“That was one of my favorite jackets.”
“You have others, I’m sure.” Killian laughs.
He takes in a sharp breath as he begins removing the tattered remains of my shirt.
I knew it had to look just as bad as it felt.
My back felt as if someone had taken a meat grinder to it.
As he pulls a piece of cloth from a wound I close my eyes and whimper as tears pour silently down to the bed wetting the soft white sheets.
“I’m sorry, Kenzie, there’s only two other wounds that I need to pull the material from. The blood has somewhat dried so I’m warning you now, it’s going to hurt.” Killian explains just before two quick jolts of pain wash over me.
Moving away from me I turn my head to watch Killian as moves around the small, cold looking, space that I would now call home.
Until we went to the ground, that is.
For a moment I felt sorry for him as I watch his shoulders slump, and when he turns his eyes show just how worn he actually was.
He eyes me curiously as I continue to watch him.
“What are you thinking?” He questions.
I sigh. “I was just thinking about how tired you look.” I answer and his eyes soften a fraction before he stands up straighter and every trace of him being tired and worn disappears.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m not tired.” He growls out before throwing a medical kit down to the floor next to the bed.
“You can fix yourself.” He snarls. “I’m leaving for a while.”
He then walks out of the room leaving me alone and still bleeding.
I stare at the door in shock by his random behavior. His moods had become erratic, and completely unlike the Killian that I knew.
Minutes later the door beeps alerting me that someone was just outside.
“Enter.” I command and the door opens revealing Maddox.
He walks in looking around curiously before his eyes land on me questioningly.
“He left me to fix this myself.” I answer his unspoken question.
His hands clench tightly as his jaw ticks with anger. “I swear if he wasn’t an Alpha I would kill him. He doesn’t deserve you, Mac.”
“I would kill him if I could too, Maddox.”I laugh out before cringing from the pain.
Without another word I watch as Maddox picks up Killian’s discarded medical kit and begins working on my back.
I lay there quietly as his hands gently brush over my skin as he cleans, and stitches up the worst wounds.
Placing a large bandage on my back he then helps me into a sitting position so he can wrap another bandage around my middle to hold the one on my back in place.
As he wraps the bandage around my breasts I become aware of just how exposed I had been to him.
It wasn’t the first time he had seen me like this since modestly wasn’t much of a big deal in our station, especially when the only place to clean up was one large bath room that both men and the few women who lived here shared.
But being here, like this, with him felt different.
Not bad, but not at all good either considering he was a member of my team.
I cross my arms over myself as he continues to wrap me and thankfully sensing my unease he stands to his feet before searching through a bunch of drawers, producing a shirt for me.
I’m thankful when he helps me into it before buttoning it up the front for me.
Looking into his eyes I smile slightly as he caresses the back of his hand over my cheek. “Are you going to be alright now, Mac?”
I nod. “I’ll be fine.” I lean into his hand. “Thanks, Maddox.” I whisper and he nods before breaking out into a smile.
“If you need anything, I’m just a shout away.” He states as he stands back to his feet and makes his way over to the door, glancing back once more just before walking out.
Moving slowly I lay back down on my stomach.
The pain was still too much to handle and I knew sleep was out of the question even though I felt exhausted.
I figured that I would just wait for Killian to return.
Thinking over what had just transpired between Maddox and me, I laugh out abruptly.
Maddox had surprised me by being so tender and I had never thought that I would ever see that side of him in my lifetime.
He had always been at my throat since the first day we had been assigned to the same team as young children.
But that moment of tenderness just reminded me that you couldn’t always judge a person just by what you saw on the outside.
He could be a good man when he wanted to be.
I was glad now that he was on my side and part of my team.
The minutes tick by slowly as I wait for Killian to return. I had figured he would have gotten over his anger for me by now.
When the door finally does beep open I’m shocked to see Killian stumbling inside the room with another girl.
After the both of them enter the room while giggling the girl spots me first and elbows Killian gaining his attention before pointing towards me.
“Why is she in your room, Killian?” She questions and I smile smugly as Killian groans pinching the bridge of his nose.
“That’s Commander Frost, to you sweetheart.” I answer and her face pales.
“And since Killian seems to have forgotten, we entered into a union that I can now break, thanks to this little encounter.” I motion between the two of them.
Cheating was a big no, no, when you were in a union.
“I’m so sorry, Ma’am.” The girl salutes a little too late, but at that point I didn’t much care. She was my ticket out of the union with Killian.
“Get out, now.” I command and she does without another word.
Moving to sit up I watch Killian as his face goes red with anger.
I laugh out menacingly. “You really screwed this up, Killian.”
In a flash of movement he picks me up and slams me back against the wall. I choke with his hand firmly around my neck.
“You’re not going to say a word, Mackenzie.” He growls. “I didn’t mess anything up, and it would be my word over yours. Who do you really think they would listen to?”
“They will listen to me.” I growl back in anger as I move myself to fight him.
It was a lie to believe that the council would actually listen to me though.
The council would undoubtedly listen to an Alpha before listening to a female but I wasn’t about to be treated this way, especially not by him.
“No, they won’t. You will stay mine and you will not complain if I have a taste of…” He chokes out cutting his words off as I dig my hand into his inner thigh just below his family jewels.
“That is where you are wrong, Killian. If I am stuck in this, your hands will never touch another woman ever again.” I warn before shoving him back.
He comes at me again and I throw my leg out to kick him right in the chest. I cry out as I feel some of my stitches tear.
Catching me at my weakest Killian pins me back against the wall.
I cry out again in pain.
His cruel eyes study me for a moment before they soften and he backs away slowly, allowing me to slide down the wall.
He curses at himself before reaching for me again.
I slap his hands away refusing to be touched by him.
He turns around, his back to me, and I take that moment to yell out to the intercom that every room thankfully had. “Call, Maddox Weaver.” I yell and immediately get a response.
“You called, Captain Frost?” He answers gruffly.
“Help me. “ I yell just as Killian slams his hand into the intercom cutting the call off for good.
“You are going to pay for that, Kenzie.” Killian growls as he steps towards me.
Picking me back off of the floor he leans in so his face is mere inches from mine. His deep green eyes study my pale blue ones.
I close them as a few tears fall.
“It hurts, Killian.” I whimper.
Lifting me up, he places me back on the bed rolling me to my side so he could see the damage he had done.
I already knew it was bad.
My shirt was soaked with blood already, even my pants were soaking it in.
The door beeps announcing Maddox.
I half expect Killian to dismiss him but he commands for him to come in.
Rushing in Maddox kneels down as I lay myself on my stomach. “What’s wrong?”
“The stitches you put in tore.” I answer glancing back at Killian as his jaw begins to tick with anger.
He was mad that I had Maddox help me, but I didn’t care, he could only be mad at his self for leaving me alone to treat wounds that I couldn’t even reach.
“Why did they tear, Mac?” He questions and for a moment I look at Killian before answering.
“I thought that I could move better than I actually could. You know me, Maddox. I don’t like to be kept down.” I lie skirting around the truth.
Maddox studies me for a moment before nodding.
I knew he didn’t believe me.
“You scared the hell out of me when you called for help, Mac.” He sighs.
“I know, no one was here and I really didn’t want to bleed out alone.” I answer and he nods again before glancing over at the broken intercom.
His jaw ticks with anger for a moment until I place my hand against his arm to stop him. I didn’t need any more trouble for the night.
“Alright, well, since I’m here I should probably fix you back up.”He sighs looking down at my hand.
“I’ll take care of her, Maddox. You can leave.” Killian cuts in.
Maddox watches me for a moment as we talk silently with our eyes. I didn’t want him to leave me alone with Killian, but he really didn’t have much of a choice.
“Are you sure?” Maddox whispers, I nod removing my hand from his arm.
Standing up, Maddox’s eyes fill with anger as he faces Killian. “I will kill you if you hurt her again. I don’t fear you, Alpha.” He spits out before saluting me and then leaving.
Minutes pass as Killian watches me, and I watch him.
“Why did you even choose me, Killian?” I blurt.
He sighs as he looks down to his feet for a moment before looking back up to me. “I chose you because you are the best at what you do. I also chose you to keep you safe from the other Alphas that wanted you.” He answers honestly.
“How is this keeping me safe?” I question motioning around absently he bows his head with a sad laugh. “I don’t know, Mackenzie, but we need to learn to trust each other.”
“I hate you, how can you expect me to even want to trust you?” I clip out.
“I know it’s a lot to ask but you haven’t been told the entire story. I’m not exactly the bad guy you like to make me out to be.” He replies.
I laugh abruptly. “Yeah, and you expect me to believe that after what just happened and what you did to me earlier?”
“I tried to take my words back, but the council wouldn’t have it. I allow my anger to control my actions far too much.” He explains as he slowly moves towards me. “I really am sorry, and I will never be able to forgive myself for what I did earlier.”
“Did you forgive yourself for killing my mother?” I growl out and his eyes go wide with surprise.
“I never…” He begins.
But I cut him off. “Your name was on her death papers.”
“I didn’t sign those papers, Kenzie. I was for rehabilitating your mother.” He insists.
“Yes, you did. You just probably don’t remember.” I accuse.
“I’ll prove it to you somehow that I didn’t sign those papers, Mackenzie.” He promises moving ever closer. “Can we move on, for now, so you don’t actually bleed out?”
I nod giving up my fight.
I wouldn’t let it go though.
Not ever, or at least until he proved me wrong.
Chapter 4
“I think we’re going to have to go to the shower room in order to get these completely clean, Kenzie.” Killian states as I finishes pulling out all of the damaged stitches.
“I don’t know if I can even make it down there like this.” I whimper.
“I can clear everyone out if I have to, and it is late, most everyone should already be asleep in their quarters.” He answers and I nod in agreement.
Even though I hated the idea of him helping me anymore than he already had, I really didn’t have much of a choice.
My wounds needed cleaned out and I needed to wash the dried blood off of my body.
Holding my arm over my breasts I motion towards the drawers that held our clothes. “Can you get me a clean shirt or something to cover myself?”
Nodding, Killian quickly fishes out a shirt of his own, he holds it out to me and I take it while he continues to watch me.
“Can you turn around or something? I really don’t want you to watch me put this on.” I huff out.
He nods and turns his back to me.
I lift the shirt up to put it on but it hurts far too much to get it over my head. I growl out in frustration as I try different ways to put the shirt on.
Killian chuckles as I throw the shirt at his head.
“Can you stand on your own?” He questions.
“Yeah, I think so.” I grunt as I stand up on wobbly legs.
“Now, just turn to face the wall and I’ll help you.” He commands softly.
Turning around I glance back to see him watching me, he smiles softly as he moves closer and maneuvers the shirt in his hands before they come around me.
He holds it just far enough away for me to place my arms through the holes. His arms brush lightly against my bare skin and I involuntarily shiver.
With him being this close my mind wonders to dangerous places.
Places that instead of wanting to kill him, I wanted nothing more than to feel more of his skin against my own, and I wonder for a moment if I was just going crazy from the loss of blood.
That had to be the reason, because I hated him.
“Can you look down for just a minute so I can get this over your head?” He whispers, his breath fanning over my skin.
I do as he asks without a word.
I wasn’t even sure if I could speak.
Placing the shirt over my head I straighten and turn back towards him as he carefully pulls the shirt down covering me.
My eyes study his heated ones and for a moment, and I find myself not hating him so much.
“Are you ready?” He questions breaking our moment.
I nod as I close my eyes.
“Yes, I am.” I answer and wait as he places his arm around my waist for support like we had done before.
Before we leave Killian stops just outside the door before rushing back inside our room. Moments pass before he comes out with a bag.
I raise my brow curiously.
“I figured we would need fresh clothes and bandages to fix you back up.” He answers before slinging the bag over his shoulder and then wrapping his arm back around my waist.
“Good thinking.” I grunt as we slowly make our way down the three halls to the shower room, or what most called the bath house.
Thankfully, we don’t come across anyone else in the halls and when we reach the room there is only one other person standing under a shower.
It’s Maddox.
Killian turns to me for a moment questioning.
“Let him stay, there isn’t anything he hasn’t already seen before.” I answer his unspoken question.
Killian growls low as he looks from me back to Maddox.
“Why can he see you and I can’t?” He questions abruptly.
“Because there isn’t anything between Maddox and me, he’s more like family to me than anything else.” I answer
honestly.
“Are you sure about that?” He questions with a raised brow and I nod.
There wasn’t anything to worry about, I mean we did kind of have a moment earlier when he had stitched my wounds, but that was just sympathy on his part.
Walking into the room on my own Maddox glances up and grins until his eyes land on Killian following close behind me.
“Nothing can keep you down, can it, Mac?” Maddox laughs.
“Nothing can, and I bet I could easily beat you in a match tomorrow.” I challenge playfully.
“I bet you could.” He laughs again as he turns on the shower next to him heating the water for me.
Grabbing my arm Killian stops me from moving forward.
“I don’t want you near him.” He whispers in my ear.
“I don’t really care what you want, Killian.” I reply pulling my arm away from his grasp before walking over to Maddox. He motions for me to lean down and with one quick and painless move he pulls off my shirt.
I quickly shimmy out of my pants and undies before stepping under the water, gasping as it hits my back.
Closing my eyes I allow it to run over my body.
It hurt but at the same time it felt oh so good.
Suddenly, arms come around me as I sway.
Opening my eyes I see Maddox clench his jaw with anger, as Killian’s hands move to my hips, I gasp again at the unfamiliar touch.
It was an unwelcome touch, one that I was definitely not ready for.
Turning around I half expect to see Killian just as bare as Maddox and I were, but he’s not, he was still fully clothed.
Motioning for me to turn back around I feel one of his hands lightly trace my wounds.
Closing my eyes again I refocus my mind on something other than the mix of pleasure and pain that I was currently feeling.
I sway as his fingers again find my hips and even as he turns me to face him I keep my eyes shut tightly.
I couldn’t look at him with the way his hands felt on me. I didn’t want him to see the need I had for him in them.
His hand comes back up my side before threading through my hair, pulling me flush against his body where I felt every contour of him through his wet clothes.
A small moan leaves my lips just before his lips caress my own.
Eden One, Episode One Page 3