The Trail Back (11 page)

Selwyn turned his back on the wolf and strode from the room. He made his way to his office and tried not to vent his rage on the vampire waiting there for him. He had to find out what was keeping Jeremy. His little hybrid needed to be returned immediately. Orders were coming in, and as big as the male wolf was, he still only held eight or nine pints of blood. If he didn’t find more hybrids, he would simply go and retrieve the lovely Kaitlyn.

“Felix,” Selwyn said, forcing a calmness he didn’t feel into his voice, “I have a job for you.”

Brayden was exhausted as he and Abbie climbed into his bed at two in the morning. She had agreed to come home with him only because Elliot and Landon’s home had developed plumbing issues. A pipe had burst in the kitchen, and they were both busy trying to mop up the mess. Brody had been called away on pride business, and Abbie hadn’t wanted to be a burden on the bears.

“I hope they get that broken pipe fixed, the whole yard was flooded, too,” Abbie said. She snuggled up to Brayden. He rolled to his back so she could use his chest as a pillow.

“After only one day I already know I never want to go to bed without you in my arms, Abbie.” He kissed the top of her hair softly.

“I can’t stay, Brayden.” She kissed his chest and it felt like she’d branded him with her lips. His skin burned and throbbed. “I feel it, too. I can’t deny it. It feels like home when I’m with you. I feel alive when I touch your skin, like I’ve been waiting for you all these years and now my life can start.”

“That’s how I feel, Abbie. You can’t leave.”

“I can’t go through that again. What Josh and Shane did hurt so much, and I refuse to put myself through that over and over. I just can’t.”

“Will you talk to them? I know what they did, but I also know why. Please talk to them before you make any decisions.”

Abbie huffed. “If they ever come back.”

He had been surprised they weren’t here. He’d thought they were sincerely sorry when they’d told him what had happened with Abbie.

“They’ll come back, little wolf. Who could resist you?”

Abbie huffed again, and Brayden could see her point. They’d done a great job of resisting her.

“I won’t fight their battles for them anymore. I’ve enabled their social and emotional development to stagnate. I’ve done it for too long, and my actions ended up hurting you.”

“You didn’t hurt me, Brayden. You’ve been open and honest with me from the moment I opened my eyes and saw you holding me.”

She yawned and closed her eyes. Brayden continued caressing Abbie’s back through his shirt. He longed to be touching her skin again, as he had when she’d slept through the day, but he wouldn’t even consider asking her while she was so fragile. As if the vampires hadn’t hurt her enough, her place of sanctuary had become anything but, as his brothers tortured the one thing the vampires had been unable to touch, her heart.

She sat up and drew his shirt over her head. She tossed it on the floor and wriggled out of the sweatpants Brody had given her. He surreptitiously placed his hand over his erection as she snuggled back next to him and placed her head back on his chest
Can she read minds?

“Now it feels right,” she said sleepily.

He caressed her naked back as she relaxed against him and was soon asleep. Brayden’s wolf howled long and loud in his mind. He felt the same pleasure and pain that his wolf did. The sensual rapture of Abbie lying so close and the agony of not being allowed to get even closer.

“I’m never letting you go, Abbie. If you leave I’m coming with you.” He didn’t know if he’d ever be able to mate her if his brothers didn’t accept their mate, and he didn’t care. This, right now, was still the happiest he’d been in his entire life. If all he ever got to do was be with Abbie and hold her every night as they slept then he’d die a happy man. His wolf snarled and howled inside him again, and he knew it wouldn’t be an easy thing to do, but the alternative was untenable. “I can’t lose you, Abbie.”

* * * *

Abbie woke to the sound of voices—female voices. She quickly ran to the bathroom and washed her face. Her eyes were still puffy from crying, and she noticed her skin looked paler today, the dark smudges under her eyes more pronounced. She finger-combed her hair and went back into Brayden’s room to dress in her borrowed clothes.

Brayden’s shirt smelled even better now he’d held her while she’d been wearing it. She found her body reacting to his scent. Her pussy tingled, and her breasts felt full and achy. She hadn’t been a virgin before her abduction. She’d had two previous lovers. But after what the vampires had subjected her to she thought she’d never be interested in sex again, it seemed her body had other ideas.

Her wolf whined softly in her mind. She wanted her mates. As she reached for her wolf, she found it was also confused and apprehensive. Neither of them would easily forget the pain and humiliation of their captivity. Her wolf shuddered, and the brush against her skin from the inside sparked a shudder in Abbie, too.

Even though she had fought the vampires and eventually been beaten into unconsciousness for all but her first rape, she had been awake when they’d raped the other captives. She’d been unable to shift, unable to fight for them. She’d been helpless to do anything but cry with them when the vampires had eventually left their cages.

“No more. I will go there and stop them if it’s the last thing I do.” She looked at her reflection as she made her vow. If she was to live with no prospect of a mate then she could die trying to free those other captives.

“Would you throw your life away on a futile rescue attempt and deny me what we have now, little wolf? Even if it’s not a complete mating, I would love you for all of our days. I would be happy just sharing the rest of my life with you.”

Abbie didn’t answer Brayden. She didn’t turn to look at him. She’d heard the raw emotion in his voice, and her heart ached. It ached for him, for her, for what they would never share. It ached for the emptiness of his existence prior to this, that a half-life with her could still make him happy.

“Don’t cry, little wolf.”

He wrapped his massive frame around her, and she felt him wrap around her soul, as well. He meant every word. His mating musk was so thick in the air that she could almost hold some in her hand.

“You would never be fulfilled. We would be on the very edge of complete happiness, always yearning for more but never able to have it. You’d grow to hate me.”

“I’m happy now, Abbie. You’re already in my heart and soul. If you leave me I’ll die, the same as if we were mated.” He kissed the top of her head and held her tighter to his chest.

“I think you mean that.” She knew he meant it. She felt his wolf brush against hers. It was as though their wolves knew that that was all they’d ever have, and Abbie felt her wolf accept the offer of friendship. There was no drive to mate, just his wolf attempting to know hers. She also knew that if she threw her life away trying to rescue the other captives in some pseudo-noble gesture, she’d also be killing Brayden.

“Can we run together soon, little wolf?”

Brayden whispered the words in her ear, and despite her just telling herself that they could never have a sexual relationship, her pussy clenched. The tingling had gone. Now her pussy ached, and her clit swelled and throbbed.

“You’re dangerous to me, Brayden.” She tried to pull away from him, but she was trapped between the bathroom counter at her front and him at her back. She didn’t feel trapped, though. She felt alive. “You’ll kill us both.”

“Never, Abbie. I’m in control.”

“I’m not,” she whispered.

“When are you going to come out of there?” a woman asked. “We want to get Abbie some clothes, and I have to eat before I die of starvation.”

“You ate some crackers in the car, Katie. I don’t think you’ll die.”

She looked at Brayden in the mirror. He was smiling at her. His pale blue eyes sparkled in his handsome face. He was ruggedly handsome, tall, and lean, his pale skin and white hair resembling his inner arctic wolf.

“Kaitlyn and Meg have come to take us to breakfast. Then they’d like to take you shopping for some clothes.”

He released her from his hold but snagged one of her hands in his as she turned to leave the bathroom. Two women stepped into the room before they had a chance to leave.

“Hi there, Abbie, I’m Meg. We met yesterday, but you were asleep and—”

“Do you remember me? I’m Kaitlyn,” the dark-haired woman said.

“The panther with the vampire mate,” Abbie said. She remembered the vampire and his beautiful mate.

“She has a cougar mate, too.” A huge man with golden blond hair stepped into the, now cramped, bathroom and wrapped his arms around Kaitlyn from behind. “I’m Sean. Nice to meet you, Abbie.”

“H-hello,” Abbie stammered. He was huge, and she felt intimidated by his size.

“I don’t think we met last night,” another huge man said as he stepped into the bathroom to stand behind Meg and wrap her in his arms. “I’m Prescott, one of Meg’s mates, her husband as of Saturday night.”

The man was nearly as tall as Sean but with dark, unruly hair. They could have been bear shifters with their size, but they scented clearly as cats. Abbie imagined their cats would be massive.

“Oh my God.” It made sense to her now—all the people gathered in the one place, the woman in the fancy dress. “I crashed in on your wedding, didn’t I? I’m so sorry.”

“It was hardly your fault,” Meg said. “We’re glad you’re alive and feeling better. You look very pale, are you feeling up to a trip to town?”

Abbie looked down at what she was wearing. It was better than being cold and naked as she’d been for the last month, but she’d like some clothes that fit. “I’d like to get some clothes, but I have no money.”

“My mate is the Alpha of the Pine Falls pride, and we have an emergency fund set up for circumstances like these, women in need, men in need, anyone in need. Don’t we, Prescott?”

By the way her husband was looking at her, Abbie imagined it was the first he was hearing of this fund. Meg was vibrant and kind, and Abbie had no desire to make her look foolish.

“Then I’d love to make use of the fund for just a few things until I can get access to my own money again. Thank you, Meg. You’re very kind.”

Brayden squeezed her hand in a silent show of support.

“Can we go now? I can hear pancakes and maple syrup calling me,” Kaitlyn said.

“You can have whatever you need, baby,” Sean said.

Sean ran his hand over Kaitlyn’s flat stomach lovingly. The move was one of both protection and pride. Abbie had seen it countless times before in mated couples expecting pups.

“You’re pregnant?” Abbie asked. She took a discreet sniff and couldn’t detect any scent from the woman who was a hybrid like herself. She did detect something from the other cat, though. She turned to her and had her mouth open to say congratulations when her big mate shook his head, ever so slightly, a wide grin spreading across his handsome face. Abbie didn’t feel quite so intimidated by him in that moment. Prescott picked Meg up and carried the laughing woman from the bathroom.

“We’ll meet you downstairs, Abbie,” Kaitlyn said. She took Sean’s hand, and they followed Meg and Prescott from the bathroom.

Abbie had to leave the bathroom now and she was suddenly scared of what she’d find. She didn’t want to face Josh and Shane if they were there, but the thought of them not being there was just as painful.

“Are they out there?” Brayden didn’t pretend not to understand her question. She could smell her own fear and pain, so he would as well.

“No, little wolf, I haven’t seen my brothers since last night when I left here to meet you at Landon’s house.”

She took a deep breath and squeezed Brayden’s hand. “It’s the way it’s going to be, so I need to stop thinking that it will ever be any different. I’m sorry, Brayden.”

“Let’s get you some food, my mate, you’re wasting away. I need you strong so my wolf can run with yours.”

Abbie felt the goose bumps rise over her skin as her wolf shook herself in anticipation. She definitely wanted to run with Brayden’s wolf. After her long confinement, Abbie admitted to being excited at the prospect, too.

“I may be small, but I’m fast, snowy,” Abbie said, laying down a challenge.

Brayden growled softly and brought her hand to his lips. He kissed it softly and gave her a sly smile. “Not fast enough, little wolf. I’ll always catch you.”

Abbie found herself smiling at her big wolf. Her lip stung, but didn’t split again. Her body was healing, and she felt hope spark in her heart. She and Brayden may just make their strange relationship work.

Breakfast had been wonderful because of both the food and the company. Brayden had watched Abbie relax as she got to know her new friends, her new pride mates. She’d been surprised at the dynamics of the mixed pride but had taken it all in stride. Despite her small stature and delicate build, she was a strong and capable woman.

“I can’t imagine how wonderful it would be to work outdoors all day,” Meg said. “Katie and I are stuck inside all day, and our cats sulk because we only let them out to run on the weekends.”

“Are you a panther like Kaitlyn?” Abbie asked. “I can scent cat but not what kind you are.”

“She’s a snow leopard,” Prescott said. He gazed down at his mate and kissed her when she looked up at him. “A beautiful snow leopard. I’m a cougar.”

“Wolves, bears, cougars, snow leopards, panthers, a vampire, and demon, it’s a pride like no other I’ve ever heard of,” Abbie said. She slid closer to Brayden and put her hand on his thigh.

He couldn’t stop the shudder that ran through him from her innocent touch. His wolf howled in his mind. It yearned to complete the mating. Only his years of tight control kept his claws from extending, kept his wolf inside him. This was his life now. He could only be with Abbie if they stayed like this—together but never mated.

When he looked down at her she was staring up at him as though she’d read his mind. She looked sad and wistful. Perhaps she hadn’t read his mind but felt just as sad as he did. “I have you in my life now, Abbie. That’s more than I ever dreamed possible. I’m a lucky man.”