by Mia Rose
He continued down the hall, peering into the windows as he passed, but most of them either had frosted glass, or some kind of blackout device for privacy.
Just in case an ex-werewolf ever comes hunting down an old witch, Declan thought to himself. He laughed at his poor joke and found a small gurney sitting in the hallway. He leaned against it for a moment and dragged his hand through his hair, feeling hopeless.
He closed his eyes and tried desperately to connect with his inner wolf. If there was ever a time he needed to be able to communicate with the other alphas, it was now. He focused his mind and felt as he pushed deeper into his psyche, but a sharp voice broke through his concentration. Declan opened his eyes and saw the young doctor who he’d ignored whilst he was in the elevator. There she was, standing before him, her eyes in dangerous slits as she glared at him.
“Well, well,” she said, her voice dangerously low, “it looks like you have found your way here, after all.”
Noelle awoke to a banging sound coming from the first floor. Instinctively, she sat up in her bed, and the searing pain ripped up through her leg and traveled to her abdomen and chest, where it seemed to try to strangle all the blood from her heart. A scream hurdled from her throat before she could stop it, and tears sprang into her eyes. She could hear the sound of Lucas’ footsteps on the stairs before she could recover herself, and then he burst into the room, half-expecting to find her crippled on the floor.
“What happened?” he asked. His face was flushed with the exertion from the unexpected sprint. But he wasn’t out of breath, Noelle duly noticed, with a peaking interest that shocked even her.
“I, uh,” Noelle said through gritted teeth. “I kind of forgot what happened and tried to get up.” Lucas stared at her, his expression floating carelessly between bewilderment, concern and humor.
He shook his head, grinning, and sat on the edge of the bed, taking care not to sit anywhere near her legs.
“You wanted to leave that badly?” he asked. He tried to inject humor into the question, but it was a curious tone, almost as if he was half-joking and half-afraid of what the answer might be.
“No,” Noelle said, struggling to bring herself to a sitting position without reliving the anguish. “I’m not used to being so —immobilized.” She struggled to find the right words because she didn’t want to say anything which might suggest to him she felt like a prisoner, which, in all honesty, was exactly how she felt.
He nodded at her slowly as he took her words into consideration. “I think I might have something to help with that.”
Lucas looked at Noelle, and she nodded; understanding his unspoken request to lift her from the bed. He wrapped his arms carefully under her bottom and tightly around her shoulders. He lifted her from the bed as if she was a child. He adjusted her slightly and then carried her down the stairs where he put her down on a chair. He carefully brought another one over to her so that she could rest her leg on it. He disappeared without a word, and Noelle looked around and realized that the banging she’d heard must’ve been the various pots and pans laid out sporadically on the kitchen counter.
She looked out the large window and stared into the trees that were beautifully bathed in sunlight. When the light was upon them, the trees looked absolutely stunning. For whatever reason, the colors seemed so much brighter and realistic in nature. The greens seemed greener, and everything fell in nicely together. Noelle smiled in appreciation of it all, and for the first time, she thought about what she might be missing out on, now that she wasn’t a wolf any longer.
Lucas returned and was carrying a collapsible wheelchair, and it took everything in Noelle’s power not to burst out laughing. How she’d managed to go her entire life without breaking anything, and then in the last year, become reliant on both crutches —and a wheelchair. The whole situation was beyond her. He saw the smirk on her face and pulled up short.
“What is it?” he asked, misinterpreting her expression.
“Nothing,” Noelle said, still smiling. “I’ve never considered myself a cripple, I guess.” Lucas screwed up his face as she spoke, and Noelle instinctively felt as if she’d stepped into a sensitive area. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that.”
“I know,” he said, his shoulders relieving some tension. “I just really hate that word.”
He took a few steps closer to her and put the wheelchair out, next to her seat. He put his hands underneath her arms and counted to three before he lifted her, placing her in the wheelchair.
Noelle observed him as he walked into the kitchen and began moving the pots and pans again, creating the same loud music that startled her awake. She considered his actions —how he created a splint, how he carried her to and from her room, how carefully and efficiently he was able to transfer her into the wheelchair. She pondered this as he started to cook. She slowly rolled herself over to the window and looked at the outside world. It was a curious thing; feeling so close to nature, as though you could reach out and touch it, only to find that you were still enclosed.
She didn’t know how long she sat staring out of the window, but when Lucas came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her chair.
“Should I start wearing a bell, so you can hear me coming?” Lucas asked, laughing slightly. It was a nice sound, very deep and throaty, almost as if he’d forgotten how to laugh and was learning all over again the spectrum of human emotions and expressions.
Noelle smiled at him, and he told her their breakfast was ready. She rolled back over to the table, and the aroma wafted to her as she looked down at the feast he’d laid out before her. Pancakes with blueberries sat stacked on her plate, and in the center of the table was a fruit salad, a plate of bacon and sausage, and some perfectly-fried scrambled eggs. Noelle’s stomach grumbled loudly as if to warn her that if she didn’t eat soon, it might jump out of her body, and instantly swallow everything on the whole table, itself.
“Are you expecting company?” Noelle said, smiling at Lucas as he gingerly took a few pieces of fruit from the salad, and a single scoop of eggs.
“Only you,” he replied simply.
Noelle started with the pancakes on her plate, and to her surprise, she was able to eat them quickly. She was still amazed by how wonderful everything tasted after having spent so much time alone in the woods, practically starving to death.
“You know,” Noelle said softly, interrupting the silence. “Had you not found me, I probably would’ve been done for.”
“I doubt it,” Lucas said, shaking his head. “You’re a fighter. You would’ve found a way, no matter what.”
Noelle smiled at him and she felt a pull at her heart. She remembered how her father would always tell her that very same thing; she was a fighter. The thought of her father suddenly put an end to her hunger, and she put down her silverware slowly.
“What’s wrong?” asked Lucas, watching her curiously.
“Nothing,” she said softly, but she knew he’d only ask her again if she didn’t change the subject. “So, tell me, how do you know so much about taking care of people?”
The question seemed to take Lucas by surprise, and he stopped mid-chew. He swallowed down what was in his mouth before asking, “What do you mean?”
“Well, you’re very good at carrying me all over the place, and you made me this splint and helped me in the shower, and then, of course, you’ve got a wheelchair, conveniently hanging around in the house.”
He watched her as she spoke and then exhaled loudly as if he’d been caught with something. “It was my brother.”
“Your brother?”
“Yes.” He nodded and then looked out of the window. “He was born with osteogenesis imperfecta. Do you know what that is?” Noelle shook her head. “Well,” he continued, “it’s a disease where your bones break extremely easily. As in, you could trip over a pebble and shatter your ankle.”
Noelle’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. She waited while h
e grabbed the memories from his mind. It was a decent pause to grasp the past, or maybe a respectful one; she couldn’t be sure.
“Since he was born, he was always breaking things, and at first, I resented him for it. I was the older child, and my parents were always paying attention to him, making sure he didn’t do anything to hurt himself. What I didn’t realize was how much he resented me for being so —independent of everyone. The grass is always greener, I guess, right?” Noelle nodded her head slowly.
“Anyway, once the change happened to me and I built this house, I told my family that I was leaving, and no one really seemed to care very much at all. I guess they figured I’d be fine wherever I went. And Matty, well he’d surpassed all the doctor’s expectations of his life expectancy. He pulled me aside the day I’d announced I was leaving and he begged me to take him, too. At first, I was entirely against the idea. But I saw it in his eyes —he longed for something more. He told me that what he was doing was surviving; not living, and even if he died in a week’s time, he’d prefer to know he died because he tried to live.”
This story brought unexpected tears to Noelle’s eyes, and suddenly she understood why Lucas hated the word “cripple” so much. Here, she was complaining of a broken leg when there were people out there who were so far worse off than she was. She felt rather selfish.
“What happened to him?” she asked. She was almost too afraid to ask because she already knew the answer wasn’t going to be good.
“We came out here, and he loved it so much. I’d never seen him laugh and smile so much in his entire life. He became an expert bird watcher, and even though he was already nineteen, I’d only just gotten to know him as a person; like a friend.” Lucas stopped talking and his eyes glazed over a bit and Noelle felt that he was lost in a memory. “He spotted a scarce bird in the tree,” Lucas said, half-whispering. “He wanted to see it up close, so he waited until I left the room. He managed to make his way outside and up to the tree where the bird sat. I don’t know exactly what happened, but that’s where he passed.”
Noelle felt her heart heat up, it was as though it might burst into flames at any moment. She’d never met his brother, and still, she felt a familiar pain of loss course through her, and her nana’s face came to her mind.
“Anyway, I took him home, and my parents blamed me for everything. They told me I’d killed him, and that I couldn’t go to his funeral.” Lucas shook his head as his story came to an end. “But I know better. I was his only chance at life.”
“It was a curious thing feeling so close to nature, as though you could reach out and touch it, only to find that you were still enclosed.”
Chapter 7
Tender and Juicy
“That’s not gonna come out easy.”
After thinking for a while, Gabriel stood and looked at Maria. She could see the fire in his eyes. It was a deep burning anger at all the events that happened before.
“We’ll have that ritual, I have to find my mate and concrete my position within the pack. I know a few wolves still look at me as if I’m still Declan’s second in command.” he said. “Gone, they’re both gone, so there’s nothing they can do about it. Hell, even if they were here there’s nothing they could do. I’m in charge, and that’s how it’s gonna stay.”
Maria looked at Gabriel’s muscles rippling under his shirt and could see he'd become bigger. It happened through all the training he'd been pushing the pack members through, and he’d become consumed. Declan might really have his hands full when he returned to claim the pack.
Maria stood and ran her hands over Gabriel’s shoulders before nuzzling her head against his back. “You know Gab, there’s no need for all the females to fight to the death. Your mate; your alpha, might be right under your nose.”
Maria murmured as her cheek started caressing Gabriel’s bulging shoulder muscles. As much as getting close to Gabriel was her duty, it was one task that wasn’t that hard to complete. Gabriel had turned into a werewolf megalomaniac, yet he was easy on the eye and had a magnetic quality about him.
“I’ll tell you something Maria, you can stand in that circle and prove yourself if that’s the way you feel,” Gabriel said as he spun to face Maria and wrapped his arms around her waist. “But for now, you can be mine, or you can be mine until someone claims the position of a lifetime.”
As much as Maria resisted the urge, she found it hard and let herself melt into Gabriel’s arms. Keep your friends close, and your enemies even closer. Gabriel tightened his grip on Maria's waist. He began picking her up and walked to the couch as his grin widened with every step.
“Who’s trying to stamp their authority then?” Maria asked as Gabriel dropped her onto the couch.
Gabriel smiled, and his eyes glowed with his inner wolf rising to the surface. Now, his t-shirt stood no chance as he grabbed the neckline with both hands and tore it straight down the middle.
“Oh, very manly, or wolfly,” she said, “yet it’s a waste of a good shirt.”
Gabriel grasped the buckle of his belt and fumbled. Maria knew this was her queue and leaned forward and began pulling her own t-shirt over her head. She popped the button on her jeans and pulled the zipper with her finger and her thumb. Her eyes were fixated on Gabriel’s bulging shorts. She knew what was in store and she was in no mood to wait any longer.
Maria lifted her ass from the couch. Slipping her jeans over the peachy skin, she said, “A little help here if you don’t mind.” Her words were said more than provocatively.
She rested her ass back on the couch, and began raising her legs as Gabriel took hold of her jeans and tugged. He dropped her jeans to the floor and reveled in watching Maria lift her feet as she placed them flat on the couch. His heightened senses could already smell the sweet aroma of her womanhood.
“I want to see you,” he said, “pull your panties off.” Maria obliged and slid her fingers inside the elastic of her now-moist panties. Her ass lifted again as she slid herself free. She grinned at Gabriel, and with one hand she tossed her panties in his direction.
Gabriel stepped free from his shorts and Maria gasped with anticipation as his shaft began twitching. He lowered himself to his knees in front of her. He knelt like a god and ran his tongue up and over the soft skin of Maria’s thighs. She sighed as he pushed his hands against her legs, now spreading them wider. Gabriel thrust his tongue between the petal-like folds of her womanhood and teased her clit. Maria acknowledged his moves and arched her back like a cat in response to him. She raised her hand and pushed Gabriel’s head closer to the junction of her thighs. He sensed, as always, that she was ready to take the beast that was inside of him.
Gabriel looked up as he licked his lips. “Are you ready for me?”
Maria was busy biting her bottom lip and fumbling with the clasp of her bra as she nodded. “Damn right, I’m ready!” she murmured.
Gabriel stood with his hard shaft firmly in his grasp. Maria marveled at the sight of his manhood. Damn, he is getting bigger, I’m sure of it. He stepped closer and inched the tip of his shaft inside of her. With gusto, he rubbed his head over her budded clit before plunging the length and filling her.
Maria sucked in a quick breath as he thrust his hardness into her own wet softness. He grabbed her legs and placed them onto his shoulders as he drove his blistering want harder and faster into her.
Gabriel buried himself deep inside as Maria dug her nails into Gabriel’s shoulders. He winced in pain as Maria pulled him closer to her with lust.
“Harder,” she murmured, “I’m almost there.”
Gabriel pushed harder and faster as Maria stared into his perfect, dominant eyes. She could see the animal rising in him. She knew he was close to finishing when his groans became louder. Maria panted as the walls of her womanhood clenched at Gabriel’s shaft. Sensations flooded through her body as it finally released her amidst a scream of ecstasy.
Gabriel thrust even harder, then his body seized, and he knew he was ready, so he pulled
himself from her and shot his load over Maria's belly and her creamy breasts.
“Oh! Gabriel, I thought you were gonna finish inside me,” she stated, perplexed.
Gabriel stepped away from Maria with a satisfied look on his face. “You’re not my mate yet.”
“What do you mean you haven’t found them?” Sanders said to Edmund. “You dumped her in the forest, and it’s been months. If she was dead there would be remains, if she’d found her way out, there would’ve been a sighting of her.”
Edmund paced back and forth as he was interrogated. “I know, but there’s just no sign. And Declan, it’s as if he’s vanished off the face of the planet.”
“Edmund, you better pull your finger out, you know we don’t leave loose ends. And what about the others? How are they doing?” Sanders asked, now placing his glass of red wine back on the table.
Edmund did have a little bit of better news for that question. That had been an easy resolution. He explained that Noelle’s parents had gone back to their old life and had no idea that they even had a daughter.
“And Megan has no idea that we lied about her parents being killed by wolves, she has reverted and gone back to her boring life. The only difference is, the impression in her mind. She had parents who were killed rather than ones who abandoned her,” Edmund replied proudly.
“So, all the family are out of the picture?” Sanders asked, as he adjusted his crushed, red, velvet, smoking jacket.
“That’s the way it looks,” Edmund said approaching the table.