CHAPTER 7
“Miss... Miss...”
Mate... the voice in his head insisted. She is our mate.
Chase ignored the silly beast. Taking a wet cloth, he wrung it out and gently placed it on the girl's forehead. He had checked her vitals a dozen times since bringing her to the healer's hall but still there was no sign of what was wrong with her. Beneath her chest, the beautiful perfection of her chest her heart beat strong and steady, and the breath coming through those sublime twin pillows of pink lips was even and deep. He shook his head. “Stop it. She's your patient,” he mumbled to himself.
Mate. The animal growled inside.
Throwing his hands up, he stood and started pacing. What was wrong with him? He remembered standing there on the platform, phasing in preparation for following the run, then the woman...
Mate. His wolf insisted again and Chase could almost see the beast grinning at him. He growled low in his chest and ignored him.
This WOMAN had looked at him. He remembered seeing the most beautiful pools of perfect emerald and falling into them. Then he heard was the most heart wrenching scream of despair sounding through his head. His wolf howled, shredded the cage in his core where he dwelt and responded, recognizing her as their mate. The next thing he knew his beast had taken over and the human side was shoved back into the pit of his stomach.
Our mate was hurt. I needed to protect her. He snorted then settled down.
Chase stood at the side of the bed and looked down at Carson. Damn but she was beautiful – perfect even. Shoving the professional aside, he allowed the man to look at her. Her oval face was framed by long black hair, high cheekbones, straight little nose and full lush lips that just begged to be kissed. Now that he could see her, he could tell the resemblance to the pack alpha – the same olive complexion and nose. He knew if she opened her eyes, he would see those twin pools of bottomless emerald green, compelling him to fall into them and drown all over again.
Let's take a swim, his wolf snickered.
He shook his head and blowing out a breath turned away. Her parents must be beside themselves with worry. He should at least let them know she was holding her own.
He had taken no more than three steps when a soft gasp sounded behind him.
She was awake.
The beast inside stood up and whined, clawing to get to her. Chase flew back to her side and grabbed her hand, his eyes looking over her one more time to convince them both that she was alright. As his eyes lifted, they found those twin pools of deep green fastened on his face.
Definitely time to go swimming again.
Chase growled low in his chest telling the animal to mind his manners. His patient didn't need this kind of silliness.
Mate. The wolf inside insisted and actually growled at Chase, losing patience with his human half. His mouth fell open as the realization hit him that the beast was right. He could deny it all he wanted, could pretend he didn't have time for romance, that his practice was all that he cared for but it was all lies. Carson was his life mate.
Told you so. The damned animal was smug now.
“Son of a...,” he swore softly, closing his eyes and lowering his head. “Ah crap!” he slammed his hand against the wall.
“Nice bedside manner you got, Doc,” a soft voice whispered. He opened his eyes and actually had the grace to blush. She was still staring at his face, a look of absolute trust caressing the tender features. She was so accepting, so open, it tore at his heart. Reaching a hand up she cupped his face and the touch was like electricity racing over his skin. He groaned and leaned into the caress, relishing the tender moment. Surrendering his heart, he took her hand and pulled it away from his face, placing a kiss on the knuckles. He was lost. A goner.
The damned wolf was now dancing inside. Chase decided he liked the smug version better.
“I suppose introductions are in order, seeing as how we will be spending the rest of our lives together, and it would be nice to be able to call you something other than Doc. I'm Carson Hennison.” She smiled at him and waited expectantly.
“Blackston... Dr. Chase Blackston,” he murmured. He couldn't take his eyes off hers. They were fascinating, deep emerald green flecked with gold and just a hint of teal. They were striking and commanded attention. Shaking his head again he forced himself to look away and place her hand gently on her chest. “How are you feeling, Miss Hennison,” he asked in an attempt to regain some sort of professional decorum.
She laughed. It was a soft sound, full of joy, and the beast inside him practically flipped in happiness. He was so busy chastising him he missed what she had said. “Hmm? I'm sorry what did you say?”
“I said that you can call me Carson. It seems a little silly for you to be all formal when we are life mates. Don't you think, Chase?”
The animal agreed and was positively vibrating inside. He could feel the happiness as the wolf sat there with a big silly grin on its muzzle, tail wagging happily like a puppy. “Worthless,” he mumbled to him in a growl.
Silly beast ignored him.
“Miss Hennison,” he tried again.
She put a hand on his arm. “Carson,” she insisted. Then started to pull herself up from the bed. The sheet slipped slightly and his eyes fell on the small two inch round red mark just above the swell of her left breast. He reached out to touch it then clenched his fingers tightly and let his hand fall.
Her eyes clouded a moment thinking he was rejecting her, then looking down saw the mark on her chest. She smiled and touched it. “It's beautiful,” she whispered softly. “May I see yours?” She reached out towards the neck of the scrubs he was wearing. He tensed for a moment then grabbing the hem, he pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it aside. There in the same place on him was the exact same mark except in reverse. Where hers was a circle of deep burgundy red with white whorls that faintly resembled a fingerprint, his was ringed in white, the inner lines in red. The swirl of deep red almost pulsed with a life of its own. She placed her hand over it and he groaned from the electric touch. Leaning forward his lips brushed hers in the softest of kisses and if there had been any doubt that she was made for him, it was all washed away from their first shared kiss.
“What's going on here?”
Carson dropped her hand, her face turning a bright pink. Chase jumped up and looked at the now open door. Her father, the alpha of the pack, stood there just inside the door glaring at the two. Taking a step forward, a slight growl rumbled from the four wolves standing with hackles up and fangs bared. Jeff pulled his gaze to them, put his hands on his hips looking at them expectantly. The stare on his face would have been enough to make the strongest disappear, tail tucked firmly between legs but not them. The four guardians simply watched and didn't move. Chase, however, wanted to disappear but his professional integrity demanded he stay.
“Carson, you can tell them it’s alright to shift back now,” Manna called from behind Jeff's back. “It's obvious that you are no longer in danger. I'm sure they would like to go home and rest.”
Carson wrinkled her brow. “Me? Why would they listen to me?”
“You called them, dear. They are your guardians. They are protecting you and will only obey you for as long as the compulsion is upon them.” Manna wore an amused expression.
She looked at the four wolves. “Um. You can shift back now. It's okay. Go ahead and go home.” She pulled her bottom lip into her teeth, clenching the sheet around herself acutely aware that she was naked underneath. There was a subtle crack of bones realigning, a gentle sigh as fur was drawn in and smooth human skin replacing it. Fangs retracted into gums, eyes rounded and tufted ears lost their points and rounded into a more human configuration. There was a squeak as Aubrey dove behind her mate and peered out, confusion on her face. Landry turned and wrapped his arms around her gently guiding her to the nearby bed where he pulled the sheet from the bottom and wrapped it
around her. On the other side of the room, Jan was quickly winding another one around her nude torso while Steven glared at the assembled. Jeff looked at him and quickly Steven dropped his gaze.
“I think there's been enough excitement tonight. You four go on home, but I want to see you in the morning in my office,” he grunted at them.
“Yes, Alpha,” the four murmured before fleeing the room. Once they had left, Jeff and Manna entered the hall followed by Cayson, Rachel, and Miriah.
Manna's eyes flickered over Chase's bare torso and fell on the mark pulsing over his heart. A smile crept across her thin lips. “Well I guess that answers that question,” she chuckled and crossed her arms over her chest.
Chase blanched and grabbed his shirt where it had fallen, wiggling it over his head and tugging it to his hips. He didn't even care that it was inside out, a fact that wasn't wasted on Manna. Raking his fingers through his hair, he mumbled to himself and took another step back away from the bed.
Cayson winked at his sister, “you okay, Squirt?”
“Just great, Goliath,” she grinned but kept the sheet pulled up under her chin. The grin faded when she saw the murderous glare on her father's face and the weight of his will forcing Chase to back away. “Poppa! Stop it!” She started to get up off the bed but in a flash, Chase had returned to her side and gently but firmly pushed her back. “Rest now,” he growled softly. “You need it.”
“I'm fine,” she pushed his hand off her shoulder then looked over at her mother. “Can someone please get me some clothes?”
“I'll get it,” Rachel chirped from behind Cayson and flew out the door. Miriah pushed by Jeff and pointed to the back of the room. “If you are going to go wolf on the Doctor who was tending to your daughter, then go do it in the back.” The two men regarded each other and walked to the back of the room, going through the office door and slamming it closed. Manna and Cayson looked at each other and took seats at the small table to wait. Miriah nodded then reaching up, she tugged the privacy curtain closed around the bed and sat on the edge, picking Carson's hand up and squeezing it gently. “How are you, honey?”
“Mom, I'm FINE. I promise.”
“You scared 20 years of life out of me,” her mother began.
“Well good thing we wolves live such long lives,” she teased the sobered. “Could you maybe tell me what happened? Everything is just a blur.”
Miriah shook her head. “I'm not real sure. You shifted for the run then somehow everyone else did as well. By the time I got control, Cayson was trying to reason with Dr. Blackston who was still a wolf. He must have gotten through to him because suddenly he phased, picked you up and ran to the healer's hall. We've been waiting outside to check on you and it wasn't until a few moments ago that Jan and Steven Michaels suddenly quit growling and calmly walked back into the hall. Until then, nobody, not even the council could get closer than the bottom step of the porch. Nothing anyone could say or do would make them move.”
Carson frowned. “Why? I don't understand all this.”
“It was a Calling.” Manna said from behind the curtain. “Your soul cried out and as a dreamer, it invoked some sort of compulsion. It chose them to be your guardians and they were forced to obey.” She hesitated a moment. “What do you remember?”
Carson laid back on the bed and squeezed her eyes shut, wrinkling her brow to think back. She heard the sound of a chair moving and the gentle sssish as the curtain was pulled slightly open. Even without opening her eyes, she knew her mentor had joined them in the little cubicle. “I remember walking into the circle by the bonfire and hearing all the mumbles of the people, the shifting of the paws of the runners. I remember looking up to the sky and thinking I was doomed to being miserable for the rest of my life.” She hesitated a moment then continued. “I heard Poppa tell me to phase and I looked up at him and... I saw Chase. My heart knew him immediately. He is my mate, my true life mate.” She opened her eyes and looked into her mother's, one hand pressing gently on the mark that had confirmed physically what she had already known then returned to the story. “I saw him and it was already too late. I knew once I had finished my change that I would be compelled to run and then the winner would imprint me. I wouldn't ever be with him. I felt such horror, such utter despair, I wanted to die rather than participate. The next thing I knew, I was waking up here.”
She heard a noise and the curtains were pulled open just a crack and Rachel stuck her head in. “I got you some jeans and a shirt. Sorry I didn't think about underwear or shoes until right now,” she thrust the clothes towards her friend with her face a bright red.
“It's fine. That will cover the girly bits,” she said gratefully and started to tug the shirt over her head. When her head popped through the neck hole of her shirt, she stopped and looked at them. All three were staring at her chest, as if burning a hole through the cotton material. “I told you he was my mate,” she growled grumpily. Sitting up on the side she slid the pants over her legs then scooting off the bed, wiggled them up over her hips and buttoned the fly. Tossing her hair into a loose knot at the base of her neck she slid back on the bed and sat with her legs crossed Indian style.
“Well there you go,” Manna chuckled. Reaching over she patted her favorite student's knee affectionately.
“What about the council?” Carson began to chew on her inner cheek. “Surely now they won't make me do that silly run.”
“Of course you won't do that be-damned run.” Chase pushed the curtain aside. “My mate is not going to be run ragged through the woods and no mongrel is touching her! Ever!”
Miriah stood up and took a step backward. Dropping to the bed beside her, he picked up her hand and gently touched her cheek. “Are you okay? Why are you up? You should be lying down.”
“I'm fine, Chase. I feel fine. Wonderful, even. Better than I have in a while. I finally found you. I finally have my mate.” She nuzzled his palm tenderly.
“Oh snap.” Cayson was watching wide eyed. “Mates? Oh double snap.” He grinned at them. Beside him Rachel leaned over towards Cay and whispered, “Carson and Chase sitting in a tree...”
Jeff whirled around facing them and pointed to the door. “You two – OUT!” he growled and they scrambled out the hall. Then turned to Manna and Miriah, about to command them as well, when Manna arched an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms over her chest. Miriah, canted her head to the side and gave him a scathing glare. He bit back the command and opted for finesse instead. “Ladies, if you would please excuse us, I would like to talk to Carson and Dr. Blackston alone.”
“Well since you put it so nicely,” Manna nodded. Hooking Miriah's arm with hers, she tugged her out of the cubicle. “How about a nice cup of tea and some juicy gossip? I'm sure there is lots that I haven't caught up on since my last visit. Come on, she's in capable hands.” Her eyes raked over Chase again. “Very capable I'd say,” she laughed softly.
As the door shut again, Jeff turned and looked at his daughter, still caught up in a moment with her new mate. Mate... Cripes! He started to pace back and forth, mumbling to himself. After several moments, he looked up and saw the two of them watching him. Raking his fingers through his hair, he sat down on the neighboring bed and began to drum his fingers on his knee nervously.
“What is it, Poppa? I thought you would be happy. I don't understand why you are so upset.” Carson's eyes looked into her father's before sliding away. One didn't just stare an alpha in the face, not even his own children, for to do so was to offer a challenge. She pulled her bottom lip into her teeth and started to chew. It was an old habit that manifested whenever she was unsure or stressed. Right now, she was both.
“Baby, don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled that you found your mate. But, there's still a problem here. You know why we were forced into this damned run.”
She nodded. “I understand it, but now we don't have
to. I have my mate, Poppa! You can send the entire lot of males home. You said they insisted on me having a mate and now I do!”
“It's not me, it’s the council. That jackass, Carl Abernathy, is seething that the run was canceled and he's not alone. I have a whole village full of testosterone laden males snarling and foaming because they were promised a run and they feel like they have been robbed.” He huffed and rubbed the back of his neck. “With all the trouble we've had so far with them over this, something tells me they aren't ready to let this go yet. If Cayson wasn't good enough to be beta, I doubt they will see Chase as any better.”
Chase's eyes had become darker and darker as they talked until they became holes of inky black. “Let me get this right. It's perfectly fine to throw your daughter out to be chased by a pack of slobbering mongrels, one of them catch her, force her to submit and bear his pups, insuring that any happiness that she would ever have would be totally squashed? This is the vision you, her father, has for her? But the man, the wolf that was created specifically for her and for whom she was created, isn't good enough?” He was shaking; rage like he had never felt in his life coursed through is body. Standing up he took a step protectively in front of her, effectively blocking her from Jeff's sight. “She is not participating in any mate run and I don't care what you, the council or anyone else says. I'll die before I will allow any male to touch her!”
Jeff jumped up and took a step forward. “That was not my idea, it was the decree of the council. They forced me into this position. It was either the run to create a beta or our pack would be divided and disbanded. I HAD NO CHOICE, and I'm not about to take any grief from you, Welp!”
Carson slipped off the bed and took a step between the two. “Calm down, both of you please,” she glared at them, her hands pressed against each one's chest. After a few tense moments, the two backed down and slowly sank back onto the edge of the two beds. Carson blew out a breath. Silly males her inner wolf chuffed and she mentally nodded in agreement. Looking up at them she was satisfied that they were not going to tear each other apart. Relaxing just marginally she stood barefooted between the two and waited.
Jeff threw his hands in the air. “I have a meeting with the council in the morning. I don't know what I'm going to do – what's going to happen to us.” He took a few steps and turned back. “I'm really happy you have found your mate, Baby, I mean it. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure you are happy.” He looked at her as if he wanted to say more then with a sad shake of his head, walked out the door closing it quietly behind him.
“I found my mate, but in the process, did I kill our pack?” she mumbled softly then turned to Chase, burying her face against his strong chest. He slipped his arms around her and held her as she softly cried.