Chapter 23

 

Reese stared up at the ceiling of Kane’s cabin. The cabin was filled to the brim with shifters and she wished they would leave. Anna and Asher both leaned over her and stared at her pale face. She ignored them grimly as Asher patted her arm.

“You’re even braver than I thought, human.”

“Did you really attack a mantorian, human?” Anna asked.

Reese didn’t reply. The pain in her leg was relentless and it was taking all of her concentration not to throw up.

“Leave the human alone.” Radek tugged on Anna’s arm and she and Asher moved reluctantly away as Radek stared down at her.

She closed her eyes and didn’t open them again until Adina spoke to her. “Reese, open your eyes, my love.”

She blinked wearily at the blonde woman. “It hurts so much, Adina.”

“I know,” she said soothingly. “Drink this. It will help with the pain. Can you sit up?”

“I don’t think so,” she muttered.

Before she could try, Radek pulled her gently into a sitting position and Adina handed her a cup of steaming liquid.

“Drink, Reese,” she urged.

She sipped at the foul-tasting liquid as her leg throbbed and burned and her stomach rolled with nausea.

“My leg is broken.”

“Aye, it is,” Adina said softly. “I need to set it, Reese. It’s going to hurt badly, even with the tea.”

“Maybe you could drive over to the drugstore and get me some morphine. What do you say?” A weird warmth was starting in her stomach and she thought the pain in her leg wasn’t quite as bad.

“What does she mean?” Radek asked curiously.

“Nothing,” Adina replied quickly. “The tea is making her a bit foolish, that’s all.”

“Foolish,” Reese sang softly. She finished the liquid in three large gulps and smiled at Adina. “I feel better.”

“Good.” Adina stroked her hair. “In a few minutes, I’ll set your leg.”

“Have you done this before?”

She nodded. “Aye, don’t worry.”

“Where’s Kane?” She asked suddenly. The cabin was full of people but she couldn’t see the familiar bulk of Kane anywhere and she suddenly, desperately, wanted him.

“He’s getting a few things for me. He’ll return shortly.”

“Do you promise?” She clutched at Adina’s hand.

“Aye. I’ll be right back, okay?”

Reese nodded and Adina slipped away as Radek continued to study her.

“What?” She scowled at the shifter.

“Why did you save my sister’s life, human?”

“Go away, Radek. I don’t want to talk with you right now,” she muttered.

“Tell me,” he insisted. “Why did you attack a creature you had no chance of defeating to save a girl you barely know?”

“Because I like your sister!” Reese snapped at him.

He stared silently at her and she closed her eyes. “Please leave me alone.”

 

* * *

 

“Will these work? They were the straightest I could find,” Kane asked Adina anxiously. They were standing by the main fire outside and she looked over the branches he had gathered. Like she instructed, he had peeled away the bark and she tested each of them.

“Aye, they will work to keep her leg straight once I have set the bone. Do you have rope?”

“Aye, Raina has gone to fetch it.”

“Good.” She hesitated and then patted the large shifter on his arm. “She will be all right, Kane. She’s young and strong and the break is a clean one.”

He nodded and she hesitated before glancing at Dagon’s home. He was standing in the doorway watching them silently and she gave him a tentative smile. He nodded impassively before disappearing into his cabin and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Are you ready, Kane? I will need you to hold her down while I set her leg.”

His face paled and she patted his arm again. “I can have Hanif and Theran help me.”

“No,” he said hoarsely. “I will not leave her alone in her suffering. Did you give her the tea?”

“Aye and it is helping but it will not be enough to ease her pain when I fix her leg. You must be prepared that she will scream.”

He nodded and pulled a short branch from his pocket. He had stripped it clean as well and he gave Adina a sick look. “I thought she could bite down on this.”

“It is a good idea,” she said softly. “Come, the sooner we do this, the better.”

 

* * *

 

“Open your eyes, Reese.”

Her eyes popped open and she smiled with relief at the large shifter. “Where have you been?”

“I was gathering some supplies for Adina to help fix your leg.”

“That’s nice of you.” She reached out to touch his face and, acutely aware of the shifters in the room, he caught her hand and placed it gently on the bed.

She sighed before staring hazily at the roomful of shifters. “Please make them leave. I don’t want them here.”

He nodded and stood up to face the others. “Leave. You do not need to be here.”

There was some grumbling and he snarled viciously at them. The shifters bowed their heads and scurried from the room as Adina held Radek and Borek back.

“Thank you,” she sighed as he sat back down beside her.

“You’re welcome, my love.” He leaned down and kissed her on the mouth. “It will be all right. I promise you.”

She nodded and groaned loudly when Adina eased her skirt up to her thighs. “Are you ready, Reese?”

She nodded again and made a short sound of fear when Borek placed his hands on her right thigh and Radek rested his hands on her right arm and shoulder. Kane snarled at them and Adina said quickly, “We will need their help to hold her steady, Kane. It’s better if she doesn’t move.”

He nodded and cupped Reese’s cheek when she tried to raise her head to look at her leg. “No. Look at me, Reese, only at me.”

She latched on to his hand with a panicked grip and he stroked her face soothingly. “Be brave, my love.”

She stared up at him with wide eyes. She wanted to be brave but oh she was afraid. It was going to hurt, hurt badly, and she had never been more afraid in her life. Her heart was thudding like a freight train in her chest and there was a weird buzzing in her ears. She was breathing in short, harsh pants and there was suddenly not enough oxygen in the room.

“Reese?” Kane’s voice was filled with alarm and Adina leaned over her.

“You breathe too quickly, Reese. You must slow it down. Do you hear me?”

She continued to pant as her eyes rolled with fear, and then Kane was there. His warm hand cupped her face again and his forehead rested against hers.

“Like this, my love,” he whispered, his warm breath washing over her. “Do what I do.”

He took a deep breath in through his nose and she tried to mimic him, letting her breath out through her mouth as he exhaled. She continued to mimic him with long flat inhales through her nose and harsh exhales through her mouth until the buzzing was gone and the light-headedness had passed.

“Good,” he whispered before kissing her on the mouth.

She stared at the piece of wood Kane was holding. “Bite down on this.”

She opened her mouth and gripped the smooth wood firmly with her teeth as Kane kissed her forehead. She was still holding his hand and he kissed her knuckles lightly before lowering her arm to the bed. He held her hand in a tight grip and slipped his other hand under her torn shirt to press against her shoulder. He stroked the scar with the tips of his fingers before pressing her firmly into the bed. “We’re ready, Adina.”

He smiled reassuringly at Reese. “Look only at me, my love.”

Reese stared into his dark eyes as Adina gripped her leg. Her hands were warm but she trembled violently at her touch and moaned lightly when pain shot through her leg.

“Steady, Reese,” Kane murmured.

Adina pulled on her leg. Reese, sweat rolling down her face and her jaw clamping down on the stick between her teeth, cried out. The pain was enormous, like nothing she had ever felt or even imagined. As it filled her world with bright, unending agony, she tried to hold back the scream building in her throat.

It was impossible. As Adina pulled again and new agony flared in her leg, she shrieked piercingly and tried to buck free of the men holding her down.

“Hold her!” Adina said sharply.

The three of them with pale and grim faces, pressed their considerable weight on to the screaming, trembling woman. Kane stared down at his mate. Her face was completely bloodless and he could see the deep bite marks on the wood she held in her mouth.

“It is all right, my love.” He tried to speak soothingly but his wolf was howling in misery over his mate’s pain and it was hard to think past its relentless call.

“Almost there,” Adina said. She pulled again and Reese gave one final shriek of pain, her entire body arching upward before her eyes rolled up in her head and she collapsed on the bed.

Kane, feeling sick to his stomach, pulled the piece of wood from her mouth and smoothed her hair away from her face. His hand was shaking badly and he nodded when Borek gripped his shoulder. “She will be fine, Kane.”

Adina was laying the large smooth sticks against Reese’s leg and she looked briefly at them. “I will need someone to help me with this.”

“I will help,” Kane said hoarsely.

Borek shook his head and glanced at Radek. “Take Kane outside for some fresh air. I will stay and help the human.”

“I will not leave my mate!” Kane said angrily.

Borek stared in surprise at Radek who gave him a tiny shake of his head.

Kane glared at Adina. “If she wakes and I’m not here – “

“She’s not going to wake,” Adina replied. “If she does, we will find you.”

“Come with me, Kane,” Radek said gently. He urged the large shifter outside. There was no one there but Asher and Raina, and Radek gave him a curious look.

“I made them leave when she started screaming,” Asher said.

Kane shoved his hand through his hair and strode into the trees. He leaned against a large pine tree, his head down and his hands clenched into fists.

“Is the human – Reese – is she all right?” Raina asked urgently.

“Aye, she is.” Radek hugged her tightly. “Are you?”

“Aye. She saved my life, Radek.”

“I know.” He hugged her again. “What about Mia?”

“She’ll be fine,” Raina replied. She headed to Kane and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his back and hugging him firmly. He patted her arm gently and stared at the ground without speaking.

“He loves the human,” Asher said quietly.

“Aye, he does,” Radek replied. “If Dagon chooses her as his mate…”

“Kane will challenge him for alpha.”

“Will he?” Radek asked.

“Aye. He should be our alpha. Maven loved his son but I know he hoped that Kane would take over the pack. I hope that Dagon does choose the big human.”

“Have you gone mad, Uncle?” Radek said angrily. “Kane does not wish to lead. Even if he decides to challenge Dagon, what makes you think he will win? You know how powerful Dagon is.”

“Kane is stronger and smarter than him. Just because he does not believe he is, does not make it untrue.”

“She has a claiming mark on her shoulder,” Radek said in a low voice. “Kane has bitten her and claimed her as his own.”

“I am not surprised,” Asher replied softly. “If Dagon does choose her, Kane will be left with no choice but to challenge him for alpha.”

“He will leave the pack,” Radek said. “I know Kane – he has no desire to be the alpha. If Dagon chooses Reese, he will leave with her in the night.”

Asher scoffed. “Kane is not a coward.”

“I didn’t say he was!” Radek snapped. “What is wrong with you, Asher? I know you hate Dagon but there is no one amongst us who can defeat him. Not even Kane.”

“You’re wrong,” Asher said softly. Before Radek could protest, he clapped the younger shifter on the back. “Go to your friend, Radek. His mate is wounded and in pain and he could use your support.”

“He has not spoken to me since I treated his mate so rudely.”

Asher grinned at him. “Then it is time you apologized.”

Radek sighed loudly. “I never thought we would have humans in our pack. Or that Kane would fall in love with one.”

“The humans’ numbers grow with each passing day while ours dwindles,” Asher replied. “We need to find a way to coexist with them. As useless as Dagon is, he had the right idea in bringing humans into the pack. Although,” he frowned, “it would be handy if they healed as well as shifters do and enjoyed raw meat. The smell of cooked meat really does turn my stomach.”

He clapped Radek on the back and left. Radek walked toward Raina and Kane and touched Raina’s back lightly.

“Go back to the cabin, Raina.”

“No.” She frowned at him. “Kane needs me.”

“I will stay with him. You need to get some rest. Go on, now. I wish to speak to Kane privately.”

She glared at him and Kane patted her arm. “Your brother is right, Raina.”

“Can I see Reese?”

“She is resting. You can visit her when she wakes.”

She kissed Kane’s back and rolled her eyes when Radek ruffled her hair before leaving. Radek waited until she was in their cabin before speaking.

“I am sorry for the way I treated your human, Kane.”

“It is not me you should be apologizing to. And her name is Reese, not human.”

“I will apologize to Reese.”

When Kane didn’t reply, he sighed loudly. “I am sorry, Kane. Truly. It’s just – we have spent nearly our entire lives hating the humans. It is difficult for me to forget that hatred.”

“Aye, I know. You, more than any of us, have your reasons for hating them,” Kane said quietly. “I was horrible to her when I first met her, Radek. I insulted her and told her I did not care if she died. I was attracted to her from the moment I laid eyes on her but it did not stop me from nearly letting her freeze to death.”

He gave Radek a haunted look. “In return for my cruelty, she saved my life. I was drowning and without hesitating, she dove into the lake and saved me. Later when the tagen took her and I went after them, she saved my life again. She took on a tagen to save me, Radek. A tagen! I had no idea that there were humans like her.”

“She does seem…kind.”

Kane snorted laughter. “She saved my life, and she saved Deena from drowning and your sister from a mantorian and all you can say is that she seems kind?”

Radek gave him a crooked grin. “I have never had a way with words, Kane.”

“She is not from our world,” Kane said suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

“She is from another world. She was brought to ours by a glowing orb, she says. She speaks of strange metal carriages and warmth and light without fire.”

Radek gave him a hesitant look. “She sounds mad, Kane.”

“Aye, I know. But she is not. I believe her. I didn’t at first, thought she was as mad as you think her to be, but her scent is so strange, Radek. When she speaks of her world, I see the truth of what she’s saying.’

“She does have a strange scent,” Radek agreed. “But what she says is impossible.”

“Is it? There are many things in our world that cannot be explained.”

“Aye, but another world outside of this one? If what she says is true, why was she brought to ours?”

“I do not know,” Kane replied. “But whatever magic brought her here, I will forever be grateful for it.”

He gave Radek a searching look before saying hoarsely, “I love her.”

“Aye, I know you do.” Radek squeezed his shoulder. “Kane, you need to – “

The door to Kane’s cabin opened and Borek stuck his head out. “She is awake and asking for you, Kane.”

Kane hurried to the cabin and disappeared inside as Radek followed more slowly. He stood with Borek in the cold sunshine and rubbed wearily at his forehead. Borek shut the door and leaned against it.

“Kane’s precious flower.”

“What?” Radek frowned at him.

“Deena refers to the human as Kane’s precious flower, and I am beginning to see the truth in it.”

“The human means nothing to Kane,” Radek said shortly.

Borek laughed. “Does she not? I was there, Radek, when he called her his mate.”

“A slip of the tongue, nothing more.”

“And the claiming mark on her shoulder?”

Radek gave him a startled look and Borek nodded solemnly. “I saw it when she was struggling on the bed. Kane has claimed her as his own.”

Radek grabbed Borek and pulled him forward until they were nose to nose. “You will speak to no one of what you saw unless you want Deena to find herself without a mate. Do you hear me, Borek?”

“Enough, Radek!” Borek pushed him away with a scowl. “The human saved my mate’s life. Do you really believe I will run and tattle to our alpha like a child?”

“I do not know what you will do. You are loyal to our alpha,” Radek replied.

“Am I?” Borek said suddenly. “Do you know that after Deena healed from the bear shifter’s attack and it became apparent that she was not the same, our alpha told me it would be best if I killed her and put her out of her misery? He said she weakened our pack.”

He snarled angrily. “He honestly expected that I would do as he said. That I would take the woman I loved into the woods and put her down like a dog that can no longer serve its master. Our alpha is not fit to rule us. He is more mad than my mate.”

He gave Radek a solemn look. “I must get back to Deena. I will speak to no one of what I heard and saw today, Radek. You have my word.”

 

* * *

 

“Reese, are you sure you cannot eat just a little?” Kane said anxiously. “You need to regain your strength.”

Reese shook her head. Darkness had fallen and Adina had just left. She had spent most of the day drifting in and out of consciousness which she suspected had something to do with the foul-tasting tea Adina had kept forcing her to drink. The tea dulled the pain in her leg but it also made her sleepy and weak. Still, she was grateful for it.

“I’m too tired, Kane. I just want to sleep.”

“Do you need to use the bathroom?”

She shook her head again. “No, Adina helped me earlier.” She had been totally humiliated when Adina had brought a shallow dish to the bed. She had even changed the soft cloth in her underwear for a fresh one and had shrugged off Reese’s apology.

“Do not worry, Reese,” she had spoken soothingly. “I am more than happy to help. Tomorrow when you are feeling better, I will wash your hair and help you bathe. Get some rest tonight.”

Now, as Kane climbed carefully into the bed beside her, she closed her eyes and melted into his warm embrace.

“What you did was very foolish, Reese,” he whispered into her hair.

“It would have killed Raina and Mia,” she murmured.

“It nearly killed you.” His stomach clenched at the memory of his mate dangling in the mantorian’s grip. He touched her throat lightly. It was swollen and bruises were rising on her pale skin.

“If I hadn’t gotten there in time - “

He stopped, his hand tightening around her waist and she rubbed his arm. “You did. I’m fine, shifter.”

He grunted. “A broken leg is not fine, Reese.”

She smiled sleepily at him. “It’s better than being dead. I’m so tired, Kane.”

“I know, my love. Go to sleep.” He kissed her lightly and she closed her eyes. She was asleep in a matter of moments and he stared at her, memorizing every line of her sweet face, before resting his forehead against hers.

“I love you,” he whispered.

She didn’t stir and he placed his head next to hers and closed his eyes.