by D. M. Shane
The landscape flashed by as I hurtled through the forest, chasing my brother. We ran the territory circuit over and over. Pine needles crunched underneath my paws with every step as we raced down the north trail. Sunlight dappled the path ahead, and a light breeze ruffled the fur along my back. I followed Gideon around the bend toward the lake, coming to a stop at the shoreline. A golden eagle soared above, the clear blue sky a perfect backdrop for its magnificent display of flight. Fresh mountain air filled my lungs, cleared my head, and sated my soul as we rested on the small beach at water’s edge.
I needed this. The beast beneath my skin needed this. I leaned down to lap at the water’s edge, and all at once, the bone-deep strain tearing away at me disappeared when a tiny tickle of awareness rippled through the connection I shared with my mate. I shifted and dove into the cold, crisp, clear water, letting it absolve me of the guilt and anger that had been strangling me for the past few days. It was time to return to my mate.
Wading back to shore, I nodded at my brother, still in wolf form, and he tipped his head in answer. Then together, we raced off toward home.
31
Aislin
Beep. Beep. Beep. Would someone please shut that thing up? I reached for the alarm clock, and a sharp pain jolted up my arm, jerking me awake.
When I opened my eyes, light rushed in, and I let out a painful moan. It stung, and I quickly scrunched them shut. A wrecking ball pounded around inside my skull with every movement of my head. Why do I feel like a truck ran over me? A truck. No, wait… an SUV. Images of upside-down trees and broken glass flashed through my mind, and I sat up with a jerk.
I was in a hospital room.
“Aislin? Don’t get up, love. Come on, lie back.” At once, Arkkadian was by my side, ushering me back down onto the pillows. “I’ll get the doctor.”
I took in my surroundings. The room was clean and new and the smell of antiseptic tickled my nose. A machine beside the bed let out a long, obnoxious beep, and the blood pressure cuff around my right arm puffed up. An IV stuck out of my right hand, and a purple plaster cast adorned my left arm to my elbow. It throbbed, and my fingers were puffy and swollen where they stuck out of the cast.
Just as I laid my head back on the pillow, utterly exhausted, the door opened, and an older, gray-haired woman entered the room with Arkkadian right behind her. I tried to speak, but I choked on the words. He was back at my side in an instant.
“Here. Small sips now,” he said, holding the straw up to my mouth. The cold water soothed my parched mouth and throat as I sipped. I was so thirsty.
“Not too much, love.” I was disappointed when he pulled the cup away. I wanted more.
“My arm. It hurts. And my head.” Groaning, I reached up to touch my forehead and winced at the bandage there. I didn’t remember hitting it.
Arkkadian pulled my hand away. “Don’t mess with it, they’ll change the bandage again soon. Just relax.”
“You broke your wrist, and you received a nasty little gash on your head.” The doctor. She shined a small penlight in my face, and I jerked my head to the side as the light stung my sensitive eyes. “We’ll get you something for the pain.”
She continued speaking to Arkkadian, but I barely heard a word of the conversation. I rested my head back on the pillows. I was so tired. Before I knew it, I’d slipped back into the realm of unconsciousness.
32
Arkkadian
“I want the gate installed as soon as possible. The cameras can wait a day or two. Just get it done,” I barked into the phone before ending the call.
Movement caught my eye. Aislin groaned, and her eyes opened. She’d woken briefly this morning for a few minutes, but had slept most of the rest of the day away. To bide the time, I’d spent much of the afternoon and evening on the phone with my men discussing more upgrades to our systems. Gideon and Sara had stopped in twice more to check in on her and give me a break when I needed one. Emmaline had also been in to check on her a few times.
I went to my mate’s side. “Hey there,” I said, carefully smoothing her hair back. At least some color had returned to her face. “Welcome back.”
When Aislin tried to speak and choked, I grabbed the cup of water and held the straw to her lips. “That’s it, small sips. Slowly.”
“What… what happened?” she asked through a cough.
I sighed. “I thought I lost you. How are you feeling?”
“Ugh.”
“How’s your pain? I can call the doctor,” I told her.
“I’m okay, but I really have to pee,” she said, trying to sit up.
I laughed. “I think we can manage that. Let me call the nurse, just stay there.”
“No, it’s fine. You can help me. I really need to go.”
“Are you sure?” I asked with a touch of hesitation.
She nodded. My mate was trusting me to help her. A small step, but a step nonetheless. I’d take it. I’d take anything that got us back to where we were before.
I helped her swing her legs over the edge of the bed and then to stand. She wobbled on her feet, falling back to sit on the bed, her hand going to her temple.
“Dizzy?”
“Yeah.”
“Here, let me.” I gently picked her up and carried her to the bathroom, setting her down on her feet in front of the toilet. “Can you manage from here? I’ll wait just outside the door.”
She tilted a little, and I caught her. “Maybe you’d better stay. I’m not very steady.”
“All right. Here, hold on to the safety rail.”
Kneeling in front of her, I reached under the gown to slide her panties down and turned my head to the side so as not to make her uncomfortable in such a vulnerable situation. I held onto her arms and helped lower her to the seat before stepping outside to give her some privacy.
When I carried her back to the bed, she wrapped both arms around my neck and snuggled into me, letting out a soft sigh. I realized at that moment that she still trusted me. Maybe the reason she left wasn’t what I thought.
I gently placed her on the bed and fluffed up the pillows so she could sit up more comfortably. I pushed the call button and then held up the cup so Aislin could take another sip of water.
She groaned into the straw. “That’s so good. My throat was so dry.”
“Take it slow, you don’t want to make yourself sick. You’ve been out for three days,” I told her.
The side-eye she gave me told me she knew she was in trouble. We had some things to talk about, but she didn’t need to know I’d already decided about not punishing her. I’d let her stew a little instead, just because I could. Nina, one of the nurses, chose that moment to walk into the room.
When I stood to leave, Aislin looked at me with worry in her eyes. “I’m not going far, just stepping outside the door for a few minutes to give you and the nurse some privacy.” I leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. “I’ll come back in a few minutes.”
I shut the door behind me as I stepped out of the room and pulled my phone from my pocket. I sought Gideon, but Sara answered on the first ring.
Before I could speak, she peppered me with questions. “How is she? Is she okay? Do you need anything?”
I laughed. “Sara, slow down. Everything’s fine. Aislin’s awake. The nurse is in with her now. Besides the broken wrist and a minor concussion, she’s fine.”
Sara breathed a sigh of relief into the phone. She had taken an instant liking to my mate from the moment they’d met, and it warmed my heart to know Aislin had others here she could rely on. Sara had been cool, calm, and collected at first, but over the past couple of days, she fretted. All the pregnancy hormones didn’t help.
“Okay, good. I’ve been worrying like a mother hen. It’s the pregnancy. I can’t help it. I know it’s late, but do either of you need anything? I can have Gideon stop by on his way back from security.”
I chuckled at her rapid response and the large intake of air at the end. “No, we’re good. I j
ust wanted to give you a quick update. The nurse is coming back out. I’ll speak to you in the morning. Goodnight,” I told her, hanging up before she could babble on.
The nurse stopped me on her way out, letting me know they were keeping her another night and would reevaluate in the morning. I nodded my thanks before opening the door.
Aislin was sitting reclined in the bed, a smile on her face despite the bags under her eyes. She looked haggard.
“Are you hungry? I can have someone bring you something.”
“I’m starving actually, but the nurse already called for some broth.” She closed her eyes and laid her head back on the pillow for a moment.
I approached the side of her bed and leaned down to kiss her on the forehead. “I’m glad you’re okay, but don’t scare me like that again.”
Aislin fidgeted with the sheets, twisting them in her hands. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“What possessed you to take off like that?” She stared at her hands, still twisting the sheets in her grip. I continued when she didn’t answer. “Was it me? Did I do something?”
She shook her head side to side. “Yes. Well, no. Not really. I mean, I was angry with you, but that wasn’t why I left. I know you didn’t do the dream thing on purpose. I left because as long as I’m here, your people aren’t safe. There are families here. Children. If someone got hurt because of me… I would never, ever forgive myself. I was trying to do the right thing by removing the one thing that endangered all of them.”
When she teared up, I cupped her face with both hands and brushed her tears away with my thumbs. I leaned in, pressing my forehead to hers, and looked her straight in the eye.
“Yes, you being here puts everyone here in danger, but what you fail to realize is that we are a community. They aren’t just my people, they’re your people now. And when one of us is in trouble, we band together. We take care of each other. We fight for each other. We live, and we die for each other, and we don’t leave anyone behind. That includes you, love.”
“But….”
“Shh. Let me finish. Our lives are fraught with danger from the moment we’re born because of what we are. Living on the fringes of human existence is how we maintain at least some safety and peace. You being here puts our community at risk, but you being here also keeps you safe. You’ve been alone for so long, I think you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have someone take care of you,” I imparted. “Please let me.”
“Okay.”
Upon her agreement, I tilted her chin and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips before pulling away and breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
Dr. Emmaline Gray chose that moment to enter the room. She placed a small bowl, crackers, a spoon, and a container of apple juice on the bedside table.
“I heard you were awake, dear. Nina filled me in, but I insisted on coming to see you myself. I’m Dr. Gray, but you may call me Emmaline. Everyone else does.” I watched as she busied herself with my mate and smiled at the tender, motherly vibe. One thing about Emmaline, she worried over all of her patients as if they were her own children.
“I brought you some soup. Try to eat something, then I’d like it if you’d try to get more rest. I’ll be back in the morning to check on you.” She squeezed Aislin’s hand in farewell, and then I walked Emmaline to the door and shut it behind her.
As Aislin dug into her soup, I lamented the dark circles under her eyes. They looked terrible. Dr. Gray was right. Aislin needed rest. As soon as she finished, I helped her fluff her pillows and lower the bed so she could lie down. I resigned myself to sleeping in the most uncomfortable chair for one more night and sat down with a sigh.
“Arkkadian?”
“Yes?”
She reached a hand toward me. “Will you lie with me tonight?”
I smiled. “Of course, love.”
She scooted to one side of the bed and rolled to her side, making room for me behind her. I wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. Within seconds, sleep claimed her. I stayed with her all night, the wolf inside me savoring her nearness, relieved she was once again safe beside me.
33
Aislin
I squinted at the bright sunlight peeking in through the blinds, cursed the morning, and wished for another couple hours of sleep. I had a slight headache and my wrist ached, but mostly, I felt weak and fatigued. I rolled onto my back and scooted up on the hospital bed, pushing the button until it shifted into a reclined position. I stretched my arms and back and yawned.
Arkkadian was no longer beside me, but a miniature carton of milk and a small brown paper bag sat on the rolling table beside the bed. Curious, I opened it and squealed excitedly at the contents. Inside were two eclairs frosted with a dark chocolate ganache. Oh, my gosh. My stomach didn’t just rumble, it thundered like a hungry lion presiding over its kill, exhaustion forgotten. I couldn’t pull an eclair out of the bag fast enough. I bit into it, and smooth, rich cream leaked out of the middle. Groaning with delight, I devoured both in record time, licking every bit of decadent, gooey chocolate off my sticky fingers. I had just taken a sip of milk to wash it all down when the door opened, and Arkkadian walked in with a small duffle bag in hand.
My soul sang with instant recognition, dancing on the precipice of forever. His familiar scent of cinnamon and cloves wafted across the room and I inhaled deeply, letting it wrap around me like a warm blanket. Three words immediately flashed through my mind. Safe. Home. Mine. Arkkadian Rime was mine. My mate. My… love. Was that right? Did I truly love him? Yes, and I knew it to be true. With him was where I needed to be. Not out there alone and on the run. I wouldn’t survive without him. He was home.
Yesterday’s stubble was gone from his chin, and his hair was still damp. He must have gone home for a shower. I took in the magnificent sight before me, afraid to look away in case it wasn’t real. This beautiful Adonis of a man, all dark and handsome, unmistakably strong and fierce. Dominant. All Alpha. My Alpha. My real-life fairy tale come true. I would never let him go.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said with a smile. “How are you feeling?”
I leaned into his hand as he cupped my face and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. The touch of his skin against mine sent delicious little flickers of desire crackling through every nerve ending, lighting my body on fire. I stared into his eyes, wondering what thoughts lay behind their deep blue depths, and smiled in return.
“Better this morning, but I’m still tired.”
“I’m sure. Did you eat yet?” He eyed the brown bag that lay crumpled on the table. “I figured you might like something better than hospital food this morning.”
“I did. They were delicious. Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome.”
I smiled inwardly, knowing that while Arkkadian was a true Alpha male, he was also tender and loving. He was hard and tough, but he was also kind and warm. He was dominant without being domineering. I knew I need never fear him. And true to Arkkadian’s word, the more time we spent together, the stronger the tether between us became. I’d felt it the instant he’d touched me. Even now I could feel the connection vibrating through every fiber of my being, and it sang all the way to my heart.
Dr. Gray entered just then, cheery and warm, nodding to each of us in greeting. “Good morning, Alpha. Aislin. I see you’ve eaten something this morning already. That’s great! We’ll check your vitals one last time, and then I don’t see any reason you can’t go home this morning.”
I brightened at the thought. I wanted out of this hospital bed as soon as possible. Dr. Gray continued on in conversation with Arkkadian while she checked me out, and I only half paid attention, too busy thinking about going home with my mate.
“Aislin?” My name caught my attention.
“Sorry?”
Dr. Gray studied me with her kind eyes. “I’m letting you go home, but I want you to take it easy for the next few days. Get lots of rest and try not to do anything too strenuous. I
f you feel tired, you rest. Do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
We said our goodbyes, and she made me promise to return in a couple of weeks for a check-up.
Arkkadian set the duffel bag on the bed next to me. “I brought you some clean clothes. I’ll give you some privacy so you can change.”
“Please stay. I could use your help.” I’d caused Arkkadian enough trouble the last few days, it was time I showed him I trusted him. That I accepted him. That I loved him. He’d saved me twice, after all. Surprise flashed across his face at my words before he grinned.
This time, I didn’t shy away from his gaze as he helped me remove my gown. This time, I let him look upon my nakedness, feeling confident, cherished, loved.
34
Arkkadian
“Please. Stay. I could use your help.”
I hadn’t expected those words to come from her, and the thought of what it meant thrilled me to the core. Brick by brick, the defensive walls Aislin had built around herself had come crumbling down until eventually, the last stone had finally fallen. My wolf was beyond exhilarated.
She stood confidently before me in her nakedness, hands at her sides, light and love in her eyes. This was her accepting her new life. Accepting herself, scars and all. Accepting me. Accepting us. I reached up and gently stroked her cheek, and she leaned into the embrace.
“You are so beautiful.” I leaned in and placed a sweet kiss upon her lips before pulling back to gaze into her eyes. Then I wrapped both arms around her, tugged her close and held her to me, burying my face in her neck, inhaling her sweet essence of cinnamon and spice.
“Arkkadian?”
“Hmm?”
“I… I think… I mean… I love you.” Aislin’s voice was low, almost as if she was afraid to admit it.