Coveted

by Stacey Brutger

  A knock on the bedroom door propelled Aiden into action. He left the bathroom in time to see Duncan enter with a tray of food.

  Aiden didn’t want either alpha near Shayla. It drove him nuts to know that she would be better off choosing one of them. They were both better men. He’d always been the defender. Physical and aggressive.

  To him, women were alien creatures, best to avoid when you encountered them. They loved that romance shit, and he had no experience to draw from to woo Shayla the way she deserved.

  But he could try.

  If everything went as planned, he’d have years to practice.

  Not that Shayla seemed to mind his fumbling attempts. She gave as good as she got in most of their exchanges, even besting him at times. She was his perfect match. He just had to prove it to her once she woke.

  Aiden ate perfunctorily, watching for any sign of improvement in Shayla’s condition.

  There was none.

  All that lovely vitality was muted, fading as she pulled further and further away.

  Neither alpha had left, loitering around his room, casting glances at him that put him on edge. He wanted them away from Shayla, hated for them to see her so vulnerable. “Say it.”

  Duncan straightened and gave him a nod of respect. “I wanted to wish you well. You’re a lucky bastard.”

  For the space of a second, the shell around the playboy bachelor cracked, revealing such naked yearning the air pulsed with his pain. Then it was gone. Without another word, he turned on his heel and left.

  Aiden had expected Duncan to try and talk him out of the bonding. Most wolves craved a mate. The older they got, the harder it was to contain the wolf. Harder to remain human. He’d never suspected that the other alphas weren’t faring any better.

  All of them were just going through the motions, barely holding it together for the sake of the pack.

  “I envy you. Even if—” Cam’s jaw tightened, as if he couldn’t force himself to say the words, “—things don’t go as planned, you found your mate. You got an opportunity that most of us can only dream about.” Cam didn’t spare him a glance as he stared at the bed. Aiden wasn’t even sure he saw Shayla. For the first time since they were children, there was now a tiny spark of hope for their future. With one last nod, he left, too.

  Aiden finished the tasteless food. He prowled the room, his body twitching with the need to work off the tension. Helplessness was slowly driving him insane.

  He couldn’t fuck this up.

  He glared at the door, frustration building like an itch under his skin. If the doctor didn’t get his arse there soon, he’d have him hunted down and dragged there. With every second that passed, Shayla slipped further beyond his reach. The sense of time closing in on him spread until his animal pressed his claws into his chest, urging him to hurry.

  Aiden welcomed the pain. It gave him something to focus on other than the uncertain future. His knuckles cracked, and the primal urge to mate her swamping his every cell. Against his will, his teeth lengthened at the thought of giving her the bite that would mark her as his. Arousal burned through his system until all he could smell was Shayla.

  Even unconscious, she had the power to lure him closer like a tug of a leash on his soul. He stood next to the bed, shaking with the restraint to not snatch her up in his arms and demand that she stay with him by the force of his will alone. He mourned that she was not awake to experience the thrill of the mating ritual with him, but part of him was secretly glad not to give her the option. He couldn’t take the risk that she might not choose him. She’d confessed her love, but never once asked for more.

  The last mating to a Beloved was centuries ago. Though all wolves were taught the steps in the mating process, Aiden couldn’t recall a single mated couple who was still alive to ask for advice.

  There remained only a small window of opportunity to complete the process.

  In her deteriorating condition, there would be no second chances.

  Aiden tucked a strand of hair behind Shayla’s ear, allowing his fingers to trail across the smooth skin along her jaw.

  “I hope you didn’t start without me.” James hustled into the room with two large medical cases, his expression harried, his composure a little frayed around the edges.

  Aiden jerked back from Shayla, locking his hands behind his back to keep from touching her again. “You’re late.”

  “One of your men had an issue with staying alive.” James glanced up from digging through a case of medical supplies, as if daring Aiden to take issue. “I’m here now. Explain to me what’s going to happen.”

  Aiden wanted to refuse. It was pack business, not anything they’d ever shared with outsiders. He unclenched his teeth. He needed the human to ensure that Shayla survived.

  “Let me get this out of the way first. She dies, you die. Do I make myself clear?”

  “No need for threats.” James straightened, his face completely earnest. “I’ll do everything in my power to protect her.”

  Aiden was betting her life on it.

  “This will require a series of bites, each of which has to be timed exactly, to forge a connection and not harm the female. The first bite is the least dangerous. It’s a simple bite bestowed by the wolf, more of a pledge. If the beast accepts her offering, her blood will help me build a foundation for the connection.”

  No connection, no mate.

  It was a failsafe for the couple. It took total control and commitment to take a mate. The connection was supported completely on the male side, and prevented wolves not strong enough from going any further.

  James narrowed his eyes as if sensing there was something not being said. “So there is no danger?”

  Aiden pursed his lips. “The wolf can refuse the woman and it ends there. The decision would be final. In some cases with young wolves, the taste of blood can trigger bloodlust in their beast. If they lose control, they could maul or even rip out the throat of their loved one before their human side can stop them.”

  James didn’t reply, but removed a vial of clear liquid and a needle from his bag. He slowly filled the syringe and walked toward the bed. It was all Aiden could do not to flash his teeth and block access to Shayla.

  James lifted his chin, showing not one ounce of fear as he gestured toward the bed. “If you show any signs of wolfing out, I’ll fill you up with enough drugs to drop you and disappear with her so completely you’d never find us.”

  His wolf threw his weight against Aiden’s chest, frantic to break free to kill the bastard who’d threatened to take what was theirs. His senses sharpened until he heard the staccato pace of the doctors heart, saw the pulse hammer away at the base of his throat.

  It was a physical effort to pull back his wolf.

  To remain human.

  It gratified him to see James’s eyes widen, but the man had the balls not to back down.

  “How long before we know if it works?”

  Aiden rubbed his jaw. “The connection should snap into place within hours. Only once it’s secured can we proceed to the second bite.” What he didn’t say was that it usually took place during sex. The desire to consummate the relationship would only increase as the connection between them strengthened.

  “And what does the second bite do, exactly?”

  “Normally, the she would sample my blood, taking enough to trigger a change in her body and force her to heal. She already took some of my blood. It’s what kept her alive and the infection away for three days, but it’s wearing off. We have one advantage. We know she’s compatible. It will make the exchange easier on her.”

  “So she’ll heal like the other wolves. The change will be on a cellular level.” He spoke more to himself, then his eyes sharpened on Aiden. “How long?”

  “She won’t become a wolf, but her system undergoes a series of alterations. She’ll become healthier, stronger and faster, her senses heightened. She’d become more aggressive and benefit from the same healing abilities; it will just tak
e her a bit longer.”

  It would connect them on a deeper level as well. Increase the need for them to be near one another. His blood would combine his life force with hers, granting them a chance to grow old together.

  “The second bite can take a full day to take effect, or fail if the original connection isn’t strong enough.” Aiden was confident they wouldn’t have that problem. He’d wanted her, human and all, since he’d first laid eyes on her. From the way she sought his touch, leaned into his caress, she wanted him as well.

  “So, if the first stage isn’t strong enough—”

  “Most will not finish the mating process, accepting that they aren’t evenly matched. Others will wait to see if the bond might grow stronger, though that’s rare. They can try again, but high levels of our blood can prove toxic.” What he didn’t say was that if the connection was established but faded, it could be very painful, the failure as devastating as losing a limb.

  “And if this connection isn’t there and you continue anyway?”

  “With so few suitable females, they are too rare to risk. Pack law won’t allow it. To continue without the connection is to court death. Mortality rates are nearly a hundred percent for both parties.”

  “If everything doesn’t go as planned, what are you willing to risk?”

  “Everything.”

  James gave a grudging nod of respect. “And the last phase?”

  “The third step is for the Beloved. She must place a drop of blood on the stone. If accepted, her connection to the rest of the pack will lock into place.” Aiden brushed a hand against the green stone she wore around her neck. He suspected that was what has been keeping her alive after his blood had failed to heal her, but for how much longer? “The necklace is proof that she’s already past that stage.”

  Aiden dropped his hand and lifted his head, allowing his beast to come forward. “You are not to interfere unless there is an immediate danger to her. One wrong move could destroy our only chance. She might not survive long enough to try again. There will be time between steps for you to check on her. If either one of us is jarred out of the connection before it can be fully formed, she won’t ever wake.”

  “Got it. Anything I should watch for?”

  “If at any time you see her vitals fall, do what you have to in order to keep her alive.”

  James’s expression turned grim, agreeing that Shayla was their first priority.

  Then Aiden dismissed James from his mind. He sat on the bed, leaned against the headboard, and gathered Shayla into his arms. Even unconscious, she made his heart race. He ducked his head and inhaled her scent, relishing the feel of her in his arms.

  She was strong.

  He wanted this enough for both of them.

  Aiden ran his hand down her shoulder, along her arm, lifting it until the delicate crook of her elbow rested against his lips. Just thinking about marking her made his fangs lengthen in anticipation. He closed his eyes and called his wolf forward. His beast came eagerly, anticipation tightening his body.

  He bit down.

  His teeth effortlessly passed through her skin. A knee-jerk reaction against hurting her almost made him pull back, but he forced his fangs deeper. Blood filled his mouth, and he swallowed.

  His wolf instantly recognized that she wasn’t prey.

  Instead of the consuming hunger to kill, the sweet taste of her blood sent pure lust raging through him. His body went taut, struggling against the driving need to consummate their union, his arms involuntarily pulling her closer. With each swallow, each drop of the elixir of her blood, yearning for her ratcheted up to an almost unbearable level.

  Aiden shook with the need to take more.

  They were warned that the wolf’s bite would be erotic. Wolves craved physical connections, especially during sex. For some, it was hard to contain the wolf during intimacy, the need to bite instinctive. He’d heard a few of the men talk about the beast’s kiss, but he had never allowed himself to indulge during sex.

  It was too intense.

  Too personal.

  With Shayla, everything was different.

  Like coming home.

  Only when he was sure that he had an adequate amount of her blood in his system did he retract his fangs and lift his head. Aiden licked the wound tenderly until the bleeding slowed, trembling with the effort not to ravage.

  He tucked her arm against her, while the taste of her exploded in his mouth like whiskey. It burned down his throat, speeding through his system. The scorching pain sank deeper, the cinders gathering into his very bones.

  Aiden buried his face in Shayla’s hair as the pleasure/pain roared through him. The scent of her eased the ache. Her touch stabilized him.

  That’s when he realized the warmth was the connection.

  Elation surged through him. Aiden grabbed onto the link with all his might and poured every ounce of his energy into strengthening it. Like vines from a plant, it wove around his bones, the stalks thickening with each breath, winding itself around his very existence.

  Then Shayla’s breathing became shallow, and cold panic snarled up in his chest, tightening its cruel grip on the back of his throat. “Something’s wrong.”

  James performed a quick examination. “Her vitals are weak. The blood loss has put strain on her system. She’s going into shock.” James straightened. “You either need to heal her now or hand her over so I can try and save her.”

  Aiden despised the way the doctor spoke, as if he doubted Shayla’s chances for survival. Not confident that James would be able to do anything, Aiden waved him off, loathed letting Shayla out of his reach.

  “We’ll move to the second bite. I’ll be able to heal her then.” At least he prayed it was true. He couldn’t let her go.

  “How dangerous is that? I’m not sure she’s strong enough to go through more.”

  Aiden was grim. “She’s going to have to be.”

  Aiden ignored the man and brought the full force of his alpha nature to bear on what needed to be done. He slashed a cut across his forearm with his fingernail, deep enough that it didn’t heal immediately. Blood spilled down his arm and splashed brightly against the white sheets.

  He cradled Shayla against him and forced his blood into her mouth, aching to feel her bite. He tipped her chin back until she swallowed. As if his blood called to her, she shifted, as if seeking him, and something deep inside him eased at her reaction. Her teeth brushed against his arm, and his body hardened, aching to take more.

  Aiden dragged his arm away, the agony of losing her warmth nearly crippling him. He slide out of the bed and knelt, and tilting Shayla until she lay on her side. A quick tug tore the fragile strap of her top, baring her bandaged shoulder. He carefully removed the tape, gritting his teeth at the sight of vivid purple streaks spidering around the wound.

  Infection.

  Aiden waited for any sign of change.

  Healing.

  After a minute, there was nothing.

  “I’m going to have to force the change.” Aiden wished to hell he knew what he was doing. The last thing he wanted was to put Shayla into any more danger by fiddling around inside her head.

  “Can you do that?”

  Aiden shrugged, feeling grim but resolved. “I’m an alpha. I control my pack. Whether she knows it or not, she’s pack.”

  “But you’ve only ever healed other wolves.” Skepticism surrounded from James like a cloud.

  “It will be hard on her, but she’s tough. I’m open to any other suggestions” Aiden gently kissed her shoulder, her skin was hot against his lips.

  James gave a helpless shrug. “I’ve tried everything. Her injuries are more than physical. It’s tied up with her gift, and that’s out of my realm.”

  Aiden vowed to do the impossible if it meant saving her. With his men, all he had to do was take control their wolf and command the injured beast to heal. It wouldn’t be so easy with her.

  He gathered his wolf and called to the newly formed cel
ls in her body. With each beat of her heart, blood spread to the wound. He concentrated on healing the destroyed tissue and forcing out the infection.

  Aiden gritted his teeth, barely aware of his fangs cutting into his bottom lip as he poured all his strength into healing her. Bile climbed up his throat as the strain on his body threatened to rip him apart.

  Shayla whimpered, shifting away from him, away from the agony. Aiden tightened his hold, and his wolf whined in sympathy. It tore him apart to be the one responsible for her pain.

  Flesh slowly knitted together like strands of a rope twining together. The darkened streaks of infection retreated as a putrid fluid drained from the wound. Skin bubbled over the nasty hole. Shayla’s body tensed and a muffled scream leaked past her clenched teeth.

  “Jesus.” James stood rooted against the wall, all but vibrating against the need to pull Shayla to safety. “I hope you know what the hell you’re doing.”

  Aiden didn’t relent, only loosening his hold when a small scar remained. Covered in sweat, he fell back on his ass, unable to stop shaking. Both men remained silent. Needing to touch her, reassure himself that she was still alive, Aiden ran a finger lightly over the damaged skin.

  Shayla shuddered, but remained stubbornly unconscious. Frost still glittered on her exposed flesh, and he rubbed her arms, willing his warmth into her. “She’s healed. Why isn’t she waking up?” Aiden glared at the doctor, as if it was his fault. “You said she would wake if we healed her.”

  “She’s still under a lot of strain.” James leaned forward to examine her, and Aiden growled. Even weak as a pup, he’d protect her to his last breath.

  James raised a brow.

  It took all his restraint to call back his wolf and move away. After a short exam, James sighed and straightened. “I recognize these symptoms. It’s a side effect of pushing her gift too far.”

  “What does that mean?”

  James didn’t look optimistic. “There’s nothing physically wrong with her. Nothing either of us can heal.”

  A snarl rose to Aiden’s lips. He would not give up on her. Rising to his feet, he crawled up into bed and gathered Shayla into his arms where she belonged. The chill around her stung wherever their skin touched. The bindings linking them constricted at the contact.