The wolf glanced back at her, painful gratitude sparking in his eyes for the chance at revenge and peace.
With a deep howl, he launched himself down the tunnel. Water surged as the wolf dissolved into a liquid devil.
Jacob swore and dove down the nearest passageway.
“He’s dead?”
“Quite. I doubt he will be freed from this place for some time.” Even as she spoke, a dozen more wraiths emerged from the walls. A chill swirled in the air, brushing against them. As one, they turned to Shayla.
Aiden growled deep in his throat. “Mine.”
A terrible scream echoed from the depths of the dungeon. Malice gleamed in their eyes, and they charged down the tunnel after their prey.
Aiden turned and carried her outside.
When they emerged, Shayla was surprised at the quiet. Then the whomp-whomp of a chopper sounded through the dark, its lights circling an area a few miles south. Aiden lowered her, gently setting her on her feet. “That would be the other alphas.”
His face shut down, the Neanderthal back in control. Shayla pulled away, hating the distance she felt growing between them. Awkwardness crept up on her, and she shivered from more than just the cold. “What does that mean?”
He smiled, grabbed her hand, and dragged her close. “That I’ll be able to focus all my attention on you.”
Shayla swallowed at his intensity. She wanted that. She wanted him so much she turned away to conceal the sting in her eyes.
The area around the ruined castle had lost the peaceful quality that had so attracted her initially. The flowers had been ripped up, the earth a giant wound. That’s when she noticed the absolute silence.
“Aiden?”
He raised a finger to his lips and cocked his head as if listening to something on a level that she couldn’t hear. Shayla nodded and stepped closer, searching the inky darkness for what disturbed her.
That’s when she saw the first body.
She rushed forward, when Aiden seized her arm. “Wait. We have to stay together.”
She nearly jumped out of her skin at his touch. Now that she knew what to look for, she counted at least five humans and two wolves. They lay so still, she couldn’t even tell if they were breathing. “Are they dead?”
Aiden knelt at the nearest body, checking for vitals. A brutal hole pierced the shoulder, and a muscle jumped in Aiden’s jaw. “Not yet, but they will be soon if we don’t remove the bullets.”
Aiden ran a nail along the wound and a line of blood welled from the cut. He dug his finger into flesh, and time slowed to a crawl before he finally pulled out a little piece of metal. A wisp of smoke rose from his fingers, and Aiden dropped the bullet. “Silver.”
Shayla hurried toward the next person, shoving the man’s shoulders to roll him on his back. That’s when she recognized the body stretched out so silent and still.
“Lassie?”
A small growl, barely louder than a breath of air, rose from the man. His opened his eyes a fraction, the bright green of his wolf peering out at her. That sound quieted when he saw her.
“I need to get the bullet out.” At his nod, she tugged aside his shirt. Blood oozed from the small puncture wound high on his shoulder. Shayla gave him an agonized look, panic tightening her throat at all the blood. “I don’t have a knife. I lost it.”
Lassie reached up, fumbling as if his hands didn’t quite work, and slashed a diagonal cut across the wound. “You’ll have to dig it out.”
The croaked demand made her jump. With hands more steady than she’d have thought possible, she plunged her finger into the wound. The shocking heat caused her stomach to lurch alarmingly. She almost gave up, almost pulled away, but the harsh reality was that if she did, she would be the one responsible for killing him.
Gritting her teeth, Shayla delved deeper, trying not to dwell on the fact that she had her fingers in her friend’s shoulder. Worse was the way he just lay there and allowed her to torture him. All without a sound. She saw Aiden move efficiently from one body to the next. Determined to get it over as quickly as possible, Shayla ignored the gush of blood that pulsed around her finger and pushed deeper until something hard met her fingertip. Getting a grip on it took longer, and she winced in sympathy when she finally worked the small bit of metal free from his flesh.
“Thank you. For not giving up on my brother. For saving my life.”
Shayla squeezed his arm and dropped the bullet on the grass. “Jacob is dead. Who would’ve done this?”
She couldn’t tear away her attention away from the injury, fascinated to see the dribble of blood slow, then stop.
“Silver is poison, almost like a paralytic when it’s lodged near major organs. If not removed, our bodies will shut down. After a time, we can’t heal the damage.”
“You’ll—”
“Be fine in an hour or so.” He gave her a small smile, but the ordeal had exhausted him, and his eyes slid shut as he fell unconscious.
The sound of a bullet being racked into a chamber made Shayla instinctively hunch over Lassie. A much-too-familiar shape emerged from the darkness, dodging around the tumbled-down walls of the castle.
Her nutty priest.
“You. Why?” Conscious of Aiden behind her, Shayla stood, using her body to shield him as best she could. A wild fear grabbed her throat that she might lose him just when she had everything she’d dreamed of within her grasp.
“I believe your man said it best. I found you first. You’re mine. I’m not going to let someone else take you from me.”
Shayla blanched, only now understanding that the man was completely insane. “How did you get free?”
“Everyone was so busy, I just walked out.” The priest smirked, his grip tightening on the weapon.
With a sudden certainty, Shayla knew he was going to kill Aiden.
The priest couldn’t allow him to live and risk him come after them.
Fear swelled, held her immobile in its icy grip, leaving her helpless to do anything.
Without warning, he lifted the rifle and fired.
“No!”
The report boomed in her ears. The necklace pulsed a bright green, breaking the spell of fear, and she moved faster than she ever had in her life. The world around her blurred. Time slowed as she ran toward Aiden.
For a second, nothing happened.
She pushed harder, dread constricting her chest as she waited for Aiden to crumple to the ground. For a bullet to steal everything from her.
Then something slammed into her shoulder.
Shayla stumbled to a halt.
“You foolish girl, what have you done? You ruined everything.” Shayla heard the gun drop with a clank and feet scurrying away.
A roar of denial shattered the air.
Shayla stared blankly at Aiden as he rushed toward her, and she realized she’d been shot.
There was no pain yet, but it would come, relentless and unforgiving. A dribble of blood trickled down to the small of her back, the heat of it shocking.
Then she was in Aiden’s arms.
“Why would you do that? I would’ve healed.” He clutched her to him as her legs folded out from underneath her. Shayla smiled up at his gruffness, her fingers brushing over his anguished face to soothe away the terror.
“Liar. I couldn’t take that chance.”
“I need to see the wound.” But he couldn’t move.
Shayla nodded. “I’m fine. Do it.”
He nodded, but it took him another second to finally snap into action. He gently turned her, tearing a groan from her despite her best effort to stifle it against his shoulder. Material ripped as he tore her shirt clear down the back. The bullet meant for his heart had hit her high in the shoulder. Blood continued to trail down her delicate skin, the puddle growing at an alarming rate.
She’d never make it back to the castle in time.
He leaned back and tipped up her face. “I need to get that bullet out.”
Shayla grimaced.
“I understand.”
“What do you need me to do?” Lassie had crawled over to them, his face alarmingly pale, but he was healing.
Aiden’s stomach burned for vengeance, but he had other priorities. “Save as many men as you can. Then I want you to hunt down that bastard and eliminate every trace of him.”
The man was gone in seconds.
Aiden shredded the edges of his plaid, his hands shaking so badly he nearly dropped it twice as he worked to create a thick pad. He pressed the sharp tip of his claw against her shoulder but couldn’t make the cut, couldn’t bear to cause her any more pain.
“Damn it, do it already.”
He snorted, took a deep breath and did as instructed. Her body jolted as he sliced into her flesh. She muffled a scream behind her clenched teeth and clutched at his arm.
All his senses were focused on her until the world around them faded. When he probed for the bullet, her heartbeat fluttered alarmingly in her chest, and her breathing grew raspy as she started to lose consciousness.
Aiden pulled back and turned his arm until it was under her lips. “Bite down.”
Shayla recoiled from him. “You’ve already lost too much. I—”
“Do not argue with me. Bite.” Aiden used his anger to push power into the command. Her teeth sank into his forearm, and he welcomed the pain, gently pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Though not at full power, my blood will help you heal.”
When she’d taken two weak swallows, he probed for the bullet again. Her back bowed at the intrusion. A strangled scream was torn from her, then she blessedly fell unconscious. He paused for a second, not even breathing, as he listened to her heartbeat. Reassured by the sound, he ruthlessly dug out the bullet and pressed the pad against the wound. For the first time in decades, he didn’t know what else to do. There was no strategies to work, no enemy to fight.
She needed expert medical help.
James and the chopper were her best bet.
Aiden lifted Shayla and cradled her against him, stricken to see her so still and silent. Careful to not jar the wound, he ran.
* * *
They were being followed by his pack. Any time they ventured too close, Aiden bared his fangs in warning. No one else was allowed to touch her. He grounded her in the living world. If he let go of her for even one second, he feared the link connecting them would snap, and she’d be forever beyond his reach.
The chopper came into view, the blades whirling as it readied for takeoff. If they left, Shayla was as good as dead. He pushed his wolf to his limits, then asked for more. Panic threatened to consume him at the thought of not being enough, and his wolf gave a mournful howl.
Everyone halted at once and turned in his direction.
The chopper was crowded with the most critically injured. No one spoke as he approached. Two injured men took one look at the precious cargo in his arms and slipped out of the aircraft to make room.
Aiden jumped into the chopper with her in his arms, stopping the last man. “The alphas?”
The injured young man gestured behind them. “In the tunnels, getting the rest of the people out and collecting the bodies.”
Aiden turned and spied James busily examining the injured. Aiden gave a piercing whistle to get his attention.
The doctor lifted his head. When he spied Shayla, he said a quick word to the man next to him, and hurried forward. “What happened?”
“She’d been shot.” Aiden reached out of the chopper, jerking James clear off his feet and depositing him none to gently next to them. “Take us back to the castle.”
The pilot did as commanded, the aircraft lifting from the ground in under a minute.
James knelt and took charge. “I’ll need to see the wound.”
Aiden tucked Shayla tighter against him, burying his face in the curve of her neck, presenting James with her injury. The beat of her heart steadied him, the tangy scent of her calming his beast enough for him to stay human.
“The bullet’s out. The cut is clean, the extraction a little sloppy, but the injury should heal.”
Aiden rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, unable to bear any form of separation. “Then why isn’t she awake?”
James sighed and rubbed his temple. “She spent herself. She’s exhausted. Combined with her injury, it’s overloaded her system.”
“She will not die.” A snarl curled his lips. Fangs burst from his gums. The doctor didn’t so much as flinch as he studied the change.
“It’s up to her body. Our biggest concern is to make sure infection doesn’t set into her shoulder. If we can regulate any fever, she’ll pull through. If it spikes too high, chances are slim that she’ll ever wake.”
Chapter Thirty
Three days had passed, and Aiden was going out of his mind. Fever burned through Shayla despite everything they’d done to prevent it.
And nothing they’d tried had any effect.
His fingers tightened around her hand. He couldn’t allow himself to think he might lose her now after all they’d survived. His wolf rested under his skin, hunkered down and motionless, willing her to open those gorgeous blue eyes.
His life before her had been a hollow imitation of living. He’d just gone through the motions for his pack.
He couldn’t go back to that.
He hadn’t showered or shaved, hadn’t slept, too afraid to leave her side lest she slip away when he wasn’t there to prevent it. Trays of food were left and removed untouched. He’d lived through the passing of his first wife, but he wouldn’t be able to go on as if nothing happened if Shayla never woke up.
He now understood why his father left when his mother died. That thought of life without Shayla was unbearable.
She couldn’t die on him.
He wouldn’t allow it.
He stared at her lying motionless on the bed, and his resolve hardened. He’d do whatever was required to bring her back, consequences be damned.
“I know what you’re thinking, and you can’t risk it.”
“Cam.” Aiden didn’t turn, hadn’t even heard the other man enter. He rubbed a hand down his face. “It’s not your decision.”
“She has to give consent. You know the dangers. It’s why you created the rules.”
“You’re worried about me. Don’t be.” The mating bond was the only way to save her. Her injuries were so severe, the risk of her dying from them was infinitely worse than any trouble that arose from taking her as his mate without her consent.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
Aiden whirled, shaking with rage. “That man had been stalking Shayla for months. He followed her across the globe. That should’ve been enough warning, but I brushed him off as a nuisance, too focused forcing her to find our men to notice that she was in serious danger.”
Cam walked toward the fire, giving Aiden and the bed wide berth. “You couldn’t have known.”
“It was my fucking job to know!” The roar echoed around the room.
“Your recent imprisonment has weakened you. Her injuries will only make claiming her harder. The longer you can wait, the better it would be for the both of you.”
The dream he harbored of courting her for a year or two, giving her time to adjust to this new world, shattered around him. “She’s worth the risk. I’ve waited too long already. She’ll die if I do nothing.”
“And take you with her.”
Aiden had no qualms about dying. There was no worthier cause to his mind. He’d risked his life for less. Now that it mattered most, he was terrified down to his bones that it wouldn’t be enough.
There was only one mate for him. She was his perfect match. There would never be anyone else.
“What if she comes to despise you for binding her to you? You’ll have to live with that forever.”
Aiden shrugged. He’d rather have her hate him for the rest of their long lives than allow her to die. He’d ensure her safety from the shadows while she lived a full and happy life. She’d ne
ver have to know. When she died, he would bury himself in his wolf until he could forget everything that he’d lost, forget that he’d ever been human. “Everyone I have ever touched has eventually come to hate me. I’ll have decades to change her mind and make her fall in love with me.”
Cam didn’t speak for a long moment. “How do you know she’s the one?”
“I didn’t. Not in the beginning. She picked me.” Aiden rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, his lips kicking up for a brief second. “My wolf recognized her first. Chose her.” He nodded toward the bed. “She wears the necklace.”
No one could argue with that.
“If it was your mate, what would you do?”
“Change her.” Cam’s answer was immediate. Simple and straightforward. “When do you plan to proceed?”
Aiden straightened, the bones of his spine cracking. “Tonight. Neither of us can afford to wait longer. She’s stopped healing; the bond is her only chance for survival.”
“If it doesn’t kill her.”
Chapter Thirty-one
The last time Aiden had been this nervous was while waiting for his first shift. When he was going to learn if he’d be able to shift at all. Only this was much worse. Now that he made his decision, restless energy jittered through him.
He finished his hasty shower, shaved and nicked himself in the process while trying to watch Shayla in the mirror instead of the blade.
Cam had stayed to stand guard over Shayla. If anything went wrong, he was a strong enough alpha that he could feed her energy long enough for Aiden reach her side.
Aiden struggled to pull his shirt over his head, the T-shirt feeling two sizes too small. When he was finally covered, he hesitated entering the other room. Not that he’d changed his mind. No, it was because after today everything would be different.
And that scared the bejeesus out of him.
He’d never claimed anyone before, never even crossed his mind after his first failed attempt at romance. He wanted Shayla so much that being away from her was a physical ache.
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