Savage

by Theresa Hissong

  “That is my mate up there!” Savage reminded them as he threw his hand out and pointed up the stairs.

  “But she doesn’t know that,” Winter said. It was the wrong thing to say. Savage dropped low and snarled in the Guardian’s direction. Dane turned his head to the side, waiting to see exactly what Savage was going to do. The moment Mary Grace screamed again, he lost it.

  Savage’s body lurched forward, but not before all of his brothers rushed to his side. He pushed Ranger back and tried to get past Winter, but none of his brothers would move. A roar ripped from his throat as his panther pushed against his human shell. When he started for the stairs again, they made their move. Guardians piled on top of his body. He clawed at them, demanding release. “Let me fucking go!”

  “You need to calm yourself,” Booth growled. All of his brothers were there holding him, only the healer was caring for his mate.

  “I need to see her,” he snarled, unleashing his claws. Winter hissed as his forearm took the brunt of his struggle, but Savage was beyond caring. “She’s in pain!”

  His panther was in charge, but not quite in control. His mate was in extreme agony and he was honestly losing his mind. The healer’s medicine hadn’t stopped her screams or even calmed her since they’d first rushed her to the alpha’s house.

  “He’s shifting!”

  “Watch out!”

  The panther pushed forward, angry and on edge. The scent of his mate and her pain was a bitter taste on his tongue. Savage’s panther paced, reaching out to swipe at the leg of one of his brothers. Winter, Booth, Dane, and Storm continued to make a wall between him and the staircase that would take him to his mate.

  The panther snarled, edging forward, but the men in front of him were not going to budge. A feminine gasp sounded from behind him at the front door. Winter rushed forward and took his mate into his arms, lifting her completely off the floor and rushing her into another room.

  “Savage!” A powerful force wrapped around the panther, sending him to his belly. His alpha had entered the room and pushed his power to calm the beast. The transition back to human was forced by his leader. “Shift!”

  The panther slinked back into his mind and he shifted back into his human skin. It took several minutes for Savage to shake the dizziness from shifting to and from his panther form so quickly. A pair of shorts were thrust into his human hands. He slipped them on, his other clothes were nothing more than tattered remains on the floor.

  “Sit on the couch,” Talon ordered.

  “Fuck, Talon,” Savage sighed, running his hand through his hair.

  “The healer gave her a stronger dose of the medicine and she seems to be resting,” Talon announced. In fact, Savage’s ears only caught the sound of her heavy breathing. She was panting as if she were already a panther, but he knew they still had just over twenty-four hours before she’d shift for the first time. “She’s a strong one, Savage.”

  “Yes, she is,” Savage agreed.

  Winter moved into his line of sight, the gash on his arm had already begun to heal. He took a seat in the chair to Savage’s left and rested his forearms on the tops of his thighs. “Are you good?”

  If Talon hadn’t come in and calmed his panther, Savage was sure he would’ve taken each and every one of his brothers out just to get to his mate.

  “I’m good,” he answered.

  The sound of footsteps on the stairs caused Savage and all of his brothers to stand. The healer looked tired as he slowly made his way down to the living room below. “She’s doing very well now that I have found the correct dose for her.”

  “Can I see her?” Savage asked, rising to his feet.

  “I would like to talk to you for a moment first,” he said, nodding toward the front door.

  Savage’s heart stopped for a split second before his feet moved on their own toward the direction the healer had gone. It wasn’t until he looked over his shoulder and saw Talon walking with them that he knew whatever it was…it wasn’t going to be good.

  “What’s wrong, Harold?” Savage asked. The healer was old enough to be his father and Savage had mad respect for him, but he wasn’t sure if he could handle any more bad news since finding his mate laying in her own blood after being attacked.

  “Look,” Harold began, his face suddenly looking older. “She’s healing…”

  “But?” Savage pushed, knowing that something was wrong. “Tell me.”

  “Mary Grace has…this scar.” He swallowed hard. “It’s a pretty serious one, Savage.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about?” Savage’s hands tangled in the healer’s shirt, pulling the old man up on the tips of his toes as their noses touched. Harold’s eyes glowed as his panther pushed forward at the threat, but Talon was there to pull both men apart before Savage could tear into the healer.

  “Back off, Savage,” Talon ordered.

  “I should’ve killed the son of a bitch when I had him,” Savage roared, his canines thickening in his mouth.

  “Not that type of scar, Guardian,” Harold said, straightening his shirt. “Savage, she’s had a surgery…as in a major surgery.”

  “What?” he breathed. “What’s wrong with her?”

  “I’m not sure what exactly is…well, was wrong with her, but I’m guessing she had some type of heart surgery by the scar down the center of her chest,” Harold informed him.

  “Is she going to be okay?” he begged. “If she has heart trouble…if I’d changed her when she wasn’t strong enough...”

  “Whoa!” Harold smiled. “Your mate is strong in all ways. Her heart is fine, and she is fine. She had some resistance to the medicine I’d given her, but that’s nothing to be concerned about. I just wanted you to know that she may be a little uneasy when she shifts in front of the others. I’m sure that with her being human once, it’s going to take her some time to understand that we don’t see her any differently.”

  “I will take care of my mate,” he promised, looking toward the house. “Can I go see her now?”

  “Sure.” Harold smiled, holding his hand out for Savage to go inside first. “But be aware, her panther is already present.”

  Savage nodded and walked inside. His brothers lined the foyer, relaxing when Talon gave them a nod. He took the steps two at a time, and once he reached the landing, he turned left to head to the guest room they’d given to Mary Grace for her change.

  Her scent was strong as he approached the room. His panther purred when he opened the door and found her asleep on her side. Beautiful blonde hair splayed out on the pillow. Someone had bathed her, removing the blood from the side of her head. She was dressed in a long, blue gown that would match her human eyes. Savage wondered how differently she was going to look with the lighter ice blue of a panther shifter.

  His knees hit the floor next to the bed as he watched her lying there in peace, knowing that it would only be a matter of time before she started convulsing from the change. He didn’t have any sense of time as he watched over her. Over the next twenty-four hours, he was removed three times when she would scream because he couldn’t handle hearing her pain. He wanted that human’s life for what he’d done to Mary Grace and Savage would stop at nothing until justice was served.

  Evie cringed when she stepped out her front door and heard the scream of the change Savage’s mate was going through over at the alpha’s house. She could see the back porch of the pride house from where she was standing and could make out several members pacing back and forth. Whenever one of their own was in distress, it caused a ripple effect through the pride, agitating the Guardians the most. Evie was holding up pretty well, but the screams from Mary Grace were making her hands shake in fear.

  The sound of Kye’s truck rushing up the road to her house almost covered up the noise, but poor Mary Grace was in agony, and Evie was sure that Guardian Savage wasn’t holding up much better.

  “Hey,” Kye said as soon as he pulled up in front of her house. “You okay?”

 
“How’s Savage?” she asked, glancing nervously toward the alpha’s place.

  “Not good.” Kye cringed. “I need to be with my brothers. Can we postpone tonight?” They were supposed to go see a movie and grab a quick meal out, but with the attack on the woman, everyone was poised to welcome a new member into the pride.

  “Yes,” she promised, shooing him with her hand. “Go. It’s okay, Kye.”

  “I’ll call you.” He winked at her as he climbed back into his truck.

  She blushed before tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. It didn’t matter how many times he flirted with her, Evie always got a rush from his attentions. She watched as he turned the truck around and sped off toward his house.

  A rustling in the woods caught her attention. Guardian Ranger shuffled down a well-worn path in his human form. Evie didn’t notice his limp today and smiled to herself, because he was one of the strongest Guardians she knew even with his disability. Hell, she wouldn’t even call it a disability. The damage to his leg was more visual than anything else. Being mauled by a bear and having been unable to shift had caused the human part of Ranger Coleman to still show some of the damage.

  She thought about herself and wondered if she would ever be able to be normal after the treatment she’d suffered at the hands of the wolves. She wished she knew how to fight…how to protect herself. Mostly, the women of the pride were protected and not taught to defend themselves. Over their history, the men had always been tasked with that honor.

  “Hey Evie,” Ranger announced as he approached. Evie could tell he didn’t want to startle her and she was glad he called out, but she wished he didn’t have to treat her differently. “How are you?”

  “I’m better.” She frowned, looking down at her feet. She squeezed her fists at her sides and noticed how little her hands actually were. “Actually, no. I’m not better.”

  “Is there anything I can do?” He frowned, looking toward the alpha’s home. “Do I need to find Kye? Your mom or dad?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Can I ask you to help me with something?”

  “Sure.” He smiled, tilting his head to the side curiously. “What is it?”

  It was now or never. This plan was forming in her head and she wanted to go through with it. As of that moment, she had no other options for getting over her fears. She had to hit them head on. Right?

  “Will you teach me to fight?” she asked, watching his face carefully.

  “Wait,” he choked out, obviously surprised. “What?”

  “I want to be able to protect myself,” she replied. Evie kicked a rock on the ground and then looked up at the dark-haired Guardian. His tribal tattoos flexed on his arms when he stuck his hands into his back pockets.

  “But we protect you.” He frowned, removing one hand so that he could run his hand through his dark hair. “No one is going to hurt you again, Evie.”

  “I know,” she growled softly. “I still want to learn how to protect myself. Will you help me?”

  “Have you talked to Kye about this?” Ranger asked, looking toward the alpha’s house again. Evie had a feeling the Guardian would be running off to tell her boyfriend. That was the last thing she wanted to happen.

  “No,” she answered honestly. “I want to do this on my own, Ranger. I need to do something for me. I need to know that I have the ability to fight off an enemy.”

  “I don’t know, Evie,” he said, staring into her eyes as if he was looking for something. “It’s dangerous.”

  “You won’t hurt me,” she pushed, taking a step toward the Guardian. “You can teach me. Please, Ranger?”

  “I will not go easy on you,” he explained, then paused. He seemed to be weighing his options. “Are you sure?”

  “Give me a month to prove I can at least learn something,” she continued. “We only have to meet twice a week. If I am worthless at this fighting stuff, you can walk away.”

  “You’re sure about this?” he asked again. “What about me touching you?”

  “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” she vowed. “I have just over two years before we need to worry about an unmated male’s touch.”

  Ranger stared at her for the longest time. He didn’t even blink as he thought over what she’d asked. Evie could tell he was going to give in as soon as his eyes softened.

  “I’ll train you,” he said, holding up his hand to stop her from speaking. “Do not expect me to go easy on you just because you are a girl.”

  “Thank you!” Evie smiled so wide her cheeks burned from the exertion.

  “We will start tomorrow before school,” he smirked. “Six a.m. training. Meet me at the Guardian’s dorm.”

  “Hey,” she said, halting him from walking away. “Can we keep this between us for a little while? I don’t want anyone to talk me out of it.”

  “Especially Kye?” Ranger asked.

  “Especially Kye,” she replied, accepting his nod as a sign of understanding. She stood there frozen as the Guardian loped off back to his home in the old barn. She’d just taken a step in working through her fear and she hoped like hell that it would be the one thing that kept her from losing her mind.

  Frank paced the length of the warehouse that the scientists had set up in the industrial area of town. The walls were so thick that no one could hear the screams of the shifters they had housed. He felt bad for trying to bring Mary Grace to them for money, but that bitch had kicked him out with nothing more than the clothes on his back, and he needed to find some fast cash.

  A snarl from the furthest cage sent his nerves firing. The male panther they had captured was angry and had half shifted. His thick teeth mimicked his actual animal ones and the scientists were hoping they would get a female for the animal to fuck. They wanted to know how they ticked, and Frank was sure that whatever human female they found wouldn’t even survive the act of sex with the animal. The man was huge, easily four times a human male’s size.

  “Where’s the female?” Gordon asked. The head scientist was a tall man with a permanent scowl. His black hair matched his soul, and Frank was sure the man got off on experimenting on live subjects.

  “I killed her,” Frank admitted, feeling a pang of guilt, but gritted his teeth as he tried to forget the look on her face as she lay dying on the floor.

  “Too bad for you, huh?” The scientist nodded toward a guard who was dressed in all black, a shield covered his features and a large gun was strapped to his back. When the man made a move toward him, Frank backed up, sweat beaded on his brow. “What’s going on?”

  “You are of no use to me,” the scientist said, not looking up from a pile of papers on his desk. “Take him to the back.”

  “Wait! I can get you more,” he promised.

  “Come with me,” the guard barked, taking Frank’s arm.

  “Wait,” he tried again, but the grip on his arm increased and he yelped from the pain of the masked man’s hold.

  Frank struggled as he was moved to a room in the back of the warehouse. His eyes frantically searched for a way out, but there was none. The guard pushed him into a room that was no more than twelve square feet. There was nothing except a drain in the floor and the thick iron door that closed with a deafening thud.

  When Frank spun around, the guard was there with his gun raised, pointing right between his eyes.

  “What have I done?” he whispered as the gun went off and Frank’s body slumped to the floor, his blood trailing to the drain.

  Chapter Four

  The pain was gone.

  Mary Grace opened her eyes and inhaled deep. There were scents all around her, but she zoned in on one scent that had been a constant since she’d fallen ill. She knew she’d been sick…almost dying, but somehow she had come out the other end okay. Whatever had happened to her was worse than any surgery she’d ever gone through.

  Warmth radiated up her arms and legs, centering in on her chest. She stretched and jerked when some residual pain caused her to
moan. She froze in place at the sound coming from her throat. It sounded different.

  So she did it again.

  A weird yowling sound came from her voice again and she wondered if maybe she’d lost her voice during all of those hours she had screamed.

  “Mary Grace,” a masculine voice whispered. She rolled her head to the side and was surprised to see Savage standing at the side of the bed. When she tried to ask him what was going on, something kept her from speaking. She tried again and her throat rumbled. What the hell?

  “I need you to stay very calm,” he began. A vibration started in her chest as her mind started drifting away. No, it was being pushed away. Whatever it was had a hold on her body and mind and Mary Grace was helpless against it. “Look at me.”

  Her eyes swung back in his direction and she stifled a sigh. Savage had always been the one that was out of reach and totally out of her league. His body was toned and muscular, tattoos painting his arms. His black hair hung over one side of his face as he leaned over the bed. She’d daydreamed often about pushing it out of his face so she could get a good look at his stunning ice blue eyes.

  “I found you at your house,” he continued. A memory tickled in the back of her mind, but whatever was pushing at her thoughts clouded what she was remembering. “You’d been stabbed, and you were dying.”

  Dying?

  Stabbed?

  “I had to save you,” he admitted, his voice cracking at the end.

  Wait! He had to save her? Save her from what?

  “I changed you,” he replied as if he’d read her mind. It took a second for what he was saying to sink into her muddled brain. “You are one of us now.”

  When Mary Grace looked down the length of her body, her human mind came alive. A gasp echoed in her head as she saw black fur and four paws. A long, black tail patted the bed in agitation. Oh my God! I’m one of them!

  “I’m so sorry,” he said, leaning forward to put his knee on the mattress. Mary Grace’s panther growled in warning. “I need you to change back, sweetheart.”