by Ryan Michele
“Sorry, everyone. Tried to warn you.” I brush the dirt from my now-human body and pull out some leaves that got stuck in my hair as everyone rises and shifts back.
Xavier stalks to me. “We really need to work on finding out what this light shit is.”
“I heal,” I say quietly.
“What?”
“Whenever my light comes out, it’s when I’m in pain. When it leaves my body, I feel brand new. Young, vibrant. I think I can heal myself.”
His eyes grow wide. Sure, there are healers, but I’ve never heard of wolves that could just heal themselves.
“So, you heal yourself,” he says, astounded, and I feel the same way. I nod my head and look over at all the wolves lying on the ground, dead. All of my father’s pack, but way too many of ours as well. I hate they lost their lives. “We need to do something special for ours.”
Xavier wraps his hands around me. “Yes, we do.”
“I want to talk to Natalie, Xavier. I will be the one who takes care of her,” I tell him, with no room for argument.
“We will take care of her. She is ours to protect.” My heart swells for this man. I love him. Really and truly love him.
My eyes scan over to my mother. My brother is kneeling beside her in human-form, his body shaking. “I need to talk to him,” I tell Xavier, but his grip tightens.
“Until I know for a fact he is not a threat, you will do no such thing. You talk to him and I’m right by your side, along with Max and Thor.” It doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
“Then let’s go.” I walk over to my brother and Zane rises, wiping the wetness from his eyes. He’s mourning a woman who did nothing to stop my father from hurting either of us. I don’t understand it, but it’s not for me to understand. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, we do,” he replies. “I’m so sorry, Zara. Please know that I did everything I could think of to save you. That is why father had me locked up as well. He knew that I’d do anything to help you. Not until you found your mate did he let me out because I’m a tracker, Zara. That’s my power. I can track anyone and father wanted me to track you. I played along with it, but only to help you. There was no way in hell I’d let him hurt you again. I’m so very sorry you were put through all that shit, Zara. I tried.” He looks down at the ground, visibly shaken, and his shoulders slump low. “He wasn’t the male that I thought he was.” I tap into his thoughts, instantly knowing he is not lying, and my heart cracks for my brother.
“I know you did. I watched you. I asked everyone when I got out where you were, but no one would tell me. I didn’t think you were on the grounds.” He shakes his head no, confirming my thoughts. “I’m so sorry for you, too.” He wipes a tear from the corner of his eye and nods.
I turn to Xavier, my voice shaky. “He’s not lying.”
Xavier lifts his chin. “You may come with us, but if you ever disobey me or touch even a hair on anyone’s head, I’ll fucking kill you myself.” The look in my brother’s eyes tells me that it hurts him that my mate would even think he would do anything of the sort, but I understand Xavier’s concerns for letting him live.
“Do you know where Nana O is?” I ask my brother, stopping everyone in their tracks.
“No,” Zane answers immediately.
My stomach twists. Shit. “Father said before he died ‘good luck finding Nana.’ Do you think he has her locked up somewhere?” Heavens, I hope not.
“Anything is possible with that man.” Shit. Where in the hell is Nana O?
TELLING NATALIE WAS the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life, and it’s something I could live the rest of my life without ever having to do again. Devastation is not even the word for her pain. This is raw and much deeper, and seeing her hurt like this is just too much. Lily, the emotions healer, has helped Natalie, but the pain stays etched on her face. It’s not something that will go away anytime soon.
We didn’t attend the burning of the wolves from my father’s pack. I had mourned my mother and father for years, there was no need for more.
I asked Xavier if we could do a private ceremony for Clarisse, separate from the others that left us. We had fifteen total that passed. Xavier set it all up and both he and I were at Natalie’s side when she said good-bye to her mom. That moment is wedged into my soul and will burn there for all eternity. Natalie hasn’t been able to sleep, so she has been in our bed at night. When she falls asleep, Xavier picks her up and puts her on the small rollaway bed next to ours.
The plan is to bust out one wall and connect his old room to ours. That will be where Natalie sleeps, and of course, there will be a door that closes so Xavier and I can have some privacy. I haven’t taken her to her own quarters and I have no plans to. Those memories are just too much for her.
So, instead of me sitting on my man’s lap, I have a little princess that sits on mine and clings to me like glue. I have no doubt this will get better over time.
I know Xavier wants to do the mating ceremony, but I’ve asked that we wait until Natalie is coping better. It has to be about her right now and reluctantly, he agreed. I want it as much as he does, but I can’t right now.
Natalie and I did attend the burial ceremonies for the others laid to rest that day. Xavier held us both tightly in his arms. I could feel his chest constricting with every word said and every shovel of dirt that was thrown on the fallen. It only made me love him more.
These past two weeks have been really hard on the entire pack. Even Marissa has stopped her catty bullshit. All of us deal with it differently, but we all grieve the loss. The fact my old pack did this is a heavy weight on my shoulders. They took so many lives. It’s utterly painful and it’s always there and just too damn much sometimes.
This is where Natalie is my blessing. While I’d never have wished for her to suffer, she’s helped me keep on going because I need to take care of her and Xavier. They give me a reason to live.
I still have had no contact with Nana O. With everyone grieving, we have let her unknown whereabouts sit for the moment. Having my brother close, the wedge that my father forced between us is starting to shrink. Everything in life isn’t so good. But we will make it because we are family and we stick together.
Nana O and my brother are the only ones left from my old pack, and I feel a great sense of relief about that part of my life finally being over.
However, what the future might bring still tugs at my gut.
Three Weeks Later
Max
LIFE IS FULL OF challenges. Ones that push us beyond ourselves and our beliefs. Ones that change us forever. Some challenges are too painful to bear yet we do for the sake of the ones we love. We carry that weight on our shoulders, so they don’t have to.
I inhale deeply, sucking in the scent of the human that I hold in my arms, bitten and battered. I’m absolutely terrified and I don’t even know her name. But she’s my mate.
I only wish I could help her.
The story continues in Raber Wolf Pack Book 2.
Coming Soon.
Thank you to everyone who has read and fell in love with the Raber Wolves.
RUNNING. SURPRISE. FEAR. PANIC.
My feet keep taking me and I keep pushing, having long since thrown off my heels. Dirt and garbage imbedded in my bare flesh, slivers of glass slicing my skin, I don’t dare stop. I press forward, running hard, harder than I ever knew I could. If I can just get a little bit farther, I will be all right. I chant those words over and over, giving me the extra push I need to pick up speed.
Behind me, strong thuds hit the ground, crunching through the debris in the dirt filled alley with ease. They’re close. Way too close. Why are they chasing me? What in the hell have I done?
Paw scuffs sound against the pavement, and each one sends chills over my sweat slicked skin. There are four of them. Sixteen paws barreling toward me. Four sets of teeth and loud snarling, but I don’t dare turn around. That will be a precious second lost and one I can’t afford. One distrac
tion will be my end. They are too fast, too powerful.
Earlier tonight, my gut told me to stay home, not to go out. Did I listen? Nope. Because I’m a damn moron. When the team asked me to go out for drinks after work, I initially said no and now I know why.
There are wolves in the streets of Lakeside.
We’ve lived harmoniously in the years since we found out about them. The shock of their existence has long since worn off. That is…until tonight. These aren’t wild wolves that one reads about in a wilderness magazine. No, these are humans who just so happen to change into wolves. The human forms began chasing me, then poof—wolves. I didn’t see them change, but the last time I turned around, I found angry wolves snarling back at me. My senses went into overdrive and my adrenaline spiked, fueling me to run faster, harder, and not look back again, to only focus on the sound behind me.
Why are they chasing me? Did they just all of a sudden decide that tonight was the night to find Kenly Conner and eat her for dinner? To my knowledge, I’ve never done anything or even associated with any wolves in any way.
Pain pierces through the soft arch of my foot as something digs deep. My ankle rolls, sending blazing pain up my calf, but I power through, forcing my body not to slow. No damn rock or whatever that was is going to stop me. No. Never. I was born a fighter and I sure as shit won’t give up now.
To prove I’m a bigger moron than I first realized, instead of staying on the main road, I veer off into the alley. Yes. Horror movie here I come. I’ve watched enough in my day to know that was a colossal mistake but it’s too late now. I hate when my brain shorts out for a moment and rational thought escapes me. It always gets me into trouble.
A light springs to life on the side of the building ahead and hope surges through my body. If I can just get to the door below the illumination, maybe someone will be there to help. As I continue to run, I stare at the door handle willing someone to open it and help me. Just as the promise of safety fills me, it quickly vanishes when one of the beasts nips at my ankle. The pierce of its teeth digs deep and my steps falter, giving the pack the exact opportunity they need. All thoughts of escape and survival vanish in a haze of dust.
Falling. Down. Down. Down.
My head smacks against something hard and pain spears through my temples as I cry out, unable to hold back from the force of it. Everything blurs and the world spins, but I won’t give up. I don’t give in. The pain is intense, but no, I’ll never give up. Flailing my arms and legs, I kick and punch the animals. My fingers graze their fur, even pulling on it briefly, but it only spurs on their fury. They move so fast that I can’t keep track of each of them, and my lame attempt of fighting them off seems utterly futile.
Agony consumes me as the wolves use their teeth, biting so many parts of my body that I have no idea what they are doing. Tears of sadness and fear wet my cheeks. My limbs grow weak and I’m unable to move them. The fight hasn’t left me, but my arms and legs are so damn heavy all a sudden. Something is causing me to stop fighting. What the hell is going on? Why can’t I move? Despair encases my heart as the animals continue to bite my flesh.
A blur races past and the wolves leave my body in a flash. The night air floats over my clammy skin, leaving behind a slight chill. This is it. My life is over. There were so many things I wanted to do and now I’ll never have the chance. The main one was to fall in love, but that won’t happen now. I close my eyes, allow the tears to fall, and blackness envelops my body.
Kenly
THE IRON STENCH OF blood burns my nostrils, and tears spring to my eyes. My body aches as every single inch throbs, especially my head. I swear it's been squashed by a semi and then backed over a few times. I try to open my eyes, but I can’t. Why can’t I? Voices. I hear voices, but I don’t recognize any of them.
“Why did you bring her here?” a strong, male voice demands.
“She’s my mate,” another states, still strong, but not quite so dominant. Mate?
“She is, but she’s human…”
“We have to see if she changes, and then we can go from there.”
Changes. What in the hell are they talking about? I’m not changing into anything.
“She’s your responsibility. Yours and Thor’s. She does not roam around here alone. Ever…” The voice grows fainter, as if he’s leaving.
My eyes flutter open, and it feels like sand is ingrained in them as I pry the two lids apart. I blink over and over, the grit scratching as I try to get my eyes to work. Bright light filters in, adding to the discomfort. Add in the blinding headache that has taken residence inside my brain, and it’s not a combo that I find appealing whatsoever.
“Hey, sweetie,” a candied voice purrs and I turn toward it, instantly at ease with whoever it belongs to. Why? I haven’t a clue. I just do, simple as that.
My throat is dry as sawdust as some type of cry leaves my mouth, though not making much sense. It’s more of a gurgling noise deep in my throat. My body aches, every single inch of my skin, even the bottoms of my feet.
Running.
Holy shit, the wolves. My heart picks up as I desperately search the room for the animals that attacked me. My pulse thumps loudly in my eardrums. My breaths become labored, but I try to suck in oxygen despite the scratchiness of my throat. The scent of rubbing alcohol penetrates my nostrils, but it’s the smell of the blood that I fear. What did they do to me? Where am I? Panic like no other courses through my brain, and I don’t have any control over it or my body. Scared isn’t even in my vocabulary at the moment. Petrified is more like it.
I slowly focus on the tall, beautiful brunette holding a bottle in one hand and a cloth in the other. Her hair is long and lush. She has the most striking blue eyes I’ve ever seen, and her face is perfectly symmetrical. As is her body, her awe-inspiring curves.
“I’m Lily.” She blinks, watching me intently before continuing, “And you’re safe. I’m just cleaning up your wounds. Since you’re awake, it may sting a bit now.”
Safe.
What? How can I be safe? The images of the wolves flash through my throbbing head and fear threads like a noose around my throat, making it difficult to breathe.
“Wolves,” I rasp out to the woman, hoping she understands what the hell I’m saying, but the word comes out foreign.
“They’re gone, sweetie. They’ll never hurt you or anyone else ever again.” Malice presses through the once calming voice and I stiffen. Not scared of her, but the fact that she said they were gone. Did someone kill them? Where did they go?
“Where?”
“Don’t worry one bit. The boys took care of it. I promise you are safe.” She shifts slightly on the bed, causing the mattress to dip down at my side. She holds a navy rag in her hand and the scent of alcohol assaults me. The rag goes out of view and as quickly as the coolness touches my thigh, a burn replaces it immediately. I flinch, gritting my teeth, but no sound escapes as I try to process what the hell is going on. The light blow of her breath on the wound eases the burn, releasing some of the tension from my muscles.
I clear my throat and try to remove the frog that took up residence. “Am I at the hospital?” Looking around the room, it looks more like a lavish bedroom than a sterile hospital. Cream-colored walls with wooden framed pictures. A couch, two chairs, and a coffee table are off to the side, along with several dressers and an armoire. The bed I’m lying in is huge, so damn fluffy and comfortable. If this is a hospital, it’s a damn fine one.
“No. You are at our home,” she says, swiping another one of my wounds then blowing.
Fear takes over again, rushing through my veins like a stiff drug, and I move to rise, but am halted by the nausea burrowing in my stomach. I fall back down onto the bed, gulping to push it back down. “Why? Did you contact the police?” And who is our? Where the hell am I? The nausea subsides and I’m grateful for it.
“You’re better off here than at the hospital. Let’s just take it one thing at a time.” Lily’s eyes meet mine and insta
ntly, without any reason, my body and thoughts relax. The growing, balled-up tension unwinds like a flower coming into bloom. What is happening to me? “I know you’re scared and you have every right to be, but I promise you that you’re safe within these walls.”
Walls. “Where do you live?”
The smile that graces her lips lights up her already beautiful face to extraordinary and I’m momentarily mesmerized. Not in a sexual way, just an appreciative one. “Lakeside.”
This makes me feel a bit better being as I’m still in my town. I lift my head slightly and take in my body, my very nude body.
“Holy shit!” I gasp, my arms flail, trying to cover up my bits and pieces from being seen, but my joints have difficulty moving. Each movement only adds to the agony I’m enduring. How did I not notice I was naked? How did I not feel the difference on the bedding? Am I that out of it?
Lily’s eyes meet mine again. “Settle.” My arms grow lax on their own accord. It’s something in Lily’s eyes, but I have no clue what, but I’m thinking I need to find out. “I’m going to clean you up and bandage you. Then I’ll give you clothes to put on. We had to take your old ones off because of the number of bite marks that tore through the material.”
“Thank you. How many are there?” I raise my head up and take in my body. Teeth marks. Bites in my flesh. Everywhere. Arms, legs, ankles, thighs, torso, chest, breasts. What the hell? I look like a damn chew toy for some rabid dog. Why would they do such a thing?
Lily’s hand stills on my leg and somehow, I’m compelled to look her in the eye again, the calmness washing over me at her compassionate gaze. “There are several and will heal pretty fast, but there is much to discuss, and we cannot do that until they are cleaned and you are dressed.”