by Jessica Ryan
"If we just follow the river we'll be there in no time," he said. "No time at all."
"Alright, my big strong mate. Take me there."
All the pain in the world couldn't stop Hawk's eyes from landing on her ample rear end as she stood up, causing his groin to come alive again. His shoulder was on fire with pain, but his nether-regions were on fire for a different reason. He needed to rescue Leena so he could have his mate again. It was the only thing he could think about.
"Are you coming?" Ciara asked.
"I wish," he said, laughing and then grimacing as he stood.
"We have to get you healed up," she said, putting an arm around his waist. "If nothing else, so you'll have both arms to ravage me again."
"Oh, don't worry about that," Hawk promised. "It'll be on my mind for the rest of my life."
Chapter 26
Hawk needed to sit and gather his bearings for a bit, so Ciara was able to focus on the connection they had just established. It was a brand-new sensation, one she was fully unprepared for.
Once a friend had convinced her to go to a yoga class and she had loved it; unfortunately, she hadn't been able to afford it for very long. The one thing she retained from it, aside from her childlike giggling at the downward dog position, was the breathing techniques. Right now they were coming in handy due to the pain she was feeling in her shoulder.
Hawk was doing his part, trying to block out the pain and remain calm so she wouldn't feel it as much, but it was still there. It had subsided a bit since she had gotten used to the connection, but it was still more pain than she could bear. Her older brother had always called her a wuss and now she was beginning to believe him.
Breathe in, she thought. Wipe your mind clean and focus on the fresh, healing air that's moving through your body.
As she sat there she could feel the pain in her shoulder melting away as her mind became centered. Hopefully she was passing a little bit of this calming mojo on to Hawk, not that he needed it. Aside from the initial grunting and grabbing at his shoulder you wouldn't know he was injured at all.
Ciara, a voice said in her head. You're so close, Ciara. So close to me.
She tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn't open. Her mind had retreated into a meditative state. There was darkness flooding into her brain, ruining her sense of calm and making her feel so cold.
Leena? she asked, trying to reason with the voice.
So you know who I am? the voice responded.
Hawk has talked about you a lot.
Then you know that I'm close by. Why won't you come rescue me, Ciara?
We are.
I grow bored with this vessel. There's too much going on in the mind of a wolf. Your body, though, I think I would rather enjoy it.
Please, no.
Wouldn't that piss your mother off, though? It'd be the perfect revenge for all those years of harsh Christian parenting.
My mother did her best. She was only doing what she thought was right.
But she's the one who drove you to this. Without her influence you might still be in school making the good grades. Without her sheltering you probably wouldn't have felt the need to drink so heavily. You wouldn't have felt the need to stuff every hole in your body with a random dick.
Stop saying that. That's not how it was.
Oh, I think it was, Ciara. I can help you with that. Allow me to have those pretty little curves and I'll take you to places you never thought possible.
No.
We'll finally have revenge on mommy dearest. Imagine the massive heart attack she'd have when she found out her little girl had been possessed by a demon. Imagine!
No.
We'll have our revenge on that cheating ex-boyfriend of yours, too. His car was nothing. Why don't we cut his dick off and set it on fire? Wouldn't that be wonderful? After that we'll find the bitch he cheated with, and make her pay.
No.
And what about this Hawk guy? Where does he get off? You didn't ask to be connected to him, did you? Now you're in pain, thanks to him. These wolves aren't meant for humans or demons. They're too complicated. Do you really want to be bonded to this guy for life? He trusts you, Ciara. It'd be so easy to finish him off. He's not paying attention. One shove and he goes over the cliff.
"No!" Ciara shouted, her eyes flying open. She grabbed at her head, pulling up fistfuls of hair as she began to shake violently. "Fuck you! No! No! No! No! No! No!"
"Ciara, stop!" Hawk said, trying to wrangle her with his one good arm. "Please calm down!"
As she flailed frantically, one of her hands shot forward, slamming into Hawk's damaged shoulder. He grunted in pain and gritted his teeth as the searing fire returned to her shoulder, stopping her breakdown dead in its tracks.
"Was it her?" Hawk asked, pain evident in his voice. "Was it Leena?"
"It's not Leena," Ciara said through gritted teeth. "It's what's inside her."
"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, rising to his feet.
Ciara stood with him, ready to hurry on to Beorn's cabin. She couldn't wait anymore; Leena had to be stopped.
"She wants me," Ciara said, her eyes meeting Hawk's. "She's tired of Leena. She wants to leave Leena's body and possess me."
"No," Hawk said. The word had been said so much in the last minute that it had lost all meaning to Ciara. "I won't allow it."
"She's trapped right now, Hawk, but she said we're close. She's going to come for me when she's released."
"She's bluffing. She's trying to scare you and me, divide us."
"I felt it, Hawk, more than I ever have. Now that the connection is open, I can feel it in a way not even you can. She's coming for me."
"I won't let her. It's not going to happen."
"What can you do to stop it?"
"I don't know," he said, shaking his head. "But I've claimed you. The demon cannot have you."
"I hope you're right."
"I'm always right."
Ciara could feel the conviction behind those words. He wasn't being cocky; he was absolutely sure of himself. It was a small reassurance, because she knew a werewolf was no match for a demon. She didn't know anything about demons beyond Hollywood movies and books, but she had to believe that they were more powerful than a single werewolf. Still, the hard line of Hawk's jaw and the darkness in his eyes told her that he was deadly serious and confident in his ability to stop her. She felt reassured for now.
"Let's go," he said, stomping forward towards the river. "We'll find the bear and then we'll find Leena."
"Your shoulder," she said, chasing after him. "We have to fix that first."
"Beorn can set it and I'll use my shirt as a sling," he said, his eyes fixed on the path ahead. She hadn't seen Hawk march with this much determination since she had first met him. There was no stopping her alpha. The demon would not have her body.
Chapter 27
The sun was high in the sky, signaling high noon. The closer they had gotten to Leena the more the time anomaly became apparent. The evil's influence was strange and erratic; it was something Hawk didn't relish meeting face to face.
At the same time he knew that everything was leading to this meeting. As he walked he glanced back at his mate. She was pumping her short legs as fast as she could, trying to keep up with him and his long stride. He wanted to slow down and give her a chance to rest, but he couldn't. Her human body needed nourishment as fatigue began to set in. She hadn't eaten in two days, but again he couldn't stop. She could eat at Beorn's cabin as he moved on to his destiny.
Hawk wondered if she would even let him go. Would she try to stop him? Due to the emotional bond, she knew acutely what he was walking into. She had spoken with Leena; she knew what the demon had in store. His mate had to be worried he wasn't coming back, but he was. He had never been more sure of anything in his entire life. Nothing would stop him from returning to his mate, not even hell's armies.
"Are we almost there?" Ciara huffed, obviously out of breath.
"Yes," he said.
"How long will it take us to get back to town from Beorn's place?" she asked.
"Less than a day."
"But it took us two days to get here!"
"That was due to Leena's influence and the time anomaly."
"What if she screws with us on the way home?"
Hawk stopped and gave her a deadly look, his eyes like daggers piercing through Ciara's.
"She won't."
Ciara looked at him, her face hardening as she fed off his determination. She nodded and kept walking, doing her best to keep up.
It had been an hour since they had walked away from the cliff and his adrenaline was beginning to fade, leaving him in great pain. His shoulder wouldn't numb; instead, a dull pain had begun. It was like a drum in his shoulder being pounded in time with a very slow marching song. Each time his foot came down the drum master hammered a meaty fist into the drum, sending ripples over the surface of the drum. He grimaced with each step, trying to block out the pain and ignore it all.
Unfortunately there was no salvation where he was going, nothing to heal his pain. Instead, he was going to drop Ciara off, fill his belly and then walk into the mouth of hell, bad shoulder and all.
As they rounded a bend in the river he heard Ciara cry out with joy. Sprawling out before them was the bear's home. A three-foot-tall wooden fence surrounded the property, more for decoration than to keep any intruders out. Beorn did not fear any intruders; most shifters didn't fear anything, and bears feared even less. Behind the fence was a large yard with a garden growing various vegetables taking up most of the space. Beorn had cleared the trees around his property, allowing the sun to shine down on his home. Compared to the darkness of the forest it was like heaven itself was shining a light on Ciara's salvation… but not Hawk's.
The bear's house was made of logs, a perfect log cabin in the wilderness. Behind that was a shed that appeared to be filled with gardening equipment and even a lawnmower. Hawk smiled for the first time in a long time as he thought about Beorn, completely shifted, pushing the lawnmower around his property. It might be the last funny thought he'd ever have, but he intended for it not to be.
"It's like the three bears' cabin," Ciara said, the smile still not leaving her face. "It's wonderful. I wish I had blonde hair now."
Hawk got her reference; he was familiar with the children's story. It had always bothered him, though. If a human girl barged into a real werebear's home and robbed him, she would find herself on the fast track to becoming dinner. But that wouldn't make a very good children's book.
"Who goes there?" a voice boomed through the yard.
Ciara yelped and jumped, diving behind Hawk. He stood his ground, unafraid of what the werebear would do. He had faced down enough threats over the last two days to no longer fear the powerful shifter.
"It is I," Hawk said, trying to sound as official and confident as possible. "The alpha wolf Hawk of Bucklin."
A figure, obscured by shadow, appeared from behind the cabin. He was taller than any man Hawk had ever met, almost reaching the bottom of the eaves.
"I told you to come alone! Why have you defied my order?" Beorn called out, still not coming forward.
"This is Ciara, a human and my new mate. I found her in the forest, alone and pursued by a wild wolf."
"This story matters not to me! I left strict instructions with Rowan!"
"Look, Beorn," Hawk said, quickly losing his patience. "Can we just cut all of this theatrical bullshit? I'm sorry I didn't come alone, but it couldn't be helped. I need your help to find the girl and get out of here. I'm injured, she's hungry and fatigued, so let's just get on with it."
Beorn exploded around the corner, stomping up to Hawk and stopping just a foot away from him. He had to lean over to look Hawk in the eyes, his large brown eyes focusing on the smaller wolf. His face was contorted with rage; it was even obvious behind his bushy beard. He could have crushed Hawk's head with one of his catcher's-mitt-sized hands, but instead he just balled them up into fists at his waist.
"How dare you speak to me like that, little man," he spat. Hawk turned to avoid the spittle that was flying at him while Ciara gripped the hand on his good arm even tighter. "You have a lot of balls to do that."
"I don't have any choice," Hawk said. "This is life or death. I'm here to do something about the problems you've been having in your territory. Please help us help you."
He was trying to be as diplomatic as possible with the angry bear, but it was difficult with the extreme rage he was feeling at the moment. The only thought that consumed him was getting to Leena's prison and fixing this thing once and for all.
His wolf stalked just below the surface, growling and gnashing his teeth at the thought of someone trying to steal his mate away. Hawk could barely contain the beast's rage right now. The animal had spent so long being repressed, it was about to consume his entire mind if he did not give it the vengeance it so desperately sought.
Beorn continued to stare down at the smaller man, his eyes traveling over Hawk's entire body. Even behind his bushy beard Hawk could see his jaw set taut. The veins in his neck looked like caterpillars underneath his skin.
As the bear's eyes landed on Hawk's they stopped their scan and waited, as if he was looking beyond Hawk's eyes into his soul. Surprisingly, Beorn's expression softened and seemed to relax, his jaw unclenching and the strained muscles in his neck unflexing.
"You're injured," Beorn said after several more moments of silence.
"I suffered a small injury while climbing to get here," Hawk answered, not taking his eyes off Beorn's.
"Why on earth would you climb up here?" Beorn said, a look of confusion appearing on his face. "That was stupid of you."
"We ended up close to the river," Hawk answered.
"That is not the best way to get to my place from Bucklin. You know there are plenty of easier paths through the forest. I thought you were a smarter wolf than this, Hawk. Perhaps you are not the wolf Aster should have chosen to make this trip. I am doubting your ability to find this girl and rid my territory of your sneaky wolves."
Hawk had to smirk a little. He couldn't help it—the bear was probably the most honest and blunt person he had ever met. It was refreshing in the world of diplomacy he had come from as an alpha.
"Do you not feel it, Beorn?" he asked.
"You answer me with a question?" Beorn looked offended. "I don't play games like this, wolf."
"Very well," Hawk said, rolling his eyes. "You don't feel the evil? I have felt it the entire time I have been in the forest. It has gotten stronger the closer I have gotten to you. Ciara is my mate and she has established the emotional bond all true mates feel. She also feels it."
Beorn moved his head to look around Hawk, glaring at Ciara, who shrunk away. Hawk's wolf demanded to be released, wanting him to shift and tear the bear apart for looking at his mate like that. It took everything Hawk had to control the desperate beast. Perhaps he had made a mistake denying his wolf all these years; everything was coming to a head at the worst possible time.
"It's true," Ciara said, finding more of her courage the longer the bear looked at her. "The evil clouded our minds and got us lost in the forest."
"A one-day trip turned into two and a half," Hawk said, and Beorn turned to look at him again. "We got turned around and ended up behind you."
"I will admit I have felt on edge recently," Beorn said. The bear stood there, rubbing his bushy beard as he turned an idea over in his head. Finally the light bulb went on and he snapped his massive fingers. "Ever since your wolves started appearing in my territory."
"They are traitors," Hawk said, spitting on the ground in anger. "The Oakdale pack has betrayed Bucklin and kidnapped our greatest enemy's mate."
"I always knew Forrest was a dangerous one," Beorn said, laughing. "He wasn't much for city living."
"I'm not sure it's funny," Hawk said.
"It is to me," Beorn replied, still grinning an
d shaking his head. "You wolves and your pack problems. You're all so petty, and tiny."
He heard Ciara snort with laughter behind him. His wolf roared with jealousy that another man could make his mate laugh like that, but Hawk still restrained him.
"Forrest kidnapped Leena, who is Abaddon's mate," Hawk continued. "You've heard of him, right?"
"Abaddon? The demon wolf who caused you so much trouble?" Beorn asked. "Yeah, I've heard of him. I do visit your town every now and then when I need supplies."
"Yes, you do that," Hawk said, trailing off. Most merchants hated it when Beorn came to town. He was rude, loud and obnoxious. He always tried to haggle for a discount and walked down the street like he owned the town. There were no laws against being an asshole, though, so nobody could do anything about it.
Aster and Rowan were convinced he was lonely and needed a mate. Most bears got crankier the older they got, feeling the need to spread their seed and produce offspring. Hawk wasn't so sure it was that; he just thought Beorn was a grade-A jackass.
"Get on with your story, wolf," Beorn said. "The longer you stand here flapping your gums, the less time there is for you to be on your way."
Hawk grabbed at his head, trying to make sense of what the bear had said. Finally he just moved on.
"Listen, Beorn. We have very good reason to believe Abaddon is possessed by a demon. He came to town before because my father was a member of his gang. My father returned to get my mother and me. My grandma refused to give me up and I didn't want to go. While he was in town, Abaddon took control and decided he needed a mate. The only way to get rid of him was to give him his mate."
"You sacrificed this Leena?" Beorn looked disgusted with Hawk's story.
"I did not," Hawk said, shaking his head. "My blame lies somewhere else, not warning people about the oncoming storm. My father was in town three days before Abaddon and the rest of the gang arrived. I knew they were coming and I said nothing."
"Your petty guilt is not my concern," Beorn said, crossing his arms. "Continue."
Hawk's wolf snapped and barked, wanting to rip the bear apart. Luckily Hawk's human brain stayed in control, knowing he had no shot against the bear.
