She shook her head. “I get pictures, maybe a word or two, but nothing I can make sense of.”
Another blond man came in. He looked like Emily, but wore a frown. “Morning, Gina. I helped you last night.”
“I remember.” Then she frowned. “I remember everything after getting here. Before is a photo album out of order.”
“Robert is my brother.” Emily placed a hand on her shoulder as she explained, “A long time ago you had a head injury. It never healed right. There were fragments of skull in your brain. I think they may have permanently damaged your recall.”
Robert nodded. “I’m going to help Emily, see if we can find your older memories.”
She frowned. “Can that work?”
“Won’t know until we try.”
Gina shuddered. “I think I’d rather they stay gone.”
Emily nodded. “If we don’t restore them, or verify they’re gone permanently, they could come back when you least expect them.”
“All right.”
Robert touched Emily’s hand and Gina’s head.
Flashes passed through her mind. Most of them too fast to comprehend. Then cold, black eyes locked on her and she was screaming, falling.
Strong arms caught her and she looked up into blue eyes.
“It’s okay. I got you. I won’t let them have you again,” Mark soothed.
Her world settled, the flashes washed away in a wave of comfort. Her heart soared as she stared up at him. Afraid he’d put her down, she didn’t move, didn’t want to breathe. “Thank you.”
“There’s not enough available for her to remember anything substantial, except the man’s face,” Emily said.
Robert answered, “That’s Axel. I’ve seen his file. Whatever he did, memory or not, has left a deeply ingrained fear.”
Emily nodded. “I can only imagine.”
Mark’s warm voice rumbled through her. “I’ll stay with Gina. Make sure she has the presence of another wolf. I think she feels safe with me.”
She closed her eyes, laying her head against his beating heart. “Very safe.” More than his beast soothed her. She didn’t have the words to name what she felt.
Chapter 17
Slamming his fist into the brick wall left a crack, both in his knuckles and the wall’s mortar. Pain radiated up his arm, assuaging the rage that wanted to erupt.
“Clint, take a deep breath and relax,” Slater told him in a firm voice.
“Relax?” Clint punched the wall again, this time bones snapped in his hand. “Slater, I respect you, I truly do. But right now, relaxing is the last thing on my mind. You remember the mess I was when I crashed into that damned pole. In a pit of self-hatred and rage that nearly consumed me. I’m not that fucked up boy anymore, but I need to blow off some steam.”
“No shit. Think about this though, Clint. If Emily were here, would you be acting like this?”
Clint turned toward his alpha with a snarl. “That’s a low blow. Of course I fucking wouldn’t. Nor would I listen to Ava whine about feeling bad for what she did to Gina, but not me. I was a sixteen-year-old kid, struggling to get by. She ripped every opportunity from me when she changed me, all because I didn’t want to fuck her.”
“You got away,” Slater pointed out. “Made a life for yourself. A good life, I’d say.”
“Because the bitch thought I was dead.”
“You would have gotten away eventually. You’re stronger than you believe.”
Clint scrubbed his undamaged left hand over his face. “She’s still to blame.”
His gray eyes narrowed as he stalked closer. “Yeah, and I’m not on her side. I’m on yours. But right now, you need to relax. Anger isn’t helping resolve this situation. Ava is a hot mess. Some of that is her own fault, some of it Axel’s, but that doesn’t matter because she was in control of her actions.”
Clint finally sucked in a full breath and leaned against the wall. “You’re not going to let her free?”
“Fuck that. We’ll consider handing her over to the Silver Council, but that’s iffy. I trust Preston and Robert, but they aren’t going to be in charge of her trial.”
“They’d likely kill her. Why are you worried?”
“And they may let her go on some idiotic technicality.”
“True.” Clint slid down the wall, dropping his head into his hands. He winced at the shifting bones. “Sorry I blew up. Though I don’t know what you expected when you put me in the same room with that bitch.”
“I haven’t seen you lose it in a long time.”
“Yeah, well put Axel in front of me. Silver bars won’t hold me back. I could smell that pig on Gina when I found her chained to my porch like a damned dog.”
Slater closed his eyes, breathing deep. “You should have told me.”
Clint closed his eyes. “If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t have been touched. Ever. Shit.”
“Stop. Damn it, Clint. You didn’t fucking know. I shouldn’t have stopped looking. I called off the search. Not you. It’s as much on me.”
“No. And it doesn’t matter because we can’t change history.”
“We can’t. But we can make it right by ending them.”
“So now what? How will you track them if they’re at some random bunker near a national forest?”
“Ask Preston if he doesn’t mind going out there to look. Maybe Robert too, in case they find them, so they can come back quickly for us.”
“I want to know they can’t hurt anyone else. That’s the only thing that will make this better.”
“How’s your hand?”
Clint looked down at the swelling, black-and-blue mess and shrugged. “Busted.”
“Want to visit Emily? Maybe check on Gina?”
“Yeah. I’m relieved someone as capable as Emily healed her. I hate that she went through hell for fourteen years.”
“Clint, I’m warning you...”
“Didn’t say a word.”
“You’re thinking it.”
Sighing, Clint shrugged. “What do you want from me? I can’t make the memories go away.”
“Come on. Let’s get you to your woman so she can fix your hand.”
Clint looked down at the busted mess and sighed. “Probably a good thing I fell for a healer.”
Slater snorted and nodded for the truck. “Fair warning. Robert sent a text. Gina seems attracted to Mark.”
Blinking, Clint stood up. “What do you mean?”
Slater shrugged. “Not sure, specifically. That’s all his text said.”
Clint frowned. She’d been so different the night before. Distant. He didn’t know what he expected, but her attraction to someone else wasn’t on the list.
“Did Emily bring her memory back? Is she whole again?” Maybe her moving on wouldn’t bother him so much if that were the case.
“No.”
“So, she’s not fully there?”
He shrugged. “Sounds like she’s functional. Would it be so bad if your first love bonded with a man you trust?”
“No. My worry is if she’s still that girl trapped in her head. Does she even understand what’s going on?”
“After all she’s been through, she’s likely not that same girl.”
Clint nodded. “Kills me. Gina was so sweet. She deserved better than a fool who led predators right to her.”
“Don’t go there. And don’t start second-guessing Emily’s love for you. You two need each other.”
Clint glanced over. “Jess tell you that?”
“Yup. Stick with Emily.” Slater slapped him on the back. “Let’s head out to your woman. Expect her to chew you out, after she mends your hand.”
* * * *
Mark shook his head. Gina had passed out in his arms. Her soft snores brought a smile to his lips. He felt awkward cradling her, though his wolf howled at him to not let her go.
Reluctantly, he carried her to the bed and laid her down. Before he could pull away, her fingers twined with his, and his
heart warmed.
“Clint’s going to flay me alive.” He dragged his eyes away from Gina to meet Emily’s.
She smiled. “Doubtful. I can’t imagine you ever harming her. As long as you wait until she acclimates to her new life, he’ll be fine.”
His eyes shifted away. “She’s clinging to me. He’s going to wonder what I did.”
“Don’t worry. I have your back.” She winked, a smirk playing across her lips.
“You’re right, he’ll mellow out as soon as you tell him to.” He winked back. Mark finally felt comfortable with Emily. Either she’d relaxed, or Clint had instilled some confidence into her. Either way, he liked this side of the mage.
A gentle knock sounded on the door and Emily’s face lit up. “I’ll talk to him first.”
She slipped into the hall, leaving him alone with Gina, looking down at her with a soft smile. Enthralling with her big sky blue eyes, he was irrevocably drawn to her. Though he’d keep his hands to himself until she made her choice.
* * * *
Stepping into the hallway, Emily moved straight into Clint’s arms. His slight wince when he squeezed her sent a chill down her spine. With clinical efficiency, she stepped back and looked him over. Aside from the tense expression, which had softened with their contact, his hand was busted and swollen.
“What did you do?” she asked, taking his wrist to better inspect the damage.
He groaned.
Slater cleared his throat with a sharp look in Clint’s direction. “Seeing his old second pushed some buttons. He took his anger out on a brick wall.”
“The one who changed you?”
Clint nodded, staring at the floor.
With a resigned sigh, she shifted the bones back into place by feel. He let out a hiss. Her brow arched as she met his gaze. Guilt stared back at her.
Placing a kiss on the bruised, swollen knuckles, she healed the rest of the tissue damage with a silent spell.
“Sorry. I lost my temper—”
“Needed an outlet? Did the pain help?”
He shook his head. “Not enough.” A slight smile pulled at his lips.
“Do I?”
He nodded, drawing her into his arms, where she gladly went. “More than anything else has ever helped.”
“How’s the wall?”
Slater chuckled. “Cracked.”
“Before you go in there,” she leaned back to look into Clint’s eyes, “seems Gina is drawn to Mark. I get the feeling maybe he’s the one she’s meant for.”
Clint nodded, more calm than she expected. “What do you mean?”
“Well, Robert and I went into her head. Her memories are gone. All she has are flashes. One terrified her. Dark black eyes. Robert said that was Axel. When she snapped back to reality, she fell, and Mark caught her. Gina won’t let go of his hand, and he’s too nice to take it from her, even though she’s asleep.”
“That’s why I trust Mark with you. Brody too. Simons and Brian are both good guys, but they might scare you.”
Emily grinned. “From the second they looked at each other, they seemed mutually captivated. I recognize their emotions because of how I felt when I saw you, only I was too scared to let it show.”
He shrugged. “You’re worth the wait.”
“I wanted to warn you so you don’t overreact when you see Gina clinging to Mark.”
Clint rubbed his chest. “If he can give her comfort, I can’t fault him.”
“Let’s go in,” Slater said.
Emily relaxed and followed the guys in.
One corner of Clint’s mouth tipped up. “She’s been through hell, Mark. Make sure she’s ready before you do anything you can’t take back.”
Mark dipped his head, his eyes dropping to Gina. “You have my word. She’s been through too much, whether or not she remembers any of it.”
Slater addressed Emily. “You didn’t find anything useful in her head?”
“No. There was too much damage to the memory portion of her brain. She has incoherent flashes, that’s it.”
“I was afraid of that.” He looked at the girl and smiled. “At least she’s doing better.”
Emily nodded. “Until this is all over, I think she should stay here. They can’t find her in the clinic.”
Mark looked up at Slater. “I’ll stay with her. We have others who could sit with her when I can’t.”
“Delilah maybe. Devlin and Jamie. There’re options.”
“Not me?” Clint asked.
Slater shook his head. “You’re on Emily detail.” A smirk lifted one corner of his mouth. “With Axel looking for you, I don’t want Gina being pulled back into the fray.”
Clint sucked in a breath.
Emily smiled up at him. “Don’t worry. I trust you to protect me. Besides, I’m not helpless.”
Chapter 18
Fucked any way the pieces fell, Ava sat in her cell. Hours ticked by, and she wanted it to end. The Edenton Pack had two choices, kill her, or send her to the Silver Council.
The Council would either lock her up forever, or kill her. Releasing her to Axel wasn’t an option, thankfully.
She’d gotten past the lure of the mate bond over the years. Probably when she realized he wasn’t above abusing those who offered no fight. Slater was right. She wasn’t any better, no matter what she wanted to believe.
The giant werewolf, who happened to be the officer on duty, stormed down the hall with a tray of food. His eyes cut through her like silver daggers. “Here.”
Her gaze flickered to his holster where hope presented itself, laden with overwhelming guilt.
Ava shot forward, and slipped a hand through the bars to grab his gun. She ignored the burn, seeking her end. When he caught her wrist, she dropped the weapon into her other hand and pulled it through the bars. She shoved the barrel into her mouth as he fought for the weapon, pulling her arm against the silver bars. The burn didn’t deter her from her goal.
With a whimper, she pulled the trigger at the same time he jerked her forward, slamming her head into the bars, skewing the angle as the bullet left the barrel. Fire exploded through her jaw, shattered bones shifting as red flooded her vision before fading to black.
* * * *
After seeing the frantic text from Simons, Slater told Mark to stay put, and sent Clint home with Emily. On his way back to Edenton, he called Simons.
“What the fuck happened?”
“She shot herself in the face.”
“How did she get your gun?”
“Fuck. It happened so fast. She reached for it, ignored the burn of the bars, and swallowed the barrel before I could yank her to knock her out. Fucked up the side of her face, but she’ll live.”
“Not silver?”
“No, but she needs a healer.”
“Have Dakota meet you at the hospital, and chain her. I don’t want Axel to get his hands on her.”
“You feel sorry for the bitch?”
“No. Doesn’t mean she should suffer needlessly. She may still be of help to us.”
“I’ll get her there.”
“Where’s Hayden?”
“Dealing with the two caged scouts. They shifted and are howling like they’re scared shitless.”
“Why?”
“I’m guessing because their second shot herself in the face.”
“Then Ava’s stronger than Axel, they see her more as alpha. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.” He scrubbed a hand over his beard. “Get her to the hospital. I have an idea.”
* * * *
Erik bound Ava in silver and carried her to the police cruiser so Simons could transport her to Edenton’s small hospital. Dakota was already on his way.
Simons felt like a fool for allowing her to shoot herself, but part of him thought maybe he should have let her succeed.
Her face was a swollen series of lumps, the jawbone shattered, leaving an unsightly mess. He glanced into the backseat and groaned. She never moved, unconscious.
; He parked in the emergency lane and ran in to find a stretcher. Stopping at the counter, he managed a strained smile. “Have anyone who can help me get a silvered werewolf onto a stretcher?”
The girl frowned, but dialed a number. “Hey, we need some help down in emergency. Bring a bed.”
“Sturdy, please. One she can be chained to.”
Her eyebrow arched as she repeated his requirements. She nodded. “Give Oliver a couple minutes. He’ll be right here.”
Simons paced the lobby, waiting impatiently.
“Hey, Simons, someone’s at your car,” the receptionist said.
He turned in time to see a man lifting Ava out of the cruiser and hopping into a van with her.
He ran outside, pulling his gun, but they tore off before he could get to the car.
“Shit!” he shouted, kicking the back door that now lay on the pavement.
He nearly tore the front door off himself when he reached for the microphone, and radioed the station with the license plate.
Then he called Slater.
“Get her to the hospital?” Slater asked.
“Yes, but while I was waiting for help, someone ripped the door off the cruiser and took her. They must have been watching, waiting for the perfect moment.”
“Get the license plate?”
“Yeah. Radioed it to Hayden. Don’t know what else to do, besides maybe call Preston to track them?”
“Do it. Let’s see if we can find them before they get wherever they’re going. Maybe follow them to their den.”
* * * *
An evil laugh jolted her from sleep. Burning agony flowed from her face, all the way through her body. She bit back the cry of pain as the world dipped in a rut.
Ava cracked one eye open to find herself facedown on the floor of a van, the ridged rubber mat smelled strongly of dirt, and stale blood. Her wrists were secured with silver cuffs, same as her ankles. She didn’t bother trying to move.
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