Both my back and shoulder were writhing with a pulsing pain.
Blood soaked my clothes as well.
“I’m not healing, Dillon.” I whisper with fear in his mind alone.
“Why not, your wounds should have healed by now?” He replies.
“I’m not sure, but if we don’t find some way to heal them I’m going to be in a lot of trouble.” I answer honestly.
“Tell Harley to stop near the next town then, I’ve got an idea that might work.” He responds.
I nod and lean back into Harley so she could hear me talk over the wind pounding in our ears.
“Stop at the next town, okay?” I state.
She nods over my shoulder while moving one of her arms firmly around my waist.
I was thankful for her being with me because I was quickly becoming weak, so weak that my eyes were fighting to close.
Fading in and out of consciousness we finally make it to the next town.
Harley stops the bike as Dillon and Damon change forms.
“How is she doing?” Dillon asks as he moves to my side.
“She’s been in and out for the past two miles.” Harley answers.
Placing his hand to my cheek Dillon curses. “We have to take you into the hospital, Parker. We have no other choice.”
I shake my head.
Going to any hospital was forbidden by our kind.
If anyone figured out what we were we would all be in grave danger.
“We can’t, Dillon.” I whisper.
“I’m not giving you the choice, Parker.” He answers sternly.
My eyes shut before I can voice my opinion once more.
Waking up to the steady beeping of a machine I groan at my packs stupidity.
Opening my eyes I’m surprised to not actually be in a sterile hospital room like I had expected.
Instead I was in a small cozy room.
The blanket lying across me was a handmade quilt and the chair beside held one similar along with a sleeping Damon.
Moving a little in my bed Damon instantly springs up alert and ready for danger until he sees that I was now awake.
“You’re awake.” He states with wide eyes.
“I am. How long was I out?” I question and glance around the room.
“Where are we?” I add.
“You’ve been out for three days, Parker. The knife Derek used was poisoned. We barely thought you’d make it.” He answers moving to my side.
Taking my hand in his, he smiles down at me. “And for where we are you can thank Gage’s father. It’s his place and he’s the one who helped us.”
“Gage’s father is here?” I ask surprised.
“Yeah, I guess he knew something was wrong when Gage didn’t call like he normally did. Titus decided to come after his son himself, but stopped when he heard about what had happened at your father’s estate.” He explains further.
“I wonder how many packs have heard of what’s happened.” I ask absently.
Damon shrugs. “Who knows, it seems word is traveling fast though.”
I nod in agreement. “So, where is everyone else at? Are Dillon and Harley alright?”
Damon nods. “Everyone is fine, just worried about you, Parker.”
As if right on cue Dillon, Harley, and an older version of Gage walk in.
“Oh, my, god, you’re awake.” Harley hops with joy before running past Damon, giving him a good smack to his chest before hugging me tightly. “Why didn’t you tell us, Damon?”
“I was going to. She just woke up a few minutes ago.” Damon answers her with a laugh.
“It’s good to see you finally awake, Parker.” Dillon grunts as he comes over to my other side as Harley finally loosens her grip.
“I’m glad to be awake too. What all did I miss?” I sigh.
Everyone shares quick glances but no one says a word.
“What happened while I was asleep?” I growl.
“It’s your father, Parker. London decided to make an example of him.” Titus answers. “They have him strung up in the middle of your father’s village.”
“So, he’s still alive?” I ask and he nods. “Well, then we still have a good chance to get our place as top pack back.”
“Yes, but the only way to accomplish that is for you to also find my son.” He replies.
I nod in agreement.
Our only chance was for me to break my bond with London and return with a small army and my new mate to take my rightful place as top dog, so to speak, of the Onyx pack.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to do all along.” Dillon adds. “We just got caught up when Parker’s old flame decided to literally stab her in the back.”
His words bring me back to reality.
My shoulder and back were both still aching as if the wounds had never healed at all.
“Why do I still feel pain?” I ask curiously as I move around wincing at the increase in pain.
“The poison affected your wolf. She’s incredibly sick which is why you’re not healing well. For the most part you are human right now until she recovers.” Titus answers.
“How is that even possible?” I question.
I had never before heard of any such kind of poison that would only affect our wolves like this.
Plus, it was even unheard of that packs would attack the wolves like that. The tactic Derek and London had used was considered cowardly.
And to stab me in the back, both literally and figuratively, was especially not something I had ever expected from Derek.
But on the other hand I could understand it a bit if London really was holding his family against him.
I wouldn’t have been so weak to give into his demands though.
The last thing I would have done was turn on the people who could have helped.
“There have been packs working on things like this for a long time. Not all packs have been happy with your families reign.” Titus replies honestly.
“I figured there would be but I never thought they would go to these lengths.” I sigh roughly. “How long is it going to take her to recover?”
“About two more days, give or take.” Dillon answers this time. “At least, that’s how long it took my wolf to recover when London used it on me.”
Everyone looks in his direction with shock.
“He seriously did this to you?” I ask softly.
He nods sadly. “He did, too many times to count.”
I shake my head sadly as I motion for him to move closer.
As he does, I grab his shoulder and pull him into a tight embrace. “You will never have to go through that again, not as long as you stay by my side.” I vow.
He would never have to feel this kind of pain again.
As he leans back wiping tears from his eyes I realize the full impact of my words.
I had given him hope, hope for a life better than he had had.
Damon’s next to grab him into an embrace as the rest of us watch on with teary eyes.
Even Titus wasn’t immune to the emotions floating around in the room.
“We’re brothers now, Dillon. Nothing will change that, and like Parker said you will never have to go through that kind of pain again.” Damon vows while pulling back in order to look into Dillon’s eyes.
Dillon nods glancing between Damon and I. “You guys have been the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m glad you guys saved me.”
“Oh, god, I’m going to keep crying if you guys don’t stop all of this. I need a hug too.” Harley laughs out as she rushes over to give both Damon and Dillon a hug.
I laugh as I wipe my own tears away.
“You’ve got quite the pack there, Parker. One that I’m glad my son will be a part of.” Titus states as he stands watching us all.
“We will be the lucky ones to have him as a part of this pack as well.” I reply.
19-Split in Two
“Parker, you shouldn’t be out of bed.” Dillon grunts as I walk into the kitch
en area where he and the others were eating with Titus and a few of his pack members.
“I can’t just sit back there alone. I feel like I need to be doing something, or kicking someone’s ass.” I reply as I sit down in an empty chair.
The group chuckles while Damon hands over his plate of untouched food before going to get himself a new plate.
I knew better than to fight him so I dig in without a word.
“I know one ass I’d like to kick.” Harley interjects. “I swear I was going for a head shot on that bastard that stabbed you, but I missed.”
Sighing softly I shake my head, lying down my fork. “We can’t exactly be angry with him. If what he said was true, right before he betrayed me, it was that his family and his pups were being held by London.
Harley begins to say more but I stop her with a raised hand. “I’m the only one who can be angry. I loved him, more than I ever should have and he betrayed me. Yes, I hate him right now but I’d never wish death on him.”
“I’m still going to hate him.” Harley mutters.
“Can I continue to hate him too?” Dillon chimes in.
I sigh dramatically before picking my fork up to eat again.
“I’m with them, I hate his guts too.” Damon adds as he returns to the table.
There was no way I was going to change their minds.
One of the pack members across from me clears her throat. “I don’t know who this guy is but I hate him too.”
I snort in laughter. “Fine, everyone can hate him.”
As the laughter dies down Titus clears his throat from the other end of the table. “What are your plans to get Gage out of the Island?”
I shrug. “We were going to kind of wing it.”
He coughs abruptly. “You can’t be serious. If you go in without a plan you’ll only end up locked away inside yourselves.”
“Honestly, Sir, I don’t even know what I’m walking into. There have been things said about the Island around me but no one has ever told me the extent of it.” I explain.
He nods. “Well then, I have a lot to teach you in a short period of time.”
He then motions towards his pack on the other side of the table. “My pack will also train yours to fight and protect their selves a little better. That is if that’s alright by you, Parker.”
“It’s fine by me. They could use some practice fighting as a pack.” I agree.
“And I can teach everyone here how to use Hunter weapons.” Harley adds.
“That would be useful for my pack to learn. Thank you, Harley.” Titus answers gratefully.
One of his members suddenly stands to his feet knocking the table forward a little. “I’m not going to be taught by a Hunter.” He snarls while pointing in Harley’s direction.
“It’s an insult to our kind to even have her here in this house eating with us, as if she’s part of a pack.” He continues.
Titus stands to his full height making the seemingly small room almost claustrophobic in size. “As far as I’m concerned she is a part of Parker’s pack. She has done nothing wrong here and she will be treated as a guest, Drew. If you think differently don’t forget who your alpha is. I won’t hesitate to remind you.”
I shiver at the open threat.
Titus was friendly but this was when his full alpha came out, and I could tell he was just as powerful as my father, if not more so.
Their raw power was easily construed through their voice.
Without argument the wolf sits back down in his seat, but his eyes still pinned Harley with a hate filled glare.
That is until Titus storms over behind him grabbing him roughly by his neck before slamming his face directly into the table with a loud bone crushing bang.
“You will not threaten her even with your eyes.” He growls out fiercely.
“We’re going to need to watch that one around her.” I state calmly to Damon and Dillon inside their heads.
Both give me a quick nod of agreement.
We would protect Harley no matter what, because like Titus had said I already considered her a part of my pack.
Letting him go Titus closes his eyes as he pinches the bridge of his nose for a moment before looking towards me. “Can we talk in private for a moment, Parker?”
I nod and stand to my feet a bit unsteadily.
Dillon rushes to my side, but Titus beats him wrapping his arm around my waist to hold me up on my feet.
“I’ll be alright, Dillon.” I state as I motion for him to return to his seat.
He does, but reluctantly. “Just yell if you need anything.” He motions towards his head and I nod as Titus leads me out of the room and through the house.
Once in a room clear on the other side of the house, where we wouldn’t be heard, Titus sits me in a chair in front of a large wooden desk.
He takes a seat on the other side and sighs as he leans back. “I’m sorry about that interruption.”
“It’s fine, I’d rather know how he felt.” I reply easily.
I’d rather who to know to keep an eye on now rather than be surprised later on with a random attack.
“It’s not fine, though, at least not to me.” He sighs again. “I assume you’ve already told your boys to keep an eye on Drew?’
“I have, but I didn’t really need to tell them. Damon is already quite protective of her as it stands.” I answer.
“Since he’s acting out I’ll keep him away from the house so he doesn’t have the chance to harm anyone.” Titus replies.
“That would probably be for the best.” I agree.
“This whole issue seems to be tearing packs apart at the seams, Parker. Whatever London has planned it has been years in the working and I’m afraid that if it doesn’t stop we could be faced with more than just a war between packs, we are going to have the Hunters breathing down our necks.” He states the very thoughts that I had kept to myself since I had first learned of London’s betrayal.
“This is going to grow far out of our control but if we can gain the confidence and loyalty of other packs and a few more Hunters then things won’t be as bad.” I sigh.
“I met a group of Hunters on the road and also the Blackwood pack. They are all behind me and the Onyx pack now but we will still need more to back us up if and when the time comes.” I add.
Titus nods. “That’s where you’re going to need me. I’m high enough in the packs to be looked up to for the next leader if your father…” He trails off.
“If he dies I wouldn’t want any other alpha to rule.” I answer honestly.
“That’s good to hear from someone such as yourself, Parker. When the time comes you and my son will be legendary alphas. I can see it now.” Titus grins.
“I can only hope.” I answer with a renewed sense of hope for our future.
The next day I walk outside into a fenced in area, where the two packs were facing off learning to defend their selves.
I watch as Dillon and another larger wolf clash together in a fury of fur and teeth.
I flinch with every bite and whine he makes.
It was all as if he was a part of me.
Titus moves up beside me, my eyes continue to stay glued on the scene before me. I just couldn’t look away even for a moment.
“It gets easier with time to watch them fight.” Titus reassures.
“I don’t honestly think it will for me, Titus.” I reply as I flinch at particularly hard hit.
He chuckles lightly. “It will, trust me. It becomes more of a game when it’s done in this capacity.”
Changing the subject Titus turns my face to look at him with gentle hands. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling better. Not my best but much better than I did yesterday.” I answer as he searches my eyes for the full truth.
In truth I wasn’t really feeling all that much better but I didn’t lie completely, I did feel a little better but not as much as I had made it out to be.
Every so often my wolf would whi
ne and it would fall from my human lips.
She was suffering and in turn needed my support to heal.
We almost felt disconnected otherwise.
And at times it almost felt as if she was clawing at my insides to escape.
As he continues to search my eyes one of her whines decides then to fall from my lips against my will.
Everyone in the yard stops to look at me with worry.
“That’s not a good sign, Parker. How long has she been doing that?” Titus asks concerned.
“It started last night.” I confess. “She’s been almost clawing at me to escape.”
“She’s not healing like she should be then.” He replies in thought.
“The only way to heal her is for me to somehow get a hold of London’s blood since he is my mate.” I growl out.
Titus leans back in shock. “He forced a mating upon you?”
I nod and he curses. “That is punishable by death itself, especially when you had already chosen Gage as your mate.”
“London has no regards for our laws.” I reply.
“What are we going to do? I don’t think he would just hand over his blood.” Titus questions.
“He would if he thought that I was dying from his little stunt.” I grin while concocting a plan up in my mind.
“I know that look, Parker. That’s the exact look my son gets when he’s about to do something reckless.” Titus points towards me with a frown.
My idea was reckless but it was my only choice.
“Help me, London. Help me please.” I cry out to him with my mind.
“What’s wrong?” He answers almost instantly.
“I’m dying from whatever poison you used, that’s what’s wrong.” I whine sadly.
“What poison?” He questions with confusion.
“The poison that was on the knife that Derek stabbed me with.” I growl out not wanting to play his game.
He lets out a string of curses between our minds. “I’m sorry, Sweetheart. There was never to be any kind of poison on that blade. He was only supposed to wound you enough so I could get a hold of you and bring you back home with me, where you belong.”
His apology and worries were all genuine which shocked me.
“What do you need me to do to make you better?” He continues.
Bound (The Onyx Wolves Book 1) Page 12
