Katie rolled her head to look at Conner, and he saw the bruises on her face. He hastily inspected the rest of her body, and found blood coating the inside of her thigh, along with small cuts to her upper body. She merely looked at him and shook her head whispering, “He didn’t.” Knowing Conner thought he’d raped her.
He must have been too late to protect her. He wanted to murder someone. He wanted to murder the man who had fled in the corner, trying to sneak away. He flew through the air launching himself at the man when the door to the cabin opened and men with guns rushed in.
Conner didn’t want them to see his mate. He roared his fury and the entire room went silent, except for his mate’s soft weeping. One of the gun toting police officers started for her, and Conner vaulted himself into his path.
“Ma’am could you call off your dog?”
Conner let loose with a mournful howl as the police collected their struggling man and shot out the door. Conner slowly approached the table and ripped her bindings with his teeth. Katie began to shake uncontrollably; he thought she might be going into shock when he noticed a device under his paw. He lifted and her shaking stopped. Bloody hell, he had just tazered his mate. After all she had been through-he was mortified.
Katie rolled to her side and simply lay there. She needed to be alone. “Please leave Conner; I can’t stand your pity.”
He whimpered and she looked stonily at him, “Leave.” She reached around and ripped the Taser spikes from her shoulder and the wounds began to bleed. He went to her and licked the blood from her shoulder, and she flinched away.
“God dammit I said leave. Make sure the officers see you leave so they know it’s safe to come in.” She turned her back dismissing him, asserting her independence.
Conner walked out of the cabin and bounded into the forest. He got far enough away, and shifted. He saw Jake coming but couldn’t have a conversation now. He dressed and walked over to the edge of the woods where the cabin was.
Conner watched, she could feel his eyes on her, but she couldn’t face him. She was devastated that he had found her like that. She had always protected herself, had always been independent, and she felt so vulnerable. She simply wanted to be alone. The officers told her she’d need to give a statement after she went to the hospital for an exam.
While in the hospital she was informed that Shana had arrived, but she refused to see her. She was told by another officer that Decker was on the phone. She took the phone and simply said, “I’ll take you up on your offer. I’ll call you when I’m ready for pickup.”
The exam was complete. She had stitches to both of her thighs from knife wounds, plus the ultrasound of her healthy puppies clutched in her hand; she left for the police station.
She gave her report, and two hours later Decker had picked her up, and was driving her to his house. She could feel Conner near, but he was giving her the space that she needed.
Chapter 16
Katie had been at Decker’s house for a week. Her bruises were healing and her stitches were removed, but the shame would never go away. Every time she thought of Conner, and him seeing her like that, she felt like being sick all over again. Decker worked during the day and at night he would bring her ice cream. They would snuggle on the couch and watch a movie.
It was nice being alone with her thoughts, but she knew that at some point, she was going to have to make a decision. Conner and Shana called her every day, and she even got a text from Trevor. She merely wasn’t ready to face anyone.
One night, while eating ice cream on the couch with Decker he blurted, “I spoke with Conner today. In fact, I speak with Conner every day. He seems like a nice enough guy.”
“He is.”
“Then why did you leave him? He misses you, and he’s hurting.”
She knew Decker wouldn’t understand so she stayed quiet.
“I know I’m just a guy, but if you want, I’d like to help. It seems like you two have quite a thing going-or had.”
“I just can’t anymore. I can’t be with him and share a life. I don’t want to be that girl.”
“What girl? The woman in love with a great guy, starting a family? You know I love you, and I’d do pretty much anything for you, but it’s time to get up off the couch and move on.”
“You don’t get it Decker. He saw me naked tied to a table, beaten and bloody. I can’t be weak, and he saw me at the worst. He’ll never see me the same. He’ll look at me with pity. Poor Katie’s parents got killed, poor Katie the virgin, Poor Katie can never compete with the guys, and poor Katie got kidnapped and beaten.”
“Virgin? Damn, Katie, that was too much information. I know exactly what happened to you, and I don’t think you’re weak. I saw you get stomped on by several perps, and I don’t think you’re weak.”
“It’s different, okay.”
“No, Katie, it’s not. There is only so long that I can keep him away. You’re going to have to face him sooner or later, and I think you completely misunderstood the look on his face. It wasn’t a look of pity. It was a look of guilt because he got there late, and he feels he didn’t protect his woman. Katie, he feels responsible for what happened to you.”
“Decker, that’s just crap! I’m responsible for myself and if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s that vile excuse for a human, Big Eddie.”
Decker agreed and said, “You’re not forgetting the puppies are you?”
She giggled, “No, I could never forget them.”
“One day, you’re going to have to explain to me why you call them puppies.”
She looked up at him and gave a small smile, “Yeah, one day.”
It was one o’clock in the morning and Katie couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t stop thinking of the pity filled look Conner gave her in that cabin. What should she do?
Her curtains rustled and a large black wolf sprang through the window. Followed by a grey wolf, a silver wolf, and another grey wolf, with a stripe of white on his belly. She was lying in bed, in her jammies, and was frozen in place. What should she do?
The black wolf, Conner, hopped up on the bed and placed his body flushed with hers. The other wolves followed him up onto the bed. She was in a double bed with four shifter wolves that were ginormous. She didn’t feel crammed for space, instead a yawn slipped out of her mouth, and she fell asleep moments later.
Decker went to check on Katie, like he did every morning, offering breakfast that she refused every time. He softly knocked and pushed the door open. He saw a pack of wolves on the bed with Katie. She was sleeping like a baby, but the black wolf lifted his head, and Decker swore he smiled. He got it, puppies.
Katie woke after the best sleep of her life and looked at the clock over a mass of fur. Eleven o’clock. She had slept a full ten hours, hallelujah.
Conner’s muzzle was buried in her neck. When she put her head down, not wanting to wake the pack, Conner licked the side of her neck. She tittered. The other wolf’s heads came up, and she blushed.
Conner motioned his head to the window, and one by one the wolves rubbed their heads along her jaw, and leapt out the window. “Luckily we’re on the first floor.”
There was a dazzling intense light, and then a naked Conner was lying next to her. “Come home. I want you back; I miss you. I’m sorry for whatever I did, just come home.”
“What shifters don’t propose marriage? We’re going to live in sin the rest of our lives?”
Conner motioned for her left hand, reached around to the side table where he had placed the ring he’d gotten her. He slid it on her left hand ring finger and kissed her hand. The ring was a clear vivid diamond engagement ring. He’d planned on waiting but he couldn’t wait any longer. “Will you marry me?”
“I donno, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free. And babe, I already have your three best creations.”
He rubbed her abdomen which had surprisingly gotten a little more rounded. “How are my pups?”
“Perfect.”
“Get dressed we’re on a
schedule.” Conner needed to get out of this bed, before he took her on her best friends extra bed. Decker had said no nookie under his roof, and Conner wanted to respect that.
“But I haven’t answered your question.”
“You’d refuse me? I’m your baby’s daddy.” He looked earnestly at her, “Do you truly not want to be with me? I do love you, but if that’s your decision, I’ll have no choice but to stick by it.” But damn it would hurt; like the end of my world.
She contemplated the matter briefly before stating, “It has always been you, Conner. From the first moment I saw you, I knew I’d never be the same. I’d love to marry you, and have a family.”
He smiled, simply smiled, and pulled her to her feet. “We really do have a busy day, so go get dressed. Or we could have another shower scene, I do love those.”
She pushed him from the room while she quickly dressed. “What’s so big about today?” She yelled through the door.
“For pity sake, just hurry up.” She heard him mutter, “Women,” as she opened the door.
Katie was gorgeous wearing form fitting jeans, with brown boots, and a button up top. He wanted to strip her down and make love to her all day long.
“Keep looking at me like that wolf, and we won’t be going anywhere.”
Conner shook the cloud of lust free, and placed a chaste kiss to Katie’s pouty lips. “I love you, future Mrs. Matthews.”
She smiled, “About that, would you be terribly upset if I kept my maiden name?”
He rolled his eyes and pulled her out the front door. “As long as you marry me, you can use any name that suits you, as long as it’s mine.” He gave her a sensual smile.
Jake, Shana Trevor and Tara were waiting for them. “Auntie Katie, I told you that you’d be happy likes my mommy.” Trevor sent her an innocent smile.
“You were right big guy. I’m almost happy.” Katie looked to Jake and Shana expecting to find pity, but in the depths of their eyes she only saw anticipation. “What are you all doing here?”
Shana was the one to reply, “We came to shop with you. You’ll need a wedding dress, flowers, videographer, photographer and a caterer. We came to help. The big day is set for October sixth.”
“I hope you don’t mind, I choose the day. Its next weekend so we have just enough time to pull it off. Unless, you want to go down to the justice of the peace.” Conner sounded uncomfortable.
“I’ll marry you anywhere, and anytime, you want. Why the big rush?”
“You’re carrying my pups, and I want you to meet my family, and move into my house and…never ever leave! I want you to stay forever, and if you need space I’ll try and give it, but please never leave our home. I need you.”
“Alright, if you insist, but you’re sounding very needy.” Katie smiled wickedly at him.
“You have no idea how needy I’ve been.”
And there she was standing on Decker’s porch, when she realized this was her family; where they were was where she called home.
Epilogue
Conner was nervously pacing in front of the wedding guests. His parents were in the front row looking at him as if he’d lost his mind. Jake was standing next to him, as his Alpha and best man. Decker was standing next to Jake, because he was a wonderful friend to Katie. Decker was the closest thing to family she had, other than Shana and Trevor.
What was taking so long, the ceremony was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago. They had decided to have the ceremony at the house he and Katie now shared, in the backyard looking to the forest. He just knew Katie was going to run. She was skittish as a kitten in a tree.
Without warning, the music changed and he filed back into line where he was supposed to wait for her to come to him. If she hadn’t changed her mind.
Tara appeared walking down the aisle. Well, you couldn’t call it walking but more like waddling since she was very pregnant. Then came Shana the Matron of honor; she looked wonderful in her strapless lavender full length gown, but she had eyes for Jake only.
Conner caught her scent before she came into view, and his hormones went wild. He couldn’t believe that at the end of the aisle was his future bride with Trevor on her arm. Trevor had walked her about halfway down the aisle, when she got a panicked look in her eye, and turned on her heels to run. She had run the length of the aisle as the guests watched in amazement. Conner was just about to go charging after her, when she twirled around and looked him in the eye, winked, and said, “Just kidding.” And she sauntered back to her place, next to a giggling Trevor.
When Katie and a still giggling Trevor arrived next to Conner he whispered, “You’ll pay for that.”
“I was hoping you would say that, Mr. Matthews, I have some suggestions.”
Conner and Katie said their vows without further incident, but when it came time for him to kiss his new bride… As soon as their lips touched he heard a muttered curse from behind him.
A frantic Decker Picked up a very pregnant, and now dripping, Tara and carried her down the aisle. Decker yelling, “Someone call 9-1-1.” Decker was holding Tara protectively, while she sniffed his neck-and smiled down at him.
Trevor smiled, “Not again.”
Katie and Conner were blessed with two boys and a girl the next year. They were healthy and received much love and attention from both parents and a doting Quinn.
About the Author
Shannon Duane lives in sunny California near Napa Valley with her husband and three beautiful children, all who seem to keep her on her toes. She wouldn’t forget to mention the two dogs, two cats and Mr. Turtle. She’s an avid reader, as well as a full time nurse in a busy emergency room. She has won no awards, but doesn’t feel bad because she’s never entered, or participated, in any competitions. She hopes that you enjoyed reading her book as much as she enjoyed writing it.
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