by Sabrina Rue
At the end of the bed, Arman whispered, “I’ll have your team find her solid food. One of you must remain with her at all times until she can stand. I’ll be right outside the door.”
He left and the friends watched her for several minutes in silence. Ryker held her close, his lips against her hair.
Finally, he lifted his head and stared as his oldest friend over her body. “She needs more contact, Jax.”
His friend sat up slowly and stripped his shirt away. Returning to her side, he remained still for a long moment as a growl rumbled from Ryker’s chest unbidden.
Closing his eyes, he said, “I-I can’t help myself. I trust no one on this Earth as much as you. Forgive me.”
“There’s nothing to forgive.”
Inhaling deeply, he nodded. Jax lifted Harmony’s t-shirt to just beneath her breasts and pressed his bare torso against hers. There was an immediate improvement in her shakes.
The two men laid their palms over the skin of her belly and she was better still.
Ryker sat up and stripped off his own shirt, duplicating Jax’s position on her other side. Harmony exhaled roughly and then proceeded to release what most closely resembled a purr.
Over the next hour, her shakes subsided completely and a boiling fever took their place.
Jax smiled. “Fever is a good sign. Her blood heats.”
Whistling for Arman, when the man appeared, Ryker gave detailed instructions for him to relay to the rest of their people.
Laying down, the friends shared a relieved smile over the body of a woman they’d begun to fear would never be found.
“You have your Mate, my friend. At last.”
“I’m being a dick. I know that, Jax.”
“No. You’re being a Wolf. Once you place your Mark on her, things will settle down. This is always the way of things. Don’t worry about fighting your nature. Focus on this incredible gift.”
Hours later, they pulled her into a sitting position and fed her a rare steak from a local diner that opened early.
She was delirious, unaware of her surroundings, but she chewed on instinct and drank the water they held to her lips.
Her clothes were drenched as the fever raged but they hesitated to remove them while she was in healing stasis.
Ryker didn’t want to do anything she might take as an abuse of her trust. Were body temperatures ran substantially hotter than humans so all of them were soon soaked in sweat.
Arman made the air conditioning as cold as possible and kept bringing them water to replenish lost fluids.
Neither man slept throughout the day and into the new night. They stayed beside her, providing warmth and Pack energy that her Wolf syphoned from them greedily.
They were happy to provide what she needed.
* * *
Harmony blinked in confusion. Sunlight filled the room but she wasn’t sure how much time had passed.
At her side, Ryker said, “You’re safe, Mate. The post office opens in a couple of hours. There’s no rush. Get your bearings.” She turned to look at him but said nothing. “How do you feel?”
“Better.” She swallowed hard. “I…thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“How long did I sleep?”
“Almost twenty-four hours.” She knew her eyes were huge. “Your Wolf wouldn’t take no for an answer. You needed it and she insisted you got it.”
Unwrapping her arms from the men at her sides, she felt her hip. “Tender but nothing like it was.”
“You needed food, rest, and Pack.”
She nodded. “I’ve missed my own kind.” Meeting his eyes, she added quietly, “You stayed with me. Have you eaten?”
“We’ll get to it. Let us worry about you.”
He smiled and it reminded her of the first picture she’d seen of the man her father said was her Mate. He reached out and brushed her hair away from her face. She didn’t flinch.
“I can’t imagine how lonely you’ve been, Harmony.”
“Hope saved me, she was my Pack and I was hers. I can feel her. I believe she’s alive. It made me keep getting up.”
“I’ll repay my gratitude to your sister by ensuring her safety as Texas Pack will ensure yours.”
There was a quick knock as the door swung wide. Harmony leapt over his body, coiling into a tight fighting crouch on the floor at the far side of the bed, her claws and canines extended.
Arman stilled with both palms up. “Alpha Harmony. Forgive me for startling you. I didn’t think you’d be awake much less…” he gestured at her defensive position beside the bed, “prepared to engage in hand-to-hand combat.”
Straightening, she inclined her head in embarrassment.
“Trusting my surroundings will take some time.”
She glanced at the bed where Ryker and Jax sat staring at her from the places where they’d helped her through the night.
“Uh, I apologize.”
She shook out her hands and raked her fingers through her hair. By the time she’d gathered the wild tangle and dropped it down her back, her Wolf was subdued.
Jax made a move to leave the other side of the bed and Ryker’s head jerked to the side, his teeth snapping territorially.
“Ryker. I’m going to leave the room with Arman. I won’t go near your Mate.” Nodding to the Parliament rep, he added, “You need to back out of here. Now. Head down.”
Harmony watched in fascination as her Mate’s closest friend backed to the far wall and along it to the door. He waited for Arman to leave first and followed him.
Neither man looked at Ryker or Harmony directly.
Eyes wide, she looked at Ryker when the door closed. “Are you alright?”
“No.” He rolled off the side of the bed furthest from her and gained his feet. Pressing himself against the wall, he explained, “My Wolf is dominant. I can’t be trusted to touch you and I don’t trust any male within breathing distance.”
“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “I triggered it?”
His laugh was tight. “You might say that. The circumstances aren’t ideal but I can barely think while the scent of you saturates my pores and fills my lungs.”
Nodding his head at the wall behind her, he said, “The bathroom is behind you. Go inside and do whatever you need to do. Take your time. The room will be empty when you come out and I’ll leave fresh clothes.”
Her eyes left his and trailed down the length of his body. As most Weres, he was beautifully fit.
Ryker was bigger than many males, his muscles thicker. Hair scattered across the skin of his bare chest and his jeans hung low on his hips. Her curiosity about what they concealed was new.
“Harmony.” His voice was a growl. She returned her eyes to his. “I’ll hurt you, frighten you, and I don’t want that. You need more time to heal.”
“Alright.”
“Go in the bathroom, Harmony.” The glow of his eyes brightened. “This is the wrong place and the wrong time.”
Walking backwards, she touched the bathroom door and told him, “It won’t always be.”
“No,” he growled, “the right place and time will arrive soon.”
“Good to know.”
Closing the door behind her, she turned on the shower and stripped away clothes that were soaked with her own sweat.
Sniffing them, she could smell the sweat of Ryker and his Second as well. It made her Wolf release a rumble of need she didn’t recognize at first.
Stepping under the spray, she took her time washing her hair and body. The bruising was gone and there wasn’t a trace of the shallower scratches.
The punctures on her ankles were pale pink but fully closed. The worst injury at the bend of her hip was still an angry color but her veins were clear of the infection and her flesh was knitting together at last.
Hot water and excellent water pressure felt amazing. It had been years since she’d felt the pleasure. She stood there for a long time, absorbing the wonder of it.
Wrapping he
r hair in a fluffy white towel, she dried her body and stepped from the bathroom with another one around her.
She was alone.
At the small table beneath the window was her old backpack and a stack of ultra-soft but strangely durable clothing provided by Ryker’s people.
“They’re your people now as well,” she reminded herself. It felt surreal to have people again.
A pair of boy shorts covered the wound on her hip that looked even better than before she’d gone into the shower. A sport bra because it was unlikely they could figure out her size.
The softest t-shirt she’d ever felt and thick running leggings were exactly right and left her full range of movement.
Low-cut socks and a new pair of trail runners in her size surprised her. She wondered how they’d managed it so early in the middle of nowhere.
Once she was dressed, she brushed her hair out and could already feel the difference in the thickness of the strands.
Sitting beside her stained and worn pack was a brand-new urban hiking backpack. Inside, she found two changes of similar clothing, a disposable cell phone in the box, personal hygiene essentials, emergency food packets, a fat envelope of cash, and a note written in a masculine scrawl.
Harmony,
It will take time for you to trust me. I’m prepared to wait.
In the meantime, I want you to remain in control of your destiny. This pack is provided without conditions. Your safety net if you become afraid, unsure, or find yourself separated from me.
I hope with every cell in my being that you never feel the need to use it, Mate.
Ryker
Blinking back unfamiliar emotion, she brought the paper to her face and inhaled the delicate scent of oranges.
Her Mate.
From her old bag, she removed a small photo album, wallet, pack of stationary, and a few mementos that she added to the new one.
Picking up a pair of sunglasses she assumed were meant for her, she slung the pack over her shoulder, and opened the hotel room door.
Ryker waited for her, freshly showered and dressed. His eyes roamed down the length of her body and a slow smile formed on his face.
“Mate. Your health returns rapidly.”
Leaning against the door at her back, she told him, “Thank you for the pack.” She winked. “I assume there’s a tracker inside it somewhere?”
“How else would we ever find you?” She laughed and it took them both by surprise. He placed his fist over his heart. “May I give you many reasons to express joy in our future together, Harmony.”
“Ryker.” She paused and cleared her throat. “The post office opens in an hour. Perhaps we could get coffee and talk while we wait? I-I’m sure you have questions.”
Straightening from the railing, he gave a slight bow and extended his arm. She placed her hand through it.
He escorted her to the parking lot where several SUVs and Texas Pack Weres waited to greet their Alpha’s Mate. They stood at attention and clasped their fists over their hearts.
No pressure, Harmony.
CHAPTER SEVEN
As introductions were made, Harmony noted that every male remained at least a dozen feet away from her. Even Arman was outside a small circle of Pack females.
Only Jax and another male were close enough to touch. She could smell that the newcomer was Mated.
“Alpha Harmony, my name is Eiran.” He pointed to a female she could scent was a full-blooded Were. “This is my Mate. I’ll be taking Arman’s place until we return to the compound.”
Ryker’s eyes tracked the other males beyond the women. They took an additional step away from her.
“Is everything alright?” Harmony asked Ryker quietly.
“I’m struggling with my Wolf. I don’t want to fight people in my own Pack.” He lifted one hand and rubbed his temple firmly. “I’ll be relieved to return to Texas.”
For a long moment, she stared at him in silence before handing Jax her pack and sunglasses. She jumped at Ryker and he caught her easily, his eyes wide.
Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pressed her cheek to his, rubbing her skin from his ears, along his jaw, over his lips, to the other side of his face. His fingers tightened where he held her ass and the other came up to fist her hair.
Slamming her back against the side of the SUV, he couldn’t stop the low rumble that issued from his chest.
He rubbed his face across her breasts and petted every inch of her he could reach. Moving his face from side to side, he marked her with as much of his scent as he could and she encouraged him to do it.
She pulled her hair over her shoulder so he could bury his face in it. The sounds he made got louder and she raked her nails over his scalp and down the back of his neck.
His Pack looked on quietly, shielding them from onlookers.
Resting his face at the bend of her neck and shoulder, she felt him lightly suck her skin. He held her hard, breathing her in for almost a minute before he released a full body shiver and raised his head to look at her.
“Better?” she asked softly.
His eyes glowed brilliant blue. A big palm cupped the side of her face. “Better. My Wolf is calmer.”
“My mother used to do that for my father after battle. To bring him back to her. She said it helped to cool the Wolf’s blood. I thought it might help.”
His eyes focused on her mouth. “I ache to kiss you.”
“I advise against it. We’re in another Pack’s territory and your Wolf already wants out. Exchanging fluids will wake him again.” With a gentle smile, she added, “Soon, you can kiss me as much as you want.” She stroked her fingertips over his lips and he nipped them. “I’ll be able to do the same.”
“Coffee, post office, food, straight back to the compound.” His voice was as firm as his hand gripping her ass.
“An excellent plan.”
Grudgingly, he loosened his hold and she dropped to her feet. He took his time removing his hands from her body. He dragged his palms from her ass to her low back and around her waist. Squeezing her hips, he released her.
She didn’t mind the contact.
All her life, she’d watched men and women of her kind touch each other affectionately and sexually. Weres were extremely tactile beings and always physically expressive.
Exhaling roughly, he took a step back and asked, “There’s a diner a few blocks away. Would you like to drive or walk?”
“Let’s walk. I need the air.”
Accepting her pack and sunglasses from Jax, he gave her a smile and a nod. Ryker yanked her to his side and snapped his teeth at the other male.
Eyes wide, he started to apologize. “I…”
“It’s alright. Ssh.” Pulling her hair away from the back of her neck, she exposed it to him and he whimpered. He pulled her hard against the front of his body.
She remained absolutely still as her Mate clamped the back of her neck with his teeth. He didn’t break the skin but held her tightly, one hand cupping her breast and the other at her waist.
After almost a minute, he licked her several times. He was hard, his cock pressed snugly against her ass.
Harmony turned in his arms. “Ryker. Jax is your Second, your best friend. Like a brother to you, I think. He’s no threat to me and certainly not to you.” Ryker made a huffing sound that made her laugh. “Let’s walk and distract your Wolf.”
“Can I pet you on the way back to the compound?”
Grinning, she replied, “Of course.” She took his hand and walked backwards toward the sidewalk. “What do you want to know, Ryker? Ask me anything.”
“Why…didn’t you come to me after your father died? We signed the contracts when you were sixteen. I would have given you the time you needed and kept you safe.”
“The man who took over after Dad d-died said you voided the contract and wanted nothing to do with me or my siblings. We were grieving, confused. I didn’t question him.”
“Why New Mexico?”
; “I needed to get my brother and sisters out of Montana. The vibe was…wrong. Phoebe and Caleb were too young to be caught away from Pack. Hope and I, we were vulnerable as well.” She closed her eyes. “We reacted on instinct.”
“The property belonged to your family?”
“It was my mother’s childhood home. An elderly aunt’s name was on the deed and she helped us when we arrived.”
“We found her grave.”
“The shock the day my brother and sister were killed was too much. She was full human, my mother’s last living sister. Her heart couldn’t take the h-horror of it.”
“I’m sorry, Harmony. So fucking sorry.”
She stopped and turned to him. “I killed three of the males that day. The fourth, I tortured for information.” Ryker’s expression of shock was easy to read. “He said you’d decided that I was a liability, a weakness, and simply breaking the contract wasn’t enough.”
Glancing into the distance, she whispered, “He told us that the Alpha of Texas Pack wanted the Kassis line wiped out of existence but they’d been instructed to see if a child could be gotten from Hope or myself first.”
A sharp growl left Ryker’s lips and a passing stranger glanced around nervously to see what dog made the noise.
Meeting his eyes with a frown, she said, “We buried our dead and burned the Wolves. That’s when we saw a rogue mark on one of their biceps. We assumed you’d hired mercenaries. We packed what we could carry and started running.”
“They kept coming,” Jax said quietly.
“For every pair I killed, they sent another. All of them bore the rogue mark. Every single one stuck to the story that the Alpha of Texas Pack wanted us killed if we couldn’t be raped and impregnated.”
Raking her hands through her hair, she shook her head. “We didn’t know who to trust. Our Pack exiled us the day after Dad died. No one stood for the four of us so I got them out. You were the only person I would have called outside my family…and I thought you wanted me dead.”
“I understand.”
In the diner, they ordered coffees to go and went back outside. Harmony needed the air and sunshine. They walked in silence for several blocks, headed in the direction of the post office, and found a small park in the town square.