“Steven, Mikeal, get your Alpha back to his True Mate,” Sasha ordered.
“Yes. Alpha man need Alpha Mate. Hurt without Alpha Mate,” Beauty agreed as Steven and Mikeal each took one of his arms.
“But-“
“No buts, Roan,” Sasha stopped him. “The Pack has the leadership it was always meant to have because of you. Now let me finish this.”
“Are…are you sure,” he panted with the pain. It wasn’t that he didn’t think she could handle herself. Lord knew the woman had proven that in spades. He just didn’t want her to think he was abandoning her despite his need to get back to Rivera. A need that was growing by the second.
“Don’t make me toss your ass back to the house.” She smirked.
“Yes, my Alpha,” he replied with pained amusement.
“Go to Alpha Mate. We stay with Alpha female. Watch. Listen,” the male told him.
“Thank you, my friend.” With a last look to all those who had helped him put the Pack back on the right path, he said, “Everyone, thank you.”
“Go on, boy. Spitfire has it handled,” Quinn assured him.
Steven and Mikeal didn’t wait any further. Simply strong armed him away and into the trees, following the path back toward the house.
Halfway there, Roan felt as if his skin was going to crawl off his body and his insides were going to burst. The need to be with Rivera was strong, like an ache in his heart. Roan needed to say something to Mikeal while he was still able though.
“Mikeal,” he grunted.
“We’ll talk later, Roan, alright?”
In spite of the agony he was feeling, Roan could hear the pain in Mikeal’s voice. Whether or not Roan needed to say something, Mikeal wasn’t ready to hear it yet. Roan could wait and give his friend the time he needed. It was the least he could do.
“Yes.”
The journey back to the house seemed longer than it really was. But soon enough, they made it to the back door and inside the kitchen. Roan was trying to keep his groans of pain quiet with each step they took. He tried. Quite a few came loose.
“Flynn!” Steven called out.
Pounding footsteps sounded as they continued their way through the dining room and into the hallway. Flynn and Joel met them at the foot of the stairs.
“Just had to push it, didn’t you jackass?” Flynn shook his head with a frown as he and Joel took over for Steven and Mikeal.
Roan wisely kept his mouth shut. Not that he could speak at that point anyhow. It was an effort to just breathe and not scream with agony.
“Alright fellas, we’ve got it from here. Why don’t you go on back to the clearing and help them finish up?”
“Thanks, Flynn,” Steven said.
“No problem.”
Catching Mikeal’s eye before her could leave, Roan gave him a wan smile, getting one in return before he left with Steven. It was a good sign, but he knew Boone’s betrayal would affect Mikeal and his family for a while.
“Stubborn, foolish, asshat,” Flynn muttered as he and Joel manhandled Roan up the stairs and into his room.
They placed him gently on the bed beside his True Mate where Flynn pulled Rivera’s arm out from under the covers. He then took Roan’s and Rivera’s hands and put them together. The moment their skin touched, the pain and skin crawling started to diminish.
“You’ll feel better in a few minutes,” Flynn told him.
“And I believe you owe me fifty bucks, Flynn.” Joel’s deep baritone sounded highly amused.
“Fifty bucks?” With the symptoms finally fading to nothing, Roan was able to talk as he looked from the gentle giant to his brother.
“Yeah.” Joel laughed. “I bet your brother here that Steven and Mikeal would have to carry you back because your hard headed ass would stay regardless of how bad you felt.”
Roan grunted, not about to dignify that with a reply. Joel and Flynn snickered as he turned to his True Mate. She reminded him of Sleeping Beauty. Unfortunately, a kiss wouldn’t be enough to wake her.
“How is she?”
“No change,” Flynn answered. “But we did get the blood samples. We’ll have the results in a couple more hours.”
He nodded, reaching out to tenderly touch her cheek. She was very warm, her breathing deep and even. The True Mate bond was still there, but quiet. He didn’t like that. Even when she was asleep, he could feel something from the bond. Not now. He didn’t like that at all.
“How long, do you think?”
Flynn sighed. “Even after we check her bloodwork, there’s no way to gauge when she’ll wake up.”
Or if she’ll wake up was left hanging in the air, unsaid, but no doubt thought by all. Roan didn’t want to think it period. But the reality was, they were dealing with the unknown. More so now than when Sasha was attacked. At least then, there was some basis for comparison. There were none where Rivera was concerned. The very rare times when a child was conceived from a human and Lupus union, the child either died during the birth or shortly after. If it even came to term at all. Yet, through some combination of biology and sheer luck, Rivera survived not only her birth and childhood, but grew into a highly intelligent and ethereally beautiful woman. She was a walking miracle. Roan needed desperately for that miracle to continue.
“I can’t lose her now, Flynn. Not when I’ve finally found her and made the Pack a better place.” He squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to let his emotions overwhelm him. “I need her. So much.”
He laid his forehead down on their clasped hands, trying to get himself under control. Christ, he had to pull it together. But just the thought of losing her made such black rage and despair seep into his heart that he wanted to scream and tear things apart with his bare hands. Not good. Especially for someone who could literally set fire to the world or level entire cities using wind alone.
The touch of a warm hand on his shoulder made Roan look up to see who it was.
“I swear I will do everything in my power to help your True Mate, brother,” Flynn vowed to him.
He sat up, putting his free hand over Flynn’s. “I know you will, little brother,” he replied hoarsely.
Flynn squeezed his shoulder then stepped back. “I sent Joel to the clearing to help out. Why don’t you take a little nap,” he suggested. “It’s still a couple of hours before dinner and you could use the rest.”
Taking a deep breath, he nodded. “Yeah, I could at that.” He felt a little calmer, but he knew nothing would be right until Rivera awoke.
“Good. I’ll come up and wake you when the foods ready.” He went towards the door. “The Omega’s have requested Sasha’s fried chicken again.”
Roan grinned. “She’s spoiled them.”
“They needed to be.”
“Hmph,” he grunted. “Try to bring me an update.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He waved Roan, off as he reached for the door handle.
“Flynn?”
He turned, that mirror image showing a questioning expression.
“Thank you, little brother.”
“I know what you’re going through.” He then opened the door and left.
Letting out a harsh breath, Roan lay back down, turning to his True Mate and putting his arm over her.
“Stay with me, sweetheart,” he begged, hoping that somehow, she could hear him. Even though their bond was still intact and strong, it was the silence from it that scared him the most. “You can’t leave me, Rivera.” He buried his face in her neck, taking in as much of her scent as his lungs could hold. “I need you, baby. I need you so damn much.”
Chapter Nine
Heat. Fire. It was all consuming. Molten lava had replaced the blood flowing in her veins.
Pain. Agony. It was sharp and brutal. From the top of scalp to the soles of her feet, it was never ending.
Fear. Terror. It was all encompassing. She was afraid that whatever nightmare she was stuck in, she would never wake from.
Roan. Her True Mate. The man who was bound
to her. The man that she had come to like and respect and, with time, knew she could love. He was everything she could want in a man. In a partner. In a lover. Roan. How she missed him. How she needed him.
“I need you, baby. I need you so damn much.”
Roan? Was that his voice? He sounded so sad. He should never be sad. He should always be happy. Such a beautiful smile. She could make him smile.
“Stay with me, Rivera. Please.”
Stay? Where was she going? She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to be with Roan. Fate put them together. Destiny chose her as his True Mate. She was meant to be with him. To be by his side. He was hers. She was his.
A flash of pain hit, searing in it’s intensity. Flames lick at her insides. She was tired. So very tired.
“Do not give up, my child.”
There was a voice. A deep, soothing voice in the darkness. A respite from the agony. And yet, it was still there. Lurking, waiting. So weary.
“Roan is waiting for you. He’s been so lonely without you, my child.”
Lonely? Yes. Lonely without Roan. But where is Roan? Can’t find him. Can’t find her True Mate. Is he lost? Lost.
“Listen for him. He’s calling for you.”
“You can’t leave me, sweetheart.”
Oh, yes. There. Sexy voice. So sexy. But…dark. Can’t see. Hurt. Burn. Roan!
“You can see. Find your bond. Follow it. Your True Mate is waiting for you, my child.”
Bond. Yes. But where? There. Oh, bright. Thick. Thick and filled with light. Strong. Unbreakable.
“Please come back to me, Rivera. Please.”
Roan. Yes. Follow the light, the bond. Will lead to Roan. Lead to…Pain. Hurt. Flames swept through her. Must…not…stop. Roan. Need Roan.
“You are my son’s perfect match, Rivera. The Fates chose well.”
Son? Roan’s father? Wait. Agony. Burning. Moving. Blinding light. Glowing like a sun. But…
“Tell my son’s and daughter I am proud of them. I am glad they’ve finally found happiness. And though Dillon is too young to know, despite his abilities, he too will find his perfect match.”
The pull toward the light was steady, picking up speed the farther along she moved. The pain too continued to increase. A part of her wanted to stay in the dark; to keep talking to the voice. The voice that was Roan’s father.
Roan. She needed him so much. The closer she came to the light, the stronger she felt him. She could even smell him. Pine trees and a cool mountain breeze. She could feel his warmth, his solid strength. The bond even felt stronger. He was scared. Frightened even. For her.
No. This would not do. She was right here. She was fine. She was…Oh God she hurt.
“Please, sweetheart.”
With the last ounce of her will, she reached for the light.
“Name your first born after me.”
Rivera regained consciousness with a scream. She felt as if her insides were being melted down and her bones were being crushed by a mallet.
“Roan,” she croaked.
“Rivera?”
She cracked open her eyes to see his beloved face, grim with concern, and haloed by a beautiful sunset. “Roan.”
“Oh, thank God.” He laid his head by hers, his shoulders shaking. “Thank God.”
“Where…”
Another flash of flame filled pain raced through her, making her scream again. Not only was it getting more intense, but it seemed to be picking up. The intervals between were getting smaller, like a pregnant woman’s contractions. She didn’t have much time. For what though, she had no clue.
“Easy, sweetheart.” There were tear tracks on his cheeks as he wiped her sweaty brow with a cool, wet cloth.
“Where am I? What’s happening?” She so wanted to wipe away his tears. He should never be sad enough to cry. Not her Roan.
“You’re going through the First Transformation. We have you in the clearing.” His smile was relieved yet concerned. “We feared you wouldn’t wake up. That…”
The next wave hit her, stronger than the last.
“Not long now, Roan.”
The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Almost like the other one. The one she heard in the darkness. The one who helped her.
Another wave pounded into her and another until she thought she would die. Then, a flash of green and gold light surrounded her, blinding her. It took the pain and burning away.
“Rivera? Sweetheart, can you hear me?”
She blinked, trying to focus as a massive and very beautiful mahogany coloured wolf with Roan’s eyes swam into view.
“Roan?”
His big bushy tail began to wag as he gave her a wolfish grin. “How are feeling?”
“Oh. Forgot about you guys being able to talk in wolf form.” She smiled back but felt terribly odd for some strange reason.
“I think you might need to reassess that statement, sweetheart.” He chuckled, though it sounded almost like a deep bark. “Take a good look at yourself.”
Lying on her side, she expected to see the usual. She didn’t.
“Holy shit!”
Where her human body was supposed to be, lay the sleek form of a white wolf complete with long legs and a bushy tail. It was no wonder she felt so odd.
Slowly moving and gaining her feet, she stretched, working out the kinks and getting a feel for her new body. It was different alright. She was much lower to the ground, but everything was amplified. Hearing, scent, even sight. Which, strangely enough, was in colour. Hmm, must be a Lupus thing, she thought. She also felt powerful in her new from, as if she instinctively knew she could do things no ordinary wolf could do. But she did have questions.
“Uh, not to sound weird. But why is my fur white?” She was a honey blond, shouldn’t her wolf be as well?
“Probably for the same reason your eyes are now the same colour,” Answered a wolf identical to Roan as he and a smaller red wolf with Sasha’s eyes sat next to her True Mate.
“Huh?”
Flynn smiled at her. “This is a guess on our parts, but near as we can figure, you were stuck.”
“Stuck?”
“Yes.” His large head moved up and down. “Being born human and Lupus, you were stuck between the two. Your eyes and unshifted state were your human side. Then, as you grew, so did the Lupus virus. Only at a much slower rate than what an attack victim would go through.”
Made sense in an odd sort of way. Especially the eyes. Ian had green eyes while Lillah had topaz. Rivera had one of each. “Okay. But that still doesn’t explain why my fur is white.”
“It’s not all white, sweetheart,” Roan told her. “Take a look at your tail.”
She turned, bringing the bushy length up close. He was right. Not all white. There shades of gold, honey, cream, and even a light tan mixed in.
“Pretty.” She looked back at Roan. “And my eyes?”
“I can answer that one.”
A wolf smaller than Sasha with honey gold fur and white tips on his ears and tail came up to her. He smelled of fall leaves and pears. His eyes were a beautiful golden amber. He also seemed very familiar.
“Do I know you?”
“I’m Tristan,” he said. “Tristan St. Paul.”
St. Paul. She knew she had heard the name before. It was the same as her grandparents. But…She gazed at the small wolf with confusion. “I don’t understand.”
“Tristan is your great-uncle, Rivera,” Roan told her.
“My great-uncle?” She definitely didn’t see that one coming.
“I apologize for not telling you sooner, but time was not on our side,” he said sheepishly, his ears and tail falling a bit. “Plus, you had so much to deal with already, I thought it prudent to wait until everything was done before we could talk. Unfortunately, unforseen circumstances prevented that from happening.”
“What unforseen circumstances?” Now she was really confused.
“You’ve been in a coma, sweetheart. The
same Pre-Transformation coma Sasha went into before her shift,” Roan explained.
A coma? Dear lord. “How long?” She was almost afraid to ask.
“Nine days,” he replied.
Nine days. Christ, she’d missed nine days. It didn’t feel like she’d missed any time. But taking a look around the clearing as the last rays of the sun sunk behind the trees, she saw many wolves. All were in various shades and sizes. Some she could recognize as part of Roan and Sasha’s inner circle. Other’s, like the ginormous strawberry blond wolf that stood head and shoulders over everyone, she hadn’t a clue who he was. Still others, like the smaller wolves, she guessed were Omega Squad. The same as her great-uncle. She gave him a small smile, hoping they would indeed, have a chance to talk later. But further inspection of the clearing showed two who were not wolves. A boy of twelve or so was holding a baby near the treeline. They were beside a dark red wolf. He smiled at her, his free hand beckoning her over.
“Damn,” Sasha grumbled. “Déjà vu all over again.”
Rivera had no idea what Sasha meant. But Rivera knew, somehow, that she needed to talk to this boy. It was important.
Padding softly over to him, she sat once she was in front of him. She was big enough to stare him right in the eyes. Looking at him closer, she could see a marked resemblance to Roan and Flynn. The hair was a bit redder, the eyes an emerald green, but the face was that of her True Mate and his brother.
“Hello, Rivera.” Dimples showed in his cheeks as he smiled. Oh, was he going to be a little heartbreaker. “I’m Dillon LeGuer and this pretty little girl is Tala LeGuer.” The babe was beautiful, with dark auburn curls and light blue eyes with a ring of navy. She was calmly staring at Rivera, her gaze big and bright. “I believe you have a message for us.”
Blinking with momentary confusion, it all suddenly came back to her. The deep voice in the dark. The one that helped her. Their father.
“Your father. He helped me in that dark place. Helped me find my way back.”
Gasps were heard all through the clearing as Roan quickly came to her side. The red female beside Dillon began to cry.
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