And with that, he collapsed. Shit,shit, shit! I had to think. I had to think fast. “Emma!” I screamed and she ranin from the living room. “Jake and Max might try to challenge Kai. Who do youtrust? Who would Kai trust to guard him and not challenge him?”
Emma paled. “Sadie, and Devon. Akashis too young.”
“Sadie?” I questioned, unsure of thatchoice.
Emma swallowed. “They dated for along time. She still loves him. She would do anything for him. I’m sure of it.”
I didn’t even want to process thatright now. My inner wolf was going into possessive jealous rage mode and I hadto push her down. “Get them for me. Now.”
Emma ran out of the house and I couldhear the cracking of bones as she shifted. I bounced my foot nervously,realizing I had one hand still on Kai’s fur. I had to force myself let go. Istood and began tearing apart the room trying to find what I was looking for.If I was an Alpha and I knew silver injured werewolves, I would keep somearound. I would keep it somewhere safe, so it wouldn’t hurt me but I would havesome in the off chance I needed to subdue my own kind. The room was in shamblesand I was no closer to finding what I was looking for when Sadie walked in lookingferal at the sight of Kai on the bed bleeding, not healing.
“He’s hurt worse than he led on,” shesaid softly.
I didn’t waste time crossing the roomto meet her head on. “Can I trust you to protect him? Not to challenge him?”
She looked right into my eyes,something passed between us, between our wolves. We both wanted to protect him.This we could do together.
She nodded, lowering her eyes.
“I need silver,” I told her.
“The basement.” The second the wordsleft her lips I bolted down stairs leaving her with Kai. I would have to trusther. I caught sight of Emma and Devon both in wolf form outside. I had a plan.A sloppy, put together, fast plan. I flicked on the basement lights and sawthree iron cages. Then I saw a toolbox. I ripped the lid off and smiled.Silver. I grabbed a handful of thin chains and two pillows on my way out of theroom.
I ran outside just in time to see Maxstalking towards the house in human form with a predatory look on his face.Good. He was in human form. Plan A. Before he could open his mouth I rantowards him and extended my right leg high in the air. Spinning, I delivered aperfect roundhouse kick to his jaw and he was out cold. Maybe I should havementioned that I ran women’s defense classes on the weekends and I was a blackbelt in karate.
Emma shifted into human form behindme. She was stark naked.
“You can touch it? Without pain orgloves?” she said shocked, looking down at my hands holding the silver chains.I didn’t have time to process that. I grabbed the chain and began tying Max bythe wrists and ankles. Then I ripped the pillow to shreds and stuffed huge gobsof fluff into his mouth. I wound a strip of cloth around his mouth holding thestuffing in. I could smell burning flesh and could see red blisters pop up wherethe silver touched. He was still unconscious. I sat back panting in relief. Ifit killed him, then so be it. But I didn’t want to kill him if I didn’t haveto. Devon shifted as well. Apparently, modesty was lost in the pack. He stoodnaked and gestured towards the house. “Let’s get him in a cage,” he told Emma.Max began waking as they hoisted him up. “Rahheng Raahenge,” Max roared, hiseyes shown yellow the cotton in his mouth made it hard to understand him. Itsounded an awful lot like challenge but I ignored it. He could have been sayingrevenge. I sat in the front yard for the next three hours while Emma staked outthe back and Devon roamed the perimeter. Either Jake was waiting until weweakened or he had thought better of challenging. My eye lids began droopingand before I could stop it, I fell asleep.
I awoke to the sound of footsteps. I boltedupright, tense.
Sadie walked over to me. “He’s askingfor you. It was touch and go throughout the night but he’s healing fine now,”she told me.
I didn’t know what to say.
“Go, I’ll take watch,” she said withbitterness in her voice.
I nodded and looked down at myself. Iwas covered in dirt and Kai’s blood. I had sleep in my eyes and my back waskilling me. As I entered the bedroom I could see that Kai was in human form; helay in his bed wearing sweatpants and a tight t-shirt. The thought of himshifting in front of Sadie made my inner wolf seethe in jealousy. I quicklytamped it down so he wouldn’t pick up on it. He gestured for me to sit near him.
“You did well. It’s an honor to callyou my second,” he told me with a sandpaper voice. I could see his bite markswere oozing pink fluid but they were healing.
“I did the best I could. Max is boundby silver chains and gagged in a cage in your basement,” I told him.
Kai looked sad for a moment. “Max asa human, as a friend, would never challenge me, would never want me dead. Maxas a wolf, well, it’s a part of this life.”
He tried to sit up and groaned. Istopped him.
“You’re not moving until you’re fullyhealed,” I told him. “That’s an order,” I added playfully.
He smiled, flashing his bright whiteteeth. They were in stark contrast to his olive skin, his canines werepronounced. “Yes, Ma’am. Well, if you won’t let me get up, then I’m going tohave to ask my vegetarian second to fix me three rare steaks. I will healfaster with meat in my system.”
I gulped. “Coming right up.” I fakedenthusiasm.
After gagging my way through thekitchen getting a meal ready for Kai and silently apologizing to the cute cowsthat had given their lives for his breakfast, I went to the guest bathroom andshowered.
I came out in my towel and made itback to the bedroom I was staying in. I found a stack of clothes on the bed.Emma. I smiled. She was quickly growing on me, a thoughtful and kind friend.After changing into the skinny jeans, teal cotton V-neck, and black balletflats, I quickly dried my long blonde hair and went to Kai’s room. I stoodoutside the door, unsure of whether or not to go in. We still had so much to goover. It was Sunday. I had a job, an important job waiting for me on Monday. Myroommate and mother must be beside themselves with worry. Kai and I hadsomething growing between us, more than that kiss. I was confused. He had somethingwith Sadie from the past. Maybe this new werewolf side of me was messing withmy hormones. Then a horrifying thought struck me. What if my human side fell inlove with him but my wolf was mated to someone else?
The door creaked open and Kai peekedhis head out. I blushed. Crap! This stupid bond!
