by E. M. Leya
"I'm sorry. They found him several feet from you, I guess. He was already gone. There was nothing anyone could do."
I nodded. "I thought so, but I was so confused I didn't know what was real or what wasn't."
"You were drugged by something. I'm not sure what yet." Cohen ran his hands over my legs, then lifted one and bent it at the knee.
"The pain was worse than the drugs. I fought to stay awake. I have no idea how long I was there. What time is it?"
"It's almost four in the afternoon on Monday," Cohen told me.
"Fuck."
"What?" Cohen worked his hands over my hip.
"Bridger and I left Saturday afternoon to go run. We were headed to the lake. Promised his girlfriend we'd be back by eight to pick her up and go to the bar." I reached up, running my fingers over my cheek.
"Nuh-uh…" Cohen caught my arm again. "Give your face time to heal."
"You just don't want me to feel it and freak out." I sighed.
"That might be some of it, but honestly, I need to inspect the damage. I don't know how bad it is. I'm not used to injuries like this. I know a pack doctor who might know more. I'll call him later tonight."
"Don't bother." I turned my head to the side. As soon as I was alone, I was going to end it all. I couldn't live blind.
"Give yourself some time. You're in shock."
"Listen, Doc, don't tell me what I am. I know what I am. I'm fucking blind. The bears should have left me up there to die. Since when do bears save wolves anyway?"
"We've always gotten along with the bears here. I know it's not that way all over, but it's worked for us. Helps to have friends when you need them. Where are you from?"
"If I tell you, you'll just call my alpha and tell him."
Cohen sighed. "Bridger's family will be here soon enough, and they'll tell us if you don't. Honestly, Brett, don't make this harder than it already is for you. We want to help."
"Well, I don't want help. I want my sight back."
"I'm going to look at your eyes, then bandage them until I can learn what we need to do, okay?" Cohen touched my cheek.
"Whatever." It wasn't like I could stop him.
As he worked on my eyes, I tried not to let my mood deteriorate even more, but all I could see was darkness, and that's all I would ever see again. Was it even seeing? It was nothingness. I didn't have eyes to see the darkness. The moment I had a chance, I was ending it all, because I wouldn't go through life blind. I couldn't bring myself to live that way.
CHAPTER TWO
Bayne
As I pulled into the parking lot of the pack house, I wondered what had happened. All I knew was that Kurt had called for me. He not only used the mental link we shared as pack members and him being my alpha, but he'd taken the time to text me, making sure I was on my way home.
I'd been several hours away, visiting a friend when the call came. As much as I hated leaving long before I'd planned to, an official call from Kurt wasn't something I ignored. Sure, there were others he could have asked for help, and I'm sure he did, but I prided myself on being there when the pack needed me.
The tension was strong through my pack link, and I wondered what was causing it. It was pack-wide, so everyone was aware of whatever was going on. I guess I could have easily called to find out, but something told me it was best to just get back to the pack house and find out for myself.
I parked the car toward the back of the lot and grabbed my backpack out of the passenger seat before heading toward the house. There were more cars than usual in the lot for a weekday, adding to my worry that something big had happened.
I had just hit the front porch when a scent hit me, causing me to stop in my tracks. I inhaled deeply, my wolf coming to full attention in my head as I sniffed again. It couldn't be. I shook my head, doubting what I was smelling, but my wolf didn't doubt it for a second. He howled inside my head and tried to push his way forward.
I resisted, stopping him from forcing the shift. I needed control for the moment. If what I was smelling was true, things just got a lot more intense than I'd ever thought they could.
My mate.
I'd spent my life telling myself I'd never find a mate. I inhaled again, frozen to the spot on the steps as I let my mate's scent wash over me. He-she, it didn't matter the sex, smelled perfect. The scent smelled male, but I couldn't be sure. My pulse raced as I finally gave in to my wolf and ran inside.
I pushed the door open, not stopping to close it as I followed the scent, worry forming as I realized it was coming from Cohen's medical suite. I didn't bother knocking as I slammed against the door, nearly breaking it as I gripped the door handle and pushed it open.
I dropped my backpack on the ground as I skidded to a halt just inside the door and took in my mate for the first time.
His back was to me as he sat naked. My gaze roamed over his dark hair, ivory skin, perfect ass. Even without seeing his face, I was in love.
"No, oh, fuck no. Not now. This can't be happening. Not you. Not now." My mate jumped off the small medical table, collapsing to his knees as soon as his feet hit the ground. "This is so fucked up. This can't be real." He sounded as if he was crying.
"Bayne!" Cohen turned, glaring at me. "I'm with a patient."
"You're with my mate." My voice came out dangerously low and my wolf wanted to attack Cohen for even hinting that we shouldn't be there.
"Your mate?" Cohen stepped back.
"No!" My mate shook his head. "You're wrong. I'm not…" He gripped his head as if in pain.
"I'm not wrong." I slowly took several steps toward him. "My name's Bayne." I came around him, so I could see him for the first time.
A white gauze bandage covered half of his face, wrapping around the back of his head, but it didn't matter. This was my mate. He could have been the most hideous person in the world and I would still want him. But he was far from ugly from what I could tell. Dark hair, a sharp nose, gentle cheekbones, and lips that I couldn't wait to kiss.
"Leave me alone. This can't happen. Why now?" He slammed a fist against his thigh.
I fell to my knees in front of him. "You know I can't leave you alone. I've waited my whole life for you." I reached out and gently touched his arm.
He had to have felt what I did at our first touch. It was an electrical current that shot from his skin through mine. A sense of rightness, of awareness, of perfection. I stared at him in awe, wondering why he wasn't as excited as I was to have found his mate.
"Bayne…" Cohen touched my shoulder.
I glanced up at Cohen. "My mate, Cohen. I've found my mate." I reached out and gently ran my hand down my mate's cheek. "What's your name?"
"Go away. This is hard enough." My mate turned away from my touch. "Why did this have to happen now? Why now?"
"I'm not going away. You know I can't." The mating pull was strong, and while it wasn't final until we'd gone through the mating ceremony, it was still enough that parting would be hard. I wasn't moving until I knew why he wasn't happy about this. "Your name?"
He bowed his head. "Brett."
"Brett…" I liked how his name sounded when I said it. "What happened to you?" I hated that the bandage hid half his face from me, but the scent of his blood was strong in the room. He'd been badly hurt at some point.
"Bayne, even Kurt doesn't know what happened yet. Brett just shifted and is still weak. Give him time, give him space." Cohen stared down at me, concern, and something else in his eyes. Was it pity?
I narrowed my eyes at Cohen.
He shook his head. "Give him time, Bayne. This is all new to him as well. Trust me, I know how hard it is to find your mate and not have him excited like you are, but it sometimes takes time."
Brett wrapped his arms around himself. "If it had happened a week ago… I've wanted my mate for so long, but now, after this, I just can't. I'm sorry." He twisted away, sinking down from his knees to sit on the tile floor.
"Whatever happened, we can get through it. You're not a
lone. I'll stay with you for it. I want to get to know you, let you get to know me. You're my mate. Don't push me away." I was at a loss to how my mate couldn't be excited about us finding each other.
"Bayne, this is going to—"
The office door opened, and Kurt walked in, staring directly at me. As my alpha, there was no hiding things from him. He knew the second I did that I'd found my mate. He would have felt my emotions through our link.
"Well, congratulations, you two. I just wish it was under better circumstances." He shut the door and walked over to a chair that sat beside the wall. "It's good to see you managed to shift. How are you feeling?"
"I want to die." My mate didn't bother turning to face Kurt when he spoke.
His words were like a knife through my heart. "Die? Why? What happened?" I looked at Cohen and Kurt, hoping someone would tell me what was going on.
"We're about to find out." Kurt sent a wave of affection to me.
It calmed me, but also worried me. If he thought I of all people needed to stay calm, what I was about to hear was going to be bad. I was one of the calmest wolves in the pack.
"Brett, are you able to tell us what happened?" Cohen asked.
Brett shook his head. "I don't really know. Bridger and I were running. Headed to the lake to fish and fuck around. We were almost there when something hit my leg. I stumbled, and then everything went dark. When I woke, I couldn't see. I tried to move, but I was too weak. I smelled my blood and Bridger's blood, but couldn't see how badly either of us were hurt. I tried to cry out for Bridger, but I was so weak. I think I must have faded in and out of consciousness because if today is Monday, I missed several days. We went to the lake on Saturday."
I fisted my hands, anger raging through me that anyone would hurt my mate. "Where's Bridger?"
Kurt shook his head. "He didn't make it. His family will be here tomorrow to pick up his body. They were going to come tonight, but I need Cohen to inspect the body for evidence."
The scent of fear and sadness coming from my mate nearly smothered me. I reached out to hold him, but the moment I made contact with him, he shied away.
"Brett, please, let me help you."
"You don't want me. I'm sorry. I know you don't get a choice in who your mate is, but you don't want me." Brett sounded so tired.
"But I do. Whatever it is, we can get through it. Whatever you're facing, I can help you." I just wanted to pull him into my arms and make everything okay.
"You want this?" Brett reached up, tearing the bandage from his face, letting it drop into his lap before turning his head to me.
I gasped in shock, unable to help myself. If I'd had any warning, I would have held my reaction back, but to see my mate with two empty eye sockets was the last thing I could have expected. I wasn't revolted, just shocked. "Of course, I still want you." I reached up, cupping his face in my hands. "You're my destined mate. Nothing could make me not want you."
"Fuck, why did this have to happen now?" Brett wiped at his nose.
"Here." Cohen handed me a box of tissues.
I took one, placing it in Brett's hand. "Let me hold you?" I didn't wait for him to answer as I slid around, moving so he was sitting on my lap, his back braced against my chest. Holding him was the most amazing thing I'd ever done. Out of all my experiences, nothing compared to wrapping my arms around my mate for the first time. "It's going to be okay."
Brett tensed in my arms, but there was no denying he belonged there. For a moment, he seemed to debate about pushing away, but then slowly started to relax in my arms as I caressed my fingers down his arms and whispered in his ear.
"Brett, did you see anyone, catch scent of anyone?" Cohen asked.
"No, nothing was out of place. There had been deer in the area shortly before we got there. I wanted to hunt, but they were gone. Other than that, everything smelled normal. A few animals around, but nothing that shouldn't have been there. I could smell other shifters weakly, but the scent was days or even weeks old." Brett relaxed against my shoulder.
I wasn't even sure he was aware he was doing it. I just kept my arms around him, holding him securely to me.
"You don't remember the attack?" Kurt asked.
"Nothing. I woke up with broken bones and unable to see." Brett's shoulders heaved as if he was trying to hold back a sob. "I was too weak to move. My head was foggy. I thought it was from the pain, but Cohen said something about how I was shot with a dart?"
Kurt nodded. "We found one in Bridger's body as well. They got him in the front shoulder."
I narrowed my eyes as I looked at Kurt. "Someone drugged him before doing this?"
"It looks that way." Kurt blew out a long breath. "I'm waiting to hear back from the wolves I sent up to the scene, but it looks like all the violence was done while Brett and Bridger were unconscious. What troubles me most is the fact that Paul and John said they smelled humans. If humans did this, I don't know what to think. Was it an attack on what they thought were two wolves, or are they aware of what we are, and they are coming after the pack?"
Cohen rubbed his hand over his chin. "From the wounds Brett came in with, the attack was angry. Brett was repeatedly beaten with something heavy, then stabbed numerous times, not to mention his eyes. I've never seen violence like this."
I continued to gently caress my hands down Brett's arms. "Did any humans know about you?"
Brett shook his head. "I've never told any human. My pack is small. We blend in well. I don't think even the elders have any humans they've trusted with what we are."
"Maybe Bridger told someone?" Cohen glanced at Kurt.
"Not that I know of, but we hadn't talked a lot before I came to visit. I mean, we kept in touch on social media and stuff after college, but didn't really share much. I'd just gotten into town on Friday, so we hadn't had a lot of time to catch up. I do know he was dating a human, but he never mentioned having told her our secret."
Kurt frowned. "He was dating a human?"
"I met her Friday night. We were supposed to go out again Saturday night after Bridger and I got back," Brett told us.
"That's highly unusual." I shifted slightly, wrapping one arm around Brett, splaying my hand over his chest. His heart pounded against my palm, and I swear my own heart fell into rhythm with his.
"He said she liked it rough, and that he didn't have to hold back with her like he did with other girls." Brett leaned back, allowing me to support him even more.
"Shit, that isn't good." I glanced at Kurt. Most shifters avoided sex with humans because we liked it rougher, and it was hard to resist biting someone during orgasm. It was possible to hold back, to keep from allowing our wolves to come forward at that point, but there was always a risk.
"Do you remember her name?" Kurt asked.
"Beth. He didn't say much about her other than sex was hot, and she loved to submit to him. In college, we… I mean Bridger was into some kinky stuff. He liked rougher sex. Liked pushing limits with the girls he dated."
I didn't miss that he'd said we, and that had my blood rushing as I wondered what Brett was into. It was only the fact that he was still injured and recovering, and that we'd just met that kept me from picking him up and taking him somewhere we could be alone so I could find out.
"And these were human women?" Kurt asked.
"Almost always. We went to school in San Diego. There wasn't a pack very close that we could associate with. We'd go up north from time to time. The few wolves in the area around our school were mostly lone wolves. There was a small pack, but they weren't very social or welcoming. They offered to let us run with them once a month, but other than that we never saw them." Brett reached up to rub his eyes, but Cohen reached over and stopped him.
"I need to wrap your eyes again." Cohen stood and started to gather supplies.
"If he ever lost control of his wolf, he never told me, but then again, that's not something I think he would share. It would mean he wasn't in control, and for Bridger, control meant everything.
" Brett leaned a little harder against me.
"He needs rest, Kurt." As much as I wanted to find whoever attacked Brett, my biggest concern was for my mate. He needed to heal. It was strange to care so much about someone I didn't even know. He was part of me. The moment I caught his scent, something deep inside me shifted. He was the most important thing in my life now, his wellbeing more important than my own. It was overwhelming and scared the hell out of me. I wasn't the most affectionate or caring person. I didn't let many get very close to me, but as I held Brett against my chest, I was sure there would be no secrets between us, nothing I wouldn't tell him. I just needed him to accept our mating and face that he wasn't alone.
"Let Cohen rewrap his eyes, then you can take him to rest. I'm sure you two have a lot to discuss anyway." Kurt smiled. "I'm glad you both found each other."
Brett sighed.
I kissed his neck softly. "We'll figure it out." I understood how scary being suddenly blind probably was. It was something I couldn't even begin to imagine. I didn't have the first clue how to make things easier for Brett, but as his mate, it was my job to find a way. I wanted to kill whoever did this to him. I would have wanted to anyway as Bridger had been a member of the pack, but having it be my mate who was hurt made it personal. Once I was sure Brett was safe and healing, I would do everything in my power to find whoever did this to him.
"Lean forward for me, Brett." Cohen kneeled beside him. "I'm going to wrap your eyes again. Keep this on until I take it off. I'll contact an ophthalmologist I know who will be able to help. I don't know much about this kind of stuff, so until I can get him here, don't touch your face." Cohen looked at me.
I understood he was telling me to keep an eye on him. I had no clue what the damage was or how to treat it. I had to trust Cohen to guide me when it came to anything Brett needed medically.
"You'll feel stronger in the morning, but shifting again should help take away the last bit of ache and pain from the attack. Bayne has my number if you need anything. Don't hesitate to call me if something feels off. With the condition you were in, you're lucky to be alive," Cohen told Brett.