Dual Embrace: 3 (Shadowpeak Wolves) (6 page)

The rest of his words faded as Dusty’s attention was caught by the man entering the room. Looking relaxed and only mildly interested, he gazed around. Dusty cursed softly under her breath.

Blond hair glistened under the harsh hospital lights as he walked up to Jay, staring at him as though he were a sideshow in the carnival. No one in the room even spared him a glance. She gulped.

“It can’t be healthy for the other patients, having to listen to that,” he commented, strolling over to her side.

“He just heard that his mate is severely injured, probably dying. Have some compassion!” Her voice was barely a whisper, even so she got a couple of looks from the packmates closest to her. It was obvious none of them could see him.

Shit.

He gazed at her, raising his eyebrows in clear surprise. “Don’t worry. She is not going to die.”

Dusty bit her lip to stop herself from questioning him as he moved around the room, inspecting everyone. Cain strode back and sat beside her, taking her hand. Immediately her palm melted into his. She should pull back. But it felt so right, having him close. A slow, simmering burn suffused her skin, lighting her nerve endings.

Jay continued to argue with the doctor. The poor man looked suitably alarmed but was doing his best to explain the situation.

“Dusty, I’m going to take you home,” Cain insisted.

“Were you hurt, hellcat?” Blue eyes turned black as Algernon turned back to her.

“No, I’m ahh, I’m okay,” she answered both of them. “She’s got to be all right,” Dusty whispered, disbelief filling her at the idea of Cassie dying.

“She will be.” Crouching in front of her chair, Algernon used the tip of his finger to raise her chin. Both he and Cain now touched her. His touch sent cool sharp shocks over her skin while Cain’s touch counteracted the cold with sizzling heat and fire. It tore her apart and yet thrilled her in ways she couldn’t explain. She whimpered and pulled back, unable to touch them both without exploding.

“Dusty?” Cain frowned, and she swore he stared straight at Algernon. The ridiculous name still did nothing to ease her attraction to the other man.

“What?” she whispered. Cain narrowed his eyes.

“It’s strange, for a moment, I almost felt like someone was here.” Cain shook his head. She looked at him, amazed at the caring and concern in his eyes. Cain usually guarded his emotions and thoughts so carefully.

“This is too bizarre,” she muttered.

“Yeah,” Cain replied, obviously thinking she was speaking of Cassie’s accident. “Let’s go.” Cain stepped in front of her, holding out his hand.

“Good idea, hellcat, I need to go see Cassie now, anyway.”

Why?
She mouthed the word as discreetly as she could.

“Ahh, now that’s for me to know and you to find out.” He stepped away, gliding toward the door.

“Can I see Cassie before we go?” she asked quickly. Looking around, she saw that Jay and the doctor had disappeared. The others were talking quietly among themselves.

She didn’t think Algernon would hurt Cassie. However, she was determined to get herself into that room, just to make sure. He’d reached the door by now and turned back to grin at her mischievously. “Can’t keep away from me?”

“More like I can’t trust you,” she muttered, ignoring the looks everyone sent her. Yeah, she was crazy, as if they didn’t already know that.

She attempted to stand but her leg collapsed and she fell back into the seat with a bang. “Shit!”

“Dusty,” Cain growled, but she held up a hand, sending him a hard stare. He would not smother her. She would not allow it.

“I’m fine. I’ve been sitting too long. I have to see Cassie.”

Cain looked over at Cooper who nodded, staring at her in quiet concern. Great, just what she needed—the close scrutiny of the Alpha.

Before she could attempt to stand again, Cain lifted her in his arms and carried her out into the corridor.

“Cain,” she protested, trying desperately not to lean into his heat, not to sink into the strength of his embrace.

“Don’t, Dusty. I am near the end of my patience with you. Be quiet, lie still and let me take care of you.”

Dusty shut her mouth in surprise and stared up at him, amazed by the small flickering of a muscle in his cheek, the only visible sign of his temper.

“And here I didn’t think you had a temper,” she exclaimed as he strode down the corridor. Liam and Josiah, two enforcers for the Shadowpeak pack, stood guard by Cassie’s door.

“I do, and you manage to trigger it easier and quicker than anyone else.”

Josiah opened the door and Cain stepped into the room. A heavy weight settled on her chest as she spotted Cassie. She looked so small and fragile lying on the bed, her head swathed in bandages, her face lifeless. A tube was taped into her mouth, obviously helping her breathe, while other tubes ran from her arms.

A broken doll.

Jay sat beside her, his gaze fixed on her face. Her small hand was clasped gently in his big palm as he ran his other hand over her hair. Cain set Dusty down on the other side of the bed, beside a grinning Algernon.

“I’ll leave you guys alone,” Cain said with a sympathetic look at Jay. “Just call out when you want to leave.”

She was dying to question Algernon as he clasped Cassie’s free hand, his face deep in concentration.

“I need more energy,” he muttered to himself. He turned his gaze onto her. “Tell him to kiss her.”

“Whhhmmm?” She turned the question into a clearing of her throat. But she needn’t have bothered as Jay never shifted his attention away from Cassie.

“Tell him to kiss her. She is so close to death that she needs more energy than I can give her. He can give that to her. If he kisses her.”

“She has a tube in her mouth.”

“He can kiss her in other places.” A wicked grin crossed his gorgeous face. Dusty sent him a dirty look, grateful that Jay never looked up. “Look, she needs touch, his touch. He’s bursting with energy. If he touches her, I can help her suck up that energy.”

“That’s ludicrous,” Dusty scoffed.

“Dusty?” Jay asked. She ignored him, her gaze intent on Cassie. She looked so sick. Hell, what did it matter if it was a load of lies? There was nothing to lose.

“Touch her,” Dusty demanded. “Jay, touch her. Kiss her, caress her.”

Jay glanced at Dusty and she nearly gasped at the pain that filled his eyes. “What?”

“I know I sound crazy. But please, just try it. I saw it on this reality TV show. This man brought his wife out of a coma through touching her,” she lied. “What can it hurt?”

Jay turned his gaze down. Dusty thought she was going to have to beg when he ran his hand along Cassie’s cheek.

“More,” the other man demanded.

“Keep going. I-I know she can feel it. She needs to know how much you love her. That you want her back.” She wasn’t sure at all, but it sounded like the right thing to say.

Jay leaned over and kissed Cassie’s forehead, her too-pale cheeks, her nose. He brushed his hand over her body as he whispered in her ear, kissing the corner of her mouth.

“Well, it’s a pitiful attempt, but I guess it will do.” The blond man sighed and closed his eyes. Nothing happened for a long moment and then Cassie’s skin appeared to shine, color returning to her face.

“Look,” Dusty whispered, watching in amazement as Cassie moved. She started choking.

“She’s trying to breathe,” Jay yelled, reaching for the buzzer before turning back to Cassie, attempting to calm her.

“It’s okay, Cassie, it’s okay, baby,” Jay spoke frantically. “There’s a tube in your throat. We’ll get it out in a minute. Don’t panic.”

Cassie’s eyelids flickered and she stared at them from wide, confused eyes.

“It’s okay, love,” Jay murmured.

A nurse raced into the room. The door remained open as Josiah looked on in concern, obviously expecting the worst. When he saw Cassie’s eyes were open, he sent Liam running off to the waiting room.

“Everyone out!” the nurse yelled.

* * * * *

“I can’t believe Cassie’s going to be all right.” Dusty stared out the passenger window of Cain’s truck as he drove to the estate. She had to fight the urge to undo her belt, slide along the bench seat and scoot up to his warmth.

“When she opened her eyes, when I saw she was okay…” Her voice trailed off. It was a miracle.

Cain grunted in reply, his hands tightening on the large steering wheel. Everything about his truck was oversized and dark, in keeping with its owner.

Dusty wasn’t a small woman, but around Cain she almost felt delicate. Part of it was his size, the sheer absolute maleness of him. But the other part had to do with how he made her feel. Protected. Safe.

The only other time in her life she’d felt safe was as a small pup—when she’d thought the only monsters in existence were the ones living in her closet. The ones her daddy scared off every night so she could sleep soundly in her bed. It wasn’t until her father died that she realized the ones in her closet didn’t have anything on those in the real world.

Not that she thought of Cain as a father figure. Oh no, her feelings for him were one hundred percent sexual. She ran her gaze over his muscular body. Her skin tightened, flushed, her body heat rising as arousal pooled low in her belly.

His knuckles were white with tension.

“Are you mad about something?” she asked.

“Mad? No, I’m furious.”

“Huh,” she said. “You know, when most people get mad at me they either yell or they storm off. They don’t offer me a ride home.”

He flicked his gaze over to her briefly before returning to watching the road.

“I’m furious that some bastard came so close to hurting you. You could have been seriously injured in that car crash. I’m concerned about you,” he admitted.

“Why? I’m fine, I wasn’t hurt.” She wasn’t used to people worrying about her. Being annoyed with her—sure. Angry, irritated—definitely. And lately there had been plenty of pity, more than anyone should have to endure.

He turned the truck, taking a track that led away from her cabin.

“Why are we going this way?”

“You’re coming home with me.” Cain lived in a less populated part of the estate.

“Uhh, Cain.” Her hand hovered over her seat belt.

“Don’t touch that belt.”

Her jaw dropped at his words as she stared at him.

“Don’t push me right now, Dusty. You might have a death wish, but while I’m around and have breath in my body, by God, you will not harm yourself.”

“I don’t have a death wish.” Surprise drowned her anger. A death wish? What was he talking about? She wasn’t suicidal.

“Don’t you? You spend your nights drinking yourself into oblivion, you’re losing weight. You’re taking no interest in pack business. And I noticed you talking to yourself in the waiting room. What were you doing at Samson’s, Dusty?”

She gaped at him for a moment. “I wanted a drink.”

“What’s wrong with the Blue Bar? It’s in town and it’s friendlier.”

“I felt like drinking at Samson’s. It’s got character.” And she knew no one would look for her there. “I can take care of myself. I’m a werewolf, remember?” She folded her arms across her chest.

“Yeah? And what if someone had attacked you? You’re an excellent fighter, Dusty. But your leg needs a chance to heal. You could put it out of commission for good if you don’t take care of it now.”

“My leg didn’t stop me from fighting off three bikers last night.” As soon as she said the words, she longed to take them back.

He slammed on the brakes, bringing his truck to a sharp halt. His arm shot across her chest to hold her to the seat as though he didn’t quite trust the seat belt to do its job. Undoing both their belts, he turned her until she faced him.

His voice was low and controlled as he spoke.

“What did you say?”

She stuck her nose in the air. “I fought off three bikers last night. By myself.”

“You’re lying.”

Damn.

“Well, I had some help,” she muttered.

“What help?”

She remained silent and he sighed. “You can’t keep doing this, Dusty. You’re going to self-destruct.”

“No one appointed you my keeper.” She struggled to release herself from his grasp, realizing the truth in his words but not wanting to admit them.

“I did,” he gritted out between clenched teeth.

Dusty sneered to hide her surprise, squashing down the hint of pleasure that assuaged her. “All we had was a roll in the hay. That doesn’t give you the right to boss me around. Someone giving me orders does not turn me on.”

“Oh I disagree. When I give you orders, you will definitely be turned-on.”

Oh hell, did she just shiver in excitement?

She didn’t, did she?

“But this has nothing to do with sex. This is about your well-being and, sweetheart, mate with me or not, I am going to look out for you.”