
“More,” I say in a scratching whisper.
We do these two more times till I feel satisfied and my stomach is a moving ocean, and I need to go to the bathroom now. I breathe more comfortable, and energy seems to make me more mobile.
“Bathroom,” I grunt moving my stone arms.
“Bathroom?”
“I have to pee Cam. Help me.”
“Oh right.”
He helps me up by pulling on both of my arms. I grunt, and a whimper falls from my lips as my back pulls and spikes of pain run throughout my body...
He drops my arms, a look of horror on his face, “I hurt you. Are you okay?”
He shakes.
“I’m fine Cam. Just get me to the toilet.” I gasp between the pain.
What happened to me?
Cam helps me swing my legs over the bed and pulls me to my feet. I lean on him as we take one step at a time and grunt as something tugs at my hand. I look down seeing a needle. I follow the tubing with my eyes seeing an iv stand. I jerk the needle out letting it fall to the floor. Cam gasps but I just step forward making him help me to the bathroom. Tiny spikes of pain shooting through me.
I’m sweating and breathing hard when he gets me to the bathroom. I lean up against the counter top and look at Cam, “Thanks. You can leave now.”
His hands flutter in the air, and he nods.
With the clicking of the bathroom door shutting I shuffle to the toilet with cemented legs. I fall on the toilet, and a sigh slips from my mouth as the pressure on my bladder disappears.
