Page 26 of Stolen

Chapter 13

Hawk felt Ariana’s pain just before he heard the scream. He was already running when it cut off.

Outside, Ariana was propped against the stone wall, Boomer’s brother holding her up. His hand was over her mouth, and her eyes were blank, unseeing.

“What the fuck happened?” Hawk demanded.

“Hell if I know. We were talking about her brother, and then this.” He still had his hand over her mouth.

“So you decided to suffocate her?” Hawk snarled.

“I decided we didn’t need the whole fucking neighborhood out here, wanting to know if we were killing somebody.”

Fair enough. Hawk approached Ariana gently, putting his arm around her from the other side. “Hey, hey now,” he murmured in her ear. “It’s Hawk. I’m here. You’re safe. It’s not real. You’re safe.”

He pressed his body up next to hers, still murmuring soothing words, trying to bring her back to the here and now. Gradually Ariana stopped trying to scream, but her eyes were still blank and far away, and she’d begun shuddering, making small whimpering sounds that tore at his heart.

He scooped her up and carried her inside. Boomer was at the door, looking concerned. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. I think it’s some kind of psychic attack. From her fucking brother.”

Boomer growled. “Why hasn’t anybody killed that psycho yet?”

“Working on it. Can you grab some extra blankets out of the closet and bring them to her room? She’s shivering.”

“Better get her into your bed.”

Seriously? “For fuck’s sake, Boomer.”

Boomer rolled his eyes. “The sheets on your bed smell like you. Your room smells like you. It might make her feel safer.” He shook his head. “Sheesh, Hawk, is sex all you think about?”

“Fuck you.”

It was a good idea, though. Her wolf would be surrounded by Hawk’s scent, and maybe it would make her feel safer.

He carried Ariana into his room and put her in bed, smoothing the covers and pulling them over her. Then he sat helplessly on the edge of the bed, holding her hand. Her eyes were closed now, but she was still shaking.

Boomer walked in with a load of blankets and a thermos. “The water on the stove was still hot, so I dumped it in here with some tea bags and sugar.” He set the thermos on the scarred bedside table, and unfolded one of the blankets by snapping it through the air. He put it over Ariana, then added another one.

“You okay in here?” he asked when he was done.

“For the moment.”

“Okay. If you need me, I’ll be making bombs.” He started to leave, then stopped at the door and looked back. “She’s a nice person,” he said. “I really wanna kaboom her brother all to hell.” He made an exploding gesture with his fingers, then walked out.

Hawk got up briefly to shut the door behind Boomer, and then pulled his boots off. Ariana was still shivering, so after a brief struggle with his conscience and his wolf, he crawled under the covers and wrapped his arms around her.

He talked to her then, a soft murmured litany about how she was safe. How nothing could hurt her here. How he would never let anything happen to her, not while there was breath in his body.

Everything but how much he loved her. That was for later, not while she was so terrified.

Gradually, the shudders eased. She clung to him, hot tears squeezing from her eyes. He’d never seen her like this. She was always so strong, so competent, so brave.

And even now, she was trying to hold back the emotion.

“Hey there.” Unable to help himself, he dropped soft kisses on her hair. “I’m right here. You’re okay.”

He felt her take a deep breath, get ahold of herself. He loved that she was so strong, but he hated that she had to be. That she could never just let go and lean on anyone.