Winter (Rise of the Pride, Book 2) (5 page)

Winter stepped back inside his front door,
grabbing an old patchwork quilt off the back of the couch, and then
walked to his truck, laying the folded blanket on the seat. He
drove around to the front of the alpha’s house and stepped out of
his truck. Before he could reach the porch, the door opened and
Liberty walked out, closing the door softly.

When she looked up, Winter’s heart skipped
in his chest. The alpha’s mate looked tired, dark circles were
smudged under her eyes. Her hair was in a loose braid and she
looked at her feet as she walked down the steps.

“Hold up,” Winter said, halting Liberty with
his words. She cursed softly under her breath, taking a deep breath
before looking up at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Tired,” she replied, taking a step around
him. “I’m going with you to get Nova and if you tell Talon, I will
hurt you.”

“Ah, no,” Winter replied, his voice firm. “I
am not going to get my balls handed to me because my alpha’s mate
is running off when she obviously should be in bed…resting.”

“Do you know how tired I am of resting?” she
snarled. “Winter Blue! Don’t you dare…Well, damn.” Winter ignored
her threats, marching himself right through the front door of the
house. He didn’t have to go far before his alpha was rushing down
the large staircase, his eyes frantically searching for his
mate.

“She’s outside,” Winter said, hooking his
thumb over his shoulder.

“Thank you,” Talon said gratefully, heading
out the door.

Winter waited inside, not wanting to get
between the two. They’d work out their differences quickly and then
he’d be on his way to pick up Nova from the hospital. Today was
going to be the day they brought her home to live at the main house
for a few days until she healed.

Talon had called him earlier that morning,
advising him that Liberty and one of the pride’s females had set up
a guest room for Nova. Some sense of peace had fallen over Winter,
knowing she would be close to the pride and protected. It was safer
that way. He really didn’t want her at the old farmhouse. She was
still too weak to be taking care of herself.

The door opened and Talon walked inside, a
snarl curling his upper lip. “She is going with you. I cannot go
with you because I am needed on the phone with the sheriff’s office
concerning a missing person’s case. You bring them both back here
as soon as possible and do not let my mate do anything
exhausting.”

“Yes, sir,” Winter replied, fighting to keep
a smile off of his face. His alpha was hard as stone when it came
to his pride, but his little mate owned him heart and soul. There
wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep her happy.

“She’s waiting in your truck,” he growled.
“Call me when you are on your way back and I will have food waiting
for both of them when they arrive.”

Winter walked out of the house, finally
laughing to himself when he slid into his truck. His eyes swung
over to look at Liberty, who was chuckling softly. “Oh, hush,” she
laughed.

“He’s right.” Winter sobered, turning the
key to start the truck. “You need your rest.”

“Just take me to the hospital,” Liberty
groaned. “The quicker I get my sister here to keep an eye on her,
the quicker I will
rest
and make everyone happy. Geez, you
guys are annoying.”

“You know how we are about the females who
are with young,” he reminded her as he pulled out onto the road
that ran in front of the pride’s land.

“Is it just the magical mojo that makes you
all gravitate toward me?” she asked, leaning her head against the
window.

“I guess it is.” Winter shrugged, not
commenting on her constant use of “magical mojo” when referring to
anything about being a panther. “When we are near you, it’s like we
are almost cubs again and feel the pull toward our mother.” Winter
frowned at his words. He wasn’t born a panther, but knew the
feeling all of the panthers were experiencing when anywhere near
Liberty.

“Is that why everyone stares at me?” she
asked, never opening her eyes.

“Yeah,” he answered, taking the onramp to
the highway. “Plus the fact that you are the alpha’s mate. We all
love our leader and you are a part of him. Your scent is comforting
to us and it draws us toward you. It’s part of our nature,
Liberty.”

“Great,” she sighed. “I’m freaking cat
nip.”

Winter tossed his head back and laughed so
hard his ribs protested from the action. Talon’s mate was full of
fire and her sister was exactly the same. He was going to enjoy
seeing how his leader handled both of them living under his
roof.

They sobered as they arrived at the hospital
a few minutes later. Nova was sitting up in the bed, but she looked
as though she should be resting alongside her sister.

“What’s wrong?” Liberty asked as soon as she
cleared the door.

“I just want to go home,” she said, avoiding
eye contact with both of them.

“What happened?” Winter snapped, his
protective side raged when Nova looked up in fear.

“Nothing happened.” She frowned. “I just
want to go home.”

“About that,” Liberty paused, casting a
glance over her shoulder. Winter stepped forward, but not close
enough to touch either of the women.

“I’m taking you to the pride house,” Winter
informed her, holding up his hand when Nova began to argue. “An
order is an order, and Talon wants you there until you are
better.”

“He doesn’t order me around,” Nova growled.
The action itself was full of her usual bratty fire, but Winter
noticed she was more standoffish than normal.

“Well, he orders me around and I’m taking
you there,” Winter replied, his icy blue eyes sparking amber. He
knew his panther was prowling just from the yellow haze that coated
his vision. “And there will be no arguing from you. Now, have they
discharged you?”

“Yes,” she huffed, crossing her arms over
her chest. She wore a pair of gray sweatpants and a thin, long
sleeved shirt. Even her normally rosy cheeks were pale. Her long,
brown hair was in a bit of disarray, but she was still beautiful,
even with the purple bruising around her eye.

Winter cleared his throat and stepped back,
turning away from the two women when he realized he’d just let his
thoughts wander to how much this little human appealed to him. She
wasn’t his and she’d made that perfectly clear when she’d pushed
him away for voicing his anger at her dating the man who eventually
tried to kill her.

“Let me braid your hair,” Liberty said,
interrupting his thoughts. He was glad she stepped in, because the
awkward silence was going to eat him alive.

While Liberty prepared Nova to leave the
hospital, Winter left the room, heading for the nurse’s station.
The lady behind the desk followed him down to the room, pushing a
wheelchair to take Nova down to his truck.

“I’ll pull the truck up to the entrance and
meet you downstairs,” he said, turning away from the room. His
panther was agitated and he didn’t understand why. He’d done his
job, coming to the hospital to get Nova and escorting Liberty there
and back to the pride house so both women could get their rest.

That was his job for the day. He’d do it and
then shift so he could spend the rest of the day in his animal
form, letting his human mind take a break from the constant images
of Nova’s battered face and body.

“Liberty,” Nova sniffled. She felt like she
was falling apart. Ever since Perry had attacked her, all she
wanted was for Winter to hold her and tell her everything would be
okay.

But he wouldn’t touch her.

“Yeah,” Liberty replied, sadness in her
voice.

“Why won’t he touch me?” she asked, looking
up into her sister’s ice blue eyes, hoping to find all the answers
she was seeking.

“I really don’t know, Nova,” Liberty said,
kissing her forehead. “Let’s get you home and we will rest. We can
worry about stubborn panthers tomorrow.”

Nova didn’t reply as the nurse helped her
into the wheelchair. True to his word, Winter was waiting for them
as they exited the doors. Nova shivered, wrapping her arms around
herself from the bitter cold wind that felt like it was piercing
her bones.

Liberty climbed into the backseat of the
extended cab truck, pulling the backrest so Nova could climb in the
front. As soon as Nova was seated, and the bag of medicines and her
paperwork were placed at her feet by the nurse, Winter handed her a
large, thick quilt. The thing was old and smelled like him. She
tried not to hold it to her face and inhale the unique smell of the
woods behind her home and something sweet, but she did take a deep
breath.

He drove without speaking, his thick jaw
ticked from how hard he had it clamped. Nova was sure he wanted to
yell at her again for being stupid enough to go out with Perry. How
the hell did she know the guy was out for nothing but information
about the pride?

“Nova?” Winter said, breaking her thoughts.
“Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine,” she replied, wiping at a lone
tear that had trailed out of her swollen eye.

When they arrived at the alpha’s house,
Winter slid out of his seat, walking around to the passenger side.
He opened the door and stood back, waiting for Nova to get out on
her own. She noticed his hands were fisted at his sides and that
damn tick in his jaw was only getting more and more pronounced as
he waited impatiently. She didn’t want to be a burden, but it
looked like Winter was agitated with her slowness.

Nova held her broken arm close to her chest
and carefully stepped out of the truck. She handed him the blanket
without another word, grabbing her bag and walking toward the front
door. The large brick home was inviting enough, but she really
would’ve rather been at her old farmhouse. At least there she could
cry without the panthers hearing her with their enhanced
abilities.

Liberty opened the door, stepping aside so
Nova could go inside. There were several women moving about the
home. One woman was dusting the dark wood furniture, but stopped
when she heard them walk through the door.

“Ms. Nova,” she began, setting her rag down
next to a large flower arrangement. Nova remembered her as the
children’s caretaker. Her name was June. “We have your room ready
and Mrs. Shaw is preparing you a meal.” Talon’s mother did a lot of
the cooking in the home. Liberty had introduced them a few weeks
ago and Nova really liked her.

“That’s not necessary,” Nova protested.

“You need your strength,” June insisted.
“The alpha wanted both of you fed well as soon as you arrived.”

The door closed behind them and Nova didn’t
even have to look to know it was Winter who’d entered behind them.
His scent wrapped around her as he moved closer. “Liberty will show
you to your room and I will bring you something to eat.” His voice
held no emotion and, at that moment, Nova knew she needed to just
turn off any thoughts of being with the stubborn Guardian. He
obviously didn’t have the same feelings toward her.

“Come on,” Liberty said, her teeth clenched
as she spoke.

Nova followed her sister up a set of stairs,
turning left when they reached the top. A long hallway loomed
ahead. Several doors lined each side of the hallway. At the end, a
door was open, leading into a bedroom that had already been
prepared for her.

“Our room is at the other end of the
hallway,” Liberty informed her, walking over to the tall bed to
pull back the covers. “I want you to rest.”

“Isn’t that what you’re supposed to be
doing?” Nova smirked, trying to lighten the mood in the room. She
knew her sister was agitated with Winter, but she didn’t want
Liberty to be mad at him. Whatever was going on between Nova and
the Guardian should stay just that.

“And I will,” Liberty sighed. “Just as soon
as you are settled.”

“I’m a big girl, Libby,” she chuckled, using
the nickname her sister hated. “I think I can tuck myself in for a
nap.”

“Sorry,” Liberty groaned, turning for the
door. “Winter should be bringing you something to eat. Don’t feel
like you need to eat it all. The pride females like to make a lot
of food.”

“Okay.” She smiled, sliding into the bed
once she’d kicked off her shoes. Nova knew how much the panthers
ate while in their human form and had even noticed Liberty’s
appetite had increased before she found out she was pregnant.
Hopefully her sister would start feeling better soon.

The bed was super soft. The fluffy, white
comforter encased her aching body as if someone’s arms were wrapped
around her protectively. The thought of those arms made her
stiffen. She didn’t need to be thinking about anyone holding her
when she needed it.

“Nova?” Winter called out, pushing the door
open wide, a tray of food in his hands. Nova frowned, wondering why
he’d offered to bring the food instead of having one of the ladies
she’d seen downstairs do it for him. It wasn’t like the males to
take a job from the women of the pride. They were thankful women
and found pleasure in caring for the men.