Rescued by the Wolf (Other World Series Book Four)

by Ramona Gray

  “I hate him,” she said again.

  “Aye, I know, little one.” He tried to sound gentle. “But Radek is not intentionally cruel.”

  “He is!” She snapped.

  “I promise you he isn’t.” He patted her back again. “Try and get some rest, we will be home soon.”

  Chapter 10

  Kane strode across the clearing toward his cabin, ignoring the rest of his pack. They were staring in fascination at the girl in his arms, and he rolled his eyes as he entered the cabin and shut the door firmly behind him.

  “They act as though they’ve never seen a human before,” he grumbled.

  Reese glanced up from the pot of soup she was stirring over the fire. “How many humans are you planning on bringing home to me, my love?”

  He grunted and carried the girl into the second bedroom. Reese followed and watched as Kane set the girl gently on the bed. She was sleeping and she curled into a ball, her skirt rising up over her small ass. Kane looked away as Reese pulled the covers over her and touched the girl’s curly hair gently.

  “What happened to her back and leg?”

  “She was attacked by a floran,” Kane replied.

  “That’s those giant bird things, right?”

  “Aye.”

  “Well, she’s a pretty little thing. I’m glad you found her safe and sound,” Reese said.

  Kane grunted with surprise when Violet flew out from Reese’s hair. The little pixie twirled happily. Glittering dust floated down as she landed on the sleeping Sara. She tiptoed across her chest and pressed gentle kisses against the girl’s lower lip before draping her tiny body across Sara’s neck.

  The girl still held the koran kitten in her arms and Reese carefully pulled it free. The koran stared at her curiously as she petted the top of its head gently.

  “Radek stumbled on to her in the forest and kept her safe.”

  “Yes, Abigail mentioned that to me.”

  “Where is Abigail now?” Kane asked.

  “She’s sleeping.” Reese petted the koran’s throat, grinning delightedly when it began to purr loudly.

  “Did she also tell you what Radek was doing to the girl when we found them?”

  Reese nodded. “She did. I was,” she paused and gave him an impish grin, “a little surprised.”

  “Is Radek back?”

  “Yes, he came back about half an hour before you did. He went straight to his cabin and has not come out since. Raina checked in on him and said that he’s in a terrible mood.”

  Kane sighed loudly. “He acts as though the little human belongs to him, Reese.”

  “Already?” Reese frowned. “He’s known her for what – three days?”

  “Aye but he treats her as though she is his mate. If anyone touches her but him, he grows…agitated.”

  “Agitated?” Reese cocked her head at him. “If he’s anything like you are, it’s a little more than agitated.”

  “That’s different. You are my mate,” Kane said. “Radek barely knows the girl.”

  “Sometimes it doesn’t take very long to fall in love,” Reese said.

  “It is not love,” Kane said immediately. “It is his wolf who is lusting after her. Radek is a good man but he is not capable of looking past his hatred for humans.”

  “I don’t blame him for that,” Reese said.

  “Aye, nor do I. But he told the girl she needed to find a mate within our pack to protect her and she believes him.”

  “There are a few in our pack who are looking for a mate,” Reese replied. “She has no way to return to her world, I don’t see the issue if she falls in love with someone from our pack.”

  “Aye, perhaps,” Kane sighed. “But if Radek continues to act like she is his while she actively seeks out a mate, it will cause tension in the pack.”

  Reese studied him carefully. “Will you speak to him about it?”

  “I already have,” Kane replied. “He assured me that he had no interest in the human and he was happy to be rid of her company.”

  Reese sighed. “I suppose you had this conversation in front of her.”

  Kane gave her a cautious look. “Aye, we did.”

  “Kane, that was unkind of you,” Reese scolded.

  “It did make her cry,” Kane admitted. “But she now hates him and he says he hates her so…”

  He shrugged and suddenly smiled at her. “I guess I have solved the problem.”

  Reese grinned. “Are you certain of that?”

  “Yes?” He gave her an adorably uncertain look and she laughed and reached upward to give him a brief kiss.

  “Tell me what exactly I’m holding here.” She studied the koran in her arms. Its eyes were a bright and vivid blue and it met her gaze unblinkingly. “It kind of looks like a lion cub to me.”

  “Aye, that is what Abby called it as well,” Kane said. “It is called a koran and the little human rescued it after its mother was killed. I should do us all a favour and end its life.”

  “Kane!” She scowled at him and held the baby a little closer. “It’s only a baby.”

  “Aye, but that baby will grow larger than me in a very short time.”

  “How short?” She asked.

  “A moon’s time,” he said.

  Her mouth dropped open and she stared at the koran in her arms. “You’re kidding me.”

  “I am not. They grow quickly and they are lethal and cunning hunters. They have no loyalty, and this little thing in your arms will probably try and murder us all.”

  “How do you know that it has no loyalty? Have you raised a koran baby before?” She asked immediately.

  “Of course not,” he replied.

  “Then you don’t know,” she said firmly. “I don’t want you hurting this little one, Kane. Do you hear me?”

  “Aye, but you’ll feel badly when it rips my arm from my body, will you not?”

  “I might,” she said with a small grin. She lifted the koran’s tail and studied its back end. “Well, assuming it has the same anatomy as cats on my world, he’s a boy.”

  “Excellent,” Kane said dryly. “They’re larger and stronger than the females. I will probably lose a leg as well as my arm.”

  “Oh hush,” Reese said. “We have no milk to feed it. I’m worried it’s going to starve.”

  He shook his head. “It does not need milk. It would have started eating meat only a few days after its birth.”

  “Good. Will you be a dear and grab me some raw meat from the storage area?” She asked sweetly.

  “I am the alpha, Reese,” Kane said with a tinge of arrogance. “It is beneath me to run errands for my mate.”

  She laughed and poked him in his flat stomach as he gave her a wicked grin. “Of course, if there were to be some sort of compensation for the errand, I might be persuaded.”

  “Of course,” she said innocently. “You do the errand and I will be more than happy to allow you to eat my pussy tonight.”

  He grinned again and slapped her lightly on the ass before walking toward the door. “When I return, you are to be naked and in my bed.”

  “When you return,” she said, “you’re going to feed the koran while I find Adina and ask her to look at Sara’s wounds.”

  “I prefer my suggestion.”

  “Later, my love. I promise it will be worth the wait,” she said cheekily.

  He growled happily at her before leaving the cabin.

  He was crossing the clearing with a hunk of deer meat when Davin approached him. “My alpha, Teagan and I were out in the forest and scented a bear.”

  “Are you certain it was not a bear shifter?”

  “Aye, Kane.”

  Kane’s eyes gleamed. Most bears were in hibernation by this time of the year and to find one not yet in its sleep was excellent luck. If they were really lucky, it would be large with plenty of meat.

  “My alpha? Shall we hunt?” Davin asked eagerly.

  “Aye,” Kane replied. “Give me a moment.”

&
nbsp; Adina was just emerging from her cabin and when Kane called her name she headed toward him.

  “Good morning, Kane.”

  “Hello, Adina.”

  “Did you find Abigail’s friend?”

  “Aye, we did. She has been injured by a floran. Reese asks that you look at her. Will you take this to the cabin and tell Reese that we have gone hunting?”

  “Aye.” Adina took the chunk of raw meat and headed toward the cabin. At her soft knock, Reese opened the door and smiled at her.

  “Morning, Adina.”

  “Hello, Reese. Kane asked me to give this to you and tell you that they have gone hunting.”

  Adina followed Reese into the cabin and watched curiously as Reese set the meat in front of the koran kitten. The kitten smelled it gingerly before making a low growl and pouncing on it. It tore voraciously at the meat with its tiny fangs, making growling noises of happiness, as Reese laughed.

  “Why do you have a koran kitten?” Adina asked. “Do you know how big they get?”

  “Yes, Kane told me. Apparently Sara found it in the woods. Its mother was dead and she decided to save it.”

  “What happens when it’s full grown and tries to eat all of us?” Adina asked as Reese led her toward the bedroom.

  Reese grinned at her. “Kane wants to know the same thing.”

  She opened the door and they moved to the bed. Sara hadn’t moved from her position on the bed and Adina studied her curly hair.

  “I have never seen such curly hair before. Have you?”

  “Yes,” Reese said. “In my world, there were women with hair like hers.”

  Adina touched a curly lock as Violet sat up and stretched prettily. She leaned against Sara’s collarbone, watching curiously as Abigail pulled down the covers and helped Adina to remove the leaves from Sara’s back and legs.

  “Kane said she was attacked by a floran,” Reese said as Adina studied the puncture wounds on her back.

  “Aye, they’re vicious creatures. Cowardly though – they only go after the weak or injured.” Adina said. “When I was a girl, one trotted into our village like it belonged there. It immediately went after the children that were playing in front of the school. My brother and I had to climb a tree to escape it.”

  “What happened to it?” Reese asked curiously as Adina lifted Sara’s leg and touched the swollen flesh gently.

  “The dogs killed it,” Adina said absently. “Reese, this is not good.”

  “They look like they’re healing,” Reese said tentatively.

  “The flesh is healing but there is an infection. Can you see the lines?”

  Reese leaned closer and stared at Sara’s leg. Thin red lines were moving upward from the deep scratches on her legs and the flesh was swollen and bruised.

  “It is good that she put the liptus leaves on her wounds but it wasn’t enough,” Adina said.

  “Radek was the one who did that,” Reese replied. “He found her in the woods and kept her alive through the storm.”

  “Really?” Adina gave her a surprised look. “Radek kept a human alive?”

  “I know, right?” Reese said. “Maybe we’re starting to win him over.”

  Adina snorted softly. “I doubt that.”

  She prodded the flesh around the wounds and Sara moaned pitifully in her sleep and tried to pull her leg free of Adina’s grip.

  Adina sighed and Reese gave her a worried look. “What medicine can we use, Adina?”

  “There is no medicine.”

  “What?” Reese asked as Violet walked down Sara’s body and sat on her hip. She stared at Adina as Adina shook her head.

  “There is nothing in the forest that will stop this type of infection. I could try and coat the wound with the sap from a Bavrin tree – it has healing properties – but that will not get rid of the infection. It will slow it down, give the girl a bit more time before the infection reaches her heart and kills her but other than that…”

  She trailed off and Reese gave her a sick look. “She’s so young, Adina. There must be something we can do.”

  “There is not,” Adina said quietly.

  “Shit!” Reese snapped. “Sometimes I hate this fucking world.”

  She studied Sara’s pale face as Adina reached for the covers. “We will keep her as comfortable as possible over the next few days. We can give her tea for the pain and – “

  She frowned as Violet rose in the air and hovered over Sara’s leg. She began to clap her hands together rhythmically as Adina and Reese watched.

  “What is she doing?” Adina whispered.

  “I don’t know,” Reese replied.

  They both gasped in surprise when the glittery dust fell from her clapping hands. Violet flew back and forth over the wounds on Sara’s leg, her hands clapping so quickly they were a blur, until the entire calf was coated in the softly-glowing dust.

  She flew upward to Sara’s back and quickly coated each puncture wound before landing gently on her hip. She sat down and gave Reese and Adina a smug look as she combed her long purple hair with her fingers.

  “What is that?” Adina leaned forward until her nose was nearly touching Sara’s leg. She touched the dust with the tip of her finger.

  “It tingles.” She gave Reese a look of surprise.

  “Really?” Reese asked.

  “Aye,” Adina waited a few moments before gently blowing on the dust that covered the smallest scratch. She made a small grunt of surprise before quickly blowing the rest of the pixie dust away.

  “Holy shit,” Reese said softly. “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?”

  “The wounds,” Adina reached out and touched Sara’s smooth flesh, “are completely healed over and there is no sign of infection.”

  “Violet, how did you do that?” Reese asked the tiny pixie as Adina quickly brushed away the dust from Sara’s back.

  Violet shrugged before studying her fingernails. Reese leaned closer and touched the pixie’s leg. “You just saved her life, Violet. Do you realize how amazing you are?”

  A broad grin crossed the pixie’s face and she jumped up before shooting upward into the air above Reese. She twirled prettily with her long hair whipping around her face, as dust fell onto Reese’s upturned face.

  Reese laughed as the dust tingled pleasantly for a moment before subsiding. “You’re something else, Violet.”

  The little pixie gave her another smug look before diving into Sara’s hair. She disappeared among the gold curls as Adina sat back and stared at Reese.

  “I have never seen anything like it. The girl was going to die, Reese.”

  “And now she isn’t,” Reese replied happily.

  “Aye, and now she isn’t,” Adina repeated softly.

  She pulled the covers up over Sara as Reese said, “What is going on between you and the blond vampire?”

  “What do you mean?” Adina said nervously.

  “You know what I mean. The other night I thought you were going to let him bite you right in front of us.”

  “I only wanted to see him up close,” Adina said. “I have never seen a creature like him before.”

  “No one in this world has,” Reese pointed out. “But you didn’t see anyone else letting him lick their neck.”

  Adina flushed and moved into the kitchen. “I didn’t let him do that. It just sort of happened.”

  “Adina,” Reese took her hand, “you need to be careful. Faren is dangerous. Abigail says that once they bite you, it starts an obsession – one you can’t control. Do you really want that?”

  Adina didn’t reply and Reese squeezed her hand lightly. “I know that there’s something – well – intriguing about the vampires, believe me I feel it too. But I don’t think becoming Faren’s food source is something you really want. Nor do you – “

  “Enough, Reese!” Adina said harshly. “I am not your child nor am I a member of this pack that will be told what to do by the alpha’s mate. I am a grown woman and I am entirely capable of making my o
wn decisions.”

  Reese took a step back, hurt flashing across her face. “I – I’m sorry, Adina. You are right. It’s none of my business.”

  Adina glared at her before sighing loudly. “I’m sorry I snapped at you, Reese.”

  “I deserved it,” Reese said with a shrug. “I was overstepping my bounds. I just – I don’t want you to get hurt, Adina.”

  “I won’t,” Adina said. “The other night meant nothing – I was only curious.”

  “Right,” Reese said unconvincingly.

  “I’d better go. The man named Michael still has a fever and I want to try a different kind of tea with him.”

  Chapter 11

  Sara rubbed at her eyes before staring around blearily. The room was unfamiliar and she sat up in the bed and pushed the covers back before swinging her legs over the side of the bed. A flash of purple caught her eye and she grinned happily when Violet hovered in front of her.

  “Hello, Violet,” she said as the pixie zoomed forward and kissed her on the nose. “I’m so happy to see you.”

  She stood up and stretched before yanking at the bottom of her skirt. She really needed to find some new clothes. These ones were dirty and smelly and –

  Her hand reached around and traced the small of her back before she studied her leg. “My wounds – where are they?” She said stupidly.

  Violet clapped her hands and spun in the air, pixie dust floating lightly to the floor.

  “I don’t understand,” Sara craned her head to try and look at her back. “I don’t – “

  The door opened and she spun around, nearly falling over in her haste. She stared wide-eyed at the tall, dark-haired woman standing in the doorway.

  “Hello, Sara. My name is Reese.”

  “Hi.” She took a nervous step back.

  “Don’t be frightened. I’m human like you and I won’t hurt you,” Reese said.

  “Where am I?”

  “You’re in mine and Kane’s cabin.”

  Sara’s eyes widened. “You – you’re Kane’s mate.”

  “Yes.”

  Sara looked her up and down as Reese held her hand out. “Abigail is with Val in their cabin. As soon as it’s dark, I imagine she’ll come to check on you. In the meantime, why don’t you come with me? I have some hot food and a hot bath waiting for you.”