by Jordan Deen
terrifying claws ripped into my arms and back.
I tumbled down on top of Grant, feeling the warm blood oozing from the slits in my back. It trickled down my body and across my arms. Every one of my ribs cracked under his weight; my body twitched again as the smell radiating from Alex burned my senses adding to my misery. I was sure dying would have felt better than this.
“Lacey!” My mother screamed.
Alex panted just feet from me while Grant, now turned back to Brandon, was lying limp beneath me. I tried to get up, but the gashes on my arms split open further with every movement causing more pain. My mother and father rushed to my side pushing Alex out of the way. Alex whimpered and lay down obediently at my mother’s feet. All I wanted was my mother to comfort me. Instead, the horrible smell surrounded them and I couldn’t breathe. I gasped for air, but the fire penetrated my lungs.
“Lacey …” The breathing below me was shallow. I looked towards Brandon; he lifted his fingers to rub down my cheek. “I’m so sorry.” He said straining for breath.
All the wolves were back in human form. I glanced up at Alex, tears forming in his eyes. Jillian and Aunt Jamie were both crying too.
“Get her!” Sophie screamed at Gavin.
Alex turned to stop Gavin. “I won’t let you do this.”
Michael moved closer to Brandon and helped him from the ground. I felt both of their strong hands on my shoulders lifting me. “I’ve got you.” Brandon whispered. “They won’t hurt you again.”
Thomas came through the door and Brandon shifted my body carefully into his arms. No matter how careful he was, the pain would not stop coming. I looked at him briefly to see he was covered in blood … my blood.
“Get her to the healer.” Michael commanded Thomas and practically pushed us out the door.
“Leaving so soon Mistress?” Sophie was now positioned in front of the doorway. The other wolves from their pack were standing at point behind her.
“Move.” Alex stepped forward.
“Alex, let’s not start this now.” She motioned her hand to dismiss him.
Alex firmly stepped forward. “She needs help and I won’t let you stop her from getting it.”
I looked at Sophie, her demeanor no longer casual, or regal. “We will find your mate. She is not the one. She is not worthy of you, worthy of our family and the power we are offering her You will do better, have better, than her”
Alex looked at me and I swallowed hard. His dark brown eyes told me how badly he wanted her to be lying. “I’ll die without her.” His tone was solemn as his voice cracked.
Sophie hesitated and glared at him. The room turned eerily quiet as she pondered his revelation. Then, to our surprise, she started laughing. “You started believing the lie?” She smirked.
“How pathetic. Just like your father.” She growled. “Gavin.”
Sophie extended one of her long red fingernails to Alex. Gavin sprung onto Alex wrapping his arms tightly around him.
Thomas’ arms rubbing against the open wounds on my back made me whimper. The pain wouldn’t stop and I doubted I would get relief anytime soon. Brandon was the only one who could take it away and Sophie was determined we would not get out of the house alive. Alex pushed and pulled to get out of Gavin’s grasp. I looked wearily over at Brandon; his eyes showed pain and remorse just as deep as my own.
I love you. He pulled up one side of his mouth and then looked back to Michael. They had a conversation with each other without speaking a word. Thomas knowingly moved forward and handed me back to Brandon. He gingerly placed one of his powerful arms across my shoulders, being mindful of the tears in my skin and under my knees. I curled my body into his praying our bond would be restored and he would take the pain away. Selfish, I knew, but my skin was now really being ripped away from my muscles; there were no invisible hands to blame.
Brandon’s smooth lips brushed across my forehead; then he nuzzled my face into the crook of his neck. I’m sorry babe. This should never have happened. He pulled my body slightly closer as I started to feel more lightheaded and queasy. I should’ve come sooner.
Michael and Thomas stepped in front of Brandon and I. The other men from the Amana’s formed a V shape surrounding us. I could feel Brandon inching his way backwards towards the kitchen. I was holding my breath waiting for anyone’s next move, hoping someone had a plan. I’m not sure how much blood I could lose and still survive, but I didn’t really want to find out either.
“Go!” Michael screamed. Brandon was in motion before Michael finished the word.
My skin split and ripped further as Brandon jostled my body running through the kitchen and out the back door. In one quick leap we were over the fence and heading past the Jacobsen’s pool. Brandon held me securely against his chest as his breathing strained. Moisture started to gather against my collarbone – more blood. Then I realized that it wasn’t mine. Brandon had a large gash in his shirt, a puncture wound on his chest with crimson blood seeping out.
“You’re bleeding.” I tried to point to his chest but he was holding me too tightly for me to lift my arm away from my body.
“Don’t worry about me.” He looked at me briefly. “Right now we have to get you help.”
We ducked through several backyards, Brandon looking back periodically to make sure we weren’t being followed. He changed paths a few times and went over several different fences in opposite directions; I assumed this was to confuse anyone that could be tracking us. When we finally broke free from the yards to the street, we were on his street; it wouldn’t be long before we would be at his house.
Brandon’s face started to finally relax and he slowed his pace. “Serena is already there. She’ll be able to help you.”
I was finally able to touch my fingers to his chest. “What about you? Can she help you?”
Brandon let out a small laugh. “I’m sure she can.” He hugged me closer again and flung open the door to the house.
c h a p t e r
TWENTY-FIVE
Serena was a petite woman with bright silver hair and wrinkled skin, but she had the most amazing, glowing green eyes I had ever seen. “Lacey …” she said kindly as Brandon laid me carefully down on the couch. She motioned for him to lift my side and he complied. I groaned and winced as my skin felt as if it was ripping further away from my muscles and bones. Her careful fingers probed at the wounds on my back and then at the wound on Brandon’s chest.
“I think it’s best that the two of you have some alone time while I take care of these.” She motioned her head towards the hallway. More pain shot through me as Brandon lifted me into his arms and carried me down the hallway to the bedroom where I had first met Lily. Serena carefully placed a towel over the bed and Brandon laid me on my side with my back exposed to the side of the bed. I was barely aware that Serena had started to tear at the back of my shirt as Brandon claimed the spot on the bed next to me. Brandon’s head lay just inches from mine; his eyes gazing into mine.
My body trembled as Serena rubbed a cloth down one of my gashes. “You have to breathe honey.” She said as she took another swipe at the blood I could feel trickling down my side. I didn’t want to breathe, I didn’t want to move or feel my heart beating against my ribs. I just wanted the pain to stop intensifying and to stop being aware of what she was doing.
Brandon ran the tips of his fingers down my cheek and across my lips trying his best to distract me. “Do you remember the day we met?” He stared deep into my eyes; his face seemed relaxed despite the fight at the house and the horrible cuts he had on his chest that still needed to be tended to. I knew they had to hurt, but it seemed like he was hurting worse over the gouges
Serena was trying to her best to close up on my back.
Mmmm hmmm … I tried to control my breathing and focus on the first day we met and the feeling of his gentle fingers against my skin.
He smiled. “Do you remember how we stopped the world?”
I barely shook my head in response. Serena continued
to rub at my back; the cloth felt as if it was removing whole sections of skin as she twisted it up and down in the grooves left by Alex’s claws.
Brandon touched my face again and then wrapped his fingers around mine and closed his eyes like he didn’t have a care in the world.
A door closed and Lily’s tiny voice filled the room. “How is she?” Heavier footsteps echoed into the room.
“Can you take a look at Matt?” Michael’s voice joined the others.
“Sure …” Serena paused. “What happened?”
Lily giggled. “You should see the other guy.”
“Lily, don’t gloat.” Emile had entered the room. I could hear ice clanking against glass. “Would you like some water? Can I get you anything?”
“What do you think we should do now?” Another voice entered the room, one I didn’t recognize.
“It’s too soon to tell. It all rests on them now.” Michael responded.
Opening my eyes to the room around us, I saw several people standing over the bed. But I focused on Brandon; his eyes were closed and his shirt was off. The wound on his chest was cleaned and covered with gauze.
“How are you feeling?” Emile ran her hand down my forearm forcing my attention away from him.
“I’m in a lot of pain still. My back hurts,” I said, trying to focus on Brandon’s face, his eyes rolling beneath his closed lids. I wondered if he was dreaming of me.
Emile turned to Serena. “How come she’s awake?” Serena pulled
