A Wolf's Obsession (6 page)

“Emily,” he whispered reverently.

Leaning into his touch, she felt the beginnings of tears in her eyes. She didn’t want him to look at her and see Emily; she wanted him to see her for who she was. “Nope, I’m still plain old Kass but once upon a time, a long time ago I was Emily.”

“You’re my mate? How?”

“It’s a long story.”

It should be impossible,
he scoffed

But it’s not. Kass is our mate, be grateful that you found her and that she doesn’t hate the sight of you after all that you’ve done to her.

It can’t be that simple.

Mating is only difficult if you make it that way. She’s our mate. Claim her.

“Kassandra!” Ethan bellowed, slamming his fist against the glass. “I’m not going to tell you again. Get the hell out of the fucking car or I will blow his head off and make sure you wished I’d done the same to you.”

A wobbly smile came to her lips as she reached for the door handle. “I’m sorry that I got you into this Wyatt.”

A low growl filled the car, dark and dangerous. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Wyatt snarled, his eyes feral as his wolf raced to the surface.

“I have to go.”

“With him?” Wyatt laughed, the normally warm sound completely devoid of humour. “You’re not going any where with him.”

Her fingers tightened on the handle. Why was he making this so difficult? “I don’t have a choice. He’s going to shoot you if I don’t go with him.”

“I’m more likely to let him shoot me at point blank range than I am to let you go anywhere with him.” Rubbing her cheek gently, his eyes wandered to the bruising around her throat. She’d been through enough already at his hands. If he was going to convince her that she was his mate he needed to prove to her that he was capable of protecting her not hurting her. “Stay here. I’ll take care of this.”

“You can’t. He’ll kill you.”

Stepping out of the car, Wyatt winked trying to get Kass to relax. The terror pouring from her skin and the worry on her face set his teeth on edge. “I’d like to see him try.” Slamming the door hard, he glared hard at Ethan. “If you want her then you’re going to have to go through me first.”

Ethan’s cold gaze raked over Wyatt, a cruel smile forming on his face. He’d killed before and he wouldn’t hesitate to do it again especially not when the prize was so rewarding. “Fair enough.” A simple gesture from him had his men raise their weapons and set their sights on the man standing between him and victory. “Are you sure you don’t just want to leave? The odds are not in your favour.”

The air crackled with tension but Wyatt smiled. His teeth were sharp, ready for battle and he ran his tongue over his lips practically drooling with blood lust. Cracking his neck he took a last look at Kass’ terrified face and deadly claws sprung from his nails. “I’m keeping Kass and from where I’m standing the odds are definitely stacked against you.”

They were the last intelligible words he said as the wolf rushed forward and he gave into his instincts. Bullets filled the air and Wyatt’s smile widened. Guns wouldn’t work. His claws moved with brutal efficiency, felling enemies in seconds. Terror filled the air as men screamed, unprepared for his speed, strength and lust for blood. Death in his eyes, Wyatt spun through the men like a deadly hurricane creating a swath of destruction. The sound of gunfire died down as his victims lay immobile on the ground, sobbing over their wounds. Unconcerned by the damaged he’d caused, Wyatt strode towards where Ethan lay cradling his arm against his chest. The pungent smell of blood made Wyatt’s blood race, his step quicken and his smile widen.

“You don’t threaten Kass and expect to get away with it. She’s mine now and I protect what’s mine. If you want to get to her you go through me to do it and let’s face it,” he scoffed, turning to look at the bodies he’d left in his wake and making sure Ethan knew exactly what he was talking about. “That didn’t work out for you did it?” His claws retracted slowly as he turned away from the man Kass had been so afraid of. His wolf was howling frantically, clawing to get out and rip Ethan’s throat out with his teeth but dead bodies were never a wise idea.
If he tries anything like this again we’ll be with the clan and I’ll kill him…slowly.

Forcing his feet to move away from Ethan, Wyatt strode back to the car. Soft moaning filled his ears the closer he got and when he saw the broken glass his heart stopped. His feet grew wings as he raced to Kass’ side.

“Fuck,” he cursed. She’d been shot. He’d failed her…again. “Kass.” He reached for her bloody arm, reason giving way to instinct as the sight and smell of her blood filled his senses. “Hospital,” he muttered. “Hospital. Got to get her to a hospital.” She’d never looked so fragile, so breakable. Her normally tan skin was as pale as snow, her heart beat was sluggish, the irregular beat making him want to find the man who had shot her and see to it that his heart never beat again. Tears fell freely from her eyes as she bit her lip trying to distract herself from the pain. It wasn’t working.

“Wyatt,” she moaned. “Hurts.”

“I know. I know.” He threw himself into the car and turned the key to start the engine. “Hospital. I’ll get you to hospital. Doctors will make it better or I’ll rip their heads off. Promise, you’ll be better. I promise.”

Her eyes widened and drawing on her last remaining reserves of strength she grabbed his arm hard. “No hospitals. I can’t go to a hospital.”

Confused Wyatt shook his head unable to process what she was saying with his wolf so close to the surface. “Don’t be scared. Hospital will make you better. Promise.”

Her grip on consciousness was slipping and the tears that had begun to slow returned in full force. She didn’t have enough time to explain. “Please, I can’t go to a hospital. Please Wyatt, just take me home. You can take care of me. Please do this for me.” Her words were slurring as darkness began to swallow her sight. “Don’t take me to hospital. Promise me Wyatt. You can’t take me there. You have to promise me you won’t. Please.”

Slipping into unconsciousness, Kass wanted to cry. He hadn’t answered her, he hadn’t promised that he wouldn’t take her to the one place she couldn’t afford to go. She’d begged him and she could only hope she’d done it with enough conviction that he’d throw reason away and avoid the very place that common sense would be telling him to take her because if he didn’t, it would be a death sentence.

Chapter Five

There was blood everywhere and it was driving him crazy. The smell of it coated the air and didn’t make his pacing any better. Every time Wyatt glanced at the sofa where Kass lay bleeding against the once white material he wanted to scream. He couldn’t think straight, couldn’t think of what he could do to help her that would keep his promise and keep her safe. There was something going on, something that he couldn’t understand with his wolf howling at the top of its lungs and until he could gather his wits nothing was going to get better.

Breathing hard, he gripped his skull trying to stop the pounding in his head. It didn’t work. “I have to get her help,” he muttered to himself, running his hands through his hair and ruffling the once straight strands. “Need a hospital. Need a doctor…can’t break a promise to my mate.” He risked a glance at Kass, cursing when he saw that her skin was even paler. The simple glance had only confirmed what she’d said. She was his mate. If she weren’t then he wouldn’t feel like he was dying with every breath she struggled to take.

Do something!
the wolf howled.
If you let her die…I’ll find a way to kill you myself.

Do you think I want this?
Shouting, he slammed his hands over his ears. It was all getting to be too much. “Need help. Can’t do this by myself. Need help.”

He raced over to the phone and dialled a number that was all too familiar. “Pick up. Pick up.” He fell to his knees in defeat, clasping Kass’ bloody hands in his grip tenderly. “Damn it, pick up.”

“Hello,” Dylan beamed.

Wyatt breathed a heavy sigh of relief at the sound of her cheerful voice. His sister would know exactly what to do. “Dylan, help me.”

He could practically see her brow furrowing as she nibbled at her lower lip in worry. “What do you need?”

“Found my mate.”

“Emily?”

He ran a hand through his hair again. “No. Kass. She was Emily…I think. She needs help. The bastard shot her.”

“Wyatt, I can’t understand you. Start from the beginning.”

His muscles tensed as he resisted the urge to throw the phone against the wall. He didn’t have time for this. His mate was bleeding, maybe even dying and he’d never felt so helpless.

“There’s no point in growling at me Wyatt. It’s not going to help,” Dylan snapped. “Take a deep breath.” The sound was faint but he could hear her feet tapping against the hard floor and knew she wasn’t going to say another word until he did what she wanted.

He took a breath, holding the air in his lungs and making sure she could hear him exhale heavily.

“Good,” she praised. “Now tell me what happened from the beginning. You said you found your mate but she isn’t Emily. I don’t understand.”

“Was at a diner yesterday. Meant to call you but there were men.” He growled remembering how another man had pointed a gun at his mate. She was his mate and he was doing a poor job of showing her that she would be safe with him. “They threatened her. Made sure they wouldn’t be doing that anymore. Told her to run…her scent…her scent.”

Wyatt’s broken sentences were worrying her. She didn’t like where this was going and neither did the people around her. It was becoming increasingly obvious her brother was in danger. “What about her scent Wyatt? Tell me, it’s the only way I can help you.”

“Need help. She needs help.”

Struggling to stay calm, Dylan bit her lip harder drawing blood. “I know that, you’ve said it already, but I still don’t understand what’s going on. Tell me about her scent.”

“She smells like Emily but she’s not. Looks nothing like her.”

“Are you sure? It’s been a long time Wyatt humans don’t look the same when they get older. It could be Emily just a lot older than the last time you saw her.”

Frustration made him shatter the glass table in front of him with his fist. “Kass is not Emily!
” He paused for a moment, unsure of how his next statement would go over with his sister. “I took her.”

“You did what?”

“I took her.”

“You just took her? You can’t do things like that Wyatt. She could have a life. There could be people looking for her right now. You’re endangering the clans.”

“I don’t care. She’s mine. I’m keeping her.”
I’ll kill anyone that tries to separate us.
“But…” He shuddered in revulsion. “Was confused. Couldn’t think straight. Couldn’t see that she was my mate. Hurt her.”

“You hurt your mate?”

The revulsion in his sister’s voice did nothing to make Wyatt feel any better. “Didn’t mean to. Thought she was keeping Emily from me.”

“But you told me that this Kass is your mate.”

“I know that now! I didn’t before.” Rocking anxiously, he tried to keep the pain in his temples from rendering him completely useless. He didn’t have much time if he was going to save his mate and he had to save her. He couldn’t live without her, especially if he saw her die in front of him. Nothing his family could do or say would stop him from going to join her.

“Is that why you called me? You hurt your mate?”

“Yes. No.”

“You can’t have it both ways Wyatt. Humans are fragile; if we hurt them it’s serious. You haven’t claimed her so she isn’t going to just heal from whatever damage you do to her. What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I don’t know. Mind isn’t right.”

Closing her eyes, Dylan felt her heart clench at the sorrow in her brother’s voice. It wasn’t natural for a wolf to live so long after the passing of their mate; it was no wonder that his mind was a mess. Maybe it had been wrong of her and Erica to keep him alive when he’d been so intent on joining Emily.
Focus,
she snapped at herself. She didn’t have time to wallow in what she could have done. There was a human in trouble, one that could lead the authorities back to the clans and expose them. Taking her own advice she took a deep breath and let her medical training take over. “Is she conscious?”

“Yes.”

“Did you break something? An arm, a leg…” She gulped, praying that she was wrong. “A rib?”

Jumping to his feet, Wyatt felt his anger find an outlet. “No!” he roared. “I would never hurt her like that.”

“Then what happened?”

“She’s running from someone.” His anger drained away in an instant as hopelessness threatened to overwhelm him. “They shot her. I think she’s dying. My mate is dying. I need help.”

“She’s been shot?”

“For fucks sake! I already told you that. Help me.”

“Where was she shot? Wyatt, I need you to answer me. This is important.”

His hands had already wandered over every inch of her body and as long as he lived he’d never forget how he’d felt when his fingers had glanced over the hole in her shoulder. “
Her arm. Bullet went straight through her.”

“Is she bleeding?”

“Her blood is everywhere. Can’t get away from it. Driving me crazy.” He snorted in derision. “I am crazy.”

“Wyatt, we don’t have time for this. You need to focus. Where are you?”

“The hotel on the border.”

“We’re on our way…here’s what you need to do until we get there. Wyatt, I need you to put something over the wound, you need to try and stop the bleeding.”

He responded instantly, pulling his shirt off and placing the rolled up material against Kass’ flesh. “I’ve done it.”

“Good, now you need to wake her up.”

He shook his head. “No. She can’t feel the pain now. If I wake her up…” He shook his head again. “Can’t do it.”

“You don’t have a choice. You need to wake her up and keep her alert until we get there. If you don’t do this…you might as well shoot her yourself.”

“Never.”

“If you don’t wake her up then you’re causing her as much damage as the person who shot her. I know it’ll be hard for you, God Wyatt if any one knows it’s me but you don’t have a choice. Wake her up.”

“The pain…”

“Go to the bathroom there’ll be something you can give her for the pain. Paracetamol, aspirin…whatever you can find. Read the dosage and don’t give her more than what the label says you should. We’ll be there as soon as we can. Just hold on and keep her talking, it’ll distract her from the pain.”

The phone clicked and Wyatt sprung into action. Racing to the bathroom, he gathered towels, water and painkillers, bundling them all into his arms and rushing back to Kass’ side. Slipping her shirt over her head, he washed her bloody shoulder, trying desperately to get rid of the smell of blood. It was long, arduous work but he kept going until he was satisfied that when he woke her she wouldn’t become hysterical. Pressing hard against the bleeding wound, he shook her hard until her eyes fluttered in response.

“Kass. Kass, wake up.” She groaned and he shook harder. “Wake up Kass, you can’t sleep anymore. It’s time to get up.”

Her voice was groggy, her grip on consciousness weak. “Wyatt?”

“Yeah. Wake up.”

“Don’t want to,” she groaned, trying to roll on to her side and go back to sleep. Pain had her gasping for breath as the simple movement reminded her of what had happened. It was hard to resist the urge to cry. “One, I’m alive. Two, Ethan isn’t here. Three, I’m safe.” She turned to look at Wyatt, the white stars in her blue eyes instantly gripping Wyatt’s attention. “I am safe aren’t I?”

“You’re with me. I’ll keep you safe.”

“Promise?”

“On my life.”

Nodding slowly, Kass tried to sit up, her eyes taking in the familiar setting. Hands were instantly at her back helping her. Warmth seeped into her skin and despite the destruction she knew Wyatt had undoubtedly caused she’d never felt safer. She’d managed to escape Ethan and it was all thanks to the man making her heart flutter with a simple touch. Coughing, she tried to make sure her voice was steadier than her racing pulse. “We’re back at the hotel?”

It was all Wyatt could manage to nod in agreement. Her eyes were arresting, the stars hidden in the blue depths reminding him of what he’d thought he’d lost. Nothing made sense. Wolves only ever got one mate and when that mate was lost there was nothing that could be done to get them back. Kass wasn’t Emily and yet her scent and her eyes were telling him that she was his.
If this is what it’s like to be crazy…I don’t want anyone to try and help me find my mind. This, this is happiness.

“You didn’t take me to a hospital?”

Shaking his head, Wyatt forced himself to focus on the matter at hand. “I made you a promise. Here.” Opening her palm, he dropped a few small white pills against her flesh. “Dylan said you should take these. She’s a doctor.”

She could have wept for joy at the sight of the pain relief he offered. Her shoulder was throbbing and it was all she could do to focus enough to have a conversation. Smiling gently she tried to reach for the pills and hissed in pain.

The sound instantly had Wyatt on edge and a low growl slipped from his lips. “What’s wrong?”

“Hurts.”

“Don’t move. Stay still. Dylan says these will make you feel better. Open up and I’ll give them to you.”

He looked so earnest that Kass felt guilty even suggesting that she need something he hadn’t thought to provide. “Water?”

“You need water to take them? That wasn’t on the packet.”

“I won’t be able to swallow them without something to drink.”

Nodding, he got to his feet quick to retrieve what his mate had asked for. “I didn’t know,” he explained, running the tap and filling a glass with the desired water. “Wolves don’t get sick. I’ve never had to take them.”

Confused, Kass raised a brow in surprise. “Wolves?”

Taking a deep breath as soon as he was at her side, Wyatt let her scent wash over him. The blood made his temper rise but the fact she was here, alive and with him was enough to calm him. “I’m a werewolf,” he said casually. The need for secrecy had disappeared the moment he accepted she was his mate, the sooner she came to terms with what he was the sooner he could claim her.

Slack jawed, Kass was barely aware of him popping the pills into her mouth. She swallowed mechanically when he put the cold glass to her lips, shocked by how easily he had divulged his secret.

“You’re a werewolf?”

“Yes but that isn’t important.” He stroked her cheek, savouring the softness of her skin. “Tell me about Emily. I need to understand what’s going on…I think I might be going crazy. That’s the only explanation for why I’m feeling this way.”

There was truth in his voice and Kass felt herself relax. He didn’t work for Ethan and despite the fact he was asking for a secret that could mean her life she felt at peace. “You’re going to think I’m crazy if I tell you,” she sighed, letting her head fall back against the chair’s arm.

Squeezing her hand reassuringly, Wyatt smiled still amazed that she was even alive. “Then we can both be crazy. It’s been a long time since anyone has called me otherwise I don’t think I know how to be normal.”

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

He shrugged. “I’m a werewolf, I know a witch…why not?”

Relief flooded her. “When people talk about reincarnations and past lives…they’re talking about me and people like me. I’m a phoenix.”