Resisting His Irish Spitfire: A Howls Romance (Shifters of Sanctuary Book 1)

by Kasey Belle

  Tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks as she sped down the highway. Ella willed them to stop but they kept coming. Why did he have to be so stubborn? Why did it have to hurt so much? Her vision wavered as fresh tears filled her eyes.

  A flash of dark appeared in her peripheral vision. Then next thing she knew a black and tan hound darted out in front of her. Ella swerved to miss the animal. The vehicle hit the shoulder of the road and she jerked the wheel. Ella screamed when she realized she over corrected and her SUV flipped. Her last thoughts were of Koda before she gave into the darkness.

  Chapter 9

  He hadn’t meant to blurt the whole I am your mate thing out, but damn it, when she mentioned another man, he became territorial and his anger kicked in. Then she made it worse when she asked why he hated her. He felt physical pain. The damage caused by the IED was a paper cut in comparison. It was as if a thousand knives shredded his insides and it obliterated all rational thought. The feelings he had for the spitfire walking away from him were far from hate. Adoration? Yes. Lust? Definitely. Love? Hell, yeah. Hate? Never.

  “Stop her,” his wolf ordered.

  Koda opened his mouth, but he couldn’t get a word past the lump in his throat. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Ella?”

  She didn’t verbally respond, but she did flip him off before her hand wrapped around the knob. She jerked the door open. Koda called out to her again. This time she ignored him completely. He hurried to the door and watched her stomp down the steps mesmerized by angry sway of her hips. Man, she had a great ass.

  “Dakoda! Stop lusting and start apologizing. She’s leaving us.”

  “You’re a coward, Dakoda Stone!” she yelled as she went to her SUV and wrenched the driver’s side door open. She placed her foot on the running board and paused pinning him with furious green gaze. “For the record, I fell in love with you the second I laid eyes on you… you… ass! I was willing to bide my time until I could break through that shell you cocooned yourself in because I saw you.” She sighed and her shoulders slumped. Tears filled her eyes. Goddess, just kill him now. “At least I thought I did. I thought you were more than enough, Koda. I thought you were everything.”

  Ella climbed into her vehicle and slammed the door. His wolf yelled at him again to stop her, but Koda’s feet refused to move stunned by the fact that she loved him. Had loved him this whole time. She started the ignition and slammed on the gas throwing dirt and gravel behind her as she sped down the drive.

  “Got after her,” his wolf ordered.

  Koda didn’t respond only rubbed his chest trying to quell the pain that ripped through him. He’d lost her. He didn’t know why it bothered him so much. This was the plan all along, but now that it finally happened? He couldn’t breathe.

  “Snap out of it. You heard her. She loves us. Always has. Despite your glowing personality and awesome attitude.” His wolf paced and growled. “My plan was perfect. You and your big mouth fucked this up. You need to make it right before it’s too late.”

  Koda shook his head. “I need to think.”

  “What is there to think about? She’s our mate. She loves us. You go to her, apologize, grovel if you have to, then make her ours. It’s that simple.”

  Koda snorted. “Nothing is simple where she is concerned.” He went back inside. The pain in his chest becoming worse as the distance between him and Ella grew.

  “Maybe not. Our mate is a delightfully complex woman, but she is not high-maintenance. A simple sincere gesture will win her back.”

  Koda dropped to the sofa and buried his face in his hands. He should have gotten rid of her that first day, it would have been easier. Now he didn’t know what to do. Maybe he should let her go. Let her find happiness with someone who didn’t have his issues. Koda hadn’t lied. She could live without him since they weren’t officially mated. However, his soul would never be whole again. He resigned himself to always feeling the emptiness her absence would cause.

  “Resigned? Fuck that. You’re wrong it wouldn’t have been easier. The bonding process started the moment we shared the same space. You know the rules same as I do. Our bond has only grown stronger. We will never be free of it, Koda. So, if you can’t find it in yourself to make this right, then put a gun in your mouth and pull the trigger. I would much rather a quick death, than the slow, agonizing one we face without her.”

  “Now, I have your permission? If you’d have been amenable five years ago, we wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

  “If I would have agreed we wouldn’t have met Ella. So what’s it gonna be? The coward’s way out or are you going to find your balls and go after our woman?”

  An hour later, Koda finally had a plan he felt had the lowest probability of getting him shot before he had the chance to grovel at his mate’s feet. He was on his way out the door to go in search of his pissed off spitfire when his cellphone rang. He glanced at the screen and frowned. He didn’t recognize the number and considered ignoring it afraid it would keep him from Ella, but something inside Koda urged him to take the call.

  He ran the pad of his thumb over the green phone icon. “Hello?”

  “Is this Dakoda Stone?”

  He groaned. Nothing good came from someone using his full name. “Yes,” he reluctantly responded.

  “This is Mary Wilkes. I’m a nurse at Providence Hospital.” His muscles tensed and his heart refused to beat for a few moments. He knew in his soul the woman called about his Ella. “Do you know Ella Quinn?”

  He grabbed his keys off the hook by the door and ran out the house. Sorrow and fear welled up inside him. Koda swallowed past the lump in his throat. “Why are you calling about Ella?”

  She ignored his question and asked, “What is your relationship with Ms. Quinn?”

  Koda blurted the first thing that came to mind that would ensure he would be allowed to see her. “She’s my fiancé.”

  “Ms. Quinn was in an accident. The paramedics on scene said she kept repeating your name. I found her cellphone in her pocket when we removed her clothes. I took a chance and looked up your contact information, hoping you were the Dakoda she mentioned.”

  “I am.” He started the ignition and threw the vehicle in reverse. “Is she alright? How badly is she hurt?”

  “When you arrive, go straight to the emergency room, and inform them you’re here.

  The drive to the hospital usually took thirty minutes, Koda made it in half the time and he’d stopped twice. Once, when he drove by the scene of the accident as the wrecker was attempted to right Ella’s SUV so it could be loaded on the car hauler. Second, when he pulled off the road to vomit when it hit him Ella’s accident had been a rollover and she could have died.

  Koda pulled into emergency parking and grabbed the first open spot. He exited his vehicle and realized he was in Physician’s Parking. Fuck it. They could tow it. He wasn’t moving. His mate needed him.

  He rushed through the doors and ran up to admittance desk. “Someone called me about my ma–. My fiancé. Ella Quinn. A Nurse? Shit.” What was her name? “Wilson?”

  “Wilkes?” The young man asked.

  “Yes, that’s it. She said Ella was in an accident and they brought here.” Koda tapped his fingers against the counter as the man looked up the information. The rapid clicking as the man used his keyboard grated on Koda’s nerves.

  “She is here. Give me a moment. I’ll call back and see what I can find out.” He picked up the phone said Ella’s name, made a few non-committal noises, and hung up. “The doctor is with her right now. Have a seat in the waiting area and someone will be out shortly.”

  “That’s it?” He had to be fucking kidding. Koda wasn’t going to sit and wait while his mate needed him. He eyed the double doors and the placard on each one deeming the area behind them restricted.

  “Sir? Don’t even think about it.” Oh, he was thinking about it, all right. “You can’t go back there, sir.” Koda frowned when the guy gave him a knowing smile. “You
aren’t the first loved one who wanted to circumvent the rules determined to overthrow the ER powers that be. I know you’re worried about your fiancé, but the best thing you can do for her is stay out of the way and let the medical staff do their job.” Compassion lit his expression. “I’ll let Nurse Wilkes know you’re here and see if I can get her to come out and give you an update on Ms. Quinn’s condition. All right?”

  Koda blew out a breath. He didn’t like it, but he didn’t want to impede Ella’s care either. He muttered a thank you.

  Koda sat in a chair away from everyone and dropped his head into his hands. He’d never been religious. Had never truly believed there was a being out there, not one who gave a shit, anyway. He prayed as if he were wrong. If there was a god or goddess watching over his mate, he wanted them to know how much she met to him and that he needed her to be okay. It felt like an eternity passed when someone finally called his name.

  Koda jumped to his feet and made his way over to a thin, older woman with spikey blond hair wearing aqua scrubs and sensible shoes. “I’m Dakoda Stone.”

  “Mary Wilkes. We spoke on the phone.” She shook his hand. “Come with me.”

  “Is Ella okay?”

  “She will be.” Koda relaxed somewhat. Her assurance made his fear subside a bit. Nurse Wilkes waved her badge over the security monitor on the wall and the doors opened automatically. He followed her down a long hallway. “We have her in Exam Room Eight until they have her room ready upstairs.”

  And just like that, fear for his mate roared back to life. “I thought she was okay?”

  Nurse Wilkes placed a compassionate hand on his forearm. “Doctor Hammond wants to keep her overnight for observation. She’ll explain Ella’s condition to you, but Ms. Quinn should make a full recovery.”

  Koda ground his teeth together. He didn’t want to wait for information. He needed to know what was going on with his mate. Now. Not later. He followed Nurse Wilkes to a closed door with the number eight posted above it. She pushed the door open and Koda froze at the sight that greeted him. Ella’s eyes were closed. Her porcelain skin looked even paler against the stark white sheets. She was hooked to an IV, had scrapes and bruising on the left side of her face, and her left wrist was in a splint. His strong, vibrant mate seemed so damned vulnerable and it filled Koda with rage aimed at himself. This was his fault.

  He edged closer to the bed. The nurse brought him a chair indicating he should sit then left him alone with his mate. Koda took Ella’s hand and kissed the back of it where the needle for the IV pierced her skin.

  Ella’s eyes fluttered open. He smiled when her gaze landed on him. “Koda?”

  “Hey, baby. You gave me quite a scare.”

  “What are you doing here?” Her brow furrowed as confusion marred her expression.

  “Where else would I be?” He brushed the hair from her forehead.

  “Um, anywhere but here with me?”

  Koda gave her a sad smile. Honestly, he didn’t blame her for questioning his motives. If he were in her position he would wonder, too. “What happened?”

  “Dog ran out in the road. I swerved.” She shrugged a shoulder and winced. “You know the ending.”

  Yeah, with Koda a hair’s breath away from losing his mate. “I’m sorry, Ella. I’m sorry I was a stubborn ass. I was wrong.” He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

  “Okay. So not a coward?”

  “Not anymore.” He chuckled. She’d never give him an inch. Which was another facet of her personality that made her perfect for him. “We have much to discuss. For now, believe me when I say this is where I want to be and you’re who I want to be with.”

  “Can we talk later? My head hurts.” She closed her eyes and burrowed her head into the pillow.

  “Of course, love. I’ll go get the nurse and ask her to give you something for the pain.”

  She cracked an eye open. “You’re coming back?”

  He nodded. “I’m not leaving you.” Not now. Not ever. He thought.

  Chapter 10

  “I didn’t see your shirt in the bag the nurse left with your personal items in it. I didn’t think you wanted to struggle with jeans and boots. You’re probably sore.” Koda held out a plastic grocery bag. “I bought you a sweatshirt, a pair those stretchy pants with the crazy designs all you women seem to favor, and flip-flops.”

  For a long moment, Ella stared at the white bag swinging from his fingers. He was starting to think he royally fucked up then her eyes went soft. “They’re called leggings. Thank you, Koda. I didn’t expect you to go to all that trouble, but I appreciate it.”

  He didn’t want her gratitude, but he acknowledged it anyway. She wasn’t yelling at him and he was pretty sure she was on her way to forgiving him. He didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize their progress by saying something stupid that would piss her off.

  “I noticed my shirt was missing.” She frowned marred her cute face. “I really liked that shirt. I vaguely remember them cutting it off me.”

  He set the bag on the end of the bed within her reach. “Maybe you can find one like it.”

  “Maybe.” She glanced at him from beneath her dark lashes. The purpling around her left temple and cheek was complete although some of the swelling had receded. Koda fought to keep the anger off his face. Her injuries were his fault. If he hadn’t been so fucking hardheaded and angry at the world, Ella would have been in his arms last night, not here. He reminded himself the accident could’ve been so much worse, then she wouldn’t be here at all. The mere thought made him want to double over in pain. He thanked whoever was listening that she was still with him.

  She reached out and took the bag clutching it to her chest. “Could you, um…?” She nodded towards the door.

  Koda glanced over his shoulder then looked at Ella. “You don’t need any help?”

  Pink tinged Ella’s cheeks, and she shook her head. “I’ll manage.”

  Koda fought the instinct to argue with her and nodded once. “I’ll wait outside for you. Call out if you need help.”

  Within just a few minutes, a nurse arrived with Ella’s discharge paperwork. She gave me a cursory nod before entering Ella’s room. Then an orderly arrived and parked a wheelchair outside her room before knocking. The nurse opened the door greeting the man with a smile. Movement behind her caught Koda’s attention. Ella. His mouth watered. Even battered and bruised his mate was hot as hell. The pants he’d chosen fit her like a second skin making him thankful the sweatshirt he bought her was a too large for her frame. He looked at her feet and grinned. The bright pink flip-flops matched the paint on her toes. His mate was a treasure. Tough as nails and feminine. A perfect combination.

  Ella glanced at the orderly then eyed the wheelchair belligerently. She shook her head. “I can walk.”

  The orderly smiled knowingly. Koda figured he’d heard this argument before. “Sorry, Miss. It’s hospital policy. I have to wheel you out.”

  Tension rose in the space between them. Stubborn pride rolled off his mate in waves. She raised that damn obstinate chin of hers. “I don’t want to sit in the chair nor do I want you to wheel me out―” She leaned in and read the employee badge clipped to the orderly’s shirt pocket. “―Dylan.”

  Dylan glowered. “You aren’t the first to object, Ms. Quinn. Problem is, if I don’t follow the rules I lose my job.”

  Ella snorted. Dylan was wasting his time playing the unemployment card. Koda rolled his eyes. “Allow me.” He motioned for Dylan to move aside. Koda stood toe-to-toe with Ella and leaned down. His nose barely a half-inch from hers. “It’s time to go home, Ella. Get in the damn chair so we can get the hell out of here.”

  She narrowed her eyes. He cocked his right eyebrow.

  “How about you use the manners your mother instilled in you, Koda?” his wolf chided. “Say please.”

  “Please,” he added through clenched teeth.

  “That had to hurt,” Ella deadpanned and blew out a breath. “F
ine, but I’m only agreeing because I don’t want to be here anymore. I’m hungry and the food sucks.”

  Koda didn’t bother hiding his mirth. She was so damned adorable when she pouted. “Of course, love.” He moved in behind the wheelchair and nodded at the seat.

  Ella’s mouth twisted before she muttered under her breath about stupid assholes and their rules, then questioned his and Dylan’s parentage. She sat down with a huff, placing her feet on the foot rests.

  Koda couldn’t resist teasing her. He placed his lips against her left ear, smirking when she shivered with awareness. “Wolves have excellent hearing and I definitely heard that, mate of mine.”

  A little growl emerged from her throat making him chuckle. He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek before shoving off. The orderly walked ahead of them, pushing the elevator button and triggering the automatic doors. They made the quick ride down to the lobby in complete silence. He wheeled Ella out the sliding entrance doors to the pickup area. He’d already parked his truck in the spot closest to the end so he wouldn’t hinder other patients and their loved ones.

  He pulled the chair up next to the passenger door placing a hand on Ella’s shoulder when she made a move to push herself out of the chair. “Stay seated, baby.”

  He opened the door of his truck then went to Ella and gently scooped her from the wheelchair. She clutched his shirt. “Put me down. I can walk.”

  “I like you where you are.” She felt perfect in his arms. He cradled her to his chest relishing the too brief moment before placing her on the passenger seat. He had the seatbelt secured around her before she could protest. He tossed her a playful wink and shut the door.

  Koda turned the chair over to Dylan. The young man sent a pointed look at Ella and wished Koda, “Good luck with that one.”

  He thanked Dylan, shaking his hand. Koda needed all the luck he could get when it came to his spitfire. He jogged around the hood to get in. Ella had placed her belongings on the floor board. Her sprained left wrist lay cradled by her right hand.