Chapter 18
Several hours later, Sam found me in the room I'd taken for myself.
"She's asking for you."
I was up and out the door before he had time to say more. Based on the last time this happened, she shouldn't be awake yet. Was she really better?
Letting myself into the apartment without knocking, I quietly approached her room. I could hear her moving around. I stopped at the door and leaned against the jamb to study her. She was leaning against the bed and digging through her bag. She moved slowly; and, from the faces she made, her head still ached.
She caught sight of me, reached into her bag, and pulled out her pink bikini.
"Really, Clay? You're killing me. Where are my jeans?"
Her playfulness, despite her pain, made me smile slightly. She studied my face for a while. She tended to do that whenever I pulled my hair back so she could see me. I loved the attention.
She blinked slowly, and I knew she was still too tired to be up. Sparing her from further searching, I stepped close and, without looking away from her, pulled the jeans she wanted from her bag.
I held them out and tapped my lips, needing confirmation that she really did want to be with me like she'd said in the car.
She smiled widely. "A kiss for the jeans?"
I nodded; but, instead of kissing me, she pulled the jeans from my hand and tossed them on the bed.
Then she further surprised me by stepping closer and placing her hands on my chest. Her fingers branded me through my shirt.
"I don't need bribes to kiss you, Clay. Come here."
My heart burst, and I claimed her lips. She opened for me, sweetly and willingly, as she curled her fingers in my shirt. If she thought I'd tried to move away from her, she was mistaken. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. Her lips parted and nibbled at my top lip. She was killing me again. I reached up to cup the back of her head, wanting more. And she gave more. Standing on her toes, she slid her arms around my neck and opened to me further. The feel of her tongue running over my bottom lip almost undid me.
I growled and struggled not to crush her to me. When she used her tongue again, I opened my mouth and captured hers, kissing her like I'd wanted to when she'd first walked out the Introduction room's door.
Her pulse jumped wildly, and I knew I needed to ease off. It was too much for her right now. But, her lips begged me to stay. With effort, I pulled away. She whimpered, and pride filled me. She wanted me. She'd told the truth. I just needed to be patient a little longer and let her get over her fears. That knowledge eased some of my frustration.
I kissed her cheek, then her forehead, trying to calm her.
With a shaky exhale, she wrapped her arms around my waist and rested her head on my chest. I held her close, waiting for whatever she might do or say next.
Unfortunately, Sam walked into the apartment before she did anything. She sighed and pulled back. Reluctantly, I let her go.
She looked up at me.
"Can you come with me for this, or will that cause more problems?"
"It would be best if he stayed away, Gabby," Sam answered from behind me.
She leaned to the side to look around me.
"I didn't ask what was best. Best went out the window years ago, Sam, when 'making do' moved in. Is he allowed?"
Sam sighed. I didn't turn to look at him. I kept my focus on Gabby and the emotions playing across her face.
"It's allowed. He's unMated, but he's considered rejected. He'll be challenged by everyone for his place in the Introduction order."
She glanced at me. "Do you want to be there?"
I nodded.
"All right then. Sam, please head over and get things ready. Clay will walk me there. Clay, I just need to change, then I'm ready."
Sam didn't move, and she arched a brow at him until he left grumbling about Mating fights and sick women who didn't know when to stay in bed.
Gabby turned her arched brow on me. I wisely retreated so she could change.
From the living room, I listened to her move. At one point, she sat still on the bed for several minutes. Sam was right. She should still be in bed. I wasn't about to tell her that, though. Instead, I poured her a glass of orange juice and waited for the door to open.
When she walked out, she didn't look much better. Beautiful, as always, but tired and pale.
I offered her the glass of juice. She smiled and gulped it down.
"I need just a minute in the bathroom. Can you find my shoes for me?"
Shoes? I watched her use the wall for support as she shuffled her way to the bathroom. She didn't need shoes because she wasn't going to walk anywhere.
She closed herself into the bathroom, and I went to her bedroom for her slippers. I listened to the water run and the soft sounds of her brushing her teeth. Slippers in hand, I returned to the hall. She wouldn't like it, but tough. I set the slippers on the floor so she could step right into them.
By the time the door opened again, she looked paler. She glanced down at the slippers.
"Where are my shoes?"
I shrugged and pointed to the slippers. I wasn't going to negotiate.
She stepped into them without another word, and before she lifted her head, I picked her up and settled her against my chest.
"I can walk, Clay."
I shook my head and moved toward the door. What she'd done to get to the bathroom hadn't been walking.
Shifting her slight weight to one arm, I opened the door and stepped into the hall. She sighed, wrapped her arms around my neck, and leaned her head against my shoulder. I loved it. When her fingers started playing with the back of my hair, I decided I needed to start carrying her everywhere.
The few males we passed in the hall stopped and stared, their irritation plain. I wouldn't be welcome at the Introduction. Carrying her would be an insult to every unMated who had shown up. I didn't care. She was mine. They needed to know that.
At the intersection of halls which led to the Introduction room, she stopped me.
"No, go outside and around back. I won't go in that room ever again."
Her voice wavered a little at the end, and my hold tightened. If she didn't want to go in there, then she wouldn't. No Elder would force my Mate.
I turned around and went to the main entrance. I carefully set her on her feet, grabbed a spare jacket from one of the hooks, and helped her put it on. She studied me as I took the time to button it up. Hopefully, she was thinking of kissing me like I was her. I didn't try, though. She needed rest, not a racing pulse.
When I finished, I picked her back up and carried her outside. She shivered lightly in my arms as I walked across the dark yard toward the back of the building. Just before we reached the corner, she patted me lightly on the chest.
"Put me down, Clay. I'll walk now."
I stopped but didn't let go. Why was she doing this? She was still trembling and weak. She should just tell Sam to piss off. My fingers twitched as I suppressed the urge to growl. I could smell the men around the corner. Too many for her to walk among them.
"It'll be okay, Clay. There are a lot of fast people here. I won't fall on my face."
I studied her in the moonlight. She gazed up at me, her expression open. She didn't want to do this. She was doing it for me. To keep me safe. I wanted to hug her and hold her to me. Instead, I did as she asked and set her on her feet.
She walked steadily around the corner with her shoulders back and head high. I kept close, a secondary shadow.
Three Elders stood by the back door. They ignored me and watched Gabby. Gabby ignored them and looked at the gathered men.
"I'm Gabby. There will be no Introduction order. I won't have anyone left out, or leaving without a fair chance. So, instead of the stuffy cabin, let's just do this out here."
As she continued forward, the males lined up. She shivered again. It was sma
ll, but I noticed. Some of the men did, too.
"I believe the Elders mentioned I was ill; so if I start to stammer, bear with me."
She moved forward, and I stayed close to her. Most of the men ignored me. A few bared their teeth at me after she passed. I paid little attention to them or the Elders trailing behind us. My focus remained on Gabby and the shivers that occurred with increasing frequency.
Her proud stance melted away with each step, bowing her back and curving her shoulders. About halfway down the line, Gabby slowed. I thought she might be ready to call for a rest, but she didn't.
The men beyond her watched her with worry as she stopped completely. Then she gasped, the sound ringing in the silence, flinched, and touched her head as if in pain.
With a burst of speed, I stood behind her, ready to catch her. The werewolf she faced looked at me in confusion, then at her, and finally the Elders who'd quietly followed us until now.
"Gabby," Sam said, his voice heavy with worry and warning. It was too late for that.
She held up her hand.
"A moment, please," she said, sounding strained.
I kept my hands out, ready to grab her as she slowly straightened. She breathed deeply, as if orienting herself, then glanced at me. Worry filled her eyes. She held my gaze as if trying to tell me something. What, though? She was weak from sharing her ability with those women. She wouldn't have her pull on men here. Besides, it only seemed to affect human men. No, it couldn't be that. Why else would she worry? The answer hit me, and I looked at the men around us. She'd tried to use her sight. But why? The males watched us. Nothing seemed out of place.
While I studied the woods, she turned to the men in front of her.
"I'm sorry. Like I said, I'm not feeling well. The pain in my head just took me by surprise."
We all heard the lie in her words, but no one commented. She took another steadying breath and started moving again. Only, this time, her progress was slower and her steps more labored. Tremors shook her, confirming that she'd used her gift and exhausted herself.
I wasn't the only one watching her with concern. Each man she passed glanced at the Elders trailing us, as if wondering why they hadn't put a stop to this. I wondered the same thing.
After a few more steps, Gabby halted.
"A f-face I know. I'm here as p-promised."
I eyed the man she stared at. Who the hell was he and how did she know him?
"I see that, Little One," he said. "Although, it looks like you should be in bed, instead."
Curling my hands into fists, I tried to control my anger at his use of a pet name.
"I would b-be if people would j-just leave me alone. B-but it's not meant t-to be. So, you know my name, but I d-don't know yours."
"Luke Taylor, love."
Love? I wondered if I could knock his British accent out along with a few teeth.
Luke-the-Brit held out his hand. Gabby glanced at it and hesitated. I ground my teeth together, jealousy ripping through me when she reached forward and wrapped her hand in his. She paled, exhaled heavily, and swayed on her feet. Luke's slight smirk disappeared.
I held myself ready. To catch her. To fight for her. To do whatever she needed of me.
Gabby's heart started to beat loudly as if overtaxed. She made a small sound between a gasp and a moan. I inhaled deeply and noted her scent had changed, too. Mellowed. I started to pace just behind her, my focus on both of them.
Luke frowned at Gabby.
"I need to talk to you," she said, her words slurred. "Don't leave until I do."
Luke looked as surprised as I felt.
"Clay," she whispered. Her head lolled to the side as she tried to find me. "Catch me."
She let go of Luke's hand and fell against me.
"Is she okay?" Sam asked. He stood beside me, his hand extended to touch her forehead.
I couldn't stop the growl as I lifted her into my arms and settled her against my chest.
"You pushed this." A tremor ran over my arm. Fur appeared and disappeared. "These women aren't like us. They're fragile. You know that. You say you're protecting them. Who's protecting them from you?"
The males around us shifted in agitation. They were thinking the same thing. The Elders should have put a stop to this Introduction. They'd all sensed her exhaustion and witnessed her frailty.
Sam looked down at Gabby, her pale cheek resting against me, and I had the satisfaction of seeing guilt pass over his features.
I stepped around him and carried her inside, hurrying to get to her room. Anyone I passed moved out of our way. Word of what had happened had already spread.
Charlene stood by the apartment door and opened it for me. She followed me in as I strode across the small space to Gabby's bedroom.
"Do you need anything, Clay?"
I paused and looked back at Charlene. In the door, a man stood behind her. He looked like her and Thomas. His gaze was locked on Gabby, reflecting a sad worry. I clenched my jaw against a new wave of anger. Damn the Elders.
"Just tell them to stay away."
She nodded slightly, looking concerned. "I'll do my best."
She turned, shooed the man away, and closed the door. I could still hear them, though.
"Will she be all right?"
"I don't know, Jim."
"She's like you and Michelle, right?"
"Let's talk about this later."
Their voices faded as I set Gabby on her bed. I removed the jacket, tucked her under the covers, and turned off the light. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the soft light from the main room. No discernable rise and fall of her chest moved beneath the covers. She was too still, and it scared me.
Frustrated and angry at my helplessness, I went to the kitchenette to get a glass of water. Please let this be like last time, I thought, carrying the glass back to her. I closed the door, set the glass beside the bed, then lay on the covers next to her.
I laid my hand on her chest to measure her shallow breathing. She'd obviously used her power again. And this was the worst she'd ever been. What if-? I wouldn't let the thought finish.
"Please wake up from this," I whispered in the dark. "I can't live without you."