Chapter 12: Everett

Chapter 12: Everett

I knew she would show up here. In spite of all the warnings not to, Aislin was perpetually prone to making the stupidest decision possible, so I wasn’t entirely surprised when the spicy-sweet scent of my fated mate drifted in on the breeze.

Without waiting for a cry of alarm, I took off first, instructing my packmates to stay behind and wait for my cue. Whatever Aislin intended to discuss with Colt, I knew the outcome couldn’t be good, purely because I knew that Aislin was hardly eloquent enough to keep this a diplomatic mission. Admittedly, I was also counting on Aislin disobeying Gavin, because even if it didn’t put Muriel in my grasp, at least it gave me the chance to take Aislin and get her injury dealt with.

Now she ran alongside me—or stumbled, rather, as we plowed through the undergrowth of the forest toward freedom, snapping twigs and rustling leaves as we went. My neck hurt at the angle I ran, trying to keep hold of Aislin so she didn’t slip free and get left behind. The dragons advanced on us, crashing through the forest like they were bulldozing down trees, screeching like demons. It took a lot to unnerve me, but this frightenedme. They would swarm us both without the mercy they showed me last time in allowing me to escape alive. This time... the damage would be irreversible. And to imagine seeing Aislin torn apart by the dragons, I didn’t think I could handle it, let alone explain it to Gavin. But I had never been one to take death lightly no matter who it was.

Teeth clacked over the tip of my tail. The dragon enveloped my periphery, its massive wings reaching forward, trying to lurch closer. Razor nails tore through my haunch, reopening one of the wounds I had tried to heal. Growling, I mustered my strength to push harder, running faster, even as Aislin’s body nearly went limp while she gasped for air. I couldn’t breathe either, but it was life or death, and I’d run until my lungs gave out.

Hearing the cacophony, my pack quickly filled in around us, intercepting the dragons in a flurry of teeth and claws. I prayed that they would be able to disengage and keep running, because as much as I wanted to, I couldn’t afford to look back and defend any of them when I had Aislin to take to safety.

We plunged back into Grandbay territory just in time to hear the chorus of concerned howls from Gavin and his packmates in the direction of their pack cabin. He’d likely know by now that Aislin had taken off, but I had no intention of returning her to him.

The dragons fell back once Gavin became aware of the fight. My packmates and I continued running, weaving toward the perimeter and along its eastern edge, into the mountains we called home. All five of my packmates made it, though all of them wore fresh wounds to show for their bravery. I was relieved to have just five with me when nearly all my pack had been so reluctant to engage before. No doubt I would never hear the end of this.

Finally, we were safely ensconced within Eastpeak territory. Taking refuge on the mountainside, my pack stopped to breathe and lick their wounds. I dropped Aislin on the ground and dragged air into my lungs. She collapsed, rasping too. The overcast above us thinned and silver moonlight ruptured the haze, catching in her ruffles of red fur like dewdrops.

A series of growls and whines exchanged between my packmates reassured me that they were all fine. They’d taken some bites, but nothing lethal. After that brief rest, we set out again, crossing the rest of the distance to my house overlooking the town.

Everybody else transformed and went inside to tend their wounds. I lingered in my yard illuminated by bright white security lights, looking expectantly at Aislin. She leered back at me with those fierce brown eyes, tongue lolling out of her mouth as she fought to breathe without giving it away that she was struggling. Her sharp cheekbones and narrow jaw made her look vicious. Disapproval rumbled from my throat.

I began my transformation, and she began hers.

Extra clothes in conveniently tucked-away bags were a staple throughout Eastpeak territory, even in my own backyard. Once human, I grabbed a nylon bag hanging from a tree which held sweat shorts and a t-shirt, and only after slipping them on did I realize that Aislin had become human behind me, her slim and athletic body still unclad. When I glanced over my shoulder at her, I caught her scowl. “You made me drop my clothes,” she said.

“Fine. Wear this.” I rolled off my t-shirt and threw it at her.

She made a face, clutching the t-shirt away from herself. “I don’t want to stink like you. Just take me back to my apartment like this.”

Did she expect to just walk bare-assed into her apartment building?

“I’m not taking you back there. Put the shirt on,” I said.

Aislin’s eyes all but lit up in flame. “You’re taking me back there,” she insisted, coughing. “Thanks for getting me away from the dragons, but I have to report to Gavin.”

“You’re not going anywhere until you get your injury checked out,” I told her. “If I’m taking you anywhere, it’s to Muriel so she can heal you.”

“Fine,” she sneered back at me.

That would have been my chance to kidnap Muriel, but I wasn’t sure Gavin would appreciate that after what had already happened tonight. He wouldn’t allow me to get Muriel alone, either. “On second thought, I don’t trust that you wouldn’t refuse to let her touch you once you got there. Maybe I’ll take you to a hospital instead.”

“Good luck with that. I’ll just go on my own then.” Aislin threw my shirt on the ground and stepped away, carving a path through my yard toward the trees.

All my years having been taught to respect women, not to raise a hand to them, opposed the instinct to go after Aislin. Finally, my muscles tensed as I charged after her, reaching to grasp her wrist.

She reeled away. “No, you are notfucking touching me!”

But she wasn’t strong enough to rip free. I tightened my grip, as though the physical contact had suddenly erased my discretion and overwhelmed me with the desire to keep hold of her above all else. “You’re not going anywhere, Aislin,” I said between my teeth, fighting to keep her rooted to the spot.

Aislin whipped around to face me, digging her fingernails into my arm. “Fucking asshole!” She coughed and I felt it reverberating in my own chest. “Let me go! Are you really gonna do this in front of your whole pack?”

“Let them see what their Alpha is capable of when he’s pushed to his limit,” I growled, looming over her.

Once she caught her breath again, Aislin stared defiantly back up at me. Her delicate nose and pink lips contorted into an angry snarl; her thin, dark eyebrows pinched. She looked like she wanted to rip out my throat with those teeth of hers. Red-hot fury urged me to put her in her place, so uncharacteristic of the usual calm control of my demeanor. She just made me want to tear everything down around me. Everything about her was destructive. I couldn’t imagine that this was my fated mate, who was supposed to soothe me, tame me—when she was the one who set me ablaze worse than anyone.

“Get inside,” I commanded.

Aislin sealed her lips this time. “Don’t fucking mess with me,” she said, finally tearing her wrist out of my hand.

I had no intention of messing with her, especially after hearing Colt’s threat.

Bending over to grab the shirt, Aislin then trudged toward my house. I followed her, watching her lithe body twist as she slipped the shirt on. Having taken care not to absorb too many of her naked details before, I couldn’t help but watch the bare backs of her thighs as she walked, occasionally glimpsing the underside of her ass. Once she walked inside and stood under the domestic light of my living room, I tried to avoid looking too much at the buds of her nipples through my shirt, too.

The fire spread from my chest all through my body. I hated this connection we shared.

My five packmates glanced up at us. Taylor caught my eye, and I muttered quickly, “Everyone get your wounds taken care of and rest up. Things are about to get interesting.”

“Oh, you’re fucking right it’s gonna get interesting,” Aislin fired back.

She stayed by the glass back doors as I gravitated to Taylor. I kept my eye on her, knowing that the moment I looked away, she’d try to bolt. “I don’t believe she’s injured other than in her lungs, so I’ll just keep her here,” I said. “Arrange for someone who didn’t join us tonight to patrol the Eastpeak and Grandbay perimeter.”

“Alright. Are you sure you’ll be able to keep her under control?” asked Taylor.

“I’m not letting her out of my sight.”

Nodding, Taylor gathered the rest of my packmates to dress their wounds in the kitchen. I returned to Aislin, instinctively reaching out to take her arm. She pulled away and kept her distance. “Come with me,” I commanded.

With a grunt of annoyance, Aislin followed me upstairs and to the second-floor bathroom, where we were isolated from everyone else. The cold tile floor on my feet only emphasized the aches that flushed my body. My muscles were still screaming from running so hard. I sat on the edge of the tub and took the detachable showerhead, rinsing the deep gash on my thigh with hot water.

Aislin stood as far away from me as possible, her arms crossed. “What do you hope to gain from kidnapping me, exactly?”

“You know exactly what I’m hoping to gain.”

“So if I get this whole issue with my lungs taken care of, you’ll let me go?”

I glanced up at her. Now that I had her, strangely, I didn’t want to give her up. My jaw tensed as I chewed on the answer. “Yes.”

“You should’ve just taken me back to Grandbay then. I’ll get Muriel to do it.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Well, what the fuck do you want me to do then?” Aislin snapped.

Truthfully, I didn’t know what I wanted. I just didn’t want to lose control of her. “Just fucking be quiet,” I muttered, dropping a rare curse indicative of my frustration.

Aislin wrinkled her lip and watched me. After cleaning the blood from my thigh, I took a hot, damp cloth and dabbed around the jagged wound, stifling my wince from the stinging pain. She was probably enjoying watching me, even if she could feel it too. We said nothing to each other as I took out the first-aid kit from under my sink and wrapped up my thigh, like I had dressed the countless other wounds I’d gained over the past few days.

Had my eyes not been lowered to my thigh, I wouldn’t have eventually noticed the cut on her ankle, the red trickling down her heel and onto my floor. “You are wounded,” I pointed out.

Aislin glanced down at her foot, as if she’d only noticed then too. “Oh. Suppose I am.”

“Come here,” I said.

She pressed against the door. “No. I said you’re not touching me.”

“I can clean it up quickly.”

“I’ll do it myself.”

“Why are you so difficult?” I sighed.

Aislin scoffed. “Because I don’t need a fucking man to take care of me like I’m some damsel in distress.”

“Yet you needed me to drag you away from the Inkscales.”

“I didn’t need you for anything,” Aislin countered. “In fact, I was hoping they’d fuck me up, just so I could be a nuisance to you again.”

Of course she did. I rinsed the cloth then stood up, finding my patience for Aislin’s bullshit wearing incredibly thin. As soon as I rose, Aislin flinched and flung her hand at the door handle. She tried to open the door as I bore down on her, but I quickly slammed it, planting my hand firmly beside her head. “Go sit on the tub.” I pointed at it.

Aislin held her breath, refusing to breathe me in. Even that infuriated me. Everything she did to evade me only nourished my anger. I was only trying to help her. It wasn’t like I was actively trying to hurt her or take advantage of her, and she even knew that. She just wanted to refuse all forms of help to prove that she didn’t need it, me, or anything. Our stares met and ignited sparks, and my heart raced. She still didn’t move.

Did I even want her to move?

Being this close to Aislin clouded my judgment. I knew the side effects of being so close to my fated mate before marking could be dangerous. It was exactly what I didn’t want to feel, this churning in my gut that made me hungry, drove me wild. Curiosity burned within me. If she was still so vehemently angry at me that she wanted nothing to do with me, she would have been pounding on my chest to push me away, wouldn’t she?

Instead, Aislin just glared at me, her eyes flickering across the features on my face. From my dirt-stained brow to my chapped lips.

“Do you feel this?” I mumbled.

“Don’t think that I want to,” Aislin cut back, lowering her voice for me.

“But you do.”

She breathed shallow, eyelashes bowing over her gaze as she assessed the proximity of our bodies. Blood smeared the floor beneath her foot. I didn’t care, I could clean it up later. Her presence intoxicated me, stripping me of rational thought, embodying the fantasies that I had succumbed to earlier in the weekend. I never allowed myself to get close to anyone, and so much time spent in physical isolation had weakened my self-discipline. My hand moved off the door and brushed the hem of my shirt on her body. All I could think about was lifting the shirt up over her chest and squeezing her beautiful tits.

It made me feel like a pig.

She must have thought so too, because she threw my hand away and pulled back, lancing me with a venomous stare. “Don’t do this after you fucking rejected me, Everett,” warned Aislin.

That moment, I regretted rejecting her as my fated mate. I wished I had spent more time thinking about it, or at least given myself a chance to get her alone first. “What if I changed my mind?”

“You’re fucking unbelievable!” This time, she really did slam her fists on my chest, shoving me away.

As soon as the distance between us returned, I regained some sense. Guilt and shame sizzled within me. I straightened up and looked down at her, scrambling to scrape together my dignity. “You’re right. That was stupid of me,” I said as coolly as possible. “Clean up your foot then.”

She took the cloth from me and pushed past, eying me with warning not to infringe on her space again. I wasn’t going to, especially considering how she’d pushed me away just now. She didn’t want me, fated mate connection or not. I couldn’t deny that breathing in her smell, being so close to her body I could touch her, had cursed me with lust I didn’t think I could so easily tamp down anymore.

“I’m taking you to the hospital tomorrow,” I said.

“Whatever,” snipped Aislin.

Even though I wanted to run my hands all over her, it was probably best that I got her out of my house as quickly as possible. Staying in close quarters would only drive the both of us insane.

I knew without a doubt that I wanted intimacy with her, but at this point, Aislin Mundy had become an unattainable fever dream of a desire.