Stolen and Forgiven (Branded Packs #1)(7)

Holden let out a small growl that sent shivers over her skin. “I think you are probably right on that account. The f*cking humans like to blame the shifters for everything, though we are the ones locked up in cages, while they commit the atrocities that feed into the nightmares of the public they pretend to protect.”

She licked her lips, wanting to defend her people, but couldn’t. She’d seen the bloodshed and pain that had resulted in the unification of humans after the Verona Virus had been wiped out. The government had created a fourth branch—the SAU—that worked outside the checks and balances the other three had fought to maintain. The rights of the people weren’t what they had been before she’d been born.

Yet, she’d been told only the worst about the collared shifter in front of her and those he represented.

“I’m human, Holden. I shouldn’t be here.”

He growled again. “You were human, Ariel. That’s what we need to talk about.”

Her head ached, and her ears buzzed. What he’d said couldn’t be right. She’d heard him say something similar earlier, but it was wrong. It had to be.

“Shifters are born, not made,” she rasped. “I’m human. I need to go home.”

“You can’t go back to where you came from, Ariel. For now, this is your home.” He didn’t look too pleased about it, but then again, neither was she.

“You’re wrong. I’m going home.”

He took a deep breath, truly looking into her eyes for the first time.

“Ariel, to save your life, I had to turn you.”

She shook her head and tried to get up. Her body hurt, but far less than it should have considering her injures. “Leave me alone. You’re crazy. I’m human and nothing can change that.”

“A bite of an Alpha or a mate can change that.”

She blinked. Nope. Not going to believe that.

Holden ran a hand over his face. “Fuck. I’m doing this all wrong. You were dying, Ariel. Dying and in pain, and I did the only thing I could do.”

She shook her head, trying to remember what that other man—or was it wolf—Soren, had said. “You can’t make people wolves.”

“We’re not supposed to, no. But I had no choice.”

“I’m not a shifter! I’m human!” Her hands shook and her mind whirled, unable to get a hold on what she thought, what she wanted to think.

He gave her a sad smile. “You didn’t die from the bite, Ariel, so yeah, you’re a shifter. There’s still a small chance you won’t make it through your first shift, but you’re not human anymore.”

She tugged on the sheet and tried to get off the bed. “Seriously, if this is your way of telling me I’m one of you, you suck at it. You can’t just tell someone you’ve bitten them, and that I could still die if I try to shift. It doesn’t work that way. You’re supposed to ease into it. Or you know, not bite someone!”

He gripped her arm and she froze. “I’ve never turned another person, Ariel. So yes, I’m probably going about this wrong, but you’re making it hard to keep my thoughts in a straight line.”

She swallowed hard at the look of his hand on her skin. Her body felt…off…and she didn’t know why. “I want to go home,” she whispered. She wanted to wake up and know this was all a dream, a nightmare. What he said couldn’t be true. She wasn’t a shifter. She was human. She had to be.

Holden, crouched near the bed, reached out and cupped her face. The action seemed to surprise them both from the look in his eyes. “Let me begin this again. Ariel, you were almost dead in our forest. Not only would the humans have blamed us wolves for what had happened to you, I couldn’t let you die like that.”

She licked her lips, her mind going in a thousand different directions. “Why? Why couldn’t you just let me die?” Not that she wanted to die, contrary to her first thoughts when she’d woken up. She wanted to know why this man, this wolf, felt he had to break his law according to the other wolf, Soren.

“You’re my mate,” he said simply. Only it wasn’t that simple.

“You’re crazy. You are f*cking batshit crazy.” She tried to pull away, but he held her in place. The feel of his hands on her arms, holding her so that she couldn’t move, caused her to panic as the memories of what the doctors had done to her smashed into her consciousness. “Let me go.” She’d meant for her voice to sound firm, only it came out a broken mess of a whisper.

“Fuck,” he muttered then let her go. Only she didn’t move once she had the opportunity. “I’m sorry. God only knows what those bastards did to you, and me grabbing you like that didn’t help. ” He raked a hand through his hair. “Okay. Let’s take this one step at a time. We’ll get you cleaned up and changed so you’ll feel a little less grimy.” He wrinkled his nose. “The smell of blood is a little much.”

She could smell it herself, and she tried not to think about how much more intense it smelled than before. She was not a shifter.

“I’ll explain everything once you’re clean and have food in you.” He nudged her chin with his knuckle and she met his gaze. “You’re my mate, Ariel. You don’t have to believe that right now, but you’ll feel the connection.” He frowned. “At least I hope you will. We’ll deal with what that means at another time, but first, let’s get you cleaned up.”