by Toni Goode
Emma made her way over to Dante as she pet him and he rubbed his head against hers. An idea came over her and she quickly walked across the stable and grabbed one of the saddles. She made her way back to Dante. She could ride him onto the trails, and he could cover her scent plus she could keep herself at a safe distance from his house.
Nicholas made his way back to his house. He knew he would have to come up with a plan because he was sure Lawrence would be showing up in the next few days. He wondered if he should just go to the council and be done with it because at least if he got their backing then Lawrence wouldn’t be able to do anything.
He walked into the house and called out. “You can come out of hiding. There is no one else here.” He said as he walked up the stairs and over to the room she was staying in, but the door was open, and she wasn’t there. “Emma? Where are you? It’s ok. They left and Lawrence wasn’t even with them. I should have known that coward bastard wouldn’t come here.” He said as he walked down the hallway and opened the bathroom doors. She was nowhere. He ran down the stairs and into the kitchen. “Emma!” He called out again. He walked into the back yard and over to the pool. She was gone. His eyes darted to the stable which was open, and he ran over there. He immediately saw that Dante was missing.
Emma rode Dante hard and fast through the woods, but she quickly got turned around as tried to find a landmark. All she saw was a tree that she was sure she had ridden past earlier. She got off Dante as she tried to use her nose to smell her way around, but Dante’s scent was too strong for her. A sound caught her ear though as she heard leaves being crushed as if someone was walking close to her. She turned and saw no one but whatever it was freaked out Dante as he jumped up on his hind legs and the movement made his leg hit her hard as she fell back on the ground. Dante took off in a hurry as she touched her head and immediately saw the blood on her hand.
“Shit.” She said with annoyance as she began to stand up, but she heard a noise again. This time the noise was more of a growl and she spun around thinking she would see Nicholas standing there or at least his wolf, but it wasn’t him at all. It was another wolf. One with black and grey streaks. Her eyes got wide as it growled at her again and it bared its large fangs. She stepped back slowly as she put her hands out. “I’m like you. A wolf.” She said with a panicked voice as the wolf kept walking closer to her. It had a menacing look in its eyes, and she swallowed hard. As she kept stepping backwards, she tripped on a large branch that was on the ground and she fell hard. The wolf jumped on her as it began to bite where it could as she screamed.
Claws slashed at her clothes and fangs tore into her flesh as she tried to fight off this huge beast, but she couldn’t move. His weight was on her and he was relentless as he continued to bite down against her flesh. She could hear bones breaking and she cried out over and over again. She was going to die like this. Out there in the woods all alone.
Nicholas ran through the woods in his wolf form as he chased after her scent. Was she yet again trying to run off and with his horse in tow? He was pissed as he ran but then he saw something up ahead. Dante and he was alone as he charged down the trail. The second he locked eyes with Nicholas he took off running away from him as Nicholas ran faster. The scent of blood became overwhelming as he ran. A lot of blood. His heart began to race even harder than it was. Had she gotten injured? Is that why Dante had run off. Had she fallen from him and hit her head? He didn’t know. All he knew is that the blood he was smelling was heavy and close. He began to smell another scent though. One he knew all too well. It was Martin and he was definitely in his wolf form. Nicholas leap over nearby bushes and then he heard a faint cry in the distance followed by loud growling. His body tensed as he pushed himself to move even faster.
In the distance Nicholas could see Martin’s wolf hovering over someone but it wasn’t just a random person. It was her. Emma, and she was covered in blood.
Nicholas felt rage fill his body as he lunged for Martin. The force made Martin fly against a nearby tree and it cracked because of the force.
Martin shook his head as he went to stand on all fours, but Nicholas jumped on him. He tore at the wolf’s neck as Martin howled in agony. Nicholas kept biting until all that was heard was gasping as Martin bled out.
Nicholas quickly turned and looked at Emma as she lay motionless on the ground covered in enormous amounts of blood. Her clothes were torn nearly to shreds and the deep gashes on her body were grotesque. Her arms and legs were twisted in an unhuman way. She was dying. He knew that much. He quickly shifted back into his human form and picked up her limp body.
“Emma. Emma stay with me. I am going to get you help.” He said with panic in his voice and then he was taking off to the one person he knew that could help him. His brother Sal.
It only took him a few minutes to run to his brother’s house though it felt like an eternity as he kept looking down at her. Her pulse was getting slower and she hadn’t opened her eyes. Seeing her like this did things to him. Things that surprised him. He felt protective and scared. What if she died? The thought was unimaginable!
It was already getting dark out as he ran. It was nearly 8 pm. He couldn’t believe this was actually happening right now. Martin had gone too far. Nicholas had no other choice, but he knew how this looked. He had killed a pack member and even being an Alpha wouldn’t make that go away.
Nicholas barged through the front door of his brother’s house completely naked and holding a bleeding Emma. Beth was sitting on the couch as she jumped and looked at him. A scream left her mouth.
“Where is Sal? She needs help!” Nicholas said as he put her down on the floor and Beth blinked in shock.
“Is she dead? Oh my god. You’re naked!” She spun from him as her heart raced.
“You have to get him. Where the hell is he?” He yelled with fear in his voice.
“At work. He is at work. She needs to go to the hospital Nick.” Beth said frantically.
“No. Get him. Tell him to come here now.” Nicholas said as he quickly went down the hall to cover up. Beth turned and looked down at Emma. She grabbed for her phone and dialed it with shaky fingers.
Nicholas got dressed within seconds and then he was rushing back to the living room. Her wounds weren’t healing, and time was ticking away. She still had a pulse, but it was so weak. He was losing her. He could see it.
“I need towels and water. Hurry!” He barked at Beth who looked at him with wide scared eyes. “Please. She is dying.” He said with overwhelming emotion that made his voice crack.
“The boys are sleeping. They can’t see this. They can’t see her like this.” Beth said with worry.
“Just get a god damn towel Beth!” He snapped angrily now, and she ran into the kitchen as she fumbled with things. Nicholas looked down at Emma and he touched her face. “I am so sorry this happened to you. Please just hang on.” He said as he swallowed hard and then her eyes began to flutter open as she looked up at him. “Emma.” He said with relief.
The pain radiating through her body was more painful than anything she had ever felt. She felt like her body was hit by a truck and the act of breathing hurt her chest as she gasped some. She couldn’t even speak as she looked up into those blue eyes. Images passed by her eyes. She remembered the wolf. The black and grey wolf. She remembered screaming and pain. So much pain.
She cried out as she tried to move but her body was broken.
“Shhhh. Don’t move Emma. Help is on the way ok. You are going to be ok. You just stay with me.” He said as he touched her face some more and he brushed her hair from her eyes. Her eyes fluttered once more before she passed out from the pain. “Damn it, where is he?” Nicholas snapped as Beth came running back in the room with a bowl of water and a towel.
“He’s on the way. How did this happen? Who did this?” Beth said with a shaky voice.
“It’s all fucked up right now. I can’t um. I can’t worry about that.” Nicholas said as he looked down at Emma. “She’s
gotta be ok.” He took her hand in his. “It’s going to be ok Emma. It is.” He said as he held onto her hand.
Sal rushed into the house and his eyes immediately landed on Emma and his brother. “Jesus. What. What happened?” Sal said with a shaky voice as he knelt down to Emma.
“She’s not healing. Why isn’t she healing?” Nicholas said frantically.
“Just back up, ok. I need to see how extensive the damage is.” Sal said as he took off his jacket and tossed it across the room. “Get my bag from the room.” He said to Beth who ran off to get it. Nicholas stood up now as he began to pace. “Who did this?” Sal asked Nicholas.
“It doesn’t matter. I took care of it.” Nicholas said as Sal’s eyes got wide.
“What does that mean? What did you do Nicholas?” Sal asked with concern.
“Just fix her ok. Just make her better.” Nicholas said as he continued to pace back and forth.
Beth ran back into the room with Sal’s bag. She dropped it on the floor as he began pulling things out. An IV line, syringes and medication. “I need the spare IV pole from the basement. Hurry!” He yelled at Beth and she ran off as Nicholas watched in horror. There was so much blood. She looked pale. Sal started an IV line. “I need your help.” He called to Nicholas who was stuck in a daze. “Damn it Nick do you want her to die! Help me!” Sal yelled and it snapped Nicholas out of his shock as he rushed over. “We need to get her off this floor. We will get her in the guest room. Help me lift her.” Sal said as they both picked her up and began to bring her down the hall. A whole circle of blood lay on the floor where her body was.
They got her on the bed and Sal adjusted the IV before he began to tear off her clothes. The injuries were unbelievable. She was torn and broken everywhere. Beth came in with the IV pole and she began to set it up with Sal by her side. Nicholas paced back and forth at the end of the bed. Emma’s body was naked now and he fought the urge to cover her up, but he knew that his brother had a job to do.
“Get me 10 mg of morphine.” Sal said to Beth who got the syringe and needle ready. He injected the pain medication into the IV and then he listened to her heart with his stethoscope. “You need to leave the room. I have to stitch this up and then she is going to need a blood transfusion. Do you know her blood type?” Sal asked Nicholas who shook his head.
“How the hell am I supposed to know her blood type?” Nicholas said with annoyance. Sal shook his head with frustration. He filled up a vile of blood and held it out to Nicholas. “Get this to the hospital and over to the lab. Tell the tech there that I need to know the blood type stat and then I’m going to need a few bags of blood.” Sal said as Nicholas just stood there. “Damn it Nick, we are losing time here!” He snapped and Nicholas grabbed the vile now and took off.
“Is she going to die?” Beth said with worry in her voice.
“I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
Emma felt the soft kiss on her cheek and a hand traveling up her bare stomach. She let out a moan as the hand reached her breast and caressed it. “Nicholas.” She moaned as her eyes opened but Nicholas wasn’t there at all. Lawrence was and seconds later his mouth was on hers as she tried to push him back, but she couldn’t move. He had all his weight on her, and she couldn’t breath. She tried to scream out, but it only made him press into her more.
His mouth moved from her as she went to scream but his hand came over her mouth. “Oh sweetheart, there is no need to scream. I’ve got you. I have always had you and soon you will have my baby filling your belly.” He said as he licked his lips and entered her body with force as she cried out, but no one heard her.
Emma sat up as she screamed and cried, but now she was alone in the bed. An odd feeling against her stomach made her gasp and when she pulled the covers, she saw her large pregnant belly. Fear coursed through her and she screamed once more.
“Emma! Emma you’re ok.” Nicholas said as he jumped up from the chair beside her as she screamed. He touched her arm as her eyes opened wide and she saw blue eyes staring back at her. Her breathing was hard and labored as she looked at Nicholas. Relief and confusion filling her as her heart raced. “You’re ok. I got you.” Nicholas said as he kept his hand on her arm.
Sal rushed into the room and over to the bed. “Jesus that scream nearly gave me a heart attack.” He said honestly. “I’m glad to see you are awake Emma.”
Emma looked between the two men. Images passing through her as she remembered the wolf attacking her. She let out a scream once more, but Sal immediately pushed morphine into her IV and her screams quieted. She looked up with hazy eyes. “You’re ok Emma but your body still needs to heal. Do you understand?” Sal asked as she looked at him and nodded her head slowly. She then looked at Nicholas. Everything was so blurry.
“Hey you. You gave us all quite the scare.” Nicholas said softly.
“I. I don’t. Um.” She began to ramble some.
“It’s ok. You don’t need to speak. Get some rest. I will be right here.” Nicholas said as he then leaned down and kissed her forehead. When he pulled back, he saw that she was already sleeping.
“Her wounds are healing. The blood is working.” Sal said as he examined her body that was not covered with a blanket. He tried to keep her as covered as he could while he checked her over.
“Thank god.” Nicholas said as Sal looked at him.
Sal had concern in his voice as he spoke. “Nick how did this happen? Who attacked her?”
Nicholas swallowed hard as images passed through his mind. Images of Martin’s wolf tearing her apart. He shook his head as realization began to fill him. He ran a hand through his hair. He had to get rid of the body. He had to before anyone found out. “I have to go.” Nicholas spun from him.
“You have to go? You bring this woman here at the brink of death and I nurse her back to health. Now you have to go? What the hell happened Nick!” Sal raised his voice.
“The little you know. The better. I will be right back.” Nicholas left the room before Sal could question him further. Beth came into the room now.
“Where is he going? Why is he leaving?” She asked anxiously.
“I don’t know what the hell he has gotten himself into now.” Sal shook his head as he looked back at Emma. “She is lucky to be alive.” He added as he continued to check her vitals.
Chapter Thirteen
Emma felt the sunshine pouring against her skin as she squinted her eyes some. She saw a window with the blinds drawn. She blinked a bit as she tried to focus her eyes. Where was she? Images of what happened made her jolt up in the bed as Nicholas was snapped from his sleeping. He was in a chair next to the bed.
“Emma.” He said as he sat up and she looked around the room. Her heart racing.
“Where am I?” She said as her eyes landed on the IV in her arm and then she saw the healing wounds on her arms. She looked down at her hands. The blanket fell down her body and she saw that she was dressed in what looked like a long night gown.
“You’re at my brother Sal’s place.” He said as she blinked with confusion some. She could still see the black and grey wolf. Her hands began to shake.
“It’s ok. No one is going to hurt you. My brother fixed you up the best he could, but your body will heal the rest.” He said softly as she looked back at her hands.
“The wolf.” She said just above a whisper. “I tried to fight him off, but he was relentless.” She said as her voice shook.
“You don’t need to worry about that anymore. He won’t hurt you ever again. I promise.” He said as he stood next to her bed. Images of Martin’s naked and battered body filled his head. He had done what he had to.
Emma saw the look in his eyes. The look that made her breathing hitch. He had done something. Nicholas had been the one who came to her rescue. She only remembered bits and pieces of what happened, but she remembered seeing Nicholas’ wolf. “You were there.” She looked up at him now. “You saved me.” She said as her eyes welled up in tears as the realization of
the situation became apparent.
“I came home and went looking for you. I found Dante first.” He said softly.
“Oh my gosh. Is Dante ok? He ran off when.” Her voice trailed.
“He is fine. Don’t get yourself worked up. You are ok.” Nicholas said with a soft smile. His hand rested onto hers as she looked down at it. There was something different about Nicholas now. He was softer, gentler almost. It was odd and confusing to her. She swallowed hard.
“Thank you.” She added as she looked at him and then the door opened as Nicholas pulled his hand back. They both looked at the door as Sal came walking in. He had a smile on his face.
“You are looking much better now.” Sal said as he walked over to her. “Do you mind if I check out your wounds?”
“No, go ahead. My head still feel weird.” She said honestly as she looked at Sal as he checked her arms.
“That’s just the morphine wearing off. I’m sure you are starving. You had quite the ordeal.” He said and then he looked at Nicholas who was standing awkwardly next to the bed. He looked back at Emma. “You’re healing nicely. About one more day should have you back to your normal self.” He said with a smile. “Go get her a plate of food.” Sal looked at Nicholas who nodded his head and then quickly left. Sal looked back at Emma. “Do you remember anything?”
“Unfortunately, no.” She said softly as she shook her head. “Thank you for patching me up.” She added.
“If Nicholas hadn’t brought you back here as quickly as he did.” His voice trailed. “But you will heal nicely.” Sal pulled the blanket back onto her body. “You are welcome to stay as long as you need.” He added.
