Fated (Forever Book 2)

by Regan Ure

  Without air, I could feel my body start to shut down.

  There was darkness and silence. I felt a slight pain in my chest. The alarm from the machines penetrated my mind through the haze. Confused and disorientated, I tried to figure out if I was dead. But surely if I were dead I wouldn’t feel the pain. The painful burning in my lungs eased and I felt air seep into them. The alarm stopped and I could hear beeping coming from somewhere.

  “Wake up, baby,” I heard Blake say close by and I wanted to answer him but my body wasn’t responding.

  I felt another pain my chest and more air seeped into my lungs, enough to form a breath. I was breathing, I thought as the air expelled slowly. I was about to panic again but my lungs filled with another breath. The pain spread from my chest through to the rest of my body and I groaned.

  “I need to sedate her to ease her pain while her body heals,” I heard Curtis say.

  Yes, take it away, I pleaded in my mind. It was too much to handle.

  I felt my pain ease and the darkness sucked me in.

  I woke up and opened my eyes. The pain was gone but I did feel achy. I looked around. I was in a hospital room and I felt someone holding my hand. My eyes went to the person sitting beside my bed, holding my hand.

  My heart swelled with love and relief when I took in a sleeping Blake. I slowly pulled my hand from his and touched his head as he slept with his head resting on the bed, facing me.

  I took in every beautiful feature of his. Nearly dying and being torn away from him had made me realize how much I truly loved him. I felt a single tear slide down my face while I remembered the fear of losing him forever.

  A deep breath in and out, I eased the emotion overwhelming me. The moment I touched his skin I felt the reassurance of our link. The emotional turmoil I felt was eased. I studied him as I gently guided his hair from his face. Even though he was sleeping, he looked terrible. It was because of me.

  Snippets of my memories cycled through my mind and I remembered how scared and upset he’d been, talking to me, trying to get me to find the strength to pull through. I let out an emotion-filled breath. I’d made it. I’d been so close to death. I’d tasted it but I’d found my way back.

  Curtis. He’d been right.

  “Baby,” Blake said with excitement as he lifted his head and pulled his chair closer.

  I smiled at him and he wrapped his hands around my hand, holding on to me desperately like he was scared I would drift away again.

  “Blake,” I whispered as I felt emotion clog my throat.

  “You don’t know how damn happy I am that you’re here,” he whispered as his fingertips touched my face. “I thought I’d….lost you.”

  “I’m here,” I reassured him softly.

  “God, you scared me,” he revealed as he leaned his forehead against my hand being held by his. I felt a pang of guilt that I’d put him through it.

  I watched him as he lifted his gaze back to mine.

  “You scared all of us,” he added.

  Through my memories I remembered everyone else who cared about me in the room with Blake who had also been hoping and praying I’d wake up.

  “I remember,” I whispered.

  His eyes widened in surprise.

  “You heard us?” he asked, sounding bewildered.

  I nodded my head gently.

  “I’m sorry that you had to go through that,” he apologized, and I shook my head.

  “It wasn’t your fault. You did the right thing. If you hadn’t switched off the machines there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be here.”

  It had been a heavy burden to carry and he’d done it for me.

  “I love you,” I said to him, wanting him to know how much he meant to me.

  “I love you too,” he said as he stood up and leaned over me. He kissed me and I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck. He pulled his lips from mine and leaned his forehead against mine.

  “I’d better let everyone know,” he told me.

  He lifted his head and I nodded.

  Blake stood up and gave me one more lingering look before he left the room to notify everyone that I was awake. Curtis was the first one to come into my room. I gave him a smile as he stood beside me.

  “You’re never allowed to do that to me ever again, do you understand?” he lectured. I nodded.

  He wasn’t talking about me almost dying. It was directed at the fact that I’d made the decision to fight Richard and I’d stopped him from helping me. My decision had made him stand on the sidelines, watching me get beaten, and being unable to help me.

  He leaned closer and gave me a gentle hug.

  “Princess,” I heard Kyle say in a teasing tone as he came to stand on the opposite side of the bed from Curtis.

  I playfully glared at him and then smiled. On the outside facade he looked relaxed and easy-going, but I knew him better than that. I could see his true emotions in his eyes. He’d been just as scared that I wouldn’t make it.

  “Prince Charming,” I shot back, and he laughed.

  “I’ll be back soon. I need to run some tests,” Curtis said before he left me alone with Kyle.

  “It’s good to see you again,” Kyle said as he took my hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

  “Ditto.”

  “You have no idea what you put us through,” he revealed, and I swallowed hard, trying to keep my emotions from bubbling to the surface.

  “I had to,” I replied.

  Richard would have kept coming back and it would have put my pack members in danger. An alpha’s job was to protect their pack members. I’d fought Richard to keep my pack members safe.

  “You have to realize that at some point you aren’t alone in this,” he said softly, and it struck me somewhere deep inside. “You have people who love and care for you. Some of us would die for you.”

  I felt the sting of tears. There was no stopping the tear that slid down my face.

  There had only been a few people who had cared for me but my father had ensured that they weren’t around to protect me from him. I’d felt so alone and it was hard to realize that things had changed.

  “I didn’t mean to make you cry,” he murmured.

  I swallowed hard and let out a breath as he brushed the rest of the tears from my face.

  “I know,” I said.

  At that moment Blake returned with Cade and Scarlett. Scarlett ran over to me and hugged me gently.

  “I’m so glad you’re awake,” she whispered as I hugged her back.

  Despite all the stuff that had happened between us, our friendship had survived.

  “Me too,” I whispered as my eyes lifted to see Cade standing just behind Scarlett.

  “Next time, you come to us for help before you do something stupid,” Cade lectured me. Scarlett pulled away from me and elbowed her mate in the side.

  “What I’m trying to say is that you’re a part of our family whether you like it or not and we look after our family.” Cade had taken my betrayal hard because I’d hurt his best friend, so what he said made my eyes glisten with more tears.

  “Okay, everyone,” Blake’s voice cut across the room. “It’s time to leave. She needs to rest.”

  I was tired. I was still dealing with the all the emotions I was feeling when Blake returned to sit beside me.

  “I need you to promise me something,” he said cryptically, and I nodded. I’d do anything for him.

  “You have to stop trying to do everything yourself. Taking on Richard like you did nearly cost you your life.”

  I felt my guilt at the decision I’d made.

  “You’re the bravest person I know, but it’s okay to need help and to depend on the people who love and care about you.”

  I nodded. He was right.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Keri

  I sighed as I adjusted in the warmth of Blake’s embrace. It had been two days since I’d woken up and I’d been released from the medical center with strict instructions fro
m Curtis to take it easy. Blake had assured him he would ensure I followed his instructions. I was just happy to be back in my room and Blake had slept beside me. After nearly dying, every moment with Blake I treasured because there had been more than a few times when I’d been convinced I would never see him again.

  You awake? Blake asked through the mind-link.

  I opened my eyes and smiled at him as I wrapped my arm around his waist. I was lying on my side, tucked into his arm with my head using his chest as a pillow.

  You are so beautiful, he murmured.

  I reached out and touched his lips with my fingers. Every touch and kiss meant so much more than it ever had before.

  I love you, I said to him through the link.

  I never tired of saying those three words to him and I never tired of hearing him say them to me.

  I love you too.

  He pressed his lips to my mouth and I groaned as I pulled him closer. I needed and wanted so much more. He smiled against my lips and I felt my stomach flip.

  “You need bed rest and if you keep doing that you will be doing anything but resting.”

  I smiled.

  “I want you,” I whispered to him.

  “I want you too, but you need to take it easy,” he reminded me. “You nearly died and I’m not taking any chances that you are going to screw up your recovery.”

  “Fine,” I relented, understanding his concern.

  There was a knock at the door and I rolled onto my back as Blake got out of the bed and pulled some jeans on.

  He answered the door. It was Cade.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to you,” Cade said to him. The agitation in Cade’s voice made me nervous.

  “Okay, give me a minute,” Blake told him before closing the bedroom door and turning to face me.

  “There’s something wrong,” I asked, sitting up. The action pulled at the wound in my stomach and I winced.

  “You need to take it easy. I have to go and talk to Cade and find out what is going on, so you need to stay in bed until I get back,” he commanded. I gave him a brief nod.

  After everything I’d put him through I didn’t want to put any more stress on him and my health was worrying him at the moment. Werewolves healed quickly but because of the severity of my wounds it was taking longer for me to heal. I wasn’t used to being unable to do things and it was hard reminding myself that I wasn’t fully healed.

  Blake pulled on his shirt and leaned closer to give me a quick kiss before he shoved his feet into his shoes and left the room to talk to Cade.

  There wasn’t much I could do so I lay back down, waiting for him to return so I could find out what was happening. A dreaded feeling began to grow in the pit of my stomach. Cade was a strong alpha and he wasn’t easily scared, so whatever was going on had to be really bad.

  I wanted to be running my pack but I couldn’t. I trusted Blake and that was the only reason why I was able to let go of the reins a little because I knew he would do a good job in my place.

  I searched for any thoughts from my pack but there was nothing. Blake had them all keep their thoughts from me so nothing could worry me or stress me out. I waited anxiously for Blake to return. After thirty minutes I was about to get out of bed to go and find him when the door to the room opened and he stepped inside. Gone was the carefree and laid back Blake. His worried eyes met mine. The dreaded feeling in my stomach knotted tightly.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked while I tried to sit up again.

  He walked over to me to help me sit up in the bed and then he sat down beside me. I watched him as he ran a hand through his hair.

  “What is it?” I asked, feeling impatient.

  “More rogues have been spotted,” he revealed. My eyes narrowed as I continued to watch him. Rogues would always be a problem to a pack, so I didn’t understand why this time it was a cause for the fear in Blake.

  “So?” I asked, wanting the whole story.

  “Rogues have been spotted all over the territory,” he revealed, and I kept calm.

  He rubbed his hands over his face as he stood up and began to pace. This was so unlike him and I began to feel alarmed.

  “Tell me what’s going on?” I demanded.

  Whatever it was, I had to know. He let out a sigh and turned to face me.

  “Their numbers are growing. It’s unlike any of us have ever seen,” he revealed. “They are banding together and forming their own pack.”

  It was shocking.

  “But that’s impossible,” I whispered while it sank in. We’d never faced this problem before.

  Under my father’s leadership, he’d managed to get some of the rogues to work together to form a group but that had only been possible before he’d been an alpha.

  “I don’t know,” he answered as he began to pace again. “Cade thinks it might have been started by your father. He was an alpha so he was able to command the group of rogues to do what he needed. But somehow, without an alpha, the rogues have learned how to work together to get what they want.”

  Understanding the full repercussions of what he was saying was hard because it had never happened before.

  “But surely we have enough numbers to defend our packs?” I asked.

  “But we have no idea which pack they are going to attack first,” he told me, and I finally realized the horror of what could happen.

  If we knew where they were going to attack first, we would be able to concentrate our numbers at that point. We would be able to use werewolves from packs working with us, but that would all be a waste of time if we didn’t know where they were going to attack.

  I rubbed my forehead, trying to figure out how on earth we were going to figure out which pack they were going to attack first. I looked up at Blake. My fear was mirrored in his eyes. Not only were we at risk but our friends and the people we loved were as well.

  “There’s no way to know which pack they will attack,” Blake said. “Even if we even out the packs to try to give everyone similar numbers it won’t be enough to save a pack.”

  The ache in my stomach reminded me that I was in no shape to be able to lead my pack and do my job. Even injured, sitting in my bed with the information, I couldn’t even come up with a way to save my pack or any of the others.

  “What are we going to do?” I asked Blake.

  He held the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again he looked at me.

  “I don’t know.”

  I swallowed my fear. Even as scared as I was, I had to remain calm. There was no way we could come up with a way to save ourselves if we panicked.

  “We need to have a meeting,” Blake said. I nodded my head as I swung my legs over the side of the bed.

  “No,” he said to me. “You have to rest.”

  “Either you help me or I do this on my own.” I gave him my terms. There was no way I was lying in bed while this crisis was hanging over our heads. “Physically I can’t help, but there is nothing wrong with my mind.”

  He studied me before he walked over to help me. He understood my need to be a part of things. As Blake helped me get some clothes on, I couldn’t help thinking that no matter what we tried to do we were fighting a losing battle.

  Minutes later we left to meet up with everyone. There was a nervous energy in the air as Blake helped me walk to the meeting room. By the time we got to the door of the meeting room, I was tired already, but I was determined to attend. I couldn’t help feeling responsible for my father’s actions, which had seemed to set this whole thing in motion.

  Curtis glared at me as I walked into the meeting room. He was already seated.

  “You’re supposed to be in bed, resting,” he reminded me tersely as he shot Blake a glare as well.

  Blake held his free hand up helplessly.

  “There was no stopping her,” Blake replied as he helped me into one of the chairs surrounding the table in the meeting room.

  Curtis gave me one last a
ngry look before he shook his head. He knew me and knew that when I set my mind to something there was no changing it. Blake sat down beside me.

  “Princess,” Kyle greeted, sounding happy to see me as he entered the meeting room. Blake shot him a look but Kyle ignored him and sat down beside me.

  “Prince Charming,” I shot back, and Kyle playfully glared at me.

  “That nickname isn’t good for my image, you know,” he explained and then he grinned at me.

  “Especially if he has two broken legs,” Blake quipped from beside me, and I shook my head.

  “I can’t wait until he finds his mate one day because there’s going to be some serious payback,” he muttered beside me.

  Kyle chuckled and Blake shook his head.

  Cade and Scarlett arrived.

  “How are you feeling?” Scarlett asked as she sat down in a free seat across from me.

  “I’m fine.” I gave her a weak smile.

  Cade was the frosty one out of the group. He gave me a brief nod. Everyone else seemed to have moved past my deception but Cade seemed to still be wary of me. I didn’t blame him. I’d deceived the two people closest to him so I understood he wasn’t in a hurry to trust me again.

  We started to discuss the threat of the rogues.

  “So how serious is it?” Kyle asked while he interlinked his fingers on the table. He looked to Cade and then to Blake.

  “It’s bad,” revealed Blake. “Their numbers have grown dramatically and it’s only a matter of time before they attack.”

  Everyone was silent while they took in the information.

  “They could be planning an attack already, for all we know,” Cade added.

  I rubbed my forehead as I tried to think of a plan that would help us defeat the rogues and keep everyone safe. But no matter what scenario I thought up, there were risks—higher risks than I was willing to take with the people I loved and cared for.

  I looked from Scarlett to Cade. My eyes went to Kyle, Curtis and then they finally settled on Blake. I loved them and I wanted to keep them safe, but I felt a growing fear that it was just not possible.