by Becca Van
Chapter Six
Liam scented the blood as soon as he reached the garden. The smell was so strong he wondered if one of his warriors had made a kill close by and then dragged the carcass back to the pride house.
He sniffed the air and roared with fury when he identified the scent of his mate’s blood. He bounded through the gardens and into the bedchamber. His renewed roar was echoed by his brother, and moments later by Bradford. Liam pushed his lion back and changed so fast he felt pain for the first time since learning to shift in his adolescence. He knelt next to Keeley and picked her up, heedless of the blood still flowing from her wounds.
He carried her to the bed and pulled forth a claw to slice her clothes from her body. He shredded the sheet beneath her and began to wrap her injuries, trying to stem the flow of her life-giving fluid. Lucius had no sooner entered the room than he left to go after Louisa. The female’s scent was all over the room. Bradford was at his side trying to help him with their mate.
“Call your healers,” Bradford whispered, and Liam could hear the anguish in his voice.
“I have already done so.”
“Why would someone do this?” Bradford asked.
“It was that she-bitch Louisa. I knew she was going to be trouble. If I had had any idea how much trouble, I would have banished her from the pride. Keeley is not going to want to stay with us if she survives her injuries. She will run from us. Fuck. How could I have been so stupid?” Liam asked. He felt pain pierce his heart at the thought of never being able to join with and claim his mate.
Liam looked up as the doors to the bedchamber burst open. Lars the healer hurried over to the bed. Liam heard the man suck in a gasp of air, and then he got to work. Lars called for his brother, Loy, and they attended to Keeley.
Liam couldn’t believe the damage Louisa had done to his mate. He wanted to track her down and rip her to shreds, but he couldn’t leave her side. Lucius slammed into the room and ran to the bed. He was too distressed to speak, but it was clear that he hadn’t managed to find Louisa. His brother’s eyes were flashing from his normal blue to gold and back again.
“Lucius, get a hold of yourself. Keeley needs us to be calm. She is going to need us to help her heal,” Liam stated.
“Alphas, you have not claimed your mate,” Lars said. “You need to begin the claiming process so she will have a chance of surviving her injuries. We have done all we can. We have cleaned and closed the wounds and placed a poultice over them. Now it is up to your mate and the Goddess to pull her through.”
“Why are you telling us to claim our mate? We can’t claim our woman without her consent. She has not agreed,” Liam said.
“We cannot join our bodies to hers if she is unconscious,” Lucius said. “And we cannot claim her without joining with her. What are you suggesting?”
“That may be, Alpha, but your mate will heal faster and be stronger if you bite her. She is not of our species, this I know, but your saliva holds healing properties which will travel throughout your mate’s body to help her mend.”
“How do you know this, Lars? We have never had a human female in our midst before,” Lucius asked.
Liam saw Lars’s face flush with embarrassment, but he waited for the healer to speak.
“I, um, found a strand of your mate’s hair in the entrance hall not long after you arrived with her. I have been studying her DNA and comparing it with our own. I cut the hair into small pieces and combined it with saliva and blood from my own body. The reactions were quite surprising and pleasing. It was not done for any nefarious reasons, my Alphas, but for situations just like this one. I am glad I did,” Lars stated. “Your bond will not be complete until you join your bodies, but the biting mark may save her life.”
Loy packed up their supplies, and both men stood. “We will be back in approximately one hour,” Loy said. “That should give you time to discuss your options and to bite your mate if you decide to.”
Liam waited until the two healers had left before he turned back to the bed. Keeley lay motionless in the center. She breathed steadily, but for how much longer would she sleep without their help? He lifted his gaze to Bradford and Lucius.
“I know Lars would not steer us wrong,” Lucius said. I think we should bite Keeley. I know she wasn’t ready for us to claim her, but this is not the same thing. If we can save her and help her heal faster, I am all for it. What do you think?”
“I say we mark Keeley and we do it now,” Bradford replied.
“I agree,” Liam answered. “I do not think our Keeley would want to die. We will mark her, and when she awakes we will see if she wishes to complete the claiming. I don’t want to lose our mate when we have only just found her.”
“Do we bite her all together, or do we do it separately?” Lucius queried.
“I think we should do so together. I don’t know what will happen. But at least she will have all of our DNA in her system to help her heal,” Bradford stated.
“Do not touch her wounds. Even though she is unconscious I would not like it if we were to cause her more pain,” Liam declared. “I will take the right side of her neck, Lucius, you take her left, and Bradford, you will have to bite into her chest or a limb.”
Liam, his brother, and his new friend positioned themselves around their woman. They each licked over the place on her body they were to bite, disinfecting the area with their saliva.
“On the count of three and we bite. One, two, three.” Liam bit down into Keeley’s skin at the place where her shoulder and neck met.
The response was immediate. His muscles engorged with blood, and his cock hardened in his pants at the moment her blood touched his tongue. He felt as if a live wire were running through his system, into Keeley, and back again. Something intangible snapped into place, joining them together.
He was more connected to his brother than he’d ever been before, too, and he also connected to Bradford. What awed him most, though, was the connection to his mate. He could feel a thread which led from his heart and soul back to her.
But when he followed that thread, he found emptiness. His mate was not there. She was still unconscious, and he was afraid she would not come back to him.
“Do you feel that?” Liam asked his brother and Bradford.
“Yes. We are all connected through Keeley. Did you feel her through that link?” Lucius asked.
“Yes and no. I sense her connecting the three of us, but when I followed the thread from me to her, there was nothing but emptiness and darkness,” Bradford explained.
“Yes. That is what I detected as well. I think we should try and find her. If I go deeper into her and follow that link into her mind, I may be able to pull her out of her subconscious,” Liam suggested.
“I think we should wait. We need to give her time so her body can process our saliva and DNA. She needs rest for now and we will keep vigil through the night. If there is no improvement with Keeley in the morning then we try to find where she is hiding in her mind,” Bradford said.
“All right, I think we should sleep and wake in shifts. That way one of us watches her at all times. The healers will be back soon. Why don’t you and Bradford go and eat and I will eat after you have? Did you find Louisa, Lucius?” asked Liam.
“No. She has left the pride house and I only tracked her so far. I had to see that Keeley was still alive for myself. I will find her and when I do she will be stripped of any privileges and locked in the dungeons,” Lucius growled out.
“You are being very lenient for someone who nearly killed our mate. Give her to me and I will deal with her,” Bradford snarled.
“We do not believe in killing anyone in our pride, Bradford. We deal with them by locking them up or banishing them from the pride,” Liam informed him.
“That is not good enough. Look at our mate,” Bradford grumbled. “She is still covered with her own blood. Her face is so white and her lips are pale, she has deep claw wounds on her arms and in her stomach. She is in danger of los
ing her life, for Goddess’s sake. To be locked away is hard for your kind, but that punishment does not fit the crime.”
“What would you have me do, Bradford?” Liam felt too worried about Keeley’s condition to argue right now. He stopped himself from snapping that a bear wouldn’t know anything about the workings of a lion pride.
“Banish her,” Bradford said. “Do not allow her in the pride house or on the grounds again. Post more warriors around to keep her out and put the word out to the other shifters they are not to take her in. If she wants to behave like a wild animal then she should be treated like one.”
Liam gazed at Bradford thoughtfully. The bear continued to earn his respect. “Okay, what you have suggested will be so. Lucius, organize for more warriors to be on watch. Make sure every man, woman, and child in this pride knows that Louisa is no longer part of our family,” Liam stated. He looked up when the doors the bedchamber opened and the healers entered.
“Alphas, Loy and I are here to check on your mate,” Lars explained. “You have marked her. That is good.”
Liam hoped that it did her some good. He was beside himself with anguish and worry over Keeley. She still hadn’t moved or shown any sign of consciousness. He watched Lars and Loy as they examined his mate and checked her wounds. The next words from Lars’s mouth eased the knot in his gut and chest a little.
“Your DNA is working on your mate already. The wounds are beginning to heal. It may be a few days before your mate awakens. Her body has suffered a major trauma and is in a deep healing sleep. We will come to check on her periodically, but now it is up to Keeley and the Goddess if she is to survive. There is nothing more we can do but wait,” Lars explained.
Liam waited until Lars and Loy had left again before he stripped off his clothes and got into the bed with his mate. He was careful not to touch any of her injuries. He knew he should probably let her sleep alone, but he needed to be beside her. He needed to feel her skin and warmth next to him. He looked up as his brother and new friend climbed into bed as well. He prayed to the Goddess of all creation their mate would live through the night. He knew if she did, then she would be on the road to recovering.
Chapter Seven
Keeley opened her eyes and stared at the high white ceiling. She felt so lethargic, and her whole body ached. She did not remember coming to bed but shoved that thought aside and tried to push herself into a sitting position. Pain permeated up her arms and through her stomach, and she collapsed back onto the bed.
She gave a frustrated sigh and moved her limbs, trying to relieve the deep ache in them. She looked at the white bandages covering her arms and frowned with concentration, trying to remember what she had done to hurt herself. Memory slammed into her mind. Flashes ran through her brain as the images of being attacked assailed her. She whimpered with remembered fear and pain, her eyes closing as the fear clutched at her.
“Keeley, are you all right?”
She opened her eyes to see Liam, Lucius, and Bradford surrounding her. They were all in the bed with her and were looking at her with concern.
“I don’t know,” she whispered. Her mouth was too dry and her voice husky from not having been used for a while.
“I will get you some water,” Bradford informed her.
He was back moments later and held a cup to her lips so she could sip the quenching liquid.
“Who was that woman? Why did she try to kill me?” Keeley asked.
“I am so sorry, little one. Had we known what she would do to you, we would never have left your side. That she-bitch Louisa has been banished from the pride and you will never have to see her again,” Liam explained.
“She was jealous, wasn’t she?”
“Yes, she was. No, don’t try and move, Keeley. You are still a long way off from recovery and you need to lie still so you can recuperate,” Lucius stated.
“She tried to kill me,” she whispered and wondered why the woman had done such a horrific thing. “I really need to get up. I want to have a shower.”
“You will have to wait until you have the all clear from our healers, Keeley. I do not want you hurting yourself or causing any unnecessary pain. You have been very ill, little one. It has been nearly two weeks since you were attacked,” Liam told her.
“What? Oh my God,” she replied with confusion and bewilderment. How the hell could she have been sick for nearly two weeks and not know it?
“You were severely injured, baby. We nearly lost you the first night after you were attacked,” Bradford informed her.
“Shit. No wonder I feel like a wrung-out dishrag. I need to get up. How long before the healers get here?”
“They are on their way even as we speak. They should be here any moment. I don’t want you getting out of bed, Keeley. You need to rest and regain your strength,” Liam said firmly.
“Well, yes, I understand but nature calls and I can’t hold out forever,” Keeley replied.
“I will carry you into the bathing chamber, little one. You are not to do any walking or moving on your own until the healers allow it,” Liam stated.
Keeley clutched at his shoulders when he picked her up and carried her. When she was done, Bradford carried her back to the bedroom. He placed her on the bed and had just covered her naked body with a sheet when two men entered the room.
“Ah, you are awake. This is good. You are a lot stronger than any of us thought. I am called Lars and this is my brother Loy. We are the healers of the pride and have been taking care of you.”
“Just lie back and we will examine your injuries,” Loy said and then got to work. He examined her now-healed wounds extensively and she was glad he kept her attributes covered. He pronounced her fit and well, but she felt achy. She could see the pink scars on her stomach and arms, and she knew that the pain couldn’t be coming from her wounds. They looked as though they had been healed for months, yet Liam had said she’d been attacked two weeks ago. She asked whether she should be feeling any pain.
Lars answered, “You will not feel your usual self for another couple of days. You have not eaten and even though we kept you hydrated as much as we could, you will still need to drink more. Your muscles have not moved much. That is why you will feel pain. You need to get up and move around more. The more you exercise the less pain you will feel and your strength will return.”
“Thank you, both,” Keeley said and watched as the two healers left the room. “Okay, now that I have the all clear, I am going to get up and bathe.”
“I will carry you, baby,” Bradford stated.
“No, you will let me do this on my own. You heard what Lars said. The more I move around the better I will feel,” she said as she flung the covers back. She moved to the side of the bed, swung her legs over the edge, and stood. She closed her eyes as light-headedness assailed her, and she swayed on her feet. She didn’t protest when Bradford picked her up and carried her into the bathing room. He placed her on a bench near the large bathing pool, and saw a shower off to her right.
She stood up and walked to the shower, slowly but surely. She washed her hair and body quickly as the little strength she’d had began to leave. She couldn’t believe how tired she was, and all she had done was shower. She placed her hands against the cool wall and leaned her forehead against it. Her legs shook, and her knees began to buckle. A large, muscular arm wrapped around her waist and another beneath her knees. She sighed and rested her head on Bradford’s shoulder as he carried her from the shower. He placed her gently onto a seat, and then he began to dry her. He was so gentle as he dried her hair and then the rest of her body. Once done he carried her back to the bed. He settled against the headboard and pulled her to sit between his thighs and began to comb out her hair.
Keeley closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of being taken care of. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had fussed over her. She sighed when Bradford finished with her hair and pulled her back against his warm chest. She relaxed against him and groaned as he massaged her
scalp with his fingertips.
“Keeley, we have to talk to you,” Liam stated, and she opened her eyes to see him standing at the end of the bed. “You were dying, sweetheart. That she-bitch hurt you so badly you were hanging on to life only by a thread. The healers said the only way we could save you was to mark you.”
“What do you mean?” Keeley whispered.
“We had to bite you, baby. If we hadn’t you would have died,” Bradford explained.
“Wait,” Keeley said. “You mean biting like claiming me?”
The men shook their heads sorrowfully. “The claiming is incomplete,” Liam said. “We marked you with our bites, but we have not yet joined our bodies together. Only once we do will you truly be ours.”
“I know we didn’t give you a choice, and for that I’m sorry,” Bradford said, “but we couldn’t do nothing. We would have lost you, Keeley. We couldn’t stand the thought of only just finding you and then losing you.”
“If you want to leave us to stay with the panthers, we will let you go.” Lucius made a face as though the words themselves tasted bad, but Keeley believed him.
Keeley felt flutters of excitement in her belly. She had felt hesitant about letting these three shifter men claim her, but she didn’t mind that they had acted without her knowledge. Something had changed between them, and some part of her wished that the claiming was complete. She wished she was theirs and that they were hers.
She looked up to see Liam and Lucius watching her intently with worried expressions on their faces. She tilted her head back and looked up to find Bradford peering down at her. She smiled to him and then to Liam and Lucius. She took a deep breath and released it slowly.
“I understand why you did what you did and I thank you. I didn’t want to die and I know I would have agreed with your decision if I had been awake. Thank you for saving my life,” Keeley stated with a voice full of emotion.
“You’re not angry with us?” Lucius asked.
“No. How can I be angry with you? If you hadn’t marked me I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you,” Keeley said and covered her mouth when she yawned. “Sorry.”
