An Alpha's Trust

by Shannon Duane

  They both heard a small gasp from the doorway. It was Shana and clearly from her expression she heard everything. Damn. Jake rushed to her side. “It’s alright. Shh, don’t cry again. We’ll get him. I promise.”

  Conner made a small coughing sound to interrupt. “Uh, he was gone by the time Paul showed up, but we’ll track him. He won’t get away.”

  Jake nodded his agreement and scooped Shana into his arms.

  “I can walk, ya know,” she said saucily. “I’m stronger than you think. I’m sorry for losing it earlier, but...I was...I dunno, shocked. I knew what he’d done because I heard him on the phone. It just made me feel dirty and disgusted.”

  “I know, honey. You’re a very strong woman; I would never question that. Let’s just get you to bed. Tomorrow will be a new day.” And he had prey to catch.

  He carried her to their room and they stripped naked. They both knew that they needed comfort tonight, no playing. Jake held Shana in his arms and when she woke with nightmares he soothed her with soft words and a gentle touch.

  By morning, he’d be in a rage. A quiet rage that had his beast demanding resolution, pack style.

  Shana woke slowly that morning wishing it was her day off. She wanted to simply stay in bed accepting Jake’s comfort. Through the night he held her and offered the only things she needed: love, comfort and safety. She had come to the realization last night that she could not live without this man. She loved him with everything she had.

  Rising from the bed, she went into the bathroom. Brushing her teeth, she realized she hadn’t checked on Trevor, and this was his first day in a strange new house. She rinsed, spit and put on a robe. She went quietly down the hall not wanting to wake anyone.

  She found him sitting up in bed reading a book. He had memorized the pages and was flipping through them with a grin on his face. She entered his room. “Morning, lil’ guy. How did you sleep?”

  “I sleeped good; I like it here. There’s lotsa people to play with. I’m gonna get ready for school. Jakie said yesterday that Tara could go to school with me.” He seemed excited to have another friend at school.

  “Sure. Do you want me to take the day off work and go with you?” She wanted him to know that if he was upset she’d stay with him, in a heartbeat.

  “Nah, it’s okay. Tara is nice to me and I like talking to the babies.” He hopped out of bed and went to get dressed.

  Uh, she wondered if he was really able to communicate with the babies or if he meant, he liked to talk to Tara’s pregnant belly. Oh well, she’d find out later.

  She went back to her room and Jake wasn’t in bed anymore. She heard the water running and went to him. He was at the sink wearing only a pair of sweats hanging low on his hips. Damn, if he wasn’t the sexiest man alive. She went to him and hugged him from behind. Running her hands up his naked chest, she felt his sharp inhale. He was so toned with a sprinkle of hair on his upper chest and some leading down into the front of his sweats.

  Nummy, she was thinking about licking her way down his chest when he said, mouth full of toothpaste, “Morning. Going into work?”

  “Yeah, gotta keep truckin’. I hear Tara is going to school with Trevor. Is that okay? I can go; I don’t want to upset her day.” She didn’t know Tara well, but she seemed nice.

  “She has a better nose. Paul brought over something Ryan touched and she’ll be able to smell him if he comes for Trevor at school. She’ll protect him. A pregnant she-wolf is better than any of my men.” He turned his lips upward in a half-smile. “Wanna hop in the shower while I make coffee?”

  “You are a dream, ya know that?”

  “Yeah, I do.” He smacked her butt as she removed the robe and got in the shower. “And you are perfection.”

  When Jake dropped Shana off at work, he informed her, “Someone will be with you at the hospital at all times. If you need me personally just call my cell. I’ll be near.”

  That was her mate, dependable.

  She wanted him to know that she was ready. She wanted to take the next step-bond-mate. She felt a bit nervous at how to tell him. She nibbled on her bottom lip...

  “It’s all right, babe. No one can get to you. Don’t fret.” He hated to see her unsure and if he never smelled her fear again it would be too soon.

  She took a deep breath. “That’s not it. I just wanted to let you know that I’m ready...for us. I want this-super bad. I want us to be a couple. His and her. Mom and dad.” She looked pensive again. “If you’re still agreeable and all that. I know we have a lot of baggage, but—”

  She never got to finish. Jake’s lips and hands were all over her. He was in a frenzy of need and emotion. “Of course I still want you, still love you. Nothing will change that. You sure you don’t want to stay home today.” His eyebrows rose and fell in a ‘convince me’ fashion.

  “Easy there, wolf. It’s only a couple of hours. I want it all though. The mating, you, the pack, family. The whole shebang. I’ll see you soon.” She winked and walked away putting extra sway into her hips. She was finally decided.

  * * * * *

  “Little hussy,” Ryan whispered to his passenger. His plan was in motion. He would wait no longer; five years was long enough.

  He twisted in the seat and gave the final instructions to his old cell mate. “Did you see her? Take her any way you can; she deserves a rough hand. We’ll meet at the drop off and I’ll give you the other half of the money. I want her to know that you’re my man, though, and she’ll be coming to me.” His grin was brutal and cruel, perfect for how he felt toward that bitch, Shana.

  “Sure ‘nuff, boss. I’ll make it clear that you’re the mastermind. She’ll never see me coming. See ya in thirty minutes.” He got out of the car and went to the emergency room entrance.

  * * * * *

  Shana went in to assess a new patient that was presenting with stomach flu symptoms. She pulled back the curtain and was met with a man who looked nefarious. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but she got a tingle in the back of her neck. “Sir, you’re supposed to put the gown on so the doctor may assess your...issues. I’ll come back when you’re done.”

  “No, don’t go yet.” There was an edge of desperation to his voice.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “No, I’m afraid of the hospital. Am I going to die?”

  Was she misreading him? She thought he looked like trouble, but maybe it was a severe case of White Coat Syndrome.

  She closed the curtain and began to explain; sometimes when people became ill they felt like the world was ending, but it was only fear. “I haven’t lost a patient to diarrhea ever. Let me get the doctor.”

  Shana was hit from behind, her arm hitting the tray setup with intravenous supplies. She didn’t have time to scream when a stinky cloth was shoved onto her face. Damn-hell-shit-fuck, not now.

  Her last thoughts before she lost consciousness were of her son and Jake. At least they would have each other and hopefully they’d be safe with her gone. She was resigned to her fate; she only wished she hadn’t sent her protector on his break moments before.

  Chapter 18

  Shana woke feeling cold with the most hellacious headache she’d ever had in her life. She woke disoriented, but it wasn’t the first time, so she catalogued her injuries. Her left arm was bleeding, she was naked, and the rank smell in the air made her dry heave. She knew what was going to happen.

  At least someone would care for Trevor. Unless...did they have him too?

  She stood on shaking legs and said to no one in particular, “Who’s there? You plan on keeping me on the floor all day to get pneumonia Maybe I could get a blanket. Unless you’re going to kill me, in which case could you speed it up? I’m sure it’s warmer in heaven.”

  The only door in the room opened and out stepped her worst nightmare. Well, he use to be. She felt no fear, just hatred and hopelessness. He looked different. Still had that craziness in his eyes, but he had also gained weight and seemed more hostile; less
likely to try and convince her to love him. She knew that he’d kill her for embarrassing him. The only question was: would she allow him to rape her first? Uh, hell no.

  “What can I help you with, Ryan?” She was exuding a calming charm. Luring him into thinking she would be docile and not fight to the death.

  “I want you Shana, and now I have you. I’d like you to know what I went through over these past years being separated from you. How much I’ve missed out on. I plan on keeping you, for a while.” He reached out and ran a fingertip from her temple and down her jaw.

  She cringed at the contact. He felt slimy and revolting. She couldn’t help the bile that threatened. She pulled back and put some distance between them. “I prefer you not touch me. In fact, why don’t you proceed to the killing? I don’t think I’ll be able to live through your...keeping.”

  “You’ve gotten more…bold through the years. I love it. I know you’ve been saving yourself for me. I’ve checked up on you. I’m quite pleased to know you’ve saved yourself for me.” His smile was yellow and she could smell his filth from across the room.

  “I’m serious, Ryan. Don’t touch me. I’d be willing to bet you sent those buffoons to me to check up on me. However, do you know what each and every one tried to do? They tried to have a taste. They tried to drag me off and rape me. I’m done with the threats and dishonor. Just...man up and kill me already!”

  He rushed towards her and grabbed a chunk of her hair. Nope, she didn’t care. She had finally found peace and he was trying to take it away. She went in the opposite direction and her hair was ripped from her scalp. She ran towards the door. He tackled her from behind with his full, increased, weight. She lifted her head and felt a satisfying pop when she hit his nose.

  She was not a coward, she was a fighter. She got up unsteadily to her feet when dizziness assaulted her. She stumbled momentarily and saw stars, but she did not fall. She headed for the door when she spotted her clothes. She remembered putting a scalpel in her pocket for protection. God willing they hadn’t found it. This would end today. She collected it and kept running, naked.

  She knew he was following her; she could hear his heavy footfalls. She had no idea where they were, except the obvious woods; nothing looked familiar. She briefly turned and saw he was getting much closer. “I’m warning you, Ryan. If you come near me, I will kill you.” No hesitation in her voice.

  He kept coming, but he was panting and sweating. Eeewww, was he sweating. This had to end, one way or another.

  She stopped mid-stride and pivoted. He ran full force into her and launched her into the air. She fell and hit her head on a boulder. She knew she was close to passing out. The exertion mixed with a head injury. She just had to ensure if she died, she took him with her.

  “What’re you gonna do now? You think you’re so much better than me, huh? I’ll just have to prove you wrong.” He approached her and crouched down.

  She reached up with the surgical knife and plunged it into his abdomen, deep. And she twisted, moving the blade side to side, feeling his blood run down onto her. She knew it wouldn’t kill him right away, but he would die. She smiled and pulled the scalpel out of his abdomen and placed it to his groin. Hopefully she’d cut the femoral artery and he’d bleed out in minutes. She silently thanked her anatomy teacher, and prayed it would take him more than a few minutes to kill her.

  He had a disquieted look on his face before he jolted into action. He took the scalpel from her wet bloody hands and turned it on her. He sliced up her arms and over her abdomen before she was able to knock it away from him.

  He balled his fist and hit her in the head. She tried to roll her head with the punches, so it only grazed her, but it still hurt like hell. She thought she heard a mournful howl right before she passed out.

  * * * * *

  “What do you mean she’s gone? You had one job and that was to watch her.” He could tell his voice held fury and restlessness. The poor kid was down on his knees, afraid and intimidated. He needed to question him so he toned down the fury. “Tell me everything.”

  “She wouldn’t let me enter the patient rooms with her. She said people had a right to privacy. She went into a room and the guy must have drugged her. The smell of her blood was in the room when I picked up her scent. I called you right away.”

  “Thank you. I’ll take it from here. Call the others please. Conner, Grant and Paul. Tell them to trace my location from the GPS on my cell. I’m going after her.”

  * * * * *

  Jake ran deep into the forest following Shana’s scent, and he was shocked at what he saw. Someone was lying on his mate, and there was a lot of blood. He howled his fury when he saw the punch, and shifted. Within seconds, he was the most lethal killing machine. He sprinted to the pair and latched his powerful jaws onto the man’s neck. He bit down as hard as he could and then began to shake back and forth. He kept jerking his head when he felt the man go limp. He plucked the fat man easily off his mate.

  She had blood all over her, and she was naked. He shifted back to human and checked her pulse. She was alive and breathing. Thank God. He went over to the large prey item that had attacked her and felt for a pulse. Nope, dead as a doornail. To be sure, he stomped on his chest and kicked him in the head.

  Jake returned to his mate and softly, with the most care, picked her up. He had a moment of panic when her head lolled. He walked through the woods holding his precious bundle. He met the guys at the edge of the woods.

  Grant went to one knee and the rest followed. “With honor and respect to Alpha and your mate. What would you have us do?” They stayed bowed before him, slowly coming closer, keeping their eyes down.

  “You can dispose of the body in the woods. Find the man who took her from the hospital. He’ll be punished by the law. We have dealt pack justice to the man who has been tormenting Shana and Trevor.” He walked carrying his mate to his car, strapped them both in and drove to the hospital, with her still naked.

  Before entering the hospital, he called Alpha house to check on Trevor. “I knowed she would be okie dokie. You helped mama and she can be happy now. Thanks, Jakie. I’ll see you at dinnertime.” Jake was about to hang up when he heard, “Wait! You should probably wash the blood off her before she wakes. Love you, bye.”

  He heard the line disconnect and couldn’t help but smile. The kid was super smart. He picked Shana up and walked her straight into the shower in the staff lounge. He held her with one arm and soaped them both with the other. Scrubs were waiting outside the shower so he dressed her, and laid her on the couch to dress himself.

  He took her into an ER exam room and let a doctor look over her. When it came time to rule out sexual assault, Jake softly growled at the doctor.

  The doctor said, “She seems to be fine.” Jake growled his distress. “Uh, we don’t believe she was sexually assaulted, but we won’t know until she wakes up...” The doctor was actually shaking. “She’s pretty beat up and has a concussion. We should CT her head before you take her home.”

  They cleaned her wounds, did the CT scan and she needed stitches in both her arms and her belly. She woke when they injected the lidocaine, and began to fight. Jake was able to calm her with his melodic voice as he held her tightly while the doctor worked.

  He carried her into the house, to their room, undressed her and deposited her in the bed. While she was sleeping he slipped his ring on her left hand, ring finger. He also stripped and climbed in. All he wanted to do was hold her through the night.

  As he settled her in the crook of his arm, he realized her breathing changed. “Hey sleeping beauty, you had me worried.”

  “My prince, what happened?” She wasn’t sure she even wanted to know.

  “I’d love to take the credit but, alas, you saved yourself. You stabbed him and when you passed out, I finished him off. I’m sorry I let you get taken, love.” He caressed her cheek and when she looked into his eyes, she saw they were moist. “He’ll never bother you again.”

&n
bsp; She snuggled into his nakedness and ran her hands over his muscular chest. Her finger caressed over his nipple and watched it pebble under her care. She leaned over and kissed it. He groaned and held his breath. When her pink tongue darted out and circled his nipple and her little teeth scraped him, he shivered.

  “Please, Shana. It’s too early yet; you’re still healing. Doesn’t your head hurt?”

  Surprisingly, it didn’t. Maybe a nap was just what the doctor ordered. “I’m fine Jake and there is no need to put this off any longer. I love you and can’t wait to begin our life together.” She reached down and grasped his erection. Maybe she should re-think this; she couldn’t even circle it with her hand. He was huge. “Uh, you’re kinda…um, I mean you’re...big. Is that a shifter thing?”

  “Honey, now is not the time to be talking about other men’s equipment, shifter or not. I’m very much on edge and trying to keep it together.” She blushed fiercely. “Are you sure, Shana? There’s no going back and you’ve been through enough trauma today...”

  “Shhh, Jake I’ve been through ‘a trauma’ as you so gently put it for the past five years. It’s done and I don’t want to think about it. I want to expend all of my energy on loving and pleasing you.” She took her other hand and was going to cup his balls when she noticed the weight on her finger. She pulled her left hand above the sheet and saw the biggest most exquisite diamond ring on her ring finger.

  He started to get concerned and uneasy when she just gaped at the ring he’d bought her. He was hoping he didn’t ruin the moment when he said, “I just couldn’t stand for it to be in the box any longer. It was made for your finger. Is it okay?”