Her head hit the side window, pain filled her entire body. The vehicle went over an incline, and she opened the door, and jumped out with the brief case. As she jumped she shifted into a panther. Amethyst landed on all fours, then rolled four or five time, and then slid to a stop next to a bush. She quickly hid under it. Two men stood at the top of the incline, and watched the SUV rush down the incline, and hit a large jack pine, and burst into flames. She recognized one man name Ray. He started laughing then said, "Well that takes care of the damn bitch. Mr. Hartman is going to be happy about this. We didn't even have to go get her, she came to us. Maybe we'll get a nice little bonus out of it. Now let's get the hell out of here before someone comes along see the flames and decide to investigate.
Amethyst stayed under the bush until she heard the vehicle leave, and could not hear it any more. Shifting back into human form she crawled out. Standing the pain shot through her head like a lightening bolt her vision left her, and she collapsed. When Amethyst woke her head was aching, and her vision was blurred. As she tired to stand her hand came in contact with the briefcase. Picked it up; climbed up the incline, and looked first to the left then the right. Her vision was too blurred to know what direction to go in, it was more then likely from the pain in her head. Not knowing what direction to go she just walked. Hours passed and she wondered, "What day is it? How long have I been unconscious on the side of the hill? Had it been minutes, hours, or an entire day, I have lost all sense of time?"
Rain sat at the bar nursing a beer feeling pretty sorry for himself. His anger was gone. He thought of getting drunk, but alphas in charge of a pack couldn't just drink their Problems away. After he got to thinking about it he had forgotten about what the Reverend had said. He had gotten so wrapped up in loving Amethyst, and wanting her. Trying to keep her safe from nut cases that were after her, Things slipped his mind as well. He had been unfair to Amethyst, he over reacted. She really was not at all like his mother. His mother lied about everything, she could not help it. Then the secrets began stupid silly ones at first, but then they got worse. He knew he had to go home, and face Amethyst, tell her he was sorry for the way he acted. He had to admit his personality bites sometimes, grinning he thought it actually bites. He had felt Amethyst reaching out to him earlier, but shut her out.
Pend came rushing into Wylie's bar. Pend grabbed Rain by the arm, "she's gone Rain."
"Who's gone?" Rain said as he stared into his beta face.
"Joe saw her leave in the SUV followed her, short ways but then lost her. Amethyst drove out like the devil was after her."
"Where did she go?" Rain swayed slightly when he rose off the bar seat. Not from drinking, he had only three beers, but from exhaustion.
"I don't know I've checked around town she is not here! And those men left that were after her. No one has seen her. I ask Susan thinking she would go there, she hasn't seen her. Stopped in and talked to Ned and Paula, nothing to report."
Suddenly as if getting hit with a bucket of cold water his heart raced Rain jumped. "We have to find her!" Pend and Rain took different directions back to the house. As he stood on the steps Rain turned to Pend. "It's my fault we had a fight I was so angry with her. Said some pretty cruel things to her, and then accused her of lying to me. We have to get the boys together, and search for her. With all the back trails I traveled bringing her to the house she won't find her way back to town. With all the logging roads she is going to get lost. This time of the year the musk kegs have thawed, and she could end up in one of them, and we would never see her again.
By morning all the boys returned to the house exhausted. They decided to get a couple of hours sleep and then start the search again. Rain kept trying to reach Amethyst in his mind. He knew she was in pain, scared, and cold. Every time he tried to contact her pain shot through his head, then she shut him out. Rains heart broke as he realized he had gone too far with Amethyst, her fragile heart had been broken, and the love that was blooming may have died before it truly got the chance to grow into a love that would last a life time. The mind bond would hold them together he new that, but if loved died within her for him, he would be in the same situation as his father, a loveless, lonely life. "No; I won't let that happen! She loved me once, she can love me again! No matter what it takes you will be mind!"
Amethyst kept feeling this tinkle in the back of her mind, and wished it would stop it made the pain worse. She could hear this voice in her head asking her where she was. She screamed "I don't know shut up, please; just shut up!" With her screaming at the voice, the pain began to get unbearable, and she moved off to the side of the road walked in a ways, and laid down. Her head throbbed, she moaned, her stomach turned over, and she vomited onto the ground, then all was turning black, and she felt no pain. Her breathing became shallow, unconscious she laid there for hours. A blessed nothingness over took her. Several coyotes sniff her during the night, and wondered off in search of food. They knew better then to take on a wolf even one that was hurt would kill them.
The sun was up high in the sky it must be passed noon she thought. She felt cold; her body shivered, the pain in her head returned. "I must be running a fever to feel so cold in the hot sun." The pain increased until she was clinching her teeth to stand it. She tried to rise, and fall limp to the ground. She welcomed the darkness in it was peace no pain at all. Some where in her mind the darkness faded, and she heard a voice telling her to get up, "get up Amethyst." she heard her inner wolf say. She moved her legs, and then her arms. She turned herself over got up on her hands, and knees then stood up by holding on to a tree. From there she walked from tree to tree. After an hour of searching to find away out of the woods; she knew she was lost. She moved towards a small animal trail and sunk up to her waist. She was in one of those floating marshes. She had to get out. Trying to shift into a cat caused unbearable pain in her head, she stopped. She clawed the ground near by kicking her legs, she slowly moved out of the musk keg. Feeling extremely lucky it was not deeper. Back to wards the trees she stepped; all the while trying to brush off the weeds, mud, and small crawling things. Moving just a few more trees she stopped. A voice spoke to her in her mind, "what do you see Amethyst?" This voice was different; it was not her inner cat or wolf, but a male voice.
"Just stupid trees every where trees," then she slid down the tree she was hanging on to. Closing her eyes, and talking to the voice inside her head,
"Do you see any roads" Amethyst? Rain said with worry in his voice.
"No, no roads, just trees." Amethyst said in a weakened voice.
"Do you see and paths Amethyst," Rain spoke softly
"Paths, no just trees," Amethyst said confused.
"What do you hear Amethyst?" Storm whispered, because he was feeling a great deal of pain from Amethyst.
"I hear birds, no vehicle, and no, no other sounds."
"How close are the trees Amethyst?" Hoping that if the trees are close then it is a spot not cut if they are spaced then a cut spot.
"Tall pine trees spaced out so sun can reach the grown."
"Tell me if you hear a vehicle coming close to you Amethyst." Storm whispered.
"Sure if I hear one I'll tell you." Amethyst whispered.
What are you doing now Amethyst?"
"Resting, just resting, I need to sleep, so tired, so cold, so dirty, too much pain. I don't want to wake up. Please leave me alone I don't want to talk to you anymore!"
Storms heart jumped in his chest his inner wolf howled wanted released. As if racing to her would be faster then a vehicle. Rains heart felt like it falls out of his body, she was giving up he had to find her. "Listen to the voice Amethyst," she heard the voice say.
"Leave me alone to die in peace. I don't want to talk any more. Don't want to feel any more pain, go where the blessed darkness is?" the words faded away.
Amethyst moved to lie down. When her head lay against the ground she heard something. "I hear a vehicle coming far off, it's getting closer", she said to the voice i
n her head. "The vehicle is closer now, no it's moving further away. It's stopped its backing up" she said to the voice. Amethyst smiled and then frowned. She fell into a dark pit. There was nothing, no light, no pain, entire new world of nothingness. A sheer blessed darkness, she did not want to leave, at that moment decided she would not leave she would stay. This she thought must be death.
Rain jumped out of the truck shifted into wolf form scented the ground picked up her scent and rushed into the woods. Four hundred yards in he found Amethyst lying next to a large jack pine unconscious. She was wet and dirty looked as if she had gone swimming in a swamp she smelled like one. He checked her for broken bones. Then Rain checked her head, "she had complained of pain." His hand came away with blood. Her hair was wet with blood, dirt, pine needles, and leaves were matted into her blood and hair. The bleeding had not completely stopped. Her breathing was shallow. "She should have healed completely by now this isn't good," he thought to himself. "If she doesn't make it I will never forgive myself!" Rain felt pure despair in its deepest depths. He new at that moment how it felt to lose for the first time in his life; he was losing this battle. His inner wolf growled said, "We are not losing her, I don't care what we have to do."
Amethyst's body felt cold, for a moment she thought she was rising off the ground; yes she was rising. Heaven must be near. And her mind reached out in search of her parents. She felt warm, a voice far off was saying, "I love you!" The voice sounded like she had heard it a hundred times, she new there was no one in the world left who loved her. Her mate hated her for? Mm hated her for? Parents gone she was alone!
Rain picked her up cradling her close to his body. Running back to the truck he kept saying "I love you I am so sorry, please for give me." Rain turned the truck headed back to the house. When he got there Kelly ran out on to the porch. Rain rushed over to the other side opened the door lifted Amethyst up, and carried her into the house. The new nurse Sadie had come early, and she was waiting for him. Rain carried Amethyst up stairs to their bedroom laid her on the bed. Sadie said, "Rain leave; Kelly, and I will take over at this point." The nurse left Rain with no choice in the matter. He kissed Amethyst on the lips and walked out of the bedroom with his head hanging down to his chest.
Two hours had passed when Kelly and Sadie came down stairs to the office. Turning to Rain the nurse spoke softly, "she has a concussion; I stitched her head after removing a large piece of glass. She is running a slight fever. I gave her something to bring down her fever, but that is the least of our worries right now, she seems to be in pain. I gave her a shot for pain, and that should help. She needs rest, and food. I put her on IV to build her fluids up she is dehydrated. I am sorry to say it is a wait, and see situation now. The sooner she regains consciousness the better. The longer she is unconscious will mean brain damage even with our healing powers it may take some time for her to be back to normal. The glass in the wound preventing her from healing is a major problem, there maybe complications. I gave her some antibiotics for infection. Keep her warm. I'm going to my room to rest now if you need me for anything please call me, and/or come get me." With that Sadie left for her room.
Rain got up out of his chair walked towards the door of his office. He started for the stair case when Kelly said, "Rain it's not your fault, things happen. Couples argue sometimes. It doesn't mean that love dies with each argument. I know you thought she kept a secret, I don't think she did it intentionally. Amethyst doesn't seem the type to keep secrets. She is not your mother Rain."
Rain nodded and headed for his bed room to be with Amethyst. Rain never felt so down, things were now out of his control. He didn't like it much. He always had control of everything that was going on around him. It was his duty as the alpha of the pack.
As Rain walked up the stairs he remembered the time he got drunk with Pend; he told Pend about his parents. That he wanted more out of life when he finally settled down. He had told Pend he wanted a mate that never kept secrets, never lied to him for any reason at all. Rain rubbed his forehead and moved down the hall way to his rooms. Rain was lost in side. His heart lay in bed and she was not responding to him in any way it was like the connection between them was severed some how.
Rain opened the door took in a chair from his private office set it beside the bed and sat down. Even in the darkness with the curtains pulled tightly shut he could see the bandage around her head. Her eyes were closed, "you are so beautiful. I love you sweetness!"
Kelly and Sadie had washed her clean, and she smelled of antiseptics mixed with strawberries. Her hair had been undone from the leather strips that held it together down her back. It lay at her side down her body. "Her breathing seemed more normal. His mind tried to touch hers saying over and over again that he loved her. But there was nothing, just silence. His inner wolf wanted to howl at the moon for her. Chase something down and tear it apart to rid him of his frustrations, guilt and anger." Markus had repaired the window, and Rain stood walked over to it pulled the curtains apart a couple of inches and looked out. He could not imagine his life without Amethyst. She had woven herself into every fiber of his being. If he lost her now, he knew his life would be a lonely long unhappy one. He sat back down in the chair, and fall a sleep. Rain slept through the night. Just from sheer exhaustion, he never heard, or knew that Sadie had come in several times to check on Amethyst. Sadie had been so quiet, not wanting to disturb her alpha.
Chapter 6
Bright sun light streamed in the window. Amethyst blinked her eyes and finally her vision cleared. The pain in her head was extreme so she tried not to move. Breathing sound caught her attention near the bed and she moved her eyes then her head slightly. She clenched her teeth as the pain shot through her. Her eyes focused on Rain a sleep in a chair next to her. He had a day's growth of beard, his hair was a mess. "Damn how can a man who looked like he had not slept in days be so damn handsome," she thought. Feeling warmth begin to swell between her legs she pulled them tight together. Amethyst inner wolf spoke, "how can my body desire him when my head is in such pain, maybe it was the wolf or cat inside her that wanted him," she wondered. She watched the rise and fall of his chest never realizing her breathing matched his. "He sure was a major cup cake, revise that thought, he was the entire cake!"
Rain woke then jumped up out of the chair, the chair fall backwards and hit the floor. The nurse was bending over Amethyst. She was checking her blood pressure, temperature, changed her IV bag. The nurse smiled, and said, "She is resting comfortably and is sleeping. She should wake soon. Her temperature is normal as well as her blood pressure she does not seem to be in any pain. I added another IV bag it will be the last one. It is nothing short of a miracle that she survived. It is still a wait, and sees if there's been any brain damage." Smiling at Rain, "you should get cleaned up Rain, and get some proper rests. You could not have slept well in that chair all night. Once you're cleaned up slip into bed next to Amethyst, it will be ok." Then she turned, and left the room.
Rain nodded his head, and walked into the bathroom for a quick shave, and shower. He toweled off walked into the bedroom with nothing on, but the towel. Walked over to his dresser picked out some boxer shorts, jeans open the closet picked out a shirt. He turned around to see Amethyst staring at him. He opened his mind to her sending nothing but love, and warmth to her. She turned to her side, and in that moment she cried out in pain. And tears filled her eyes. Then she closed them shutting out the world and Rain.
Rains heart fall; his inner wolf wanted to be released. Then he marched over to the bed looked down at Amethyst, and said in alpha mode, "Look at me Amethyst. You can shut me out of your mind, you can never speak to me again, but I am not giving up on us. I love you damn it, and you're my mate now, and always no matter what. I am your alpha and you will do what I tell you too!" Rained growled, his inner wolf approved.
When he felt Amethyst in pain his heart softened, so did his voice. He leaned down to her and whispered, Amethyst I love you, and we are meant to be you
and me. Please don't say you hate me, please tell me I haven't lost your love. Don't shut me out forever. Losing you would be unbearable!"
When Amethyst said nothing, he kissed her lips her mouth opened to him and he deepened the kiss. Then he pulled away stood, and went to walk away. "He could not make love to her she was recovering from an ordeal that would have killed most women." Suddenly he realized that Amethyst had opened her mind to him. He felt her heart, and he turned and looked at her. She lay with her eyes closed. He slipped on a pair of boxer shorts, walked back to the bed. Rain leaned over the bed looked at her, then laid down and put his arms around her. He felt the pain in her head lesson, and her teeth unclenched, and her body relaxes. Rain smiled to himself, and continued to tell her he loved her in his mind. He knew he was reaching her, flashes of words here, and their drifted back to him. She may have shut him out, but he was reaching her on some level of her mind; maybe through one of the animals she could shift into, he was not sure. Anything at this point was worth a try.
An hour later and Rain moved from Amethyst slipped on his pants, shirt and a pair of socks. Left the room, and headed to the kitchen. Ten minutes later he returned with a bowl of soup, and some warm tea.
Rain touched her cheek, and called her name. Amethyst awoke and tried to move and couldn't without pain shooting through her head. Rain gently lifted Amethyst and propped her with pillows. She ate half the bowl of soup, drank all the tea. The entire time she ate her mind kept touching his, reading his thoughts! It was all so good, so comforting, tears sprang to her eyes. Rain loved her when she thought he hated her. Yes she had made him angry, but it didn't break his love for her. She knew at that moment that second, that no matter what, her heart belonged to him, and no other. She would love no one else for the rest of her life.
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