“No, everything’s not okay. It’s pretty fucked up, actually. Carlee was nearly beaten to death and she’s on the run. I managed to find her but she’s hurt pretty bad and we’ve still got assholes after us. Until I know what I’m dealing with, I don’t want to get the police involved. What I need is for her to get healed up and able to move.”
“Shit, are you sure about this? I mean if there’s someone after her, you need to call the police.” JT was very concerned and Ryden felt it straight to his bones.
“No, not yet. I’ve got a feeling there’s some bad blood somewhere along the way, and I can’t risk it. I’ve got a question for you, though. Do you have any idea if there’s a way to fast-track her healing? I won’t force a change on her.”
JT was silent for a minute and then said, “I’m not sure, man, but I’ve heard rumors of our kind being able to heal without the bite and inevitable change. I have no idea if any of the rumors are true and it’s a risk at best. She might end up sprouting fur. Then there’d be hell to pay.”
“Explain.”
“Well you would clean the wound. Let the wolf come to the surface enough, it will know what to do. Just don’t bite her. It wouldn’t hurt to rub your blood on top of it. It’s supposed to heal without the adverse side effects, like becoming hairy on the full moon. Can you imagine if this was true and humans got a hold of this information? We’d be hunted for sure, but not because they think we’re evil. It would be for our blood.”
Ryden shuddered at the thought. “I’ve got to try at least. She’s...” He hesitated, not sure how to explain it, when he didn’t understand it himself. “I know you’re going to say I told you so, JT.” He didn’t say anything, just sat silently on the other end of the phone. “She’s special to me. Why, I have no clue. I mean she was my girlfriend for several years before my change and I thought I could make a clean break from her for her own good. I don’t understand this strong urge to protect her. The night she was hurt, I felt it, like my soul was being ripped from my chest. It woke me up, and at first, I couldn’t breathe.” Ryden could hear the silence on the phone as if it had a life of its own. “What’s wrong, JT?”
“Ry, I hate to tell you this, but there’s only one reason why a male werewolf has feelings that intense for a female and feels her pain like that. She’s your mate. I’ve suspected this for a while now, but this proves it in my book. Your strong reactions every time she’s mentioned, and refusing to see her, even though I could tell you wanted to, spoke volumes.”
“Mate? What the hell are you talking about? She’s just a friend, or was. I don’t know if we will be even that when this is over.”
“Trust me on this. She’s more than a friend. You wouldn’t risk all you have for just anyone. Wolves mate for life, and when he or she finds their true mate, the wolf inside recognizes that mate. I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true.”
Ryden looked across the room where Carlee slept peacefully and wondered if he was right.
My mate...mine. Could this be true?
He shoved that thought aside and focused on getting her better.
“Regardless, I’ve got to help her, even if it puts me in danger. Thanks for the info, JT. I’ll be in touch.”
He hung up and walked over to the bed where Carlee slept. Her face was still gaunt with exhaustion with dark circles under her eyes and her hair now a matted mess, the blue and purple streaks she loved looking even more lifeless than before. He leaned over and brushed her hair back from her face, and she turned onto her back with a sigh.
“Alright, Buttercup,” Ryden whispered. “Let’s see if this works.”
Carefully, he pulled back her shirt and eased her bandage up so that he could see the row of staples down her belly. The incision was an angry red and the infection he suspected was undeniably there. If this didn’t work, he’d be forced to take her to a hospital. His wolf rose to the surface as he looked down at her. Crawling onto the bed beside her, instinct took over and he laved the row of staples that marred her abdomen. Once he was sure the wound was clean, he unsheathed the knife at his ankle and drew it across his right forearm, smiling to himself as the head of the Salad Fingers tattoo separated from its body. Blood pooled and then dripped along the length of the wound. Before he’d covered it all, his arm had begun to heal. He opened the vein again and ignored the biting pain at his incision site and kept the blood flowing. When it was finally done he wiped the blood from his arm, watching Salad Fingers regain his head as the wound closed on its own. Now to see if this experiment worked.
Several minutes passed, and he started thinking this rumor was a bunch of bullshit. Frustrated, Ryden sat back against the headboard and closed his eyes. There had to be something that would work. When he opened his eyes again and looked at her belly, the redness had faded and the wound definitely looked much better. Frustration turned to hope, and he grabbed the staple remover and gently pulled each staple out.
She flinched a few times, and he hoped she’d stay asleep for this. There were certain to be a lot of questions when she woke up. Ryden had no idea what he’d tell her. He just hoped once she was healed, she didn’t start sprouting hair, fangs and claws.
Once all the staples were removed, he took a damp wash cloth from the bathroom to wipe the excess blood away. Her wound was healed, leaving only a faint red line where the incision had been made. Ryden looked at her face, and the gaunt look, dark circles and bruises were fading. It had worked better than he ever hoped. He pulled her shirt closed and lay down beside her, holding her gently as she slept peacefully.
Carlee came awake slowly several hours later, and turned in a pair of arms that were strong and warm. She rolled onto her side with her head in the crook of his neck, and then lay there for a couple minutes, letting the fog lift and realization to set in. Sitting up in the bed quickly, she glared down at him.
“You ass, you drugged me!” She slapped at his sleeping form, startling him awake. “I told you, Ryden, I did not want to be drugged. Who the hell do you think you are? You know after what happened last night, I need to be able to move, to be able to get away.” Carlee was up off the bed and pacing across the floor, her hands tossing in the air as she talked.
“Exactly what would have happened if they found me again? You gonna go caveman, toss me over your shoulder and carry my ass out the fire escape? That would’ve felt really great when the staples started to pop out…”
As soon as the words came out her mouth, her hand went to her belly, feeling through the shirt. There was nothing there, no staples, no pain, just an odd tingling sensation. She ripped the shirt up over her head and looked down to find a diagonal red line just under her left breast where the staples had been. She looked up to Ryden’s smug expression.
“And good morning to you, too, sunshine.”
Her finger traced the fading incision line. It was the slightest of scars. She shivered as she touched it, eyes looking up to meet his, trying to read them, but the cold gun metal blue was there and he was not saying a word. Again, a flash of gold in his eyes had her taking a step back.
“Ryden, exactly what the hell happened while I was out? Did you have your doctor friend come again? You stayed here with him right? You didn’t leave me alone while I was passed out...”
Ryden looked extremely pleased with himself. Carlee couldn’t make up her mind whether she wanted to smack him or kiss him. Grabbing her shirt and covering herself, she tried to figure out what happened. There was nothing on earth that she knew of that could heal anything that quickly. If there was, it would be worth a fortune.
“What? Did you cop a feel while I was asleep? Ryden, something happened and you need to tell me what the hell is going on. I feel like I was never beaten at all. That isn’t possible.”
Stepping backwards until she hit the wall, a million possibilities went through her mind.
“Ryden, what the fuck have you done to me?”
“Carlee, I’ve told you, I’m not your enemy. I’m helping you, kee
ping you safe. I won’t hurt you. You’re my...friend.” He hesitated, and she wondered what he was going to say.
He stood up and walked across the room, taking his time approaching her. “Buttercup, please, just relax. I’m sorry about the drugs, but you were in pain, and you’re a stubborn woman. I knew you’d never admit to needing them.”
She flinched but didn’t pull away as he reached out to caress her cheek. Starting with her hair, he used his fingers to untangle her long dark tresses and tuck them behind her ear. His other hand moved along her neck, her shoulder, and even though she still clenched the shirt in front of her breasts, her body seemed to relax at the contact. His touch was magic, unraveling the pit of anxiety and mistrust she kept bottled up inside. The fear that he’d hurt her was still there, but something in the way his hands caressed her seemed to ease that, at least for the moment.
“You’ve got to trust me, Carlee.” Her eyes lifted and met his. She felt the flush of heat rush to her cheeks. He traced his finger across her lips, tugging at them until she snaked her tongue out and licked across the tip of his thumb.
What the hell was it about his touch? It was calm, tranquil. At least it was until he ran his finger across her lip. It was like turning the key in her Hemi as her girly parts hummed to life.
“Come on, Buttercup. You’ll feel better after a shower. I’ll see if I can come up with something for you to wear from my bags. They’ll be big, but at least they’ll be clean.”
He moved away from her to dig out some running shorts and a Go Army t-shirt from his bag. When he turned around, she had composed herself. Inhaling deeply, the scent of an earthy musk filled her senses as she reached out and took the offered clothing.
“Go on, I’ll order us something to eat while you’re getting cleaned up.”
Carlee felt something was definitely off and Ryden wasn’t telling the whole story. She had yo-yo brain going on, one part of her screaming to run like hell and the other wanted him to wrap his arms around her and let her drown in his warmth.
“Listen up, Peaches, who’s keeping secrets now? Whatever happened, I will figure it out. You can’t keep it from me. You have to admit that this whole situation is a little odd. I haven’t seen you for years, we were never that close. Well I mean we had a relationship, but you made it clear you didn’t want to see me anymore and certainly wouldn’t drop your life to come running to my rescue. I don’t know what pheromones you’re wearing but don’t mess with my head. There is enough clutter in there that I could be the grand prize winner on Hoarders.”
She started towards the bathroom then stopped, turning to face him. “One more thing…you put me to sleep again with a needle and I’ll…I’ll…I will pee on the floor of your car next time.” And with that, she shut the bathroom door.
She let the water beat down over her as she tried to sort out the events of the last week and a half.
Ryden was right, he hasn’t done anything but help me, so far. But the questions all remained and most importantly, why was he here? How did he get me from the balcony? How did I wake up healed? Washing her hair, she stopped. Exactly what the hell is he?
She finished her shower quickly, dried off and dressed. The shirt came down almost to her knees, the pants were a joke, but what the heck. They covered her. On the counter, she saw the medical bag from the doctor. She took out one of the shots and wrapped it in a towel on top of her head. What she had in mind wasn’t going to be easy.
Ryden had already returned with food when Carlee came out of the bathroom. She couldn’t believe how good she felt, physically. She was nervous as hell about the plan, but she needed to get away from him, not sure if it was for her own safety or his. A quick jab in the neck then she’d run out to his car. She knew the extra key was under one of the wheel wells, and hoped that hadn’t changed. Taking a steadying breath, she walked over to him.
He sat there with the food laid out on the table. Bottled water was poured in the hotel plastic cups and he looked up with a smile on his face. Seriously, he looked like part of the meal, sitting in the drab hotel chair with his handsome face beaming. On the table sat a juicy burger that made Carlee’s mouth water in spite of her declaration of being a vegetarian. When she saw the large salad, topped with boiled eggs, cheese and an oil based dressing sitting in a plastic cup beside it, she almost regretted what she was about to do.
“Special delivery from down the street. A large tip got them here on the double.” He stood and pulled out the other chair for her, but she ignored it.
“Peaches, the food smells terrific. I want you to know that I genuinely do appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I know I wouldn’t be alive now if it wasn’t for you. I really owe you.”
“Carlee, this isn’t something you’re gonna repay, you know. You didn’t ask for my help, but I’m offering it. Correction, I’m insisting on it. I know you’re not happy about being with me right now but I’m keeping you safe and we’re gonna figure this out.”
Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Ryden welcomed the embrace without question and pressed her against him. She pretended to laugh as the towel fell from her head as she grabbed the needle. In one swift movement, Carlee stuck it in his neck and pressed the plunger down. She nearly fainted when he growled.
His arms went limp and he dropped to his knees. Carlee’s hands were out in front of her as if to fend him off.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She chewed on her lip. “G’night, Peaches. See ya around sometime.” She couldn’t resist a quick kiss on his cheek. Carlee ran for the door, threw it open, and with one hand holding up the oversized sweats, she did the only thing she could—she ran.
Chapter Fourteen
“Carlee, stop!” She ran out the door and Ryden shook his head, trying to clear the fog that had hit him when the drug hit his blood stream taking him to his knees. It wouldn’t last long. His body would quickly burn off such a small dose, but it would still be enough for her to get a head start. “Shit, Carlee, stop!” He stumbled to his feet and lunged for the door. At first, he couldn’t see her, and then he realized she was trying to find his extra key under the wheel well. He’d moved it and had it stored under the rear bumper now.
“Carlee, you don’t have a chance in hell of getting away. Stop this and come inside.” She stood up and then began to run in her bare feet. “Damn it, I will spank your ass when I catch you!” Ryden took off after her, hoping the drug would clear out sooner rather than later, but he still caught up with her easily.
“Let me go! Ryden please! Just let me go!” She screamed and fought against him as his arms grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off her feet. Since the surgical wound was no longer an issue, he tossed her over his shoulder, and gave her ass a quick slap.
“Stop or I’ll do more than give you one smack. My patience is wearing thin, Carlee.” He carried her back inside the room and unceremoniously tossed her onto the bed. She bounced and then was right back up, making a run for the door again.
“Dammit, stop this shit!” Ryden growled low and knew she heard it as she backed away, her eyes wide, like he was some creature from her nightmares. Truthfully, he was. It took everything had to stop the change from coming. She’d seen how different he was, and so much was unexplained. It was time Ryden took his chances and just told her the truth.
“Sit!” He pointed to the bed. The growled command brooked no argument and she sat down with a thud, grabbing the pillow she’d lugged around since he’d found her. Ryden shut the door and ran his hand through his hair, trying to find the words to tell her what she needed to know as he paced back and forth, trying to get a handle on his emotions.
“Dammit, you just have to know every fucking thing, don’t you? You can’t leave well enough alone? That’s what’s gotten you in this mess to begin with, but I can’t blame you one bit. Hell, I wake up some days and wonder if I’m living in a damn nightmare. Just know one thing, Carlee. I meant what I said. I won’t hurt you, ever. You’re no
t in danger around me. Just please...” Ryden’s hands reached out to her, imploring her to believe him. “Please, just trust me.”
He gauged her reaction, seeing the uncertainty in her eyes then took a deep breath and reached deep inside himself. He wouldn’t risk a change in broad daylight, but there had to be some way to tell Carlee and not frighten her any more than she was at the moment.
Instead, Ryden focused energy to his hands, letting them change. Fingers shrank down, becoming shorter and almost paw-like even as the fingernails changed from the blunt tips to long sharp claws. Fur sprouted onto the top of what had been his hand, but now looked more like the paw of an extremely large dog, the palm becoming tough black pads. When it was done, he opened his eyes and looked at her, still holding tightly to the short leash he had on the wolf inside him. He could imagine what she saw in his eyes. They would have changed from blue to a nearly golden color and possibly even his face had shifted a bit with how close the wolf was to the surface. What bothered Ryden most was the utter terror that registered on her face. How he could change that, he had no idea. It would take time.
With a resigned sigh, Ryden let go of the energy and allowed his body to return to normal. His hands itched with the change and he scratched at them as he waited for her reaction.
“Carlee, I’m a werewolf. I was turned by a rogue werewolf while I was in Afghanistan. Please, just trust me. I won’t hurt you.”
Carlee hands shook as she clutched her pillow tighter, eyes wide, but she wasn’t screaming, not yet. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it a second time, her voice coming out like a whisper. “Are you drugging me? Am I, like, having withdrawal or something? That kinda stuff doesn’t happen.”
He only shook his head slowly, feeling defeated. “No, Carlee. No drugs, no hallucinations. This is me.”
She got off the bed and began pacing the room, staying well away from Ryden, then began talking out loud.
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