“How long ago did it happen?”
“Maybe ten minutes before I heard your roar.”
“Fuck,” Smokey swore under his breath at his failure to reach them before Harte was shot. It was his damned fault and the only thing that provided a modicum of relief was the death of the men who tried to harm his surrogate parents. “Let’s see if the bleeding has slowed down.” Pealing back the soaked cloth slowly, Smokey grunted at what he found.
“It worked!” Elen exclaimed.
“Yeah…” Covering the wound again, he glanced up at her. “He’s still weak…probably too weak to shift even if he could do it here…which he can’t. So we’re gonna have to move him…and the closest place is the river at the bottom of the mountain.”
“Right…once I shift, Gabe, if you could help him up on my back, I can take him down there.”
“I want to bandage up his wound first. Do you have a clean shirt I can use?”
“Yes…and a first aid kit. I didn’t have time to get it before because Harte was bleeding so badly.” Getting up, Elen walked deeper into the cave, disappearing into the darkness. It was several minutes before she returned, holding the items. Handing them to Smokey, she knelt next to her husband, before saying, “You might not need the shirt because I made sure the kit had everything we’d need in case one of us got injured.”
Opening the first-aid kit, Smokey grinned at what was in it. “Damn woman, you weren’t kidding.” Taking out the supplies needed to pack and wrap Harte’s wound, he glanced up at her briefly before returning to his task. Removing the bloodied cloth, Smokey taped sterile gauze pads over the entrance wound before gently rolling Harte over on his stomach. Relieved to see an exit wound, he took care of it the same way before rolling Harte onto his back again. Then squatting on his heels, his eyes shifted to Elen. “He’s unconscious but stable…I can’t do anything more for now”
“Should I shift now?”
“No, I want to see if he wakes up first.”
“What if he doesn’t?” Elen asked, giving voice to her fear.
“Let’s cross that bridge when…and if, we have too,” Smokey murmured, his fingers squeezing Elen’s in comfort. “Harte is pretty tough.”
Leaning down, Elen brushed her lips against her husband’s before whispering in his ear how much she loved him. That he might not make it was a thought she refused to consider; it was her time to be the strong one. After giving Harte several more kisses, Elen lay down beside him, to assure him she was there and always would be.
“Hey Smokey?” Standing outside the cave, Ivan called softly, unsure about what was happening inside.
“Stay here,” Smokey said to Elen, “and let me know if he wakes up.” Then seeing the worry in her eyes, added, “Everything’s good…I just have to clean up the mess I made.”
Chapter 5
Seated on the ground after materializing outside the Blackwood Pack house, Brady quickly lowered his head between his knees, breathing slowly in an effort to make his dizziness disappear. Contrary to what he told Lucius, his vertigo had not lessened since their mating, and while he didn’t like keeping the truth from his mate, he felt it was one more thing Lucius wouldn’t have to worry about.
“Brady? Are you all right?”
Mystia’s voice sounded far away which didn’t make sense since she was with him when they arrived. Turning his head slightly, new waves of nausea washed over him, forcing him to swallow the bile that filled his mouth. Resuming his original position—his head between his legs—Brady closed his eyes before focusing on his efforts to calm his body.
Waving a hand, Mystia conjured up a cup of ginger tea before setting it on the ground next to Brady. “Here, this will help.”
The tea’s steam rose, bringing with it the strong scent of ginger. Inhaling it, Brady immediately felt its calming effect on his stomach. Lifting his eyelids a smidgin, he peered at the gift that had already helped him and then, moving only his hand, reached out for the cup, grasping it tightly so as not to spill it. Lifting it to his lips, he took a sip, rolling the tasty tea around in his mouth before swallowing it. Pleased at how his body was reacting, he continued to drink until the cup was empty. “Thank you. I feel much better.”
“Are you sure?” Mystia asked, concern still evident in her voice.
Rising, Brady brushed off his pants before giving his friend a reassuring smile. “I’m fine…really. Just a bad bout of translocation dizziness. Should we announce ourselves?”
Mystia chuckled. “Jackson already knows we’re here.”
Before he could ask for an explanation, the front door opened and Jackson stepped onto the porch. Brady gave Mystia a questioning glance before turning back to their host and bowing his head. “Alpha…thank you for allowing me to enter your territory again.”
Nodding solemnly, Jackson descended the steps, walking over to Brady. “Just so you’re clear, my permission is no longer required. From this point on, you and your mate are free to come and go at will. Before you worry about the danger this might pose, let me assure you I made this decision after completely assessing any and all implications your presence may cause”
Stunned at the pronouncement, Brady stuttered, “N-n-n-o offense, Alpha, but Lucius is…”
“A good person with a soul that is pure and a heart filled with love. Your mate was dealt a shitty hand, but he survived and that’s something he should be proud of. Not everyone does.”
“I agree, but…but…what if he…”
