Avery (Wolf Rage Book 1)

by A. M Martin

  Once that’s done, I climb slowly on stiff legs. A deep breath and I shuffle forwards pausing at the large oval mirror. I look more strung out than usual. I shrug and move to the door. My legs are shaking.

  My hand sits on the door knob. Those damn tingles cause my already sore body to jerk. Being so weak I can’t hold in how my body responds to them.

  My eyes snap to the door knowing who’s on the other side.

  I push the door open slowly and standing close to the bathroom is Kayden.

  A rumpled black shirt stretches across his broad shoulders with wrinkled blue jeans and a pair of black shoes. He doesn’t look like he’s been sleeping much. His five o'clock shadow tiring to turn into a full bread that makes him look older.

  I eye him as I slowly edge around his prone form. His eyes following my every movement seem brighter than usual. What in the world his deal?

  I grunt as I sit on the bed and start to stretch out my stiff arms and legs. Working on getting the cement feeling out of my blood.

  I look up as Kayden finally moves. His glowing eyes are never leaving my face. The closer he gets the stronger the tingles come. It’s a buzz underneath my skin.

  I pull up from stretching my back. My eyes are narrowing on his crazed look.

  “Avery.” He breathes my name like it’s his air and drops on his knees between my legs that are hanging over the edge of the bed.

  I jerk and Cam squeaks.

  What is with these damn people?

  My legs tighten pushing against the bed and away from Kayden. My eyes widen as I see his tan arm come towards me. Hand shaky, as he reaches out towards my face. My eyes flicker up to a shifting Camron and back to that large hand heading my way. Fear slips through my steel wall giving me the power to jerk my legs up on the bed and shuffle backward away from Kayden. Away from that hand heading to my face.

  “Kayden,” Camron warns.

  Kayden growls and snaps his teeth like a dog.

  “Don’t.” My voice cracks, “Don’t touch me.”

  I watch his hand stop and pull back towards his body in a clenched fist. A look of hurt flashed in his eyes as he stares at me. A blue and gray ribbon flashes in and out. I hurt his feelings.

  Too damn bad.

  I lean to the side further away from him and push, shove the fear back behind my walls.

  “Leave.” My voice comes out stiff and emotionless.

  His eyes squeeze shut. I watch his broad chest move up and down as he takes in fast gulps of air. My eyes narrow as I see his skin twitch and move. Like something is hiding in his body and wants out.

  He’s up and moving, snarling never looking back as he passes a confused Jeff standing in the doorway.

  Why would he try to touch me? I don’t know him. He should know the rules. No touching Avery.

  “How are you feeling?” Jeff asks walking into the room.

  “Why was he trying to touch me?”

  Jeff looks uncomfortable, “I don’t know.”

  I huff, “Does he not know the rules?”

  “I’ll mention it to him again. So how are you feeling.”

  “Stiff and I want a bath,” I say, leaning up against the headboard.

  “Let’s see what the doctor says first. He’s on his way.” Jeff says.

  I follow his gaze to the left side of the bed. An iv stand is sitting there.

  His head cocks to the side upon seeing the tubing laying on the floor.

  “I took it out.”

  He gives me a stern look but doesn’t say anything.

  I’m still looking at the tubing remembering those first few days in the hospital. I hated it. The drugs they pumped into me. The many busted veins on my body from nurses not being able to do their jobs right.

  Jeff’s gruff voice brings me back, “Do you know what happened?”

  My head comes up fast. My eyes are flickering from Jeff to a fidgeting Camron.

  No. I don’t know what happened. Just the black ribbons and waves of pain and pleasure. They don’t need to know about that. It’s none of their business.

  “Do you?” My head falls to the side watching Jeff.

  There’s a long pause filling the air with tension. I get an inkling they know something. Maybe not the ribbons but something.

  “You do know something.” I stare

  A long, loud sigh comes from Jeff. He nods towards Camron who leaves the room with a sneering Aden. Jeff sits down in the brown chair by the window.

  A soulful howl rings out, causing me to flinch. I look out the windows seeing nothing but trees and the sky. Must be one of the wolves from the beach. This place is insane, and that’s saying something considering where I’ve lived for the past two years.

  “Avery there is so much you need to know,” Jeff says looking at me with sad eyes.

  Secrets. There’s always secrets everywhere you go.

  “Start from the beginning,” I say. It seems rather simple to me.

  He doesn’t look at me when he speaks.

  “The beginning. Okay.” He says in a strained voice, “The man you know as your father is not your father. He’s your uncle.”

  Nothing else. That’s what he says, while not looking at me. He drops that kind of bomb.

  It’s on repeat over and over. He’s not your father. He’s your uncle. The man who raised me. Who I found bloody and dead. Is not my father.

  My walls start to crack and splinter. No.

  My eyes snap close, and I turn in on myself.

  I see the wall that I’ve built. My shining safeguard. It’s huge. Stretches as far as I can see and curves. I move forward scanning, scanning. Looking for cracks and holes. Spotting them, I vision them melding back together. Stronger and thicker than before. Once the holes and cracks are no more, I concentrate on the whole wall. Adding more layers. Thicker layers. Stronger until I am mentally exhausted.

  When my eyes pop open, Jeff is looking at me. Worry is shining on his face.

  His lips pulled down into a frown.

  “Who was he?” My voice comes out cold and unfeeling.

  Kayden

  Don’t. Don’t touch me. Leave. Leave.

  It echoes around in my head. Around and around on an agonizing loop.

  Don’t. Don’t touch me. Leave.

  I stare at my mate, Avery with that eerily cold look on her face.

  Devastation is blasting me everywhere. How could she say something like that to me? Her mate.

  Leave. Leave.

  With my wolf pushing more and more on my body. My heart is thudding painfully in my chest. Leave. Leave. I leave.

  I slam past a baffled Jeff. As I run full sprint down the hall jumping most of the stairs and rushing out the front door.

  I can’t hold it back any longer. My skin ripples and tears as I rush through the doorway. I snarl as my bones snap and my organs move. It all happens in seconds. A beautiful chocolate wolf is landing on all fours, bounding down the steps. Specks of yellow blaze in his green eyes.

  I sprint off as soon as my paws touch the warm grass, heading straight towards the trees. The thick forest that smells of pine and moist soil. Heading away from her. My pain, the reason why my beating heart is cracking in two.

  I snarl, my big head shaking, snapping at the summer air. Paws are kicking up dirt and loose grass as I pass through the tree line.

  I knew there was a tiny possibility that Avery wouldn’t remember what happened between the two of us. That she would forget that we together completed the first step of the life mate bond.

  I snarled again, snapping off a low tree branch with my sharp teeth. The crack of it is echoing around the woods.

  I just hoped she would remember what happened between us, considering how strong our connection is-was. I felt her for the first time in that room.

  It was only for a second. The fear battered me. She was afraid of me just for a second. It slipped through whatever crack managed to break in her.

  Her fear of me is like a bullet to the ch
est. She’s not supposed to fear me. Hate me. Yeah, that’s a possibility but fear. No. That never once crossed my mind.

  I growl snapping at the air; I never knew it could devastate me like this. It feels like my reason for living, for breathing, is ripping away from me in a painful way.

  How am I going to connect with her after this? I don’t know, but I must try. A growl rips from my throat.

  Don’t. Don’t touch me. Leave.

  I’ll give her time. That’s all I can do at this point. Just be around when she needs me and give her time. Be the creepy guy in the background if I have too.

  I turn into my senses, shutting the part of me off that is human just for a little while, letting the wolf take over. The soft feel of the fertile soil underneath his paws. The keen hearing and eyesight of a wolf. Avery’s winter smell stuck to him. Overwhelming.

  A sorrowful howl rings out as he lets the last strain of his mind be taken entirely over by his wolf.

  Avery

  “Okay. Let’s see if I have this right.” I say watching Jeff pace back and forth from m

  y spot on the bed.

  “My father Max is named Blackwell, not Black. He changed our names to hide us. He’s my Uncle and your younger brother.” I pause and watch Jeff.

  He stops and gives me a slow nod.

  “My mother’s name is Eva Blackwell. Your younger sister and Max’s twin. She died giving birth to me. She also made Max my legal guardian. What about the man that got her pregnant.? Why did Max take me away from all of you?”

  I reach over to the nightstand grabbing the full cup of water, while I watch Jeff run his hands down his face. The ice has melted a little making the water colder. I sigh as it moves down my throat. Which is still sore and somewhat scratchy? Might be from all the talking I’ve been doing.

  Jeff finally stops trying to rub his face off and turns towards me with crossed arms, “I don’t know. Eva wouldn’t tell any of us no matter how hard we tried to get her to tell us. And as for Max moving you guys away, he thought it would be safer that way for you. He never did say the reason why. Maybe Eva told him something, and that’s why?” Jeff sighs looking at the window.

  My eyes narrow on him, “Why?”

  He must have an idea of why Max would ship us off. Away from family, something's not adding up.

  A quick knock pounds at the door as Jeff opens his mouth to speak. He lets out a relieved sigh and snatches the door open.

  “Avery.” Jeff smiles, “This is Doctor Keen.”

  A sneer forms on my face. My body’s natural response to a doctor. I don’t have the best track record where doctors are concerned. First, it was the hospital where I was taken after finding dad, Max. The shots are full of sedation. The bruises from the nurses and Doctors holding me down as I screamed and tried to pull my hair out. Draw blood along my arms from my nails. I guess that I more my fault than theirs, though.

  Next was Green Bier. The burns on my wrists and ankles from the leather straps. The zombie drugs they kept giving me. It calmed down there for a while when I learned how to lock out the emotions. Eventually, it got bad again. Shock therapy. Scaring me. Trying to find something I liked to only take it away. All of that just to see if I would show any signs of emotions. They failed. I believe if I did feel that alone would have traumatized me. Good thing I’m hollow, right?

  Dr. Keen is an older man, maybe seventies. He’s dressed in a gray button-up shirt and black slacks. He has a head of white hair and dark brown eyes. He sits a black bag at the end of the bed. “Your color looks much better Miss.” His voice is strong. Stronger for a man his age. I expected something shaky and raspy. Not this stronger brittle voice.

  I nod which Dr. Keen returns with a kind smile.

  He has crow wrinkles branching out from his eyes, the only lines on his face. I look at his hands. No creases. Could I be wrong about his age? I’m usually good at guessing people’s ages. I look back at his face and realize it’s his eyes that are old.

  Jeff sits in the chair, hands teepee in front of his mouth as Dr. Keen moves to me. Dr. Keen checks my heart and lungs. Next, comes my throat, ears, and eyes. A routine check-up I’ve had done a thousand times growing up.

  What’s not normal is his cold hands running over my ribs, poking and prodding. Both of my wrists get rotated. He runs his hand down my shin bone, and my ankles get turned also. My right arm gets twisted this way and that as he feels along the bone.

  “You’ve improved more than what I thought you would. But still dehydrated.” He gives a pointed look at the tubing and needle now wrapped around the iv stand, “Lots of fluids and something to eat. Broth, I think.”

  He nods to Jeff picks up his bag and walks out of the room.

  I look towards Jeff. He holds my gaze, not saying a word.

  “Why did he check my arms and stuff?” I gesture to the rest of me.

  Jeff shakes his head, “Let me get you some food and then you can have a bath. Drink your water.” He gets up and leaves the room.

  “Sure,” I say to the empty room. These people. I shake my head looking out the window. Trees fill my vision with the orange and pinks lighting up the sky. It’s almost dusk. Another day lost. I’m spending my time away from Green Bier well.

  I snort at that.

  Why would Max think I’d be safer away from family? Blood. You would think being with family would be the safest place and considering what happened to Dad, makes more sense he should have kept us here. Unless being here is where the danger is. And what about my birth father? Why wouldn’t Eva tell anyone who he is? Could he be the one who killed dad and why I’m not safe?

  My eyes start to droop, and I decided a nap won’t hurt. I scoot down on the bed, wrapping my arms around my pillow that smells like cut grass and rain.

  My eyes flare open when Camron skips into the room like a hyper child. A stark Aden on his heels.

  Those two are never far apart from each other. Could they be a couple? If so I praise Cam for sticking with his grumpy butt.

  “What did Dr. Keen say?” Camron asks bouncing on his feet, a full smile in bloom.

  I watch him. Up and down. Up and down. This boy has way too much energy.

  “I’m fine.”

  That earns me an excited smile from Camron, and he claps his hands together like a proud cheerleader. Yellow and pink ribbons spin about his body. I watch them twirl and dance. A tightness is forming in my gut.

  “So. What do you think?” He asks jumping on the bed and crossing his legs.

  “About what?”

  What is he talking about? My head tilts as I watch the ribbons speed up.

  “About being an Empath silly and living with shifters.”

  His smile slowly falls as he looks at my face. The ribbons shift color to gray and blue.

  “What do you mean?” My voice snaps out like a cold whip.

  Camron stumbles back off the bed. A frown pulling at his lips and looks towards Aden who shakes his head.

  “Um. Didn’t you and Alpha talk?” He wrings his fingers together looking nervous as all get out.

  Alpha? Who the hell is Alpha?

  “I talked to Jeff.”

  Camron gulps with panicked eyes, “We should leave.”

  “Ya think.” Aden snaps.

  They move towards the closed door but stop when Jeff opens it and almost smacks a jittery Camron in the face.

  “What are you two doing in here?” Jeff growls moving around the boys and comes to the bed. He places a tray gently on my lap.

  I look down. A small green bowl holds chicken broth and off to the side is four crackers. I forgot I was hungry till the smell hits me. My stomach grumbles.

  I pick up the spoon, not looking at them answering Jeff, “Camron was just explaining something to me about being an Empath, living with shifters and someone called the Alpha. Sounds like a story from a book.” I say smoothly and start to spoon in the warm broth. It’s delicious.

  I hear a yelp and a snarl making me lo
ok up.

  Camron is now hiding behind Aden who looks bored while facing a pissed off Jeff.

  “Sorry.” Camron squeaks out like a mouse, “I thought you told her.”

  “No. I was going to wait.” Jeff barks out, “Leave.”

  I smirk as Camron runs out the door with an irritated Aden at his heels.

  “You have some explaining to do,” I say in a sing-song voice which comes out somewhat creepy and goes back to eating. This broth is delicious.

  “Yes. Well, you finish eating then take that bath you wanted.” He turns shutting the door behind him.

  He doesn’t want to explain what Camron meant. I’ve seen movies about people turning into wolves and vampires. Can they sincerely believe that those things are real? That they are wolves? I guess we all should be hospitalized. But hey, at least I fit in this bunch. Crazy loves other crazies, right?

  Kayden

  “Camron,” Jeff yells from the hall.

  I’m sulking, drinking my beer in the corner of the kitchen watching Cam freak out when Jeff bellowed his name.

  Cam turns left then right. Makes two circles in the kitchen with panicked eyes and dives underneath the table.

  “Cam really?” Nick laughs from his perch on the countertop.

  “Shut it.” Cam hisses scurrying further underneath the table and smashing himself up against the wall and closes his eyes.

  Usually Cam’s antics amuse me to no end; he gets so flustered, but not today.

  I feel broken, like a piece of my soul is missing with Avery denying me. She might not realize that’s what she did, but she did it nonetheless. Making both my wolf and me this trembling mess of hurt and hate.

  I sip my beer again watching Jeff stomp into the room and roll his eyes.

  Nick chuckles again.

  “Really. Cam just because you have your eyes shut doesn’t mean I can’t see you.” Jeff huffs looking at a balled-up Cam underneath the table.

  “I’m sorry. I really am. I just thought you would tell her.” Cam mumbled opening his eyes.

  “That’s the thing Cam you should not assume what I will and will not tell her.”