Astrid Cielo

by Begging for Forgiveness (Pinewood Creek Shifters)

  Xavier was certain that Essence would pass out, her whole face had washed out and her breathing was erratic. Unlike Aspen's look of wonder before uncertainty and anger clouded her eyes, Essence’s screamed fear and it put his wolf on edge. Sure he didn't know Essence well, but getting to know Aspen, this pride and Gunnar he knew he'd protect this woman as fiercely as he had his sisters.

  Caleb stepped up and placed a hand on Wesley's shoulder breaking whatever spell had kept him focused on Essence. "Wesley, we've gotta find Aspen."

  Wesley took a deep breath, nodded and released his hold on Essence. Essence stood for a second her eyes never leaving Wesley, then she was gone running through the door with Zackary following. Weird, but Xavier didn't have time to dwell on that, Aspen was in trouble.

  "Where do we even start?"

  A male ran into the house his lack of clothing made it clear he'd just shifted. "We've found something Alpha."

  "Why does that seem too easy?" Daphne asked.

  Xavier’s hands clenched. It was easy and he knew why, but Skylar voiced it. "He wants me to hunt him."

  ***

  Wesley shook his head again and reminded his bear one more time that he had a job to do. He had a killer to catch, and if he allowed himself to place Essence in Aspen's position his beast nearly took control. They followed the young pride member into the night, the moon barely casting any light. The deeper into the forest they went the more worried his bear became about leaving Essence.

  There is danger.

  Aspen needs to be found and Essence is safe with her pride.

  But...

  Wesley growled.

  "Calm down, Wesley, Essence is well protected. I've got all the pride on alert."

  Wesley looked over at Caleb, his glowing eyes almost eerie. Bears were normally alone when they hunted, so having so many shifters was different.

  "I'm trying, but she was so scared."

  Caleb nodded. "Essence has some issues that she needs to work through. I thought she'd worked through lots of them the past few months, but she's got a ways to go."

  "So, you going to let me in on her problems?"

  Caleb smiled his white teeth shining in the darkness. How predatory. "It's something she'll have to tell you."

  Wesley nodded and then shook his head.

  "Oh and by the way, Wesley. If you hurt her then-"

  "Yeah, yeah you'll have to kill me."

  Caleb clapped him on the shoulder and made his way to the front of the line.

  "Are we ever going to get there?" Daphne said.

  "It's only a few more yards, Miss," a male cougar said.

  Daphne growled and Wesley shook his head.

  "Play nice, Daph."

  Soon Wesley and Daphne were running to the front of the group at the sound of growls both feline and wolf.

  "Elias?" Daphne said coming to a stop.

  "What's going on here, Daphne?"

  "We're looking for a missing female, a cougar."

  Wesley surveyed for the first time where they were and shook his head.

  "We've crossed over into pack lands Daphne."

  Daphne's mouth formed an 'O.' Elias was one territorial bastard, not that he wasn't fair, but he took trespassing seriously. More than once Daphne had called him to stop her brother from doing something stupid. It was weird that the pride didn't heed the signs they were crossing into pack lands.

  "I can smell that she's been here, I can smell her blood," Skylar yelled while he fought against the four or so cougars that held him back. Ah, shit. Xavier, the one he'd pegged as more level headed was beside himself pacing in wolf form and looking ready to pounce. Caleb had his hands full, because whether the two wolves knew it or not, having mated with Aspen they were now pride.

  Wesley stepped in front of Daphne and growled back when Elias growled. "Look, Elias, we've got to find Aspen and the one who kidnapped her-"

  "These are my lands and we will find-"

  Wesley balled his fist and barely restrained himself from punching the somewhat young and headstrong male. Elias had great potential. He kept his pack in line and besides his hot headedness Wesley thought he was a great guy. But then his bear had been playing with his mind too much tonight. All he could think of was Essence in Aspen's place. And if this fucker got away there was always that chance. Over my dead body. Wesley whole-heartedly agreed with his bear.

  "Look, Elias unless you want the council raining down on your parade, I suggest you let this agent do his job." Wesley pointed to Skylar whose change was starting to take control.

  Elias's jaw clenched but Wesley saw he'd make the right decision. Despite Elias's temper he wasn't stupid.

  "Just the Agent," Elias said.

  A wolf's howl broke through the night.

  "And his mate."

  Elias nodded after a moment and each wolf parted to give Skylar and Xavier room. Caleb looked upset and rightfully so. Aspen was a friend and a pride member. Caleb took care of what was his. Skylar and Xavier were released and now both in wolf forms they ran, the scent of their mate leading the way.

  Caleb walked toward Daphne and Elias and extended his hand. They knew each other, maybe not personally, but since their parents had decided what lands belonged to whom, these boys had played together once. Funny how becoming an alpha made everything a power struggle. Elias took Caleb’s hand and shook. These two had a long way to go to be as great as their parents. And he had a long ways to go to win a certain little cougar, he feared.

  Chapter 18

  Naked and tied to a bed shouldn't be this terrifying. No. It should have been her, Skylar, and Xavier exploring their new mating bond but, nothing ever worked out like it should. Aspen sighed in relief when she opened her eyes and found herself still alone. Being pregnant and kidnapped sure tuckered a person out.

  It was still dark and there was no light in the abandoned-cabin?-she wasn't sure. Aspen sighed and like she'd tried for no telling how long before falling asleep the first time she began struggling against the rope. She groaned in frustration, the only thing she was doing consistently was getting rope burn. She tried again to release her claws and use them to her advantage. But that bastard had tied her just right. When she got loose and got her hands—claws--on him he'd wish that he'd never been born.

  The sound of a door creaking open stopped her struggles. So far he'd seemed happy just leaving her be, shooting her with another tranquilizer, which she put from her mind because there was no way to know if that was safe for her baby.

  So maybe if she just lay still he'd ignore her like he'd been doing. Aspen didn't trust fate all that much, I mean her parents were shining examples that sometimes fate got it wrong, but she wasn't willing to no believe he'd leave her alone. She'd realized after the second shot of tranquilizer that Skylar and Xavier were probably still alive since he'd only shot them with a tranquilizer--or so she hoped. But she needed that hope, especially if she were going to get out of this mess.

  Aspen's eyes shot open at the sound of a slap followed by pain blossoming over her cheek. He'd hit her.

  "About time you woke up, bitch. They'll be here soon and I need you to look good."

  They? Look good? It didn't matter that the statement was senseless to her; she wanted no part in this plan. Aspen started struggling again, even though she knew she couldn't get free, even in her cougar form--desperate times and all--she wouldn't just lie idly by and wait.

  His laugh was terrible, but the sharp pain that turned into a deep burn took her breath. The coppery smell of blood gave her pause. Aspen looked down to find blood welling from the painful line from between her breast and down her abdomen. Rage consumed her. How dare he endanger her child? Aspen growled low in her throat when he raised the knife to his nose and sniffed. He laughed at her.

  "Poor, poor kitty tied up and unable to do a thing to stop me."

  Aspen growled again and watched. He would make a mistake and when he did she would rip his throat out.

  Again his kni
fe made a trail, this time on the sensitive underside of her breast. Again and again he sliced, never too deep, but enough to make her bleed. That was until he got to the tops of her thighs.

  "You know my brother was always a breast man. Loved to pinch and bite their nipples until they screamed. I on the other hand am a leg man, but unlike my brother I enjoy watching them bleed."

  Aspen couldn't keep her scream bottled inside as he stabbed the top of her thigh.

  "Ahhh, I love to hear you scream. Do it again."

  Sweat poured off her and her breathing was erratic. She felt the room spin and her mouth went dry. Aspen knew she was beginning to panic, the pain starting to become too much, but a part of her held on. She wouldn't give this fucker anything. She looked him in his blue eyes. Not one damn thing. He growled his blue eyes glowing as the wolf came closer to the surface.

  "You'll scream alright bitch, you'll scream plenty when I cut this parasite from your stomach."

  He twisted the knife and she bit her cheek until she tasted blood. But she didn't scream. Oddly enough she couldn't decide which was more painful; the knife's excruciating drive into flesh, its brutal twist, or the sickening pain of it leaving her thigh. She didn't have long to decide that it didn't matter when he stabbed her other thigh more viciously. Its descent was only stopped by the bone that rested there. Unbidden a scream tore from her throat and tears streamed down her face.

  It happened so quickly, the excruciating twist of his hand damaging even more flesh and then his face was hovering above her. He'd fucked up, just like she knew he would. Her teeth transformed moments before she struck her canines digging deep into his throat. A strange gurgling sound came out, but she'd taken down enough deer to know that would be all. His hand twisted the knife that still dug into her thigh and it took every ounce of sheer determination to keep her teeth locked around his throat.

  Aspen bit harder with each twist of his hand, and for good measure shook her head to help rip his flesh. When finally she'd had enough, she reached deep inside herself and found the strength to rip his throat from him. She spit the blood and gore that filled her mouth and turned her head to the side to vomit as he slipped to the floor. Dead. Aspen cried until the loss of blood took her into unconsciousness.

  ***

  Skylar's wolf ran his nose leading the way and Xavier followed him. He wanted Aspen in his arms, safe where she should have been since day one. Skylar forced his mind to leave the past alone. It would do Aspen no good. His wolf stopped and lifted its head to the wind. There.

  The trees that had surrounded them now cleared out to show a small cabin within the dense pine forest. The smell of the pack was strong, but so was the blood. He forced his wolf not to howl and changed. He needed to be in control. Xavier stood next to him, what little light the moon afforded illuminated his muscled chest.

  "She's here?"

  Skylar nodded. The smell of her blood was driving him a little crazy. Xavier's jaw tightened and he moved forward. Skylar restrained him with a hand.

  "Calm down, Zay. We need to go in there level headed. Our mate depends on us."

  Xavier nodded and they both walked slowly toward the house. Skylar grew increasingly worried when he heard nothing. Edging closer to the cabin he motioned for Xavier to go to the front door. When he nodded, Skylar ran quickly toward the back, hoping to get inside before Xavier. His need to protect both Aspen and Xavier warred within him. The cabin was simple and there was no back door, but when he heard Xavier cry out Aspen's name, he didn't give stealth another thought and burst through the window. Glass cut at his body, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was getting to her. Protecting her. Protecting them.

  The dense smell of blood made him growl. He spotted Xavier bending over a prone body on a bed and stepped over the body on the ground after he stooped to see Shawn's dead face.

  Xavier struggled with the rope holding Aspen to the bed and Skylar feared the worst. When she moaned in pain he became unfrozen and helped pull the knots free.

  "Oh my god, baby, don't move." Xavier's hand hovered over the knife protruding from her leg and Skylar grabbed his hand.

  "Don't pull it out. We're not sure of the damage. Wrap something around it to keep it stable. We've got to get her to a hospital."

  Xavier nodded and wrapped a sheet around her thigh. "There's so much blood."

  "She's going to be alright." Skylar kept repeating that to himself. He had to or he would lose control and Aspen needed him.

  He finished untying her legs and traced the abrasions left by the rope. Every piece of him wished that the fucker was alive again just so Skylar could kill him all over again. Xavier picked her up and cradled her naked body close. Skylar finally found a sheet that wasn't covered in blood or vomit and wrapped her carefully.

  Grey eyes stared at him when he cupped her face. "We've got you, sweetheart."

  Aspen smiled before groaning in pain. Xavier bent and kissed her forehead then followed Skylar.

  "We've got to make it back to the pack or pride. She needs a hospital and we don't have a phone."

  The trek back to where they'd met the pack seemed to take forever. Already the forest was beginning to become lighter with the sun starting to peek from the horizon. Other than moaning, Aspen made not a sound. It was starting to worry Skylar, and when he looked back at Xavier's clenched jaw and troubled brown eyes he knew Xavier suffered as well.

  ***

  Caleb waited until Skylar and Xavier had made it past the line of wolves then walked straight to Elias. Daphne and her brother resembled each other, both boasting green eyes and high cheekbones, but where Daphne's hair was almost flame red, Elias's was more auburn. His skin also held a tan that Daphne's lacked, but it didn't hide the freckles that dusted his cheeks. Of course they knew each other. Hell, Caleb vaguely recalled playing with the male when his father used to bring him to pack lands for negotiations when they were children.

  "Elias, we apologize for trespassing, but please understand that we were just worried for our pride mate."

  It burned him to apologize for taking care of his pride, but like his father had always said, never underestimate the value of an alliance. There had once been an alliance between the pack and pride, so surely Caleb could repair what he let become frayed during the grieving of his parents. He'd have to be sure to mention to Zackary the need for ironing out the details of a compromise both the pack and pride could agree on.

  "Just because there is a crisis it doesn't excuse the trespassing. Chaos doesn't ensure the safety of our respectable charges, so instead the pack should have been notified to assist in the search that extended to our lands."

  Caleb nodded his head. He would not get angry, because the wolf made damn perfect sense.

  "Are we really going to do this now?"

  Elias's turned to Daphne who stood regarding them with hands on her hips. "Look, I've got a kidnap victim out there who doesn't need this...this posturing right now. What we-"

  "Daphne!" Daphne's head bowed at her brother's tone, though she did growl her displeasure. Elias shook his head and though he tried, Caleb caught the slight smile he sent his sister. "I've already got our pack out looking through our land to find the missing cougar female. But you of all people know that structure during any crisis is key to a sucessful resolution."

  Daphne nodded then stomped away.

  "Well, like I said, we do apologize for coming into your territory without proper notification."

  A howl captured Elias's attention and a smug smile graced his face. "She's been found and is alive. Her mates are bringing her to us. Is there anything we need to do to help, alpha?"

  Caleb hated that he wanted to punch Elias in the face. Instead of violence, he took a deep breath and smiled.

  "Thank you for your assistance. It would be my pleasure to invite you and your pack to a wedding."

  Elias's eyebrows rose. "And whose wedding will it be?"

  "Mine and my mates, the day after Thanksgiving."


  Elias smiled with a little peek of fang showing. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

  Caleb extended his hand and they shook. Caleb whipped out his cell phone and called Teresa, he had a feeling Aspen was going to need a doctor. Wesley walked up.

  "You two done with your pissing contest?"

  Caleb growled and Wesley laughed. Then Skylar emerged into the field followed by Xavier carrying a limp Aspen in his arms. He yelled for his pride to make a makeshift pallet for Aspen.

  "We have an ambulance on the way," Wesley said as he took off his jacket and placed it in the pile. Caleb nodded.

  His gut clenched with worry over his childhood friend. His cougar paced restlessly within his mind, wanting retribution for what was done to her. He tamped it down and started directing pride to best help Aspen and her mates who both looked ready to rip throats out at any moment.

  He placed his hand cautiously on Skylar's shoulder and the male tensed a growl automatically pouring from his throat.

  "Calm. The male who did this?"

  "Dead."

  It was all he needed to know. Xavier placed her gently on the makeshift pallet and covered her with a shirt. She moaned, but otherwise didn't stir.

  "Dr. Weber is here, Alpha."

  Caleb nodded to Peter, a young male in his pride and the one who’d delivered news of finding Aspen’s trail. Then he stepped back and allowed Paul and his mate, Dr. Weber to do what they did best, though his cougar wanted him to take over and help Aspen.

  ***

  Soon they were back with Aspen's pride and Skylar didn't even[O1] bother to try and contain his growl when she was taken from Xavier and laid on a pile of jackets on the ground. Andrew was pushed to where she lay and he seemed frozen. Caleb clapped him on the shoulder. "Aspen needs you."

  Andrew closed his eyes and nodded before stooping and assessing the damage.

  "Most of the cuts are superficial, though these two stab wounds worry me. I think it best if we get her to the hospital as soon as possible, especially given her condition."