Safe Haven

by Brenda Trim

  “No!” Liv screamed when she saw blood seeping through Lawson’s light blue sweater. She immediately ran over and crouched beside him.

  “Now it’s your turn,” Jim growled as he walked toward her, pointing the gun at her head.

  Adrenaline dumped into her system, and Liv’s heart pounded in her chest as she realized what was happening.

  Automatically, Liv swept her leg outward and caught Jim off guard, knocking him to his ass. The gun flew from his hand, and Liv jumped on top of the man, trying to prevent him from grabbing the weapon.

  She heard a door slamming and caught sight of Ryan and Cassie running toward her. Jim rolled sideways, taking her with him. He gained the upper hand when he pinned her with his weight. Jim reached for her throat, but she jerked her head to the side and dodged his attack. Instead, his hand snagged the leather cord around her neck, and he pulled, choking her in the process.

  For several seconds, time stood still. Liv saw every move as if it were in slow motion. It was the weirdest sensation. She could discern everything and everyone around her. She instinctively knew Lawson suffered a critical gunshot wound, Ryan and Cassie were mere steps away, and that Jim intended on killing her if she didn’t act fast.

  Recalling Lawson’s words, Liv reached for the wolf dangling from the cord. She clutched the pendant then stabbed it into the side of Jim’s neck. He shouted and released his hold on the leather. Liv shoved the metal deeper, cutting his flesh. Blood spurted from the wound and dripped onto her face.

  “Fuck you,” she yelled and continued slicing his neck with the sharp tip of the wolf’s snout. Seconds later, Jim’s body went slack, and Liv pushed him off her. He rolled onto his back but didn’t move. Liv scrambled away, watching to see if he would retaliate. His chest wasn’t moving, and she noticed blood pooling around his body.

  Voices brought her focus back to Lawson. “Ryan, is he okay?” she shrieked as she crawled to Lawson’s side. His sweater soaked through with blood and Liv’s heart hammered against her chest when she placed her hand against his neck and didn’t feel a pulse.

  “It’s hard to tell. Lawson, can you hear me?” he shouted as he cradled his brother’s head. Lawson moaned, and Liv sighed her relief. He was alive for now.

  “You need to shift, bro. It’s your only chance,” Ryan muttered close to Lawson’s ear.

  Another groan was his only response. “I’m going to carry him to the van. Cassie, you and Liv put Jim in his car and follow me. I’m going to try and get Lawson to shift,” Ryan instructed as he got to his feet, picking up Lawson as he stood.

  “I’m riding with you,” Liv declared as she and Cassie made their way over to Jim.

  His lifeless eyes stared straight ahead. The man was dead because of Liv. And there wasn’t one ounce of remorse or guilt. Jim Jensen was an evil man. She would never forget the day he tried to rape her. If Lawson hadn’t come to her rescue, he would’ve succeeded. She abhorred Jim Jensen. In the end, the man got what he deserved.

  “Liv, no. You need to stay away. I’m not sure how his wolf will react, especially injured,” Ryan said as he walked towards the van.

  Liv and Cassie struggled to carry Jim’s dead weight but managed to drag him to the back of the car then lift him into the trunk. “Cass, will you be alright by yourself? I have to go to him,” she said in a rush as she watched Ryan put Lawson in the back of the van.

  “Sure. Go. I’ll be right behind you, chauffeuring the douchebag,” Cassie smirked and pushed Liv in the direction of the van.

  Leave it to Cassie to make jokes during a crisis. If Liv wasn’t so worried about Lawson, she would’ve found her comment humorous, but she couldn’t think of anything except her shifter. She picked up her pace and sprinted to the van.

  “Don’t even try and stop me. I’m coming with you,” Liv demanded then stopped in her tracks when she peered inside the van.

  A giant gray wolf sprawled across the floor. It lifted its head and growled at her.

  “That’s a bad idea, Liv. Lawson will kick my ass if I let you in the van with his wolf. Go and get in the car with Cassie. I’ll take care of him,” Ryan assured, but Liv shook her head.

  “Sorry, not happening,” she said and climbed into the van. She maneuvered her way beside the wolf and picked up its head, placing it in her lap.

  “Fine,” Ryan huffed and reached around her back, grabbing a few small towels. “Try and stop the bleeding if you can.”

  The wolf met her gaze and growled again. “Don’t bully me, Lawson. I’m staying right here, so get over it,” she scolded as she gently stroked the soft fur while applying pressure to the injuries.

  She could see the bullet wounds now that he was in wolf form. Jim shot him three times, and Liv could tell it was bad. The gunshots were very close to his heart, and Liv pressed the towel as hard as she could, trying to slow the bleeding.

  “He’s going to live, right?” she shouted as Ryan hopped in the driver seat and cranked the van.

  “I won’t know until I get him back to the hotel and remove the bullets. He needs to stay in shift until we get him stabilized,” he explained as he peeled out of the parking lot. Liv clung to the wolf as they sped toward the interstate.

  “Hang in there, Lawson. We’re on our way home. It won’t be much longer,” she blurted and buried her face in the dense fur. “Please stay with me. I need you,” she whispered and heard a low rumble in the wolf’s throat.

  Liv was awed by the size of Lawson’s wolf. He took up most of the space in the rear of the van. The only other time she’d seen his animal, she was naked and laying on her back. At that time, she was more concerned with not becoming a Scooby snack. Now, she examined the animal from snout to tail and couldn’t believe this incredible creature was the man she loved.

  She heard Ryan on his cell phone talking to his sister. He told her to prepare a space for Lawson. That he was shot and Ryan needed to remove bullets. Liv could hear screaming coming through the phone then Ryan reassuring her that Lawson would be okay. Liv knew better. Ryan didn’t want to upset his sister further by telling her the truth about Lawson’s condition.

  The drive back seemed to take forever despite Ryan thinking he was Mario Andretti, trying to win the Indy 500. Liv continued to stroke the wolf, cooing words of encouragement. Lawson needed to fight and live. She refused to consider anything else.

  As soon as the hotel came into view, Liv sent a silent thank you to God for keeping him alive for the drive home. Now the hard part. Removing the bullets.

  Hannah, Haylee, Brenlee, Knox, and Ashley rushed from the back door to the van. Knox helped Ryan carry the wolf into the kitchen where they had cleared the large metal island and set up a makeshift operating area.

  Liv had no idea where the various implements came from, but she assumed this was a procedure commonly performed amongst shifters. At least, she hoped so. There were scalpels, forceps, scissors, and probes, along with a few items she didn’t recognize.

  Ryan went to the large sink and quickly washed his hands then immediately went to work. Hannah was right by his side assisting him. Their professionalism and efficiency told Liv they worked as a team before, which gave her a small measure of comfort.

  Lawson’s wolf lay there quietly and allowed Ryan to remove the three bullets. A few times he lifted his head and growled his discomfort, but otherwise remained calm and still. Liv stood off to the side and chewed on her lip. The wait was killing her. She wanted to go to Lawson but remained in place. Cassie walked over and grabbed her hand, offering support.

  “He has to be okay, Cass,” Liv whispered as her eyes remained on Lawson.

  “He’s going to make it. Lawson is one of the strongest men I’ve ever met,” her friend reassured.

  “I didn’t tell him I loved him. What if I don’t get another chance?” Liv muttered as the rush of adrenaline left her body, and reality settled in its place. Lawson could die.

  “He knows, Liv. Trust me, he knows,” Cassie promised and squeezed h
er hand.

  Liv’s focus remained fixed on Ryan and the wolf. As she watched Ryan operate, she noticed a slight tremble to his hands. She panicked when sharp nails extended from the tips of his fingers. She started to lunge forward when Ryan removed his hands and rested them on the table and lowered his head. Liv could see him taking deep breaths.

  “You okay?” Hannah asked, and Ryan nodded to his sister.

  “I just need a sec,” he responded, and Liv saw the claws recede. Lawson was right to be concerned about his brother. The man was clearly going through some change.

  Moments later, Ryan lifted his head and continued his task of removing the bullets. Afterward, Hannah bandaged the areas while Ryan and Ashley cleaned up the mess. Liv felt helpless as she gazed at the wolf. She wanted to do something but didn’t have the first clue as to what.

  The wolf lifted its head and searched the room until it met her gaze. Steel gray eyes pulled her toward the kitchen island.

  “Liv, you should stay back,” warned Haylee as she tried to step between Liv and the wolf. Liv glared at the woman. If she thought Liv was going to be a good little human and keep her distance, she had another thing coming.

  “She’s fine,” Ryan interjected. “I’ve never seen anything like it. Lawson’s wolf trusts Liv. Plus, she doesn’t listen very well,” he added and winked at her.

  Haylee stepped aside so Liv could make her way to the wolf. Liv looked down and smiled as she reached over and caressed its face. “Hey, Outlaw.”

  The wolf nuzzled her palm then licked it. Liv could feel multiple sets of eyeballs on their interaction, but she didn’t care. She needed him to know she was there for him.

  “I’m going to be right here by your side. I need you to rest and heal, okay?” Liv asked. A responding rumble from the wolf told her he understood.

  “So now what?” Liv asked and looked at Ryan.

  “Now, we wait. Lawson lost a lot of blood, and I have no idea of the internal damage. The bullets are out, and now he needs to heal. The next twenty-four hours are crucial. He will remain in wolf form, and hopefully, the damage to his body will repair. I’ll keep him in my room where I can watch over him,” he explained.

  “No. I want Lawson taken to our room. I will monitor him and do whatever needs to be done,” Liv countered as she continued to stroke the wolf’s head.

  “Liv, you need to rest, too. I can take care of him until tomorrow,” Ryan said as he stepped beside them.

  The wolf lifted his head and growled at Ryan, baring its canines. When Ryan reached for the wolf, it snapped.

  “I think Lawson is letting you know his preference,” Hannah said with a laugh. “Let’s get him to their room before he takes off your hand,” she remarked as she walked over to stand beside Liv.

  “Fine. I don’t want your mangy hair in my bed anyway,” Ryan countered, and the wolf rumbled again which caused the room to fill with laughter.

  “Thank you so much for being here. It hasn’t been the same since you left,” Hannah said, sending a smile Liv’s way.

  “I’ve missed all of you. It feels good to be back,” Liv admitted.

  Ryan and Hannah carried the wolf and Liv led the way. Their small group took the slow elevator to the third floor. Butterflies fluttered in Liv’s stomach as she opened the door and stepped into their room. It looked the same as she remembered. She spotted a few of her things scattered about and wondered if he kept them out for a reason.

  “Just put him on the bed. Oh, and tell me what I need to do,” Liv ordered.

  “Are you sure you want us to leave you alone with him? One of us can stay just in case something happens,” Ryan offered as he and his sister placed the wolf on one side of the bed.

  “No, we’ll be fine. Lawson won’t allow anything to happen to me,” Liv answered, feeling the truth of her words in her gut.

  “I don’t like it, but if you insist,” Ryan said with a shake of his head then proceeded to give her care instructions.

  Liv nodded her understanding then showed them to the door. She was anxious for everyone to get out of the room. She needed to be alone with her wolf.

  “Ryan, what do we do about Jim’s car?” Liv whispered and met his brown eyes. Jim’s dead body was in the trunk, and she imagined the news of his disappearance would be plastered all over the media within the next twenty-four hours.

  “Jim who?” he answered with a wink. “I’ve got it covered. You focus on my brother and don’t worry about anything else. Please call me, or Ashley, if you need anything. I don’t want you leaving the room until we know he’s stable. I’ll be back later to check on him,” Ryan said before he and Hannah left.

  Liv shut the door behind them and then walked to the bed. She sat down on the edge and gazed at the wolf.

  “It’s just me and you now,” she said and smiled as she reached over and ran her hand through its soft fur. “You relax and rest. I’ll be right here,” she stated as she slipped off her shoes then crawled to lie beside the wolf.

  She scooted as close as she could, and wrapped her arm around the large animal. She could feel when the wolf relaxed against her body, and she placed her face to its neck.

  “I love you,” she whispered, and the wolf turned its head and whimpered.

  “Yes, we have a lot to talk about, Outlaw, but right now I need you to get better,” she murmured.

  The wolf snorted then lowered its head to the pillow. She watched until the animal drifted to sleep. Liv thought about her predicament as she lay next to the wolf. She had no clue how a shifter and a human could make a relationship work, but there was one thing she couldn’t deny any longer. She couldn’t live without him and didn’t want to try.

  Chapter 18

  Lawson peered through wolf eyes. He turned his head, craning his neck to see if Liv was still by his side. Pain tore through his belly and spread down his hind leg. His wounds were healing, but he still had a way to go before he was himself again. He’d never been shot that many times. He was damn lucky to be alive.

  “Hey, Outlaw,” she murmured, and he took a deep whiff, inhaling her lemony scent.

  He tried rolling over to face her, but her palm held him in place. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but please don’t move,” she muttered, her tone serious. His long tongue darted out and licked her face, causing her to giggle. “Yeah, I bet you’re frustrated, but you have to stay immobile until Ryan comes in and checks your wounds.”

  A deep rumble vibrated in his throat. He was well enough to shift. Fuck his brother. He needed to wrap his arms around Liv and hold her close. His ears pricked when he heard footsteps approaching their door. Seconds later, a knock sounded.

  “Oh, I bet that’s him now,” Liv blurted and jumped from the bad. She opened the door, and his head lifted as Ryan, and his three sisters walked into the room.

  “How’s our patient doing?” Hannah asked as she crouched by the bed, and rubbed his head like he was some pet. He growled. Nobody but Liv could coddle his wolf. “Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Keep up the growling, and I’ll slap a muzzle on you,” Hannah added which earned her a snap from his jaws.

  “Alright, brother, we get your point,” Ryan said as he walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I can only imagine how agitated you are right now, so I’ll make this short and sweet then leave you be. I’m going to remove your bandages and check how you’re healing,” he explained as he reached over and carefully removed the tape and gauze.

  Lawson tried to get a look at the wounds, but he couldn’t see much with Ryan’s hands in the way. He looked over at Liv to see her reaction but couldn’t determine anything from her stoic expression.

  “Damn, bro, you must have superpowers with how good theses incisions look. Or maybe it was the gifted hands of your surgeon,” Ryan joked. “I’d say you could shift whenever you’re ready.”

  Lawson growled, letting his siblings know they needed to get the fuck out of his room ASAP. As a group, they lifted their hands in surrender and
said a quick goodbye, promising him they would be back in a bit to visit his better half that wasn’t so ornery.

  As soon as they left the room, Lawson shifted.

  “Hey there,” Liv greeted and came to sit on the edge of the bed. She grabbed the blanket and covered the lower half of his nude body.

  “Hi,” he answered hoarsely. It felt like he hadn’t spoken in months with how dry his throat was.

  “Do you want some water?” she asked and he shook his head. All he wanted was Liv.

  “No, I’m fine. Come here, Liv,” he ordered and reached for her hand. She came willingly, and he pulled her to his chest. He sucked in a breath as pain assailed and Liv jerked upright.

  “I’m so sorry,” she blurted, but he pulled her to his chest again, this time careful to mask his discomfort.

  “Don’t worry about hurting me. I need you here with me,” Lawson confessed and wrapped both arms around Liv, hugging her tight. It wasn’t that long ago he doubted she would ever be in his arms again.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she declared and looked up to meet his gaze. Lawson’s heart leaped in his chest at the emotion he saw in her eyes. “I belong right here with you,” she said and smiled, lighting his entire world. The gray clouds parted, and the sun came back to his world when Liv was near.

  “Liv,” he groaned and cupped her face in his palms. “I love you so much,” he murmured then claimed her lips.

  Sweetness filled his mouth as he kissed, licked, and sucked her soft lips. His cock sprang to life, demanding action. “I need you,” he husked.

  “Oh no. You aren’t ready for that,” Liv announced as she pulled away from Lawson's mouth.

  Lawson looked down at the pitched tent beneath the blanket and nodded toward his erection. “I’m quite certain that I’m more than ready.”

  “Well, you tell Mr. Eager to chillax because we’re not going there right now. I’m serious, baby. I want you completely healed.”

  “That implies that we will once I’m better,” Lawson interjected with a raised eyebrow.