by Alicia White
It was hard to stay rational when his heart and mind were pushing him in different directions. His heart wanted to run, growl, and tear into the wolf that took his mate. His head was telling him to stay calm. The goal was to get to the wolf and Emma. He needed to save her. Sounds now filled the forest, and Mahkah tilted his head up, listening and scenting the air. The wolf and Emma were close, but so were other wolves. With any luck, it would be the sentries coming for their pack mate.
Further in the distance, the scent of his own clan moved into the forest. Mahkah kept his pace, moving silently. He knew these woods, had grown up here, hunted here and fought with his brothers here. The bears had the advantage, but regardless, the fight could only end one way. Bears were tougher than wolves. He could kill that wolf with one swipe of his paw, completely decapitating him. The wolf was aware of that.
The scent grew stronger, and Mahkah looked over his shoulder, nodding at Chayton. With his lumbering ferocity, brute force, and determination, Mahkah knew they would be able to kill the wolf and save Emma. All doubt cleared, and he stayed focused as they made their way around large trees and boulders. The loud snap of a twig stopped him. Mahkah was instantly alert, taking a calming breath. We’re almost there, Emma. Hang on, baby. The wolf was near…more wolves were moving in as well, followed by his other clan mates.
With the element of surprise on their side, Mahkah needed to act fast. If the wolf had a death wish, he would want to kill Emma quickly, before he realized that he was being followed.
“I know you’re there, bear…” a voice said, loud and clear. Mahkah froze, turned his head slightly, and nodded to Chayton. His brother turned and left him, and Mahkah knew without words Chayton would know what to do.
Continuing forward, Mahkah climbed up a large boulder and came face-to-face with his worst nightmare. The man had an unconscious Emma in front of him, a knife at her throat, blood dripping slowly from her neck. Mahkah’s entire body shook with the force of his rage. He stood there frozen, his mind spinning with the scene in front of him. He had to do something quick. A low growl erupted from his throat.
“I’m being kinder than you were to my mate. She won’t feel a thing, but you will. You’ll know what it’s like to watch your mate die before your very eyes, to hold her as she takes her final breath. It’s better than you deserve.”
Slowly shifting, Mahkah stood in front of the scene, naked. Emma was breathing, he knew that, could see the rise and fall of her chest. Her human body though, wouldn’t be able to withstand any real blood loss or the cold that surrounded them. She couldn’t heal like a shifter. She was fragile and delicate.
“Nothing to say…” the wolf taunted, and Mahkah wanted to tear him apart, limb by limb, to rip out his heart while he was still breathing, but he had to think of Emma.
“You don’t want to do this. As we speak, wolves and bears are moving in. This will start a war between your pack and my clan.”
“Do you think I care? My mate is dead! I have nothing to live for.” Tightening his grip on the knife, he pressed it harder into Emma’s throat, and Mahkah watched as more blood seeped out of the wound. Spotting his brother move in from behind, Mahkah lifted his hands in a mock surrender.
“I wish your brothers were here to witness their little human being killed,” he spit out. Blinking slowly, he signaled Chayton while counting to three.
One, time seemed to stand still, and Mahkah took a deep breath, flexing his muscles, preparing to pounce. Two, he needed to get to Emma as fast as he could. Chayton would take care of the wolf, and he could put pressure on her wound, stop the bleeding. Three, all hell broke loose. Mahkah exploded into action, running with lightning speed. He grabbed Emma just as Chayton slammed into the man, sinking his claws into flesh. A sickening crunch could be heard, and the knife dropped from his lifeless fingers. Mahkah pulled Emma into his arms, cradling her against his body.
A naked Mahkah wrapped his hand around Emma’s throat. He wasn’t sure how bad she was cut, but warm, sticky blood trickled through his fingers. Her pulse was slow and steady, and his only thought was getting her to safety. The clan doctor should be able to sew her up and stop the bleeding. Stay with me, baby, please. She’ll be fine, he told himself repeatedly. He noticed his hand shaking on her throat and took deep steady breaths to try and calm himself. She needed his strength, his assurance. He couldn’t lose her. He could feel his beast rising up from within. Calm down, man, think of Emma. Nothing will ever happen to her again, he vowed. They would keep her safe if it killed them.
Mahkah held Emma close, refusing to let her go as two wolves growled, stalking closer. He glanced to Chayton, and a feral light flickered in his eyes. A silent message passed between them. He couldn’t put her down to fight, and really, his brother didn’t need him. Chayton had lost his humanity the second Emma was harmed. Mahkah almost pitied the pair of wolves. Almost.
* * * *
Chayton stood between his brother and the wolves. There was no way they would be able to get around him to attack Emma. His beautiful mate was already pale and losing blood, becoming weaker by the minute. He could hear her heart slowing down as well and tried to keep himself in control of the situation. She was their mate, their love, their everything. Giving a slight nod to Mahkah, he planned a distraction, giving his brother what he needed most, time.
Chayton let his bear have control. He could smell Emma’s blood, and it only served to enrage him further. His lips curled back over his massive teeth. He allowed the rage to consume him. He rose up on his back legs and roared with enough power to be heard for miles. Both wolves backed off, moving away, trying to show they weren’t going to attack or become aggressive. En masse, bears came into view, circling around the pair. Chayton dropped back to all fours and nodded to his Alpha. Something passed between them, and he sprinted toward Mahkah and the house. He wasn’t concerned with the wolves any longer. He and his brothers had what they wanted—Emma.
* * * *
Wolves, she thought in disgust. If there was one thing that Emily hated, it was other shifters in their territory. The idea that wolves had come for Emma, the Youngblood brothers’ mate was a disgrace. Mates were a very sacred thing. When the call went out that a wolf had taken Emma, she’d joined in, wanting to help her clan and her friend. Circling around the two wolves, she could tell they wouldn’t go down without a fight. Luckily, with a dozen bears surrounding them, they would be taken out, without much effort.
The Alpha, Adam Novikov, began to shift, taking his human form, and the rest of the clan stood behind him, in their bear forms. Adam alone could take on both the wolves without even breaking a sweat. He wasn’t the Alpha of their clan for nothing.
Emily took in both the wolves, studying them. They were bigger than most she had encountered in her life, and it was obvious they also held rank in their pack. Sentries. They were wolves that were trained to fight and protect their pack. They also kept order and peace.
They both shifted, and in their place stood two of the sexiest men she had ever seen. Her mouth instantly began to water, and her bear wanted to rush forward and rub against them. Thrown off by her own thoughts, Emily shook her head. Where had that come from? No, wolves were not sexy. They were a different species, came from packs. They weren’t like her kind, nothing like bears.
Feeling uneasy, she tried to act calm around her clan, but she could tell that they were able to smell her arousal. Many heads had turned toward her and were now staring at her instead of at the Alpha and the scene before them. Wishing a huge hole would swallow her up, Emily moved back, trying to hide herself behind her other clan mates.
As quietly as she could, Emily made her way to the back, only to step in a hole. Sharp, stabbing pain shot through her paw and she collapsed fully onto the ground. At that moment, everyone turned toward her, and the silence between the Alpha and the wolves was broken by her misfortune. Her day was turning to shit faster than she could ever imagine. If this was a dream, she wanted to wake up now.
“Shift,” the Alpha demanded, and Emily couldn’t disobey a direct order.
Shifting from her bear form to human wasn’t too difficult. She stared down at her hand. It was broken. Holding her wrist, she knew she would heal within a short period of time, but her ego was shattered. How embarrassing. Dropping her head down, she slowly stood up. Being the center of attention wasn’t usually a bad thing, unless of course, it was the beginning of a potential fight.
The two wolves came forward then, moving through the bears, and she was shocked. Why hadn’t anyone attacked? Why were they letting these two wolves come toward her?
“I spoke with your Alpha. He said there were two sentries following one of their own out here,” Adam Novikov said.
“Yes, sir. I’m Cole and this is my brother, Charlie. Sorry we didn’t make it in time. We’ve been tracking David.” He pointed to the dead man on the ground. “His mate was killed.” The wolf’s voice was deep and steady, making her tingle.
“You can collect your pack mate and head out,” the Alpha ordered, and both the men nodded.
As they turned to leave, she heard them inhale loudly. Twin heads jerked toward her and stared openly, eyeing her up and down.
“Fuck,” she whispered, and her Alpha raised his eyebrow, giving her a questioning look.
“Mine…” they growled in unison, and Emily could only stand there shaking her head.
She should’ve realized that her body’s instant reaction to them had meant something, but she never thought that fate would match her with wolves. They had just claimed her. In front of her Alpha and clan, these two wolves had just announced that she was their mate. Her life couldn’t get any worse at this point. Why hadn’t she just stayed home?
Chapter 21
Consciousness slowly came back, and Emma shifted, moving her body. She was scared to open her eyes, wondering if the man who had grabbed her, still had her. Testing her reflexes, she wiggled her fingers and toes. Her body felt heavy, trapped under something. Trying to stay calm, she used her other senses. The first thing she realized was that she was warm. She couldn’t understand why she was lying down on a bed. It didn’t make sense. Shouldn’t she be on the hard, cold ground outside? Where was she? Were Mahkah, Takoda, and Chayton safe?
Taking a chance, she cracked her eyes open. Recognition flooded through her system, and Emma blinked a few times, trying to clear her head. She was alone in the bedroom, the exact place she had been that morning with Mahkah. Had she fallen asleep? Was that man only a dream? She sat up.
Her mouth was dry, and Emma licked her lips, before swallowing. “Ouch.” Her voice no longer seemed to be her own. Emma touched her throat and realized her neck was bandaged.
Jumping out of bed, she rushed into the bathroom, needing to see a mirror. The huge, white bandage stood out, covering her entire throat. Oh, God. What did that man do to me? Did he hurt Mahkah, Chayton, or Takoda? Where were they? Her heart began beating frantically in her chest, and Emma held onto the counter, feeling dizzy. Her head began to spin, and she closed her eyes, taking deep breaths.
“Emma…” Chayton’s sweet voice whispered against her neck, right before he wrapped his strong arms around her. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” A sob broke free, and the tears flowed freely. “Shhh…it’s okay, ciqala, I’m here.” Picking her up in his arms, he carried her back into the bedroom and gently laid her on their bed.
“Mahkah…Takoda…” She could barely speak. Her voice foreign and gravelly to her own ears. Her throat burned from just saying their names, but she needed to know where they were. She needed all three of her mates. Swallowing, she wrapped her hand around her throat, trying to make the pain stop.
“We’re right here,” Mahkah said, climbing onto the bed, and Emma went limp, letting him pull her into his arms. She lay on the pillow and, with one hand, cupped his face.
“Nothing happened to us, baby.” Takoda spooned her from behind, kissing her shoulder, and tears leaked from her eyes.
“If anything…” She couldn’t complete her sentence. She didn’t want to think of what could’ve happened.
“Shhh…don’t try to speak just yet. Your throat was damaged and needs time to heal,” Chayton told her, and Emma could only nod.
She had so many questions, but that would have to wait. It hurt too much to speak. Closing her eyes, she held onto her men tightly, not wanting to let go. Emma couldn’t remember ever being this exhausted. Her body felt heavy and sluggish. Within minutes, she was asleep.
* * * *
Chayton watched as Emma fought to stay awake. Mahkah and Takoda were holding, touching, and trying to soothe her, and still she fought sleep. This wasn’t the first time she’d woken up. It had been a few days since the attack, and still she wasn’t healed. She wasn’t her normal, happy self.
When he reached the house, her blood had coated Mahkah’s hand. The three of them had been in a state of panic waiting on the clan doctor to arrive. She was barely breathing and had lost too much blood. In order to save her, the doctor took Chayton’s blood and transfused it through her body. He would’ve given his last drop to save her. She had been in and out of consciousness since then, and he knew that she was healing, although it was slower than most shifters. She had enough blood pumping through her veins that she should be whole and healthy already.
The three of them had only just stepped out of the room when he felt her anxiety and sadness. Rushing back, he reached her before she dropped to the floor. Luckily, it seemed as though she was resting easy now. He just hoped that the next time she woke up, her healing would be progressed more.
“She’s going to be okay, Chayton,” Mahkah told him, and he nodded, knowing that his brother was right. “She just needs time to heal. Her body went through a trauma.” He couldn’t think negative thoughts. He needed to show Emma how strong he was, for her.
“I know.” Kicking off his shoes, Chayton walked over to the couch and lay down, letting the fire warm him. He wasn’t sure how long Emma would be out this time, and he wanted to be close just in case she woke up.
Staring up at the ceiling, he tried to clear his mind but could only think about Emma and the blood seeping from her throat. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her bloody and broken in Mahkah’s arms. Would she ever really heal? Would she ever be able to forgive him? The guilt ate at him and settled in his stomach like a rock. This was his fault. He had killed that wolf’s mate, tore her to bits without thought of consequence. That man wanted revenge and deserved it. Chayton would’ve wanted to kill as well.
Chayton rubbed his hands over his face and exhaled loudly. He dug his fingertips into his temples and closed his eyes. She would heal, and soon things would go back to normal. He had so many plans for the future, and Emma was an intricate part of that. He had never thought to have a traditional marriage. Mating was enough for him, but now, he wanted to do anything and everything to make Emma happy, to make her life complete. If she wanted a ring, he would put it on her finger.
“Chayton…” Emma whispered, and he jumped up, striding quickly to the bed.
“I’m here.” Standing next to the bed, he rubbed her back in soft, slow circles.
“Need you…” Smiling, he climbed on the bed and pulled her feet onto his lap.
* * * *
She wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but Emma felt well rested. Stretching, she moved, flexing her muscles and cracking her back in the process. She opened her eyes and her hand flew to her throat, covering the huge bandage. Turning to her side, she came nose to nose with Takoda and smiled.
“How are you feeling?” Takoda asked, kissing her nose.
Unsure if she should speak, she tested her voice by whispering, “Fine.”
“Still in pain?” He crinkled his forehead.
“I…no.” She swallowed harder, touching her neck. “My neck doesn’t hurt anymore. How is that possible?” Takoda reached out and touched the bandage, slowly peeling it off her neck. “How bad is it?”
“There isn’t even a little mark.” Emma shook her head, not believing one word.
“What? I couldn’t even talk without it hurting. What happened?”
Before Takoda could even speak, he was interrupted. “I would like to tell her.” Chayton cut in, and Takoda nodded, kissing her once on the lips before scooting off the bed, leaving room for her sweet Chayton to climb in next to her.
Emma reached out, wrapping her arms around his neck, and pulled his face down for a kiss. It felt like forever since she had touched him or seen him. Chayton opened his mouth, and she slid her tongue against his, enticing him to play with her. Before she could take it to the next level, Chayton pulled back and kissed her cheek. The look on his face was too serious, and Emma felt a knot of dread form in her stomach.
“Chayton…What’s wrong?” Reaching out, she touched his face, feeling the stubble on his cheek.
He took her hand in his. “Ciqala, love, the attack on you was because of me. I’m sorry.”
“What are you talking about?” She half laughed, completely confused. She had no idea what he meant. She did remember a man hitting her with something sharp, but she knew that Chayton had nothing to do with it.
“The man who grabbed you was a wolf, Emma. He…I mean I…I killed his mate.”
“What? When?” She stared at him in confusion.
“She attacked you. His mate was the wolf from the woods, and I went after her. I killed her.”
“You also got shot, and if I remember correctly, you saved me.” She refused to let him take the blame or feel guilty for what happened.
She would never hang that over his head. Her mate, Chayton, her wonderful man, had been by her side since day one. Emma couldn’t help but smile. She had gone from losing her family, to moving to Alaska, and now once again she belonged. It didn’t matter what had happened. They were all safe, and they were together. She was no longer alone…Mahkah, Takoda, and Chayton were her men.