Dark Wolf Unbound (Heart of the Shifter #2)(18)

"I'm not leaving you-"

"Drake is outside!" she shouted at him, suddenly angry. "Someone needs to stay with him. It has to be you."

Jace frowned. "Me? Why?"

"Because you're a wolf! Don't you get it?"

Jace caught her arm, holding gently. "No," he said softly. "I don't get it. Talk to me."

"My sister died alone! I was alone in that room for almost twenty-four  hours after Lucius attacked me. My mom was killed and left to die  alone." Tears glistened on her cheeks, and her hands started to shake.  "Do you know what it's like to think you're going to die alone? That no  one else understands the pain you're in? That there are so many things  left undone and you can't do them, because there's no one coming to  help? Because no one is going to come in time? Don't you get it?"

Her pain was raw and ragged, spilling out from the place he knew she'd  kept it locked up for so long. Silently, he wrapped his good arm around  her and pulled her against him. For a split second, she fought it, and  then she collapsed into him, burying her face in his shoulder.

Jace pressed a kiss to her hair. "I won't let that happen to you," he  said quietly. "I will track you down no matter what happens. I swear  it." As he said the words, he realized he meant it. Not for Seth's sake.  Not to atone for the fact he'd killed her sister. But simply because of  her, because she mattered. Yeah, he knew he would never be worthy of  her after what he'd done, but that didn't change the fact that her  bravery and loyalty affected him deeply. Those traits were the core of  what defined him and so few people lived by them. But she did.

He ached for the pain she'd endured, for the fear she'd lived under for  so long. He had to make it end. He had to give her the freedom to live  without fear again. Suddenly, it wasn't simply about rescuing Seth. It  was about giving the woman in his arms the ability to live again without  the memories haunting her.

Abby pulled back, searching his face. "Say it again."

"Which part? That I won't let it happen to you?" At her nod, he  tightened his grip on her, pulling her tight against him. "I won't let  that piece of shit ever touch you again," he said. "I will track you  down and find you, no matter what happens. I give you my oath."

She searched his face, and sudden tears glistened in her eyes. "I'll  hold you to that, Jace," her voice was thick with emotion, tainted with  the fear that had haunted her since Lucius's attack.

"You won't need to. I meant it. I keep my promises." How the hell he was  going to do it with half his limbs compromised, he didn't know, but it  didn't matter. There was something about Abby that awakened his  protective instincts. She wasn't a stray wolf who needed containment.  She was love, courage, and loyalty, things that were so lost in the  world he lived in. Somehow, he felt as though his job was to be her  strength, to create the safe place for her that would allow her light to  continue to shine. "Stay here." He wrapped his arm around her and  reached out for Drake. The alley wolf's brother is in here dying. She  was protecting him. Let her in. He doesn't have much time.

There was a pulse of respect from Drake. Got it.

Jace's good leg was aching now, and his muscles were beginning to  tremble from the effort of supporting himself. As his adrenaline began  to fade, the extent of his injuries became more apparent. The bandages  on his arm were already soaked with blood, as were those on his ankle.  He'd lost far too much blood already, and his body had little healing  strength remaining.

"Jace?" Abby frowned, and suddenly he realized his legs were giving out  on him. He tried to right himself, but the ground seemed to rise up and  grab him. Abby grabbed for him, but her fingers slipped off as he hit  the ground.

He rolled onto his back, the gun across his chest as Abby crouched beside him. "Jace!"

"I just need a second."

He heard the front door open, and he gestured at Abby. "Get back. I need a clear line to the door."                       
       
           



       

"You're going to shoot her?"

"If I have to." His vision swam out of focus, but he rolled onto his  side and raised his gun, leveling it at the door. He was innately aware  of Abby behind him, and he knew exactly where she was. The door opened,  and Jace tensed.

Drake's silver wolf walked in first, blocking the door as he scanned the  room. He saw Jace on the floor, and his eyes narrowed. He immediately  trotted over to Jace and stood beside him, facing the door, offering his  alpha his protection. This is stupid, Jace. You don't know what she's  capable of.

Her brother's dying. It was enough.

The alley wolf appeared in the door, crouched low, her lips curled in a  snarl as she eyed the room, prepared for a trap, just as Jace was. Jace  kept the gun on her. "I will use this," he said. "Don't make me. I  promised your brother I would keep you safe from Lucius. You're under my  protection now."

At the mention of her brother, she snapped her gaze to the cot. When she  saw how still he was, she let out a low whine and sprinted across the  room. She nudged him, whining softly, her tail tucked between her legs.  With a soft cry of distress, she shifted back to human form, taking her  brother's hand in hers. "Roarke, you have to hang on. Don't give up."  Tears rolled down her cheeks, and Jace felt the urge to look away, to  give her privacy, but he couldn't take the risk.

Drake shifted to human form with innate ease, grabbed a sheet off a  stack in the corner, and then strode across the room. The woman leapt  up, her eyes wide with fear as he approached. He held out the sheet  silently. She glanced down, belatedly realizing her nakedness, and took  the sheet from him with a quick nod of appreciation.

Drake stepped back as she wrapped it around herself and sank down on her brother's cot, holding his hand between hers.

Jace groaned and lowered the gun, rolling onto his back again. "Put some  clothes on," he gritted out. He hadn't even noticed the woman's nudity,  but he was extremely aware that Drake was parading around in front of  Abby stark naked. He was surprised to realize he didn't like it. It was  his wolf reacting, claiming Abby as his own.

Drake raised his brows, glanced at Abby, who cleared her throat and  looked away. He winked at Jace, and then strolled to the closet. "On  it."

"We need to find the other room." Jace rolled to his side, grunting with pain when his arm bumped the floor.

"What other room?" Drake asked as he grabbed a pair of jeans from the  closet. He was watching the brother and sister duo carefully, not taking  his gaze off them.

"I don't know." Jace glanced at Abby. She understood his unspoken need,  and crouched beside him to help him to his feet. He swayed against her,  fighting to keep his balance. "This place belongs to a powerful healer.  There's a hidden room somewhere. We need to find it."

Drake narrowed his eyes, watching Jace carefully. "What happened to you?"

"Bear trap. Wolf bite. A few minor injuries." Jace closed his eyes,  reaching out with his senses. There were no other wolves around, but he  reached past the superficial information in the air, summoning the depth  of his powers that had propelled him to an alpha position. He latched  onto Kiernan's scent, allowing it to reach inside him. He softened his  mind, allowing his essence to mingle with the molecules in the air,  becoming one with them, so he could pick up every nuance in the cabin.  It was risky to do it, because he lost contact with his present, but he  knew Drake had his back, and they were in trouble.

His mind flew through the room, searching every corner, every nook,  every sliver, for the scent he knew had to exist. He tunneled through  the room they were in, and then out into the main room. He felt his way  along the boards, but again, there was nothing. No trail at all.  Swearing, he retraced his steps, back to their room, to the closet where  the scent was the strongest... Stronger than it should have been. "It's  in the closet."

He opened his eyes, surprised to find he was on the ground again, with  Abby's cool hands on his forehead. Her touch felt amazing, easing the  heat boiling within him. Her brow was furrowed. "You passed out."

"I did not." He tried to sit up, swaying toward her in a ridiculous  display of weakness. "I was focusing." Drake held out his hand, and Jace  grabbed it, allowing the other wolf to pull him to his feet. He was  showing his weakness now, an often fatal move for an alpha, but he  didn't care anymore.

Too much was at stake. He trusted Drake to stand by him, and protect him. "The closet."

Leaning on Abby, he headed toward the closet again, feeling the walls of  it again. Abby helped him, her body brushing up against his as they  went over each inch of the closet.