by M. L. Briers
CHAPTER SIX
Darcy turned on her heels and glared back at Gabe as he followed her down the steps- he was like her shadow and she was unable to shake him free- first greeting her with sexy charm oozing from him as she came down for breakfast this morning- early- too damn early- those dreams of Nicole being in the woods had come back with a vengeance- she had seen them almost as clearly as if she were beside her- Ryan behind her in the distance- but now Gabe was there and a black wolf with a silver crest over his head and she had woken unable to breathe with no hope of going back to sleep.
Gabe had sat beside her at the counter as he filled his boots with Maria’s cooking, eating more than any man that hot should be able to consume and not be the size of a sofa- as he kept glancing and smirking in her direction and now here he was following her as she took the air into her lungs- her heart skipping a beat every time she caught sight of him.
“Shoo.” She motioned him away with her hands and he couldn’t help but chuckle- his eyes bright with amusement.
“That doesn’t work on wolves my little Witch.” He grinned and she felt the almost uncontrollable urge to plant her fist into his gorgeous face.
“I’m not your anything- it’ll be a cold day in hell before you mate with me mutt- be gone.” Scratching at her arm with the frustration that rolled through her at the absurdity of her situation- if Nicole wanted to be tied to a wolf for life that was her choice- but she was damned well not going to fall for Fates twisted idea for her life.
“Me thinks the lady doth protest too much-“
“Idiot- it’s The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” She snapped back her eyes shooting to Nicole as her friend came out onto the porch and Gabe shrugged his shoulders.
“Perfectionist. I can live with that.” Gabe offered dryly and she growled long and hard at him as realistically as she could manage given she was human.
“I hope that means sod off in your language.” She spat out with the venom of a thousand snakes and watched him chuckle his amusement back at her.
“Actually that would be come and mate me-“ He teased and she rolled her eyes as Nicole dropped off the last step.
“Drop dead- do the world a favour.” She snapped reaching out and wrapping her fingers none too gently around Nicole’s arm- dragging her along with her towards the woods and away from her prospective mate before she tore him a new backside.
“I do not like it here.” She hissed in Nicole’s direction as she marched them into the dense undergrowth and Nicole’s giggle echoed through the trees allowing herself to be dragged further into the woods with Darcy cursing every step of the way.
Jake stretched out his body- muscles he hadn’t used in a very long time protesting emphatically as he shook them out- coming to stand naked beside the tee that held his mates scent he grinned wildly- she was out there somewhere running wild and free and he would have the pleasure of tracking her down- following her scent until he found his love and when he found her- well, some more of what they had shared yesterday in these woods would be the order of the day, he told himself a moment before he called his wolf forward, his body shifting from human to beast as he set off in search of her- following the unique scent she had left behind to entice him.
Jakes claws churned up the earth beneath him as he ran hard and fast, eager for sight of his mate, powering through the woods on giant pads and strong legs- drawing closer to her. His heart thumped erratically within his chest when the scent changed- her sweetness mingled with fear and anxiety and then the powerful aroma of her blood called to him.
Fear streaked through every inch of him- tightness gripped his guts and twisted as he raced past the tree, almost colliding- uncaring- the need to find her firing him on- the scent of her blood too powerful to be just a little- his protectiveness for his mate burst through everything else as his need to reach her fuelled him.
The scent of her blood almost overpowering his senses as his eyes fixed on her naked human form lying prone on the ground- dark crimson splashes over her beautiful skin- deep marks clawed into her body as he roared within at the same time as his beast let out a blood curling roar- he skidded to a stop beside her- shifting from wolf to human in a heartbeat- his eyes taking her in- the torn flesh at her throat and the bile rose within his throat as he dropped to his knees beside his mate.
“Shay-“ His fear and desolation gripped him as he reached for her through the tears clouding his eyes- the small whimper gargled in blood escaped her and he lifted her against him, cradling her within his strong arms. “You will not die today- do you hear me love- I forbid you to leave me.” He breathed the words into her ear as he dragged his numb body to his feet taking her with him.
‘ Jake? ‘
Ryan’s voice bit deep into his psyche- his Alpha was calling to him- apart from his mate Ryan was probably the only other person that could reach through his utter torment in that moment as he set off on slower human legs with his mate back through the woods.
‘Shay’s near death- rogue attack I can smell him all around her- protect your mate- warn the pack-‘
Ryan bit out as he ran as fast as his legs would carry them- he needed to seal the wound- try to stop the bleeding and he couldn’t do that here.
Ryan felt the sheer panic wash through him at Jake’s words. His pack was under attack and his mate in danger- Shay had already become a casualty and he needed to call the pack- His Alpha self rushed to the fore- he needed to calm himself to get through this- even though his first thought was for his mate and where she was- he couldn’t call to her- damn it.
The anger surged through him as he tore through the house- Maria stopping dead in her tracks when she saw him- his wolf chaffing to be released and with such powerful emotions running through him he wasn’t sure how long he could contain them.
“What’s happened?” Maria demanded dropping the armfuls of dirty washing at her feet as she rushed towards him just as Layla walked in the front door with a smile dying on her lips as she took in the scene.
“Jake’s mates is near death- we have a rogue on our land and I need both of you to call the pack- where is Nicole?” The acidity of his growl made sure that neither of them idled with useless conversation or questions.
“She went into the woods with Darcy to get away from Gabe.” Layla started to explain and ended up shouting after him as he flew past her out of the door. His eyes searching the tree line for any sight of her as his mother’s voice sounded within his head as she called to the pack- warning them of the danger- Gabe rushed to his side- the pair of them tearing off their clothes as they went.
“How far do you think they’ve travelled?” Ryan demanded.
“Ten minute head start.” Gabe spat out just as Ryan brought his beast forwards and shifted into wolf form, his claws pummelling the earth beneath him in an instant with the sound of Gabe hot on his heels.
‘Mama get someone over to Jake’s cabin to help him with his mate- no one travels alone until the rogue is dead- I want search parties out in the woods- find him.’
‘ I’m going to Jake’s with layla and Jack- the pack’s gathering- find your mate.’ He could hear the fear in his mother’s voice- it mirrored his own, his only comfort was that his mates scent was so damned strong that she couldn’t be that far ahead of him now.
“I hope you know which way is home because I have a horrible sense of direction- you know that right?” Nicole muttered to herself as Darcy continued to drag her further into the woods and away from Gabe- as far away as she could get.
“I wonder how long it would take to walk home from here?” Darcy ground out between clenched teeth. The suddenness at which she stopped caused Nicole to collide with her back and she bit out a curse as she stepped back away from her.
“What the hell Darc?” Nicole muttered as the low rumble of a growl greeted her ears- Darcy’s grip like a steel band around her arm as she yanked it free, a squeal of pain leaving her throat as her eyes took in the large black wolf with the s
ilver stripe ahead of them.
“Oh crap-“ Darcy hissed through clenched teeth as she regarded the beast on the other side of the clearing. Nicole eyed him- he was impressive in his majesty and she took a long moment to remember her mate in his wolf form- a smile coming to her lips. “Nic-“ Darcy spat out elbowing her out of it.
“What? It’s one of the pack-“ Nicole felt no fear towards the beast until its lips pulled back over its gums and snarled at them- the blackness of his eyes telling Nicole more than the sight of those long sharp fangs ever could.
“Oh crap- maybe not.”Nicole conceded as her fingernails dug into Darcy’s arm as she yanked her backwards away from the beast that put one pad in front of the other as it slowly stalked towards them.
“Run!” Darcy bit out- Nicole’s grip on her locking her in place, if she remembered one thing it was not to run. They stood no chance against him- not really- not even two to one- but running blindly with the beast at their backs wouldn’t give them any more of a chance and would just excite the beast more.
“Don’t run. Just don’t run.” Nicole breathed out- summoning her magic within her as she faced down the beast- he was become almost coiled in front of her- his body ready to pounce when she threw up her palms towards him and forced the pure energy of the earth through her body- the beast leapt in the air just as Nicole’s shield hit him full force- the wolf hit the invisible wall at speed which caused his whole body to flip sideways in mid air- the heavy thud of the animal hitting the ground and facing away from them as Darcy yelped a belated call of surprise.
“Run Darcy- get help-“ Nicole spat out- planting her feet and drawing the energy from the air around her- the earth beneath her feet as Darcy hesitated, unwilling to leave Nicole to face the beast alone- she didn’t have the power Nicole had- but she wouldn’t run from her friend either- her eyes desperate as she located a large felled branch- small enough for her to wield if she needed to- but heavy enough to give the beast pause for thought.
The beast was back on its feet before Nicole had the chance to draw enough power to hit him with again- taking a step backwards as the wolf rounded on her, snarling- Darcy stepped forwards and took a swing at the animal before Nicole even realised that she was still there.
“No!” Nicole screamed out as the beast reared at her- one giant paw swiping through the air- claws embedded deep into the flesh as the force batted her aside- a scream torn from Darcy lips and only silenced when she hit the tree trunk with such force that the sound echoed through the woods.
Anger and fear rushed through Nicole, tearing her eyes from Darcy’s prone body back to the beast that seemed to grin at her as she thrust her palms towards him- the snarled growl flooded her mind just as a roar echoed through the trees behind her- the rush of air that swept over her as the wolf flew through the air- past her body and connected with the silver stripped beast, taking him down in a haze of paws and fur as they rolled across the ground away from Nicole and Darcy.
Nicole stood frozen to the spot- she would know her mates wolf anywhere- the second wolf that skidded to a halt in front of her- putting itself between the fighting and the two women as Nicole’s eyes took in the scene of the two wolves fighting, frantic to know Ryan’s fate as she backed towards Darcy who was starting to come around on the ground- groans of pain- one after the other rolled from her as Nicole dropped to her knees next to Darcy on the ground.
“Don’t move-“ Nicole bit out- the sound of snarls and jaws snapping- ripping her attention back towards Ryan’s wolf- thick patches of blood clung to his fur as both wolves torn into each other- Nicole was desperate to use her magic to help him but they were a mass of body parts- most of the time indistinguishable from one another and she wouldn’t risk hurting Ryan.
The sound of yelping filled her heart with fear- but it wasn’t her wolf that was injured- Ryan had sunk his claws into the muscle and sinews of the other wolfs leg and torn the flesh away as he used the power of his body to roll the wolf over onto its side- he wasted no time in closing powerful jaws around the downed wolf’s throat- the sound of tearing flesh almost made Nicole heave as Ryan shook his powerful jaws taking the other wolf’s throat clean out and Nicole’s heart soared at the same time as she felt nausea for what she had seen.
“Nic-“ Darcy breathed out on a painful twist of her body as the fire burned through her from the shredded flesh at her hip.
“Don’t bloody move-“ Nicole ground out between clenched teeth as she reached for the thin fabric of Darcy’s dress, stained red with her blood and tore the fabric further apart as the closeness of another deep growl washed through her.
“Back off Gabe- she’s helping-“ Ryan’s voice was hard and fuelled by the anger that still throbbed through his pulse for what had happened here today. Gabe’s need to protect his mate, although misplaced ran through his veins like his Lycan blood, but Ryan wasn’t about to stand by and let him growl at his mate- he was still too pumped up with the beasts fever not to attack him for threatening his mate.
Naked and torn up Ryan dropped to his knees on the ground beside Darcy- her eyes wide as she got a full frontal up close and personal view of Jakes attributes as he sat beside his mate.
“Seriously- I need to see this?” Darcy ground out between clenched teeth as Jake shot a look of annoyance down at her- now wasn’t the time- he was too wired to deal with Fae humour.
“Are you hurt Nic?” Ryan bit out as her hands worked over Darcy’s body- the energy she had called on from nature still buzzed through her as she shook her head, not giving him pause for thought right now as she placed her palms a few inches over the deep wounds on Darcy’s body and called on the spirits of the woods around her to help heal her friend.
“You’re a healer?” There was wonder in his voice as he watched mesmerised as the energy that flowed through his mates hands started to knit the flesh together- sealing the wounds as best she could before the power drained from her body and she collapsed down onto her knees- Ryan’s arms closing around her as he dragged her into his embrace and held her against his chest- weak and dazed from the effort of healing her friend.
“Easy love.” Ryan breathed against her hair as Gabe knelt down beside his mate and Darcy rolled her eyes with the sight of her prospective mates nudity.
“Another one- what the hell?” She moaned but that didn’t stop her eyes from returning to his naked body- scanning every inch with a detailed appraisal.
“And I’m all yours.” Gabe mused as he reached for her, his arms scooping her up from the earth as she started to protest both his words and his actions as he growled down at her. “No arguments. Not right now. Rest.”
Nicole watched Darcy’s mouth open to protest before she snapped it shut again- her arm going around the thickness of Gabe’s neck as her hand rested over his chest- the steady beat of his heart under her fingertips as he cradled her against him, rising up to his feet he turned and carried her from the clearing as Nicole realised that Ryan’s hands were making a detailed appraisal of her body again.
“I’m not hurt- Darcy took the blow not me- but you?” She pushed herself as far away from his body as he would let her go- he didn’t want her any further away than at the end of his fingertips- ready to snatch her back into the safety of his arms.
“It’s minor scratches and bites- looks worse than it is because of the blood- I’m fine-“ Ryan assured her but the panic was already rushing through her again on a rush of adrenalin as she started her own fingertip appraisal of his wounds.
He palmed her cheeks in his hands and brought her face up to his- “I’m fine-“ he growled soothing her as she carried on regardless. “I’m fine- Nic- Nic- be still love- I’m fine.” He growled on a small chuckle as she stilled her hands- tears scratching at her eyes as she nodded her understanding back at him- his lips brushing hers.
“Can you do that healing trick again?” He asked gently as she started to panic again and he shook his head taking her worries away. “Not for me- Jake’s mate is
near death- the rogue-“
Nicole was out of his arms and up on her still shaking legs before he had finished, “Where is she?”.
Ryan got to his feet and scooped her towards him- yanking her against his hard body he wrapped her legs around his hips- “Hold on- this is the fastest way I can think of to get us there.” He warned her as he started off running, steadily gaining pace as they raced into the woods- cutting across the land towards Jake’s cabin.
Jake laid her down onto the bed- gentle as he could be with her battered and torn body- it had been bad enough carrying her over the rough terrain in his arms- locking his upper body as best he could to not jar her wounds too much- now time was of the essence- he could hear the shallow- hollow beat of her heart that grew more lifeless with each passing beat- he could not find her just to lose her again- life couldn’t be that cruel- it would be a desolate existence without her now that he had taken her into his heart.
Practically ripping up the bathroom in search of what he needed to sow her wounds back together he roared with the sheer frustration of his frantic mind trying to hold onto some semblance of rationality- when every thought he had was for his dying mate- when every feeling he had was a dark emotional twist to his guts.
She was his mate- his to protect- his to die for- his life for hers that was how it should have been and yet she was the one who lay dying while he tried to do what? Save her?
He couldn’t even find what he needed- a roar of anguish tore from his chest as he threw himself back into the bedroom- the smell of her blood filled the air- denser than her own natural scent as he dropped to his knees beside the bed- his hands ripping the packaging apart on what he had managed to find just as Maria flew into the room.
Jake turned and snarled- his fangs bared to the den mother as she held her palms out in front of her- her chest heaving as she tried to reach him- through the red haze of anguish that filled him with its energy- with its hatred- with its fear.
