“Don’t cry Chloe, your tears are killing me.”
“No, your brother is doing a very good job of that all by himself. Have you ever heard of something called a stretcher?” she snapped angrily. “You’re just making things worse Sebastian. I thought you would go and get a doctor, not try and pull him out yourself.”
“He’s going to be fine Chloe,” Sebastian reassured as he pulled Ryan’s body free from the bloodied stump. Ryan howled, long and loud as blood began to flow unhindered from the wound now that there was nothing in place to stem the flow.
“Chloe,” he groaned, his grip on consciousness fading.
“I’m right here.”
“Don’t leave me.”
“I won’t I promise. I’m going to stay right here.”
“Forever?”
“For as long as you need me.”
His hand twitched, desperately trying to reach her face, understanding his intention, Chloe gripped his limp hand and brought it to her face smiling reassuringly at him. “Forever then.” He smiled, her face the last one he saw before everything went black.
Chapter Thirty
As Ryan’s eyes slid shut, Chloe’s panic trebled. Was he dead? She was no expert on wounds but his looked life threatening, he had lost a lot of blood and his organs weren’t all inside his body. Just how much could he withstand? He’d seemed confident of his continued survival but how much of what he had said was the truth and how much was his attempt to reassure her?
“Is he alive?” she whispered to Sebastian, her eyes never leaving Ryan’s still body. Whatever happened she wasn’t going to leave his side, it was the least she could do after he saved her life. If it weren’t for him, it would have been her with a hole in her body if not worse.
“He’s fine Chloe, he’ll be even better when he wakes up and finds out just how worried you were about him. Erica is going to take you back. I’ll get Ryan the help he needs and then I’ve got to track down Lucinda.”
“You’re not going to stay with him?” She sounded appalled. Ryan needed his family around him at the moment.
“No. If I did he’d be furious when he woke up. Lucinda might have had the chance to escape and after what you just told him he’ll be out for blood. If the situations were reversed, I would expect him to do the same for me. No one hurts our mates and lives.” Sebastian's brown eyes had turned the feral shade of amber that was a normal occurrence for Ryan but she had never seen his calmer brother’s eyes change colour. Even though they looked almost identical, the change looked unnatural on Sebastian while on Ryan it looked perfectly normal.
Shaking herself, she dragged her mind away from Sebastian's appearance onto more important matters. “Be careful with him.”
“Of course. Erica, sweetheart, be as quick as you can.”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
With the limp body of his brother cradled against his chest, Sebastian sped off, disappearing from sight in seconds.
“Come on Chloe, you said you wanted to be with him. Just hop up into my arms and we’ll be off.”
Chloe’s eyes were still trained on the speck in the distance that was Sebastian, only vaguely aware of the blood that was covering her body. “He’s going to be okay right?”
“You’re really worried aren’t you?”
“Wouldn’t you be? He looked like he was on the verge of death.”
“Ryan’s a fighter, he’ll pull through this. It takes more than a simple fall to kill a wolf. Trust me our bodies can endure hell and still survive and I’m talking from personal experience. Just look at me, do I look like I was the victim of torture?”
“You?”
“Yes. I was caught when I fled Sebastian and tortured for information. There are no visible scars because we heal from all wounds that don’t take our heads but the internal scars are there, they’ll always be there. Ryan will heal, just like I did. He might even resent the fact he won’t scar because there will be no external proof of what he did. Scars would be like a badge of honour to him, proof that he had saved his mate.”
“I’m not important enough for him to risk his life for.”
“To him, you’re the most important person in the world. You want to be by his side don’t you?” Chloe nodded. “Then come on, let’s go.”
It was strange, trusting that Erica's slender arms could carry her weight. But trust her she did. The return trip took slightly longer than the journey had done when Sebastian had carried her but it was still a significant improvement on her own journey time. As soon as they arrived back at the estate, Chloe leapt from Erica's arms, her head turning frantically in an attempt to locate Ryan.
“Where’s the infirmary Erica? Where’s Ryan?”
“He won’t be in the infirmary,” Erica answered simply.
“What! Then where is he?”
“He should be back in your rooms, in your bed.”
“Why would they take him there? He needs a doctor; he needs medical attention. What’s wrong with you people?” Her voice was desperate, hysterical with worry. She ran down the halls, her focused mind easily leading her to the rooms she shared with Ryan. Throwing the doors open wide she walked into the bedroom, surprised to see how exactly they were treating Ryan’s injuries. Instead of the surgery his life threatening wounds needed, they were simply wrapping a large bandage around the sight of his injury. Blood was already seeping through the material, turning the white bandages red. Are they trying to save his life or kill him? her mind demanded furiously.
“Chloe?” Ryan’s voice was weak as he called to her.
Forcing her way through the throng of people that surrounded the large bed, she gripped his hand tightly within her own. His skin was pale, the pallid tone so different to his normal tanned complexion. Most of the blood had been cleared away but the wound was still open and bleeding and all that he was given was bandages? It made no sense. “I’m right here Ryan. Why aren’t you in a hospital or the infirmary? Are any of you guys doctors?” she screamed, eyeing the people surrounding her with disgust. “Take him to a hospital. Now!”
“Chloe love, it’s okay. I don’t need a doctor.”
“What are you talking about? Of course you need a doctor. There’s a hole in your body and not a small one either. By all standards you should already be dead.”
“Well I don’t live by any standards. I live by wolf ones and by wolf standards I’m going to be fine. The wound will heal; all the things that I’ve lost will regenerate. Trust me, when I’m all better you won’t even think I was hurt. There’s no silver in my body so I haven’t lost any of my strength. I can still protect you.”
“You don’t look like you could protect a fly,” she chuckled.
His ability to move his limbs returned, Ryan began shifting in the bed, struggling to sit up. “So you want me to prove it?”
Her hands pushed gently against his shoulders, pressing him against the mattress. “No. Please, just lie back and rest. You’re sure that you’re going to heal?”
“Yes. I’ve had wounds like this one before and lived to tell the tale. Besides, I’ve got to get well so that I can take care of Lucinda. Her scent is all over the room, how did she ever think she was going to get away with what she did to you? I’ll kill that bitch with my bare hands.”
“Ryan,” she scolded. “Just focus on getting better. Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Just stay with me.”
“I told you before, I’m not going to leave you. I’ll stay with you for as long as you need me.”
“And I told you that meant forever.” Her face flushed red while her heart fluttered slightly in her chest. She smiled, her expression peaceful despite their circumstances.
“Lord Ryan?” One of those surrounding them asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure it’s wise for her to stay so close to you given your condition?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She came in covered in your blo
od, there are pictures of hunters everywhere. It’s clear why she’s rejected you, she’s a threat to your safety.”
Ignoring the stabbing pain in his stomach, Ryan forced his body into a sitting position, his elongated canines bared, his amber eyes flashing with menace. “Speak about my mate like that again and I’ll slit your throat, tear out your heart and feed it to you before I rip your head from your shoulders. My mate is innocent. Innocent and mine,” he snarled.
“I wouldn’t hurt Ryan, not after what he did. He saved my life,” Chloe added, wanting to prove her innocence.
“Get out!” he coughed. Blood spilled from his lips as his healing wounds reopened and worsened. The blood drenching his bandages became thicker and darker as he moved angrily about the bed. “If you entertain thoughts of my mate harming me, you’re not to be trusted. Chloe is my mate, I trust her with my life.”
“Ryan, please calm down. You’re only making your injuries worse. You won’t get better like this.”
“They’re insulting you Chloe. I can’t let that stand.”
“You heard him,” she shouted, desperate to get him to calm down and relax. “Leave!”
“You’re sure Lord Ryan?”
“If you question my mate’s intentions once more, I don’t care how injured I am, I’ll make good on my earlier words.”
“Of course my lord.” The room quickly emptied as those who had been assisting Ryan left, leaving Chloe and him alone.
Chloe quickly raced into action, rushing into the bathroom and filling a bowl with water. Returning to Ryan’s side, she sat at the edge of the bed, gently dipping a flannel into the water and running the damp material across the seam of his bloodied lips. “Why did you do this to yourself Ryan?” she groaned, moving the material down the strong column of his neck and wiping the dirt and grime away from the skin there. “His words couldn’t hurt me. There was no need to make your injuries worse over them.”
“I can’t help myself when I comes to you. I don’t want anyone saying a bad word about you. You’re my own personal angel.” He winced as she wiped around the large bandage, touching the tender flesh.
“I don’t understand how you can feel that way about me, I’ve done nothing but reject you since I got here. Those guys had genuine reason to be concerned, I’ve assaulted you on several occasions.”
“That’s just part of who you are and I wouldn’t change a thing about you. You’re fiery, passionate, not a push over, all the qualities you need to be my mate. I’m not the easiest person in the world to have as a mate. I don’t always think things through, I’ll do things to make you angry, I’ll make mistakes but at the same time no one in the world could want you more, love you more than me. If you weren’t who you are, how you are, you would never be able to put up with me throughout the years. Chloe, I’m sorry about your things. I’d love to be able to say that I’ll never do anything to make you upset again, but mates don’t lie to each other so I can’t give you the pretty words that would reassure you. All I can give you is my solemn vow that I’ll try.” He lifted his hand, raising it to cup her cheek, pleasantly surprised when she laid her own hand gently over his.
She smiled warmly at him. “You’re an idiot you know?”
“Yes.”
“You may be an idiot but you’re my idiot. Whenever you mess up I’m going to give you hell so you’d better try damn hard.”
“Does this mean I’m forgiven for you know…what I did?”
“I miss my things that fact hasn’t changed.” He groaned. “But, I can’t believe I’m saying this aloud, I think I’d miss you more if you died. I owe you my life, thank you for saving me Ryan.”
“It was my pleasure. Whenever you call me, I’ll do my damndest to get to your side. That I can assure you will never change.”
“Much as you might find enjoyment in saving me, I’m going to try my hardest to ensure that I don’t get into situations where I need help like this again. I don’t want you getting hurt on my account.”
“Chloe?” he whispered, his voice heated.
“Yes?”
“I really want to kiss you. I’ve wanted to kiss you for days. I miss the feel of your lips against mine, the way my blood heats when I see the flush rise to your cheeks when I pull away, your breathy sighs. Can I kiss you?” It went against almost everything within him to ask permission to kiss his mate but while his wolf’s voice was demanding he simply take what he wanted, Erica's words were still at the forefront of his mind. Ignore the wolf’s advice, he reminded himself.
Her eyes finally noted the predatory gleam in his half closed eyes and just as he described she could feel a flush rising to her cheeks, this time in anticipation. She too had missed his warm lips, his heated, passionate kisses that said without words how much he wanted her, how much he cared for her. Her body temperature spiked, arousal filling her as her body thrummed in excitement. Ryan’s brown eyes became flecked with amber as he breathed in the heady scent of her arousal but he remained still, wanting her to agree to this kiss. “Yes,” she breathed.
Her head lowered, her lips gently touching his. Despite his passionate words, the kiss was gentle rather than overpowering. Their lips moved slowly over each other’s, Ryan’s lips offering another, silent, apology while Chloe’s accepted all he gave, offering forgiveness. The heat that filled Chloe’s body whenever Ryan touched her moved languidly through her now, ebbing and flowing to reach and cover every inch of her body from the tips of her toes to the ends of her hair. She sighed contentedly against him, wishing that she could get closer but fully aware of the extent of his injuries. They parted slowly, reluctantly. Chloe’s hand rose to her lips, gently running her thumb over the tender flesh. The soft kiss had moved her, solidifying her belief that she was doing the right thing.
“I wish I could do more,” Ryan groaned. “But given my condition this is all I can manage. When I get better…”
“You’ve got a long road ahead of you before you’re fully recovered.”
He chose not to contradict her, he would be healed in days not the weeks she likely thought he needed. “But you’ll stay with me for the journey.”
She smiled warmly at him. “Of course Ryan, of course.”
Chapter Thirty One
Ryan woke with a start, his eyes flying open as pain flooded his system. Sleep had kept him blissfully unaware but now he was awake, his mind was fully aware of the damage that his body had taken. The pain was sharp and steady, stunning his freshly conscious mind. The events of yesterday came flooding back to him and he took a deep steadying breath, bracing his body against the pain. As he inhaled, he tried to move only to find that his movement was once again restricted. There was something weighing down on his arm and as he turned to look at the obstruction, a smile crept onto his face despite the pain. True to her word, Chloe hadn’t left his side, her body slumped over his arm while her hand held tightly to his own. Looking at his own personal angel, the pain became bearable, the sacrifice of his flesh well worth the unexpected outcome. His mate had forgiven him, accepted his touch while she agreed to stay by his side. Life was good.
His attempts to move had dislodged Chloe from her slumber and her eyelids fluttered open, stunning violet eyes staring intently at him. “Good morning,” she smiled sleepily; stretching her arms above her head as she tried to remove the kinks from her body that sleeping in such a position had resulted in. Ryan watched with eager eyes as her high, full breasts were pushed further into his line of sight, a thin line of flesh on her stomach exposed to his scrutiny.
This is how mornings should be, he decided. Calm and peaceful with Chloe relaxed in my presence.
“How are you feeling today?” she asked before proceeding to answer her own question. “What a stupid thing to ask, you were speared through the stomach and have a huge hole in your body.”
“Actually,” he corrected gently. “I’m feeling much better. Not one hundred percent but much, much improved.” An eyebrow rose in disbelief and Ryan laughed
in response. “You can check if you don’t believe me.”
Her eyes wandered to the blood soaked bandages around his middle. “I suppose I should change your bandages. It might be difficult to manage alone but I think I can do it.”
“I’ll help,” he offered, pulling himself into a sitting position. The change in position sent a lance of pain through him but he gritted his teeth, unwilling to show Chloe any unnecessary weaknesses.
“You didn’t have to move,” she scolded though internally she was thankful for this new position, as it would make her task much easier. “I’m just going to get some clean water so I can clean you up a bit once the bandages are off.” Picking up her already used bowl she walked into the bathroom, emptying it and washing it before refilling the bowl with warm water. A new, clean flannel in hand, she walked back into the bedroom to sit at Ryan’s side once more.
“Are you sure you’re up to this?” he asked. “It won’t be pretty. If you’re squeamish it’s better to just leave it alone. Sebastian or Tobias would be more than willing to do it for you.”
“I told you that I was going to help you get better and I meant it. I can do this Ryan. I want to do this for you. Besides, after what I saw yesterday, squeamish sort of went out of the window. I don’t think it can get much worse.”
“If you feel even the slightest bit lightheaded stop. Okay?”
“Yes, but I’m telling you I’ll be fine.” Pulling herself further onto the bed, she reached for the edge of the bandages and began unwrapping the wound. The red cloth fell discarded to the bed, exposing the extent of Ryan’s injuries and Chloe gasped in shock. The wound, which had spanned almost the width of his torso, was now no bigger than her outstretched palm.
Noting the look of disbelief on his mate’s face, Ryan’s smile widened. “I told you that I’d heal.”
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