by Melissa Haag
In the mirror, I watched the attackers surround Grey and the other wolf. Bodies flew. The two were obviously Elders and could do ten times the damage I could do. Yet, I couldn’t let them face those numbers alone, and I couldn’t bring this fight to the women and children at the Compound. Before we reached the final bend, I skidded to a sideways stop, severed the strap connecting Bethi to me, and leapt from the bike, already transforming.
The four newcomers protectively surrounded Bethi and the bike, facing off with our attackers. I joined their protective circle, clawing and biting to take down as many as I could. The odds were more favorable this time, giving me hope.
Behind me, Bethi moved from the bike. The scent of her fresh blood washed the immediate area, distracting our attackers. And me. Without thinking, I turned to look at her and watched her stumble back against the bike.
I would have gone to her, but a random fist clipped my collarbone. Facing the attacker, I sank my teeth into a partially shifted flank until I could get a better hold on his throat. Tossing him aside, I glanced up and noted the Elders fighting their way toward us. No doubt they’d smelled Bethi’s blood, too.
Focusing on the mutts before me, I shifted my arm and swung wide, racking my claws across the middles of the closest three. They growled, and while two of them swung in return, the third one grabbed me and pulled me out of the defensive circle we’d formed around Bethi. Like in the woods, I used my teeth and claws to cut down those trying to get to her. When one tried to jump over us, I jumped as well, blocking him.
As much as I gave out damage, I also took some. Claws and teeth ripped into my hide. Some reopened wounds that had started to heal. I didn’t let the pain distract me, though. Nothing was more important than keeping these bloody asses from Bethi and the Compound.
Then, teeth sank into the back side of my neck and stayed there. Right where the other chap had nipped me. In the midst of the snarls, grunts, and yips, Bethi’s voice rose above the chaos. Rage filled her words.
“I have run…I have bled…I have remembered.”
I wanted to check on her but couldn’t. A swarm of attackers seemed determined to bring me to the ground.
“I am the Wisdom of the Judgements, and I will not fail again!”
The wolf attached to my neck suddenly screamed and released me.
“Bite him again, and I will rip your tongue from your mouth!”
The mass of bodies trying to bring me down didn’t ease up with the release of the one on my neck. If anything, they intensified. I blocked what blows I could, but so many were pressed too close, I’d lost the room I needed to fight back. I growled and used my teeth. Blood poured into my mouth.
“Now,” Bethi yelled above the chaos.
The weight on my back bore me down to one knee. However, the pain and injuries inflicted by the mutts faded to the background as the scent of Bethi’s blood grew stronger. Fear gripped me, and I looked back for her. The space beside the bike within the circle of safety was empty.
Where is she? I sent to Grey, the Elder who’d first communicated with me.
She’s coming to you.
A wolf beside me had his face tipped up. I followed his gaze and saw Bethi tumbling through the air above us. My heart nearly stopped as she started to fall. She opened her arms and eyes, and I saw vengeance there. I swore.
Claws raked my side, bringing my focus back to the fight. Some of the wolves who had been on me, moved toward Bethi, who landed a few yards away. My stomach twisted seeing her once again surrounded by mutts.
With more room, I fought harder. Bodies fell to the ground as I tried to make my way to her side. She moved fluidly, slicing any wolf who dared move within range of her blade.
A horn blared long and loud a moment before a white wolf landed in the fray. If I’d thought the other two Elders impressive, Winifred stunned me. She moved so quickly, I could barely focus as bodies fell around me.
A partially shifted brown wolf landed beside Bethi, picked her up, and jumped back into the center of the circle. He told her to stay then joined Winifred. Each body she brought down, he lifted and tossed to the tree line.
Panting, I took a moment to catch my breath. We were winning. The attackers’ numbers had halved. As if they too suddenly realized it, as one, they turned and fled. No one gave chase.
With the road cleared of attackers, I heard the engines of two cars racing our way. I looked up the road and watched as the two cars sped past toward the curve that led to the Compound.
The man driving the first car was easily recognizable, and I grinned as he looked at the bike. Thomas’ son, Emmitt, glanced at me, anger in his eyes while I looked at the woman and the two little children in the back seat. Was that the other human Mate I’d heard about?
The coppery tang of blood called my attention back to Bethi. Turning, I watched her fold an arm around her waist, her face twisted in pain and exhaustion. Blood dripped down to the road at her feet.
“She needs help,” I said, releasing the transformation and moving toward her. Someone tossed Tinker Bell pants at my chest. I quickly tugged them on and put an arm around Bethi’s shoulder.
She leaned into me, sobbing.
“We’re almost there, sweetheart. Hang in there.”
I quickly got on the bike and Jim, Thomas’ second son, set her on behind me.
“Mom’s ready,” he said.
I nodded and started the engine as Bethi leaned against me.
“There’s no bag, so stay awake,” I said, easing the bike forward.
She pressed her lips to my back and held on to me.
Thirteen
The wolves ran beside the bike, guarding us as I sped around the curve. When I reached the long rutted drive to the Compound, I slowed considerably. Bethi was in no shape for a rough ride. The woods remained eerily quiet. No bird song or other natural sounds echoed around us. Only the rumble of the bike engine and the thump of the wolves’ feet broke the silence.
Nothing made sense to me. Why would the Elders come to aid our fight against the unmated instead of ordering the unmated to leave Bethi alone until she reached the Compound for an official Introduction? So many had died because of that decision. The Elders were supposed to protect our race, not destroy it.
When we reached the ramshackle buildings, I pulled to a stop beside the car that had passed us. It was empty, but I was sure I’d see Emmitt soon enough.
I cut the engine and listened to Bethi’s shallow breaths. The silence seemed to rouse her because she lifted her head in time to see the woman who stood on the porch throw a robe to the white wolf. The rest of the wolves kept their fur on, probably a consideration to Bethi. I appreciated the gesture.
“Come on,” I said, holding out an arm so Bethi could dismount first.
She moved slightly but didn’t get off. Winifred quickly shifted to her skin and put on the robe.
“How badly are you hurt?” she asked.
“Just a nick,” Bethi said, still not moving.
Winifred stepped toward us and plucked Bethi off the back of the bike. The light breeze cooled and started to dry the blood on my back. Most of it was hers. I dismounted slowly as I studied Bethi. She didn’t look well. Her vacant stare through glossy bloodshot eyes and her unnaturally pink cheeks on an otherwise pale face worried me.
“Let’s get you inside,” Winifred said to her. Then, she glanced at the brown wolf. “Jim, Emmitt’s saying the boys are worried.” She herded Bethi toward the door while calling out further instructions. “You should go reassure them. Grey and Sam can handle things out here.”
Everyone moved to do as she said. Since inside was safer than outside, I didn’t try to fight her.
Jim shifted and stepped in front of me just as Bethi stepped inside.
“I’d like the keys back.” He held out his hand.
“Give my apologies about the empty tank,” I said, handing them over. Jim didn’t say anything, just took the keys and stepped aside.
Real
izing I was losing Bethi, I hurried to follow. I’d known the Elders would take over when I brought her here; yet, the loss was tearing me apart inside. I wanted her safe, but I couldn’t let her go.
Seeing Bethi’s shuffling, pained steps wasn’t helping calm me down, either. Couldn’t Winifred see Bethi couldn’t walk?
Elder Winifred, I sent to her as I moved to scoop Bethi up into my arms, I am stating my interest in Bethony and ask that you take note of her interest in me.
“About time,” she said aloud. Then, to me, she said, I saw how she kissed you when she sat behind you. Her interest is noted.
“Who are you?” Bethi asked, looking over my shoulder at Winifred.
“Winifred Lewis. You can call me Nana Wini. The woman behind me is Mary, and the man who will be following us shortly, the one who pulled you from that dog pile, is Jim.”
“Oh, I’m Bethi.”
“Luke, take her upstairs. Second door on the right should be open,” she said as we neared a set of stairs. “We’ll be right up with some bandages.”
I took the stairs two at a time and opened the door she indicated. The apartment was homey and clean. But the scent of Bethi’s blood overwhelmed all of it.
With relief, I set Bethi in the chair. They’d fix her up. They had to. I couldn’t lose her. I knelt before her and cupped her face between my hands. Her skin was too hot. My fingers started to tremble. Humans were so fragile.
The vacant look in her eyes and the defeated slump in her shoulders worried me just as much as the fever. Despair drifted from her, and I struggled to find the words that would help console her.
She blinked and some of the despair faded.
“Go,” she said, reaching up to squeeze one of my hands. “Take a shower and put on your own pants.”
I glanced down, snorted at the sight of Tinker Bell then met her gaze once more. Amusement struggled to break through the pain in her eyes. Smoothing a thumb over her hot cheek, I slowly shook my head.
“I’d rather stay with you.” I focused on the spreading bloodstain on her shirt.
“There’s nothing for you to do right now,” she said, crossing an arm over her stomach. “They’ll fix me up, I’m sure.”
Someone would, but I didn’t want her to go through it without me. These people were all strangers to her. I wasn’t going to leave her with anyone she didn’t trust. I stood, ready to tell her that when she arched a brow at me and waved toward the door. Determination shown in her eyes. Not wanting to upset her further, I decided I’d let her think she was getting rid of me. I needed to figure out what was taking Winifred so long, anyway.
Leaving the room, I met Grey on the stairs. He had our bag, and it was stuffed with the clothes from our saddle bags. Unfortunately, I knew I wouldn’t find any pants for me in there. I’d wrecked the last pair.
“Here,” he said, reaching into the bag and pulling out a set of clean men’s clothes. “Thought you might need it.”
“Thank you. For the pants and the help.”
“Any time.”
“Do you know where Winifred is?”
“Digging up the supplies we’ll need. Stitches aren’t something we need to do often. The room next to yours is open if you want to wash up. Your girl already looked feverish. We don’t want to add to that.”
It looked like Bethi was right about showering. With a nod to Grey, I did as he suggested. Using a burst of speed, I showered, was dressed again, and back in the hall within five minutes.
When I opened the door, I caught Bethi tossing two pills in her mouth. The contents of her bag were spilled out on the floor in front of her, and she was still alone. My annoyance with the Elders crept up a few notches.
Bethi swallowed hard and leaned her head back.
“That bad?” I asked, shutting the door behind me.
She startled and looked at me. “What do you mean?”
“Pain pills?” I asked, coming over to take the bottle from her hand. It wasn’t pain reliever but a prescription for Lorazepam…in someone else’s name. Fear held my heart in a tight fist.
“How many did you take?”
“Relax. It’s just a bottle. I keep other stuff in there. I took two sleeping pills.”
Sleeping pills? I glanced at her stomach then squatted beside her. When I lifted the hem of her shirt, I saw a mess of bloody tissue exposed by the gaping horizontal slit. The edges were jagged. She’d torn herself open. I looked up at her, trying to quell my panic. How much blood had she lost? Was it safe to take sleeping pills without knowing? Where in the hell was Winifred?
I tried to steady my thoughts. Winifred would fix her. She had to.
“I know,” Bethi said, steadily meeting my gaze. “It’ll need stiches. No hospital though, okay?” She grabbed my hand and squeezed it as if trying to force my compliance. Fear poured from her until I nodded. “The dreams will knock me out, and the pills will keep me under.”
She hated her dreams. That she was willing to endure them instead of being awake told me just how much she hurt.
“Luke,” she whispered. “The ones who are after us aren’t done trying. Tell the others to soak the buildings. I’ve died by fire before, and it’s not fun.”
Winifred, where are you?
Coming.
The door opened and Winifred walked in followed by Charlene and Grey. Both the Elders were freshly showered.
“Grey has more experience stitching,” Winifred said without preamble. “Charlene will assist, and you and I will hold Bethi down.”
Bethi twitched in her chair, but I knew it was because of a dream and not what was to come.
“Holding her down shouldn’t be necessary,” I said. “She took two sleeping pills.”
“Those usually take a while to work,” Charlene said, watching Bethi.
“I don’t know about that. Bethi’s different. She said they’d keep her under, and I think they will.”
Winifred nodded slowly, also staring at Bethi. “We’ll hold her just in case.”
Winifred knelt on Bethi’s right side, near the door. I sunk to my knees on Bethi’s left side and gently held her upper arm and set my other hand on her thigh as Grey lifted Bethi’s shirt. Concern filled his gaze.
“We should take her to a human hospital,” he said. “This isn’t a new cut and needs to be cleaned better than we can do here. I might be making matters worse by sewing something in.”
I was already shaking my head. “No. No hospital. They would ask too many questions. Especially with her sleeping.”
“It could get infected. They have antibiotics.”
“We do, too,” Charlene said, moving to the kitchenette. She reached under the sink for a wash pan and started filling it with warm water.
Grey seemed to take that as the final answer because he didn’t say anything further.
“Bethi’s worried more unmated will attack. You need to call them off. She’s in no shape—”
“I’ve already sent out a call,” Winifred said. Something in her tone seemed off. She wasn’t lying; it was something else.
Charlene brought the water over, stopping me from questioning Winifred. With Charlene’s help, Grey cleaned away as much of the blood as he could. A sick feeling settled in my gut as I watched Grey open a pack of sutures while Charlene doused Bethi’s stomach with iodine.
“Why were they attacking you?” Winifred asked, distracting me.
I studied her face as I answered. “In the beginning, I thought they were challenging me. Now, I’m not sure. They hurt her and didn’t seem to care. Why would they attack an unclaimed female?”
Winifred glanced at Bethi, a troubled expression clouding her features.
“The speculations I have are…disturbing. It has come to our attention that there are some of our kind who can ignore our commands.”
I stared at her, weighing her words. I’d skirted around a few rules and laws myself. Yet, what those mutts had done wasn’t skirting. Injury was injury. They shouldn’t have been ab
le to hurt Bethi like they had. That meant her call to avoid Bethi might not do any good.
Breaking eye contact, I looked down at Bethi. The idea of things changing didn’t bother me—that was the point of evolution—but the idea of Bethi’s safety being comprised did. If the Elders couldn’t control our kind, how could they possibly protect her? Instead of the Compound being a place of safety, it was just another damn hotel.
Grey tied the next knot and opened a new suture pack. Bethi twitched when he poked the needle into her flesh. I hoped it was a dream twitch and not because she was feeling what he was doing to her.
“What are you going to do about it?” I asked Winifred, picking our conversation back up.
“There isn’t much we can do. We’re still trying to understand why.”
“Why? Maybe it’s nature’s way of telling us your rules and laws aren’t in the best interest for our kind anymore. Maybe it’s evolution’s way of giving those of us without a say a chance to decide what’s right for ourselves.”
My words didn’t upset her; instead, she seemed thoughtful.
“Perhaps.”
I turned to watch Grey carefully place each stitch. After he snipped the end of the final one, he went to the sink and washed his hands while Charlene cleaned up all the supplies.
“She needs rest,” Charlene said. “A lot of it.”
“The less she moves, the better,” Grey added.
I gazed at Bethi’s restless face. They didn’t know how impossible that order would be to carry out.
* * * *
She slept for hours, twitching through dreams. Tears would wet the corners of her eyes one moment and then anger would draw her features. I hated seeing her suffer through the very thing she’d wanted to avoid. And, because of Winifred’s watchful gaze, I couldn’t lie with Bethi to try to help ease her tormented sleep.
“Is she always this restless?” Winifred asked, breaking our long silence.
“Yes. Every time she closes her eyes, unless she’s lying in my arms. That seems to help.”
I smoothed back her hair, trying to comfort her. A tear ran down her right cheek then her left. I couldn’t take it anymore.
