No Quarter

by Anita Cox

  Despite the pain in her ribs, Nala reared back, landing the hardest kick she could muster into the ribs of the beast. It yelped and fell to the floor, shifting to human form.

  Mary did not stop her assault however. She continued stabbing as the man as she continued to scream. Nala’s suit was completely ruined as she was already covered in blood. She grabbed a vase, smashed it and used the shard to slice the man’s throat, spraying blood all over the walls and floor.

  “Stay in there. Stay in the bathroom,” she gasped as she tried to call out to Wendy. Every breath hurt, sending stabs of pain through her side accompanied by what felt like fire that licked through her chest. Her shoulder pulsed with pain. She had one good arm and two good legs to fight with…if she could just breathe.

  After shifting back to wolf to try and heal, she nudged the little Gnome with her muzzle. Mary’s eyes burned a demonic red. Nala wasn’t frightened of much but that little creature looked terrifying. It caused her to take a step back. Shifting helped ease the pain in her ribs, but they still hurt.

  “I’m okay,” Mary gasped. She shook her head while blinking until her eyes cleared.

  You’re a tough little shit, I’ll give you that much.

  “Nala! Nala are you guys okay?” Grace’s voice was screaming in her head. “Wendy isn’t answering.”

  We need help, Grace. We’ve killed three so far. But I’m hurt.

  Mary walked over to Nala and probed her ribs with her tiny fingers. “Poor thing, your ribs are even broken as wolf. You should be healing. This makes no sense.”

  All Nala could do was bob her muzzle. She fought back the pain as she stood guard over the bathroom. Why wasn’t Wendy answering? She nudged the little Gnome with her muzzle again and motioned with her paw toward the bathroom.

  “She passed out,” Mary answered. “Hyperventilated, I think.”

  A Centaur, two enormous Lycans and her mate rushed through the broken door. The relief of having backup nearly made Nala howl. They rushed toward her. Colin sniffed her from her head to her rump, whining. Zoltar, however, rushed to the bathroom and gently opened the door. Wendy was passed out on the floor, though she’d managed to shift to Lycan. Nala wondered if it made her feel safer than being in the vulnerable human form.

  Zoltar knelt down beside her, stroking her fur. “It’s okay. I’m here. Wake up, Wendy.”

  Nala walked forward a few steps to give them a bit of privacy. She saw something move by the open hole that used to be the patio door. She let out a low growl, warning the others. A Werepanther stood in the opening, panting. She shifted immediately to a sobbing blonde who ran over to Grace, who had shifted in a split second.

  “Oh my God!” The woman threw her arms around Grace. “Is she…is Wendy okay?”

  Grace led the hysterical woman back outside.

  Nala nudged Colin, wishing they had the mental connection to communicate telepathically. If they were bonded, it would be there. She limped forward, blinding pain in her side nearly too much to stand. She eased down on her haunches and sat.

  Colin shifted back into his human form. “Nala? How badly are you hurt?” He looked around at the wreckage that had been his sister’s home. Three dead wolves littered the living room.

  Mary placed her hand on his forearm. “She’s not healing like your kind do. As a wolf she was stabbed, then as a human, she had her ribs broken. I’d say she’s in pain but probably feels best like this. Let me go find one of the Fae. They can help her heal.” She turned and looked toward a groggy Wendy who was picking herself up off of the bathroom floor. “And check on her.”

  He nodded. “Thank you.”

  Nala watched as Mary rushed out of the little built in door. She let her front paws slide against the tile until she was on her stomach and then rolled to her side. The coolness from the tile helped ease the pain.

  “Three wolves,” he whispered in her ear, “very impressive, dear.” She felt his hand gently stroking her fur, trying to offer comfort. “We’ll get you better and get you home.”

  She wanted to know what happened. Did the prisoner get away? Who attacked them? What were they shooting at the school that rocked such an enormous building and did it attract the attention of the humans? All she had were questions and she couldn’t even shift back to ask them.

  “He didn’t get away this time,” Zoltar knelt down next to her.

  You can hear me?

  “Not very well. I’m only part Lycan, but it does come with the territory of being a royal.” He looked at Colin. “She wants to be filled in. She has a lot of questions and she’s afraid if she shifts back to human, it will hurt more than she can take.” Turning back to Nala, he rested his palm on her head. “You’re losing a lot of blood out of that shoulder. You may start to pass out. If you do, try not to panic. Help is on the way.”

  “Thank you. How’s Wendy?” His voice trembled as he stared down at her shoulder.

  Zoltar shook his head. “She was scared and sick. She bumped her head as she was passing out but I think she’s fine.” He went back to the bathroom and helped Wendy to the bedroom.

  Colin continued stroking her fur as he spoke. “There is a group of shifters that are very unhappy about the integration, as you know, they attacked the school once before. They’re calling themselves Separatists. The prisoner in the basement was captured during the last attack. Grace caught up to him and, well, put an end to him. A few of them got away, but we managed to kill the rest. They were shooting grenades at the building. Zoltar said they’ll have to do some structural repairs. The students are obviously shaken, but a lot of them helped defend the school.”

  She let out a whine ad rested her head on the floor.

  “Why aren’t you shifting, Nala? Are you hurt that bad?”

  Another whine whistled through her nostrils as closed her eyes, feeling the overwhelming desire to rest now that the threat had been eliminated…for now. Darkness crept in and she drifted off.

  Chapter Three

  “She’s bleeding internally,” the large man said as his hands hovered over Nala’s body.

  Colin gulped.

  “I can see she was stabbed somewhere in the back. I believe either the broken ribs or the stab wound has punctured a lung. You need to understand I can heal her somewhat, but she’ll need medical attention when you get her home. Get her to your doctor and get some blood in her right away.” He patted Colin on the back. “Your mate has a very clean and strong aura. She has a warrior’s heart with a mother’s tenderness, but she’s been hurt. Not just physically now, but she’s been hurt in the past. She’s very guarded. That’s going to make my healing of her a bit more difficult.”

  Colin stared at Nala as the man spoke. He didn’t even see the hand on his chest.

  “Please, just a foot. I need some space.”

  He scooted back, but remained on the floor, his eyes locked on his mate. The large man started swirling his fingers over her in tiny circles. Then he ran his hands along her body. Admittedly, Colin hadn’t taken much time to get to know anything about the Fae. He didn’t know what drawing circles on his mate’s fur would do, but didn’t care, so long as she healed.

  Nala, while still unconscious, shifted back to her human form. Her suit jacket was gone. The light pink blouse she was wearing was soaked in blood along her shoulder where she’d been stabbed. Blood also spattered on her front, though it didn’t look like it came from her. Her beautiful black hair was a knotted mess on the floor instead of in the flawless French twist she’d donned. She had bruises on her arms and her face. Mary was right; Nala had barely healed at all. Colin could only guess it was from whatever Jagger had used on them for so long to keep the women from shifting. It must have weakened their system.

  It was only when he felt light headed that he realized he was holding his breath. He took a deep breath in and let it out. The large man kneeling over her body had to be nearly seven feet tall, though his strong hands made delicate movements. Then his fingertips illuminated a
nd what looked like a blanket of energy came out of him and draped over her.

  The man sat back on his heels and turned to Colin. “Take her home. Have your doctor take care of her and she should be okay in a day or so.”

  Grace and her friend came back into the apartment. The Fae man stood from his position next to Nala and glared at Grace. “I’ve warned you twice.”

  She only nodded in return and gazed at the floor.

  The blonde next to her shook and backed through the opening in the wall. “I’ll go back to my room.”

  As soon as she was out of sight, the large man who’d just been so tender with Nala took three very large, very deliberate steps toward Grace. Colin wasn’t sure whether or not he should be on the defense of his Queen, or stay out of the situation.

  The Faerie stuck his finger out at Grace. “Her aura is filthy. She is hiding something. I’ve told you twice before. Get to the bottom of it, or get her out of here.”

  To Colin’s astonishment, Grace hung her head instead of fighting back. “I know what she’s hiding and it has nothing to do with this, I can assure you.”

  He took a step back, straightened his shoulders, then spun on his heel and stormed out of Wendy’s destroyed apartment.

  Colin scooped Nala up off of the floor. He looked at Grace and used his head to motion toward the door. “Can you get it? I’m going to get her back. And please, have my sister call me tomorrow.”

  “Of course,” she said as she hurried to the door. “I’m sorry you two got caught up in this.”

  He shook his head. “It sounds like we’re all caught up in this. Shit!”

  “What?”

  “I don’t know where I’m going. I need to get to the car.” He looked into the hall where students were running around frantic.

  “I’ll take you.” Zoltar appeared in the doorway. As soon as he was in the hall, he shifted to his Centaur form. “Put her on my back then climb on behind her.”

  Normally, he’d never accept a lift from a Centaur. But his mate was injured and this was no time for pride. He lifted her, gently as he could manage, and placed her on Zoltar’s back. He climbed on behind her, feeling awkward about riding the man. He put a protective arm around his mate, leaning her head against his chest.

  “Grab my mane to steady yourself. Don’t worry. It’s not uncomfortable for me.” As soon as Colin had a fist full of mane, Zoltar started trotting toward the end of the hall.

  “Please take care of Wendy. I’m very worried. If I knew she wouldn’t pitch a fit, I’d be taking her back with me tonight.” He looked down at Nala’s bruised face. “But I have to get my mate back for sure.”

  Zoltar looked over his shoulder at him. “I promise, my herd and I will protect her with my life. I never would have left her if I didn’t think she was in good hands. I’m just sorry your mate is so badly injured. However, I must say I’m quite impressed. She took down three large males by herself.”

  Another Centaur was guarding the door. When Zoltar approached, the Centaur helped lift Nala off of him so Colin could get down without dropping her.

  “Her pulse is strong,” the Centaur said as he handed her back to Colin.

  “Thank you.” He didn’t waste any more time with niceties. He rushed to the car, secured her in the passenger seat, leaning it back so her head wouldn’t flop around before belting her in. Once in the driver’s seat, he roared the engine and tore off down the long lane. So many emotions flooded through him he felt numb. His years as an Alpha taught him to control his emotions and do what needed to be done. But with his second mate mortally wounded, his heart was breaking. His hands shook and fast as his heart was beating. What would he do if he lost her too?

  How was he supposed to be a strong Lycan and protect his wife, while submitting to her at the same time since she was the Alpha? How could he not jump in and protect her if someone challenged her for her seat as Alpha? A woman as a Pack Master was unheard of. She’d been the first in hundreds of years and many Lycans weren’t happy about it. No one from their own pack seemed to question it, but they’d already received word…rumors of challengers. The Chicago pack had already outgrown their territory, split up and bought out Scottsboro. Would they try to claim Belfast too?

  The thought made him nauseas.

  He focused on the road ahead, trying not to drive too far over the speed limit. It would be difficult to explain Nala’s condition to a human. She looked like a battered wife or kidnap victim and trying to convince a human of anything else would be a major challenge.

  She stirred, moaning.

  “It’s okay, Nala. I’m taking you home. You’re going to be okay.” He grabbed her hand and squeezed. “I’m right here.”

  She wrapped her right arm around her stomach and moaned once more before falling unconscious again. He felt her hand vibrating…shivering. Concerned that the blood loss was making her cold, he turned the heat on in the car, despite the seventy-five degree temperature reading.

  The drive back home to the pack’s land was nerve wracking and while it only took twenty-minutes, it felt like a lifetime. He carried her straight to Doctor Maryann who went to work immediately securing a blood bag and a saline IV.

  “Her pulse is strong, but her blood pressure is down. I’d say she bled internally. Lung sounds are good, Colin. There’s no reason to believe she won’t be fine.” She patted his shoulder. “Nala had me do bloodwork on her when she arrived. I compared that sample to a sample I just took. The foreign substance that keeps her from healing is cleaning out of her system. This won’t always be the case. Okay? She will get better and she will heal like a normal Lycan.”

  He couldn’t answer through the lump in his throat. He gave her a nod and a forced smile, hoping that would convey his gratitude.

  “The human body shuts down during mass injury. That’s why she’s asleep. Sleep helps the body heal. Her wolf seems to be okay, but her human body took the most punishment. She’ll more than likely wake hungry as hell in the morning. So be prepared to get her dressed and up to the house for some breakfast. Understood?” She headed out of the room, pausing at the door. She smoothed her hands on her white coat. “Colin, do try to get some rest yourself.”

  He gave her another nod. As soon as she closed the door behind her, he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his shirt. Careful not to tug on any lines or wires, he climbed into bed with her and slid under the blankets. He tried to relax and doze off but every time she moved, he couldn’t help but do a quick assessment.

  “She’s strong. Our mate is just resting.” His wolf tried to reassure him.

  She moved again, this time rolling into him; putting her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arm around him. She’d been cold on the ride home and now seemed to need his warmth. After a soft kiss to the top of her head, he closed his eyes.

  Chapter Four

  Nala opened her eyes and realized her cheek rested on a bare chest. Sitting up, she saw Colin’s face ease into a smile.

  “Feeling better?”

  After a quick assessment, she nodded. “Other than feeling like I could eat an entire steer by myself, I’m fine.”

  Colin pressed the call button on the bed. He stood and pulled his shirt on.

  Doctor MaryAnn came in and began to pull the IV out. “How’s our Alpha?”

  The fussing over her made her uncomfortable. “If you’ll get this stuff off of me, I just want to go grab some breakfast.”

  Once free from the IV and heart monitor, she stood from the bed.

  “You’ll be happy to know that this morning while you slept I took another sample of blood and compared it to the initial sample I took, as well as the sample from last night. I’d say within a week, the foreign substance should be completely out of your system.” She wound the wires and hung them around the monitor.

  “That’s good news.” Nala looked at her feet. No shoes. Damn! I liked those flats.

  The doctor tucked her hands in her pocks. “As long as you’re not in any p
ain, I have no restrictions. You seem to have healed completely.”

  Colin put his arm around Nala and gave a gentle squeeze. “That’s fantastic. Now let’s get up to the house and get you fed.”

  Once outside, she ignored her stomach. With a gentle tug on her mate’s arm, she pulled him to a halt. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

  Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Thank you for protecting my sister.”

  His warmth enveloped her. Unwilling to let him release her just yet, she pulled her arms tighter around his waist. “She’s my sister now too.”

  When he pulled back, the void of his warmth tugged at her insides. “I learned something very important last night and you need to know.” He looked up to the sky and blinked before looking her in the eye again. When he did, moisture glistened, tears he tried not to let fall. “Bonded or not, I would be devastated if anything happened to you. Seeing you injured like that—I couldn’t stand it. So it doesn’t matter if you bond with me or not, I will suffer if I lose you.”

  Sucking her bottom lip in, she fought the stinging of tears in her eyes. “Breakfast,” she croaked. She cleared her throat. “Let’s get some breakfast and some clean clothes.” After a deep, cleansing breath, she turned toward the house.

  They continued to hold hands until they reached the house. Wide eyes greeted them, as the pack members saw their Alpha, covered in dried blood.

  “What the hell?” Tracy ran toward her, looking her over. “Since when does dinner with the in-laws have this kind of outcome?” Glaring at Colin, she clenched her jaw.

  Placing her hand on Tracy’s shoulder, she drew her attention away from him. “There was an attack on the school. Most of the blood isn’t mine.” She turned to Colin. “Maybe we should take breakfast in our room.”