Love Me, Still(9)

A challenging growl came from behind Cael as his brother got his first glimpse of the sight before them. Cael was no less pleased until he saw that Niko had managed to rouse Heather.

Her beautiful, blue eyes opened sleepily, the eyelids drooping as she dragged a hand over her face. She blinked in surprise to see the wolf so close to her.

“Niko,” she whispered.

She reached out a hand and twisted her fingers in Niko’s fur.

“Oh, Niko, it is you.”

She threw her arms around the wolf’s neck and sobbed into his coat. Cael’s heart lurched as her heartbreaking cries filled the cabin.

Niko shifted, wrapping his arms around her and holding her against his chest. “Shhh, little one. Don’t cry so. It’s all right now.”

Cael grit his teeth. Niko had not even conjured clothing yet.

“They left me, Niko,” she said, her voice so small and so full of hurt. Each word seemed dragged from her, and she slumped wearily against Niko. “They don’t want me anymore. They think I killed Magnus, and maybe I did, Niko. I shouldn’t have taken so long to intervene. I was afraid. How can a coward be a worthy mate to the alphas?”

Cael turned away, no longer able to bear the pain of seeing his mate so distressed. So full of pain and betrayal. She blamed herself when she made the ultimate sacrifice for two of her pack. It wasn’t she who was unworthy of the alpha. It was the alpha who was unworthy of her.

Niko continued to rock her back and forth, holding her tightly as he soothed her. Her head lolled back as she slipped into unconsciousness again.

Niko gently lowered her back to the pallet, quickly hiding his face from the others’ view. But Cael had seen the tears shining in his pack mate’s eyes. Who could possibly be unaffected by her grief?

When Niko finally looked back at Cael and Riyu, a dangerous fire burned brightly in his golden eyes. “We take her home to the pack. If any wolf so much as looks at her wrong, I will lay down a challenge. I will win. I will take her away from there.”

Cael nodded. “That would be your right if she is not taken care of properly. But it won’t happen, Niko. She is our mate. The woman of our hearts. We love her, and the pack will accept her or we will leave with her ourselves.”

“You don’t deserve her.”

Cael nodded. “You are right. But she is ours.”

Riyu moved over to the bed and knelt by Heather’s side. He reached out a gentle hand and stroked her cheek. Then he bent over and pressed his lips to her forehead.

He remained there a long moment, his eyes closed. He smoothed back the tendrils of hair from her face before rising and moving away.

Cael moved forward as well. It had been a month since he’d held his mate in his arms. A month since he’d touched her, kissed her, felt her skin against his. He’d spent the last weeks dreaming of better times, when she lay between him and Riyu, sated from lovemaking.

His need was a physical ache. He wanted her with every piece of his soul. He wanted her all spread out before him, waiting to take him inside her body. He wanted her to wear the beautiful smile she wore only for him and Riyu. But after what had happened to her, and then the ultimate betrayal by her mates, she might not ever smile again. But he’d devote the rest of his life to trying to make it happen.

He lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms. He needed this contact. He wanted to be the one who kept her warm as she shivered with the fever.

As she melded to his body, he felt a sense of rightness he hadn’t felt since that horrible day a month ago. He wrapped both arms tightly around her and held her close. Then he prayed to the gods that this beautiful, giving woman would find her way home to the men who loved her.

* * *

Niko and Riyu ran ahead of the sled Cael pulled, scouting the area and communicating back with a series of yips and barks. Cael loped at a gentle pace, the straps to the sled between his teeth.

Behind him, Heather lay tucked amongst a pile of furs on the wooden sled. He chose his path carefully, not wanting to jostle her more than necessary.

He worried for his mate. She hadn’t awoken again since yesterday morning when she’d sobbed in Niko’s arms. Her fever had soared during the night as Cael had lain holding her. She had writhed and twisted restlessly, fought her demons while Cael helplessly looked on.

They’d left before dawn, loading Heather onto the sled and taking out. They were at least two days hard journey from their pack.

As they covered the miles, the sun moved from high overhead, sinking toward the horizon. When darkness fell, they stopped to rest, building up a fire in order to keep Heather warm.

Cael arranged the furs over the snow then bundled Heather among the thickest of them. Niko volunteered for the first watch and Cael and Riyu lay on either side of Heather, allowing their body heat to envelop her.

She twisted restlessly against them, and at one point began to cry. Her soft sounds of distress tore at Cael’s heart. When she began to struggle, Cael summoned his courage and thrust into her mind.

The images he saw made him cry out. For the first time since he’d viewed the scene from his father’s eyes did he see the reality of the situation. He watched as Heather put herself between Magnus and the hunters, unwilling to let them continue hurting him.

He felt every pang of fear, every wince of pain as they tore at her clothing, struck at her. He felt her shame when they violated her. Tears slid down his cheeks even as they fell down hers. He relived every moment with her, hating himself all the more for the way he’d betrayed her.