“How are you?” Layna asked, using her straw to stir the ice in her cup.
“Fine.”
“Ren? Did you two work things out?”
Beth stuffed three forkfuls of lettuce in her mouth before she answered. “Not exactly.”
Layna eyed her, seeming to see past her short answers. “Damn. This is going to be trouble isn’t it?”
“Not if I leave,” Beth snapped.
“That’s not what I meant.”
Beth ate as fast as she could. She needed some time to unwind before she met with Renner, and this conversation was uncomfortable.
“It wouldn’t matter if you stayed or left. I know my brother and he’s… well… this is going to be complicated.”
Beth dropped her fork on her plate. “What do you mean by ‘this’ exactly?”
Layna stood and collected her empty plate. “Stick around and you’ll see,” she threw over her shoulder.
“Hey, I thought you wanted me to stay,” Beth called after her.
She glanced back. “I do.” A mischievous grin slid into place. “I never said I couldn’t appreciate a little bit of trouble. Just… be careful.”
“What’s she going on about?” Eagan scooted into Layna’s empty chair as she made her way out of the restaurant.
Beth shrugged and spooned some meatloaf into her mouth.
“How is it?” he asked, his eyes twinkling. The man took pride in his food. And his body. His arms were sculpted and she suspected the rest of him was too. But that knowledge didn’t leave her weak in the knees. She knew his tongue wouldn’t have her still trembling hours later as Renner’s had.
“Delicious,” she said, smiling. “Your best yet.”
“Ah, I believe you. A smile like that can’t be hiding a lie.”
Eagan was also a voracious flirt.
“Lookie there.” He reached forward and ran a finger across her cheek. “My favorite color.”
Damn her fair skin and round cheeks. They made the perfect dumping ground for a fierce blush.
Beth looked away but when she did, her eyes clashed with Renner’s furious ones. He stood in the doorway of the restaurant looking murderous. His gaze snapped to Eagan, and Beth braced herself for a confrontation.
Magic suddenly appeared in her vision.
“We have a problem,” he told Eagan.
Beth chewed her lip. Yeah, and his name started with an R.
“What is it?”
Magic glanced at her quickly and then bent lower to the table. “Hunters. In our woods. The same ones who gave me shit yesterday. Mason spotted them. They wanted permission to go after deer. I get the feeling they’re ignoring my ‘fuck no.’”
“Shit,” Eagan spat.
Beth jumped from his curse. She’d never heard him talk any other way than sugar coated.
“Yeah, you get Renner and meet me out back in ten.”
Eagan nodded, already rising from the table.
Beth opened her mouth to tell them Renner was there, but they both took off so fast she didn’t have a chance. When she looked back at the door, Renner was long gone.
Chapter 6
Bethany figured it didn’t count as standing Renner up since he was obviously busy dealing with the hunters. If she went to her room instead of the nativity, and crashed, it wouldn’t be ducking out. But for once, she didn’t feel like being cooped up in her room. She’d been keeping to herself for most of her time at the lodge in hopes of avoiding him. But now, the secret was out and she just wanted to roam.
The lodge was expansive, with a number of small trails that led to the different facilities. There were three pool areas, each made to look like it could have naturally appeared in nature. They were closed but the hot springs were open. Everything was built to feel like you were right in the middle of nowhere, even though you were surrounded by others. People came here to get away, but not too far away. It was a perfect compromise.
Beth ended up in front of the nativity without really meaning to. It wasn’t complete yet, but the framework for the stable was done and the manger sat small and lonely in the center. It was quiet, and that’s why the gunshot was so loud. It cracked through the silent night like a judge’s gavel declaring a death sentence. Followed by another. And another.
She jumped, her heart fluttering at the surprise. Adrenaline made her fingers and toes numb, and her gut cramp.
The hunters.
Beth drew in several lungfuls of air before her mind caught up with the fact that the shot was just someone looking for fresh meat. She laughed out loud. Like, she’d never shot a rifle before. Ryan had taught her how before she’d left for college.
Sinking down to the cold, damp ground, she let her head fall to her gloved hands. She needed a break. Maybe a spa day of her own. Have someone work out all the stress kinks. She imagined her troubles with Josie, her run-in with Renner, her job situation, all of it, just slipping away under someone’s skillful hands. Christina or Mason would surely fit her in.
There was a flurry of activity at the edge of the woods just past the circle of light from the lodge lamps. Someone she didn’t recognized yelled, “Get Doc Davis!”
Who the hell was Doc Davis?
Beth stood to her feet, looking for anyone who could help. “What’s happened?”
“We need Doc now,” the stranger growled. “Find her. Send her to cabin 12. Hurry.”
Shit.
Beth ran down the path back to the lodge. Bursting through the main door, she gave a good scare to a few visitors sipping hot cocoa in front of the grand fireplace. She skidded to a stop at the front desk and tried to catch her breath.
“Doc Davis,” she blurted.
The girl manning the desk—she was new—shook her head in confusion.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Layna’s voice snapped from behind Beth.
“I don’t know. I-I heard a shot. Hunters. Someone said to get Doc Davis, send her to cabin 12.”
Layna’s face paled. Like winter falling over autumn. She dug in her pocket, retrieving a cell phone and handing it to Beth. “Speed dial 2. Tell her what you just told me.”
She was out the door before Beth could ask her where cabin 12 was.
Quickly, she dialed the doctor and relayed the information. Then she stepped behind the counter and shuffled through a stack of maps. But there was no cabin 12 listed.
“Damn it.”
Minutes later Christina ran through the lobby with a large pack on her back. Doc Davis?
Beth hurried to catch up to her, but she was fast. She was already jumping on a four-wheeler as Beth came down the stairs. She ran across the yard and into the dirt road, causing gravel to spit as the vehicle came to a stop.
“What the hell, Bethany?” she roared.
“I’m coming with you. I can help.” There was something off. The rotten feeling in Beth’s gut hadn’t let up since the gunshot. She couldn’t help feeling like this was important. Like it could impact her in some way. It was a sixth sense sort of thing that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand at attention.
“No.”
“Who’s hurt? You know, don’t you? Who’s in cabin 12?”
“We don’t have time for this.”
“Then let me come with you.”
Christina slammed her hand into the handlebars of the four-wheeler. Beth had never seen her look so angry. In fact, normally she was zen to the Nth degree.
“Damn it. They’re going to kill me for this. Get on. Hurry.”
Beth climbed on the back of the ATV and held on to the rack as Christina gassed it and took off into the trees. It was only a matter of minutes—maybe seconds—before they were pulling up to a tiny log cabin tucked away off the road.
Christina cut the engine, hopped down, and pulled her pack off. “Listen, this is going to be crazy and I don’t have time to prepare you. So, put your big girl panties on and hold your shit together. Understand?”
The hell?
Beth nodded.
“Let’s go.”
As they approached the small house, Beth could hear the low rumble of a miserable growl.
“Who’s cabin is this?” Beth asked just before Christina opened the door.
The doctor paused, looking uncomfortable. “Renner’s” Then she disappeared through the opening leaving Beth gasping for air.
Inside, the scene wasn’t anything like Beth had anticipated. Magic, Eagan, and the man she didn’t recognize, held down a large animal with black fur. Layna knelt at the animal’s head petting and trying to calm it. The pained sounds coming from what looked to be a big mountain cat, tore at Beth’s heart. The poor thing had obviously been shot by the poachers.
She let out a huge breath of relief, knowing Renner wasn’t hurt.
The animal cried out at the same time Layna spotted Beth. “Oh, no.”
“Shit,” Magic said. “Get her out of here.”
Beth frowned. “No, I can help. I know a little about animals—”
“Leave,” Magic bellowed as the cat hissed and growled.
Eagan let go of the cat and stood. “Come on, let’s get you out of here.”
The cat made a sound that could only be described as a warning. The tone sent a shiver down Beth’s spine and brought her eyes back to the animal. With one huge paw, he slapped at Magic sending him sprawling backward.
“Fuck! Stop it, Ren.”
Ren? Beth went cold. Did he call the animal Ren?
The three men jumped on the cat wrestling it but clearly still trying to take it easy on the hurt animal.
Christina yelled but Beth couldn’t understand. She could barely hear anything over the awful sounds coming from the melee. There was a yelp immediately followed by a whistle that cracked the air, catching everyone’s attention.
“Bethany, come here,” Layna barked, still kneeling near the animal’s snarling head.
“No, Layna.” Magic went to move but the animal bucked again.
“Shut up, Magic. Bethany, now. Come here.”
Beth slid to the floor next to her friend, and the panther went utterly still.
“Right here,” Layna instructed. “Put your hands on his head like this.”
Beth did as she was told. Sad, pain-filled eyes stared into hers, but there was no aggression. Just such deep sadness, she could almost feel it in her own heart. She rubbed her palm across the short fur on his head. It was soft, but bristly and thick. He didn’t take his eyes from her, but a loud, rolling purr filled the room.
“Okay,” Layna said, carefully. “Get in there, doc.”
Christina went to work on the cat while Beth kept up the petting. Tears filled her eyes as memories from childhood assaulted her. It reminded her of nights with Renner. The sadness in the cat’s eyes now was like looking into a mirror to the past. She’d pet his head just like this.
“The bullet went in under his arm. I can’t get to it like this. He has to change.”
“He can’t,” Layna argued. “Too much pain.”
Christina threw her hands in the air. “I can’t fucking get to the wound, and he’s losing a lot of blood.” She got close to the cat’s face, obstructing Beth’s view of his eyes. “Ren. Listen to me. You have to change. Right now. You’re bleeding out and there’s nothing I can do about it. I need you human.”
Beth frowned. Human? And she’d called him Ren too.
The animal hissed and Beth let her hand travel behind his ears, rubbing soothing circles that brought the purring back.
Magic cursed.
The pool of blood on the floor grew bigger but Beth refused to look at it.
“Renner, you little asshole, change.” Layna’s voice was filled with panic. Her gaze swung to Beth. “You. You can make him change.”
Beth shook her head. “What?”
Layna grabbed Beth’s shirt, bringing her close. “You don’t have to understand what is happening. Nothing will make sense to you right now, but I’m telling you, this cat is Renner. And if he doesn’t change back to his human form, we’ll lose him. He’ll do it for you.”
Beth’s mouth opened and closed but produced no sound even though her mind was screaming a million words.
“Try,” Layna hissed. “Just do it.”
Beth’s gaze went back to the cat. His eyes seemed tortured. This couldn’t be Renner. It was impossible. This was an animal. A wounded animal.
Layna’s eyes were peeled wide with terror. “Bethany, please.”
“I… I…” She looked at the panther. “Renner?” she whispered.
His eyes blinked closed. When they opened they were watery.
“You… you have to change. Christina can’t fix you up like this.”
Nothing happened. He nuzzled her hand with his face.
“If it’s you in there, Renner, please do this. We still have things we need to talk about, remember? You can’t go like this.” Part of her felt the same desperation she saw in Layna. The other part still didn’t believe any of this could be true. But if this was Renner… She couldn’t lose him again.
A sob escaped her throat.
The cat cocked his head.
“Please,” she whispered. “Just change so doc can help you.”
He nudged her hand with his nose. His rough tongue gave a long lick to her palm. Over and over, he licked her hand before laying his head in her lap, giving up.
Anger hit her like it never had before. The bastard. How could he do this to her again? They’d only just found each other again and now he was just going to lie down and bleed out?
Just as she was about to scream for him to try, he began to shake. A tortured growl left his throat and his claws dug into the carpet near her leg. It only took a matter of seconds for fur to fall away and his limbs to become flesh again. If she had blinked, she would’ve missed it.
Renner lay naked and bloody on the floor, shivering. He grunted with each inhale of breath.
“Oh my god.” Beth stayed still as possible so as not to jar him. His worried gaze opened to her. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “You’re going to be okay.”
Christina was already working at a steady pace, with Eagan and the stranger helping. They were going to save him. He was going to make it.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
“Shh. Later. We’ll talk later.”
“Please. Stay.”
Beth nodded.
Renner winced. “Fuck, doc.”
“Sorry,” she murmured. “It’s deep.”
Keeping her eyes on Renner instead of what was happening under his arm seemed like the best idea. But the pain reflected in his gaze was hard to stomach. She had to do something to make it better.
Drawing on her knowledge of pressure points, she located the ones she could easily access on the head and neck area. Beth slowly, carefully brought her fingers under the edge of his jaw, between his ear and chin. While rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs, she applied pressure to his jaw. Just enough to activate the nerves.
Renner’s head fell back on her lap.
She walked her fingers back to his ears, rubbing the bone behind them, and then repeated the motion back to the spot on his jaw.
Christina glanced at her. “That’s helping. Thanks.”
Beth didn’t answer. She kept her focus on Renner’s eyes. They were swimming with pain and emotion.
Moving her hands to his temples, she rubbed small circles until some of the tension had left him, then she moved to his brow bone, applying a pattern of pressure.
Time passed while Christina worked and Beth did what she did best: soothed, comforted, calmed.
“Alright, I think that’s it,” Christina said finally. “It tore through the muscle and took a chunk of bone. It will take a few days to come back from this, Renner.”
A few days? More like weeks.
“You need to rest. You hear me? No work.”
He breathed deep and ended up coughing.
“Let’s get him to the bed,” Magic said.
“No.” Renner’s voice was shredded, but his tone brooked no argument. “Stay… here.”
“You’ll be more comfortable on the bed.”
“I’m staying with Bethy.”
Magic frowned at Beth like he expected her to oppose, but she’d do whatever Renner wanted right now.
“On the floor?” he asked, skeptical.
“With Bethy.”
Magic glanced at Christina.
“It’s fine,” she shrugged. “He should stay still for a couple hours at least.”
He nodded. “Alright. Leave him.”
The three men filed out. Layna squeezed Beth’s arm. “Doc and I will check in on you in a few hours.”
“We’ll be fine.” She didn’t know if those words were true. She didn’t know what Renner was or if this was real. Or if he should be in a hospital. Or if she should run.
She only knew she couldn’t leave him.
Chapter 7
This wasn’t what he’d had in mind when he decided he wanted Bethany’s hands on him. No, his ideas had been much more enticing and involved warm oil and her wearing a lot less clothing. Lying bloody on the floor with all his secrets exposed was not how this should’ve gone down.
A bone deep shiver wracked his body.
“I need to get you cleaned up,” she whispered.
“Not yet.” He needed to rest a while, let his animal begin the healing. Things would hurt exponentially less in a couple hours’ time. “It’ll be easier if we wait a while.”
“Yeah. Okay.”
Her fingers threaded through his hair and his eyes closed. Sleep was pulling at him, but he had to make sure she wasn’t going anywhere.
“If you leave… I’ll find you.” Her hand paused on his head. “I won’t keep to myself this time. I’ll hunt you down, bring you home. You’re mine. My Bethy. Bethany. Whatever the hell name you want to go by. It doesn’t matter.” He squeezed her thigh, and was reminded of how weak he was.
She went back to rubbing his scalp. “Sounds like I don’t have a choice in the matter.”
Alphas for the Holidays Page 27