The Marked Mate

MAISIE

Brad’s hand clamps down on my arm, yanking me away from Lola. His face twists into a threatening scowl. My body trembles with fear, warning bells ringing in my head.

I glance at Lola, who’s still oblivious to the danger. I can’t abandon her. Where the hell is Lochlan? Aren’t mates supposed to sense when the other is in trouble?

“Let go of me,” I demand.

Billy circles me like the predator he is. Without a second thought, I wrench my arm from Brad’s grip and shove him away. Billy darts toward me, grabbing my hair and pushing me to the ground.

They both kick me in the stomach before I can stand back up. I gasp, trying not to puke, but I manage to grab Brad’s leg, knocking him over and buying myself enough time to stand.

Lola is safe near the trees, zoned out. I land a few good punches on Billy before Brad can scramble to his feet and try to grab me. This time, I’m ready. I dart away from him.

“Look, guys, we’re just trying to leave. Why don’t we call it a day and head out?” I plead, trying to move back toward Lola.

The men leer at each other and run at me together, grabbing me and trying to push me down. I shake myself free, but then cold metal slams into my side. Pain explodes through me.

I’m on the ground, being kicked again, now with a knife buried in me. Pain surges through my body as the familiar pressure and banging begins in my head. Great, now He’s~ trying to break in~, I think bitterly. ~Real classy, taking advantage of a murder attempt to find me.~

Pulling the knife from my side, I thrash it at the kicking legs and catch their ankles. Both men yell with pain and fall. Without wasting a second, I grab Lola and start to drag her away.

“Lola, can you call through your mind-link for Lochlan?” I ask as I pull her toward the path. “We need backup.”

The pain from the stab wound is growing as the blood soaks through my shirt. Struggling to walk, I stumble and drop Lola.

She flops to the ground without my support, so out of it that she doesn’t realize how much danger we’re in. I have to save us. If I don’t, no one will. I force myself up and pull her along with me.

Dragging her down the hill, I keep pushing us forward. The sound of the guys swearing in the background sends shivers up my spine, but they don’t seem to be following us.

Finally, we reach the clearing where the cars were parked.

Crap, I rode with Elisa. I don’t even own a car. I can’t walk home like this; we won’t make it.

“Lola, Lola, listen to me, where’s your car?” I ask, holding her head still in my hand so she’ll focus.

Lola struggles to focus on me, but she manages to point toward one of the three nearby cars. I pull her toward it, resting her body against the side door. Searching her pockets, I find a set of keys. At least one thing is going right.

I hoist Lola into the passenger’s seat and push myself into the driver’s seat, struggling to focus as the pain tugs at my vision.

Driving as fast as I can, I steer toward the pack’s hospital. Hopefully, someone will catch our scent and step in if we get close enough.

Suddenly, Lola screams, “Please, nooo, where are we going?”

“I’m taking you back, Lola.” I try to sound calm, but my voice is shaky. “To your mate.”

Fear floods her face. “Noooo. He’ll be maddd.”

Is Lochlan dangerous? I only saw them together for a few minutes. I remember talking to her yesterday, how she said that she barely leaves the house without him. Is Lochlan holding her hostage the way He did with me?

A mad werewolf is dangerous; she shouldn’t go somewhere she isn’t safe. “Lola, I’m bleeding, and I think you’ve been drugged. Is Lochlan dangerous? Does he hurt you?”

“Loch—hubby, my hubby?” She starts to laugh, then cry. “Noooo…”

“Lola! Snap out of it. Is he safe?”

“Yeeesss. Safe, verrry safe.” She pauses, whispering, “But he’ll be mad…the allphaa…he’ll be sooo mad.” She starts to cry.

Alpha Kieran. Shit. He seemed so kind, even protective at the restaurant, but it could have been an act. He wouldn’t be the first werewolf to try to trick me. I don’t know him any more than I know Lochlan.

If Alpha Kieran decides to hurt Lola, his gamma won’t be able to stop him. Alphas are too strong. I shouldn’t risk it.

But can we make it to the human hospital before I pass out? It’s miles away, and I’m losing a lot of blood at this point.

Rubbing her back while I try to steer with one hand, I push us forward. “It’s okay, Lola, I won’t let the alpha hurt you. I promise.”

Her crying slows, and she seems to drift off to sleep. After a few more minutes, I hear growling, and shadows appear on each side of the car. Wolves.

Slowing down, I roll down my window and yell so they can hear me. “I’m Maisie, a friend of your alpha. This is Lola, Gamma Lochlan’s mate. We were attacked. We need to get to the hospital.”

I slow down even more, but I’m not sure if they understand. A wolf begins to shake and howl to my left, transforming into a woman I think I’ve seen sporadically in town. She’s completely naked, but she doesn’t seem to care.

Averting my eyes, I hit the brake and roll to a stop. The woman gently pulls me out and gestures me into the back seat while she takes the wheel and speeds toward the hospital.

“Are you both okay?” she asks, glancing at me in the rearview.

The adrenaline that must have been driving me fades. Pain overwhelms me, making it hard to speak. Blood gushes down my shirt. I press my hands against the hole in my side.

Pain shoots through my leg where one of the guys stomped on me. My nausea and headache threaten to overwhelm me.

“Are you okay?” she asks again, her eyes wide with concern.

I nod. I can’t force words out. Is this how I die? It’s a stupid way to die. Killed by His agents just because I’m weak and in their way. At least ~He~ won’t know he won. ~He’ll~ never know exactly what happened.

The naked woman at the wheel looks me over, eyes lingering on my stab wound. “Keep pressure on that. We’ll be there soon.”

Within fifteen minutes, we’re at the pack hospital. Someone must have alerted both packs about what happened, because everyone is here waiting for us. Hospital staff rush out, hands reaching for Lola and me.

People are asking questions, but I can’t make out the words over the pounding in my head.

“What happened?” asks Dr. Everett.

“I don’t know; we found them like this,” replies the she-wolf. “She said they were attacked.”

Growling shakes me back to reality, filling me with fear. I look around. Is He here? Is ~He~ growling?

Seeing my panic, Dr. Everett reassures me, “Maisie, you’re okay…you’re back with Blood Moon. Did you see who did this to you? What happened?”

Focusing on her as we’re carried inside, I manage to reply, “Two guys…a party.” Pain shoots through me, and I scream. “I found Lola.”

Another scream as the pounding in my temples intensifies. “They tried to…I think…drugged her.” I press my hands to my forehead, trying to keep it from splitting open.

Dr. Everett gives instructions to the staff around her and then turns back to me. “I’m going to get you something to reduce the pain, Maisie. Stay with me. You need surgery on your side and leg.”

“No! No meds!”

Dr. Everett’s face drops. “Maisie, you need painkillers. You can’t just white-knuckle it through surgery.”

“I can’t. He’ll get into my head,” I whimper, clutching my temples tighter, stacking one imaginary brick on top of another in my mental wall. I take a deep breath, which eases the pain a bit.

Dr. Everett’s gaze locks with mine, concern pouring out of her. “All right, Maisie, if that’s what you want. It’s going to hurt. If you change your mind, just tell me.”

They wheel me into an operating room, which starts buzzing with activity as nurses begin to clean me up and attach me to a bunch of monitors. I let out a scream as the pain intensifies. They put me on the table, their faces full of worry.

Suddenly, the door crashes open. My heart races. Did He find me? Panic surges through me, setting off the machines’ alarms.

My eyes dart to the door. Alpha Dawson, Luna Dorothy, and Alpha Kieran rush in, their faces etched with fear.

Alpha Kieran. My heart warms as I look at his eyes, but I swallow and look away. Kieran is dangerous; Lola told me.

“What’s happening?” Kieran demands.

Dr. Everett says, “She’s been stabbed, her leg is shattered, and she’s bleeding internally. She needs surgery, but she can’t take the medication. It’s going to be loud.”

“Don’t worry about me; I’m fine,” I grit out between ragged breaths, but a scream escapes as the nurse makes the first incision.

“Maisie, focus on me,” Alpha Kieran commands. I tense up even more as he moves closer. He’s not safe. I can’t trust him. But then he wraps both his hands around my free arm, and something changes.

Tiny sparks of pleasure spread across my skin. The sparks push the nausea back. As they dance over my skin, I feel a pull toward him, my eyes searching for his.

“Maisie, you’re going to be okay. I’ve got you,” he whispers. Everyone else in the room fades away. All I can see, all I can think about, are his electric-blue eyes.