Bridged by Love (9 page)

Chapter Ten

Hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee, Riley sat in her basement office the following morning. She’d worked for hours on the shifter who’d showed up at her hospital door. The extent of his injuries became apparent as soon as his clothing had been removed. The number of arteries nicked would’ve guaranteed a lesser shifter’s death. As it was, he’d barely survived the blood loss.

She blinked hard to bring the computer screen into focus. The notes she’d made on the shifter’s condition blurred the longer she stared at it. She was bone-tired, but the necessities of her job demanded she go through the motions she’d implemented at her clinic. Critical data might be missed if she didn’t capture her memories immediately following an incident.

A couple of clicks to double-check his medication dosage, and she was ready to call it a night. Or day. Or whatever. Sleep, that was what she needed. The couch behind her was calling her name. As much as she wished she could go home and crawl into her own bed, she could barely keep her eyes open. No way would she be able to drive. Besides, she didn’t have anyone to relieve her. Today was supposed to have been Jenna’s shift.

A thump from the hallway caught her attention. She froze. Her gaze darted to the closed door, and her heart rate kicked into high gear. Chris had left over three hours ago after helping her with the Tanner wolf. Nobody else should’ve been inside the hospital.

She studied the lights above the door. One green and one red, exactly as she expected. The first told her the door to her office was unlocked, the second informing her the ones leading into the basement were secure.

Her hands trembled, but she managed to put the cup down without sloshing the hot liquid over the side. She cocked her head and listened. No other sounds reached her ears. She might’ve imagined it but couldn’t take the chance.

The memory of Nic’s dad trying to get out of his bed yesterday came back to her. He’d been walking some, but never without the help of the rolling IV stand. He used it in place of a cane. According to him, an alpha shouldn’t need any assistance walking. The truth was, though, he was still incredibly weak. She suspected the loss of his shifting ability caused it. As the days dragged on, his metabolism had been decreasing too. She’d had to adjust not only the amount of food she’d made for him, but his medicine as well.

Worry gripped her. The few times she’d been in to check on him over the night, he’d been sleeping. If he decided to get up and fell? The thought took hold. She stood and made her way to the door. The corridor stood empty, but a squeak of a cart’s wheels echoed in the space. She rushed forward.

At the split in the hallways, she turned right. The four patient rooms lined one corridor. She scanned them. The three empty ones stood open. The one Nic’s dad occupied remained closed and secured. The sight gave her some comfort. She hurried to it anyway. Just because he didn’t leave the room didn’t mean he hadn’t fallen.

She punched in the entry code and opened the door. The soft sounds of snoring reached her. Nic’s dad was asleep. He hadn’t woken any of the times she’d entered the room. The knowledge bothered her. Without his wolf on alert, he was only a man, one with a fragmented soul. For the first time, regret gripped her. She’d fought to save his life, knowing they couldn’t lose their alpha. He’d thanked her for restarting his heart. Would he feel the same in a few months?

Another soft sound reached her—a low screech of metal on metal. Not loud, it carried from somewhere else in the basement. The only place she hadn’t checked was the hallway leading to the operating room and storage area.

Where she’d left the Tanner wolf, unconscious and doped up on pain medicine.

Oh God.
There wasn’t a security lock on any of the doors in that section. There was no need for them. The area was for staff only.

Who could be there besides the Tanner wolf?

Not an intruder. The alarms would’ve sounded. And it couldn’t have been the injured shifter. He’d been unconscious. She had no doubt he’d stay that way too. She’d given him enough drugs to knock him out for a full day. She hadn’t wanted to move him until he had a chance to heal some of the worst injuries he’d obtained.

So who was here? She didn’t have an answer.

She quickly shut and locked the door, securing Nic’s dad in the safety of his room, and then rushed to the end of the hall. She turned toward her office to call for backup, just in case, but a muttered curse and a loud
thump
stopped her mid-step. The sound of pinging metal upon metal followed, and something large toppling to the floor. A pained groan followed.

Her need to protect kicked in. She spun on her heel and ran. A quick scan of the operating room showed an empty table. The blanket she’d covered the shifter with lay on the floor. IV lines hung next to the bed. Clear fluid dripped from the tubes and spots of blood marked the path he’d taken…

Out of the room.

Her heart skipped a beat before pounding hard. More drops of blood led down the hall. Her situation hit her, chilling her blood.

She reached inside the room and hit the emergency button on the keypad. A silent call would go out to all the dominants’ phones. She’d never used the extreme measure before, but she’d never once been in a situation where she feared for her life. At the moment, she did. More than that, she feared for Nic’s dad. He couldn’t die.

Okay, Nic. You said to call if I ever needed you. Well, I do. I need you more than anything.

Chapter Eleven

Nic sat, back propped against a tree trunk. From the spot he’d claimed at the top of the hill, he could see the side entrance to the clinic and Riley’s SUV. A quick peek at his watch confirmed his guess. He’d been here close to eighteen hours. He had no plans of leaving anytime soon either. Chris’s call yesterday had spiked his unease, but it was Sean’s assessment of the shifter that worried Nic the most.

The Tanner wolf had not only been beaten but tortured. Somebody had shoved hot pokers under his fingernails, searing his skin and guaranteeing tremendous pain whenever he unleashed his claws. On top of that, he’d been whipped and salt had been rubbed into the wounds on his back, ensuring the marks would scar.

One question kept repeating in Nic’s head—why would the protector be treated as a criminal? Out of all the members of a pack, they were the most loyal and rarely committed any crime, as it went against their nature.

So what had he done? And why hadn’t they finished him off? Surely if they thought his actions to be horrendous enough to warrant such a punishment as he’d received, they’d kill him so they could reclaim his wolf. Allowing him to live didn’t fit with the Tanner pack’s beliefs.

The entire situation bothered Nic. So too did his inability to leave. There was no reason for him to personally watch over the hospital. Both Sean and Chris were in the woods. Nic couldn’t bring himself to walk away, however.

His instincts demanded he stay. Protective ones, yes. They weren’t the only drivers behind his focused study of the clinic, however. Riley’s scent hung in the air. Like a damn lure, he wanted to follow it back to her.

This is why I stayed away for those years. I’m going to drive myself fucking crazy.

With the full moon a little over a week away, he should be focused on his future, not his past. Hannah had lined up close to a dozen appointments for him today with potential mates. He’d canceled them, blaming the appearance of the Tanner’s protector as his reason.

And when she suggested possible times to reschedule? He’d turned his back on her and left without responding. He hadn’t been able to come up with a good excuse. Silence had seemed best at the time, yet the longer he salivated over Riley’s scent, he knew it couldn’t fix his problems. Or help him escape them. His clock was ticking.

Eight days, and his life would change.

By tradition, an alpha took a mate the same night as he claimed his pack. With the magic of the transfer empowering him, a baby was always conceived. It was the only one guaranteed an alpha. Shifters didn’t breed well.

If he were smart, he’d pick a mate, knock her up, and…

And what? Do I really think I’m going to be able to walk away from her knowing she’s carrying my kid? Or after it’s born?

He’d end up being protective and possessive, exactly like every other mated male he’d known over his lifetime. No, love might not be necessary for breeding, but there was still a bond formed. She would still carry a piece of his soul.

And as long as Riley is in town, I’ll be torn between them.

Riley would own his heart.

His mate would own his soul.

And he’d have nothing.
No, that’s not true. I’ll have a kid.
He snorted.
And how am I supposed to be a father to it when I’m broken? I’ll end up like my dad. Cold. Indifferent. Unapproachable.

He’d end up caring for his mate, not loving her.
And if she dies before I do, maybe I’ll miss her too.

He cursed and slammed his balled fist into the ground next to him.

“Problem?”

Sean’s low whisper reached him. Nic had scented his approach a while ago but a glare in his direction had kept his friend at arm’s length. He hadn’t been in the mood to talk. Still wasn’t.

He turned his attention to the brick building a few hundred feet away. Riley was inside, maybe sleeping. Chris had mentioned she planned to crash at the clinic, too tired to drive home. He’d offered to take her back, but with Jenna grieving, Riley was pulling double duty.

Sean crouched next to him, gaze on the building below. “Not going to answer?”

“No.”

“Fine. How about this one? Why are you here and not preparing to take your place as alpha?”

The tips of Nic’s fingers burned from the pressure of his claws. He rubbed his thumb over them to ease the ache. “How’s Jenna?”

Sean’s sigh cut through the silence; no doubt he understood the question for what it was—a diversion.

“She’s upset and blaming herself for convincing him to move here, but she also wants his killer’s balls.” Sean chuckled. “My mate has a temper.”

Nic glanced at him. His blond hair stood on end, and tension tightened his features. “From what I heard, she could give Hannah a run for her money if she wanted to assert herself in the pack hierarchy.”

He shrugged. “She was one of her pack’s dominant females but has no desire to hold such a position again. She knows firsthand how damn depraved some of them are and fears becoming like them. I’ve argued with her, reminding her that not all are demented. A few of the other dominants have been trying to change things, her remaining brother included. There’s no reason for her to be afraid of the strength she holds. She says she’s content being my mate, though.”

Nic couldn’t exactly blame her. Power wasn’t everything, but when it was all a shifter had, it was best to embrace it for the good of the pack. “They’re not trying too hard if their betas are dying left and right.”

Sean picked up a rock. He turned it between his thumb and forefinger, studying it as if it were a priceless jewel. Nic waited, knowing his friend would speak only when he had his thoughts in order. Nic couldn’t help being jealous of his calm demeanor too.

Finally, Sean tossed the small stone and faced him. “They’re dominants, not the alpha, and they’re afraid for their loved ones. It’s not easy being a dominant, Nic. We have the same drivers as the alpha to protect and lead, but we don’t possess the pack spirit. If the Tanner dominants piss off their alpha, then their kids, siblings and mates suffer.”

Sean leaned forward, knee brushing Nic’s leg. The subtle contact showed his support. “Our pack is lucky. I’m lucky. You and I are friends, but not all alphas or their families have cultivated the relationship the Kagan wolves have. We are one, linked together in a communal bond. The Tanner wolves aren’t. The pack members are tools in Michael’s game, nothing more. Hell, even his kids are pawns. Look at what he’s doing to them. Ordering them to take over neighboring packs by whatever means necessary.”

Nic matched Sean’s pose so they were eye to eye, a way for Nic to express they were indeed equals, at least for the time being, and that Sean was valued. “I was supposed to meet with Maria, Derek’s twin, today. I told Hannah to forget it, that I didn’t want to associate with those bastards, but she insisted Maria wasn’t like her brother, and that if I mated her, Michael would back off and leave our pack alone.”

“He’d probably prefer it. Your kids would be wickedly strong, and in a roundabout way, our pack’s power would add to theirs. As for if it’s a good idea?” Sean shrugged. “I’ve never met her, but Jenna said she’s trustworthy. At least, she was, but remember, Jenna hasn’t been a part of the pack in nearly four years.”

“You mated Jenna right after I left.” He hadn’t wanted to know the details. His resentment had been thick. Hell, it still was, but the details seemed necessary.

He had to understand what drove his friend to pick a mate immediately after maturing. Few males did. They waited until the urge to breed overpowered their need to enjoy a variety of sexual partners. Shifters found it difficult to cheat on their mates. Not impossible, but it was a betrayal to their animal’s instincts. Nic’s unusual tie to Riley made him the exception. If he chose to take that route, that was. He didn’t plan on it. He’d endangered Riley’s life enough.

“Yeah.” Sean dropped his gaze. “I stumbled upon her the night of my first shift. Lust took over. I was balls-deep inside her and asked her if she wanted to be mine. She said yes, so I bit her.” He chuckled. “I hate to admit it, but I didn’t even know her name.”

“You love her.”

Sean dipped his head. “Yes, very much.” He raised his gaze and the seriousness in his expression froze Nic in place. “I soul-bonded with her a couple of weeks ago.”

“Shit. That’s risky.”

Sean flashed him a crooked smile. “Not when you’re in love. My wolf was all for it. He loves her too. She’s our true mate.”

Nic’s resentment returned. A true mate was rare. They were the one person who could bridge both halves of a shifter, turning them into what they were supposed to be—the ultimate union of man and beast. A true mate’s touch and love was said to offer peace, something few shifters experienced. Living with a separate entity wasn’t easy, especially when they both wanted something different. Nic could attest to how damn hard it was to function when his greatest enemy lived within his body.

He pushed from the ground, shoving his damn shoulder-length hair out of his face, and leaned against the tree next to him. “Hey, maybe I’ll end up loving my mate too.”

Sean stepped next to him. “Doubt it. The older shifters say for our kind, love’s a one-shot deal.” He glanced at him. “And you already gave yours away. Best you can hope for is to embrace your protective instincts. She is going to be carrying your kid.”

“Yeah. That’s what I’ve always wanted. Be tied to a woman I only care—”

Sean’s buzzing phone stopped his words. Sean whipped his cell out, hit a button to silence it without looking at the display and skidded down the hill in front of them.

Nic followed, falling into step with him. “What?”

“Riley triggered the emergency alarm. All the dominants will have gotten the call.”

All but Nic.

His resentment kicked in full force, and he couldn’t do a thing about it.

He’d told her they were done.