Lowering his head, he inhaled, ingraining her scent deep inside him, body and soul, animal and man. Shade ensured he’d be able to find her again if ever they were separated. Never again would she be able to hide from him, whether of her own volition . . . or forced. He’d easily track her from here to the ends of the earth and nothing would stand in his way. Certainly not her father or those dogs he’d brought with him. He’d keep her safe, no matter from what or who. No matter the price, it didn’t matter. Shade would pay it, for this woman in his arms meant everything to him.
“Holy shit,” Shade muttered aloud, his feet faltering as the enormity of it slammed into him. “She’s my soulmate.”
Ash’s snout nudged his thigh, whining. Shade chuckled. “Yeah, I know. You told me so. But damn, Ash, this is . . . incredible. It’s, shit, I can’t describe it. It’s out of this fucking world.”
Royce’s Wolf let out a soft rumble, which sounded suspiciously like laughter. “All right, Royce, no need to rub it in. Remember, I’m still Alpha, and I can give you the crappiest jobs to do if you piss me off. For now, why don’t you go ahead and get Lana to my cabin. Tell her I have a very important person that needs her help.”
Shade saw Royce’s beast rush away with the knowledge that the Healer would be waiting on him and that settled him, slightly. His concern was still high though. Marissa was still out cold with no sign of her coming around. What worried him most was that her beast hadn’t attempted to take over, if it had been him, then his would have transformed him immediately to heal him. Marissa’s skin hadn’t even rippled, telling Shade her Wolf hadn’t done what most would. Was it also too weak?
His mate was in bad shape, and it was down to him to ensure not only her safety, but also her wellbeing and that weighed heavily on Shade. More so than his Alpha duties to an entire Pack. He never imagined the enormity of finding a soulmate would have such a profound effect on him. He, Shade Shawcross, the toughest Alpha in the area, and he was being brought to his knees by the pain he felt for the suffering of a woman he’d only just met.
Was this what it felt like to have a soulmate? Hell, it hurt. Like nothing he’d ever imagined possible and this was only the beginning. How in blazes did people survive this? How did they function with all these damn feelings running rampant through them? Shade wasn’t sure he had it in him to do this. He wasn’t used to dealing with emotions but the alternative was unthinkable, unbearable, and agonizing to even contemplate.
No. He knew he couldn’t survive without Marissa by his side. Come what may Shade would have to man the hell up and deal with the baggage that was part and parcel of finding his soulmate. Emotions and feelings included. Well, damn.
He’d have to hide that well. It didn’t fit with his rep he’d worked so hard to build up and he wouldn’t allow anything to take away his Alpha status, or what he’d accomplished for the Pack. Shade didn’t have a clue how he’d do that but he would work it out. He always did.
When he emerged from the forest and saw his cabin, the relief that flooded through him took his breath away. His feet speeding up to a slow run to reach his home and the Healer he knew would be waiting. Shade wanted nothing more than to hand over the woman in his arms to someone that knew what to do. His own lack of knowledge as to what ailed her stung his pride more than he cared to admit. He was Alpha and it was a rare occurrence that he wasn’t in control of a situation, but this, this was something he couldn’t fix and it was like a knife being twisted in his guts. It was a physical pain, deep inside, growing by the minute and he needed to know Marissa was going to recover and be at his side.
His Wolf hadn’t stopped whining the entire journey home. Although somewhat assuaged that they’d located their mate, its agony that she was sick affected it just as much as it did the man. Shade had given up trying to talk to his beast. It just wouldn’t listen to him anymore so he’d tried to shut it out, but it had been difficult and added to the stress building inside him.
Royce waited for him at the door, dressed and looking like the cat that caught the proverbial canary. “Lana’s waiting in your room.”
“Thanks.” Shade rushed through the living room and up the stairs, his long legs reaching his bedroom quickly. Lana’s eyes opening wide when she saw Marissa in his arms but she said nothing as he placed his mate on the bed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She collapsed and she’s not regained consciousness since.”
Lana sat beside Marissa, her hands moving Marissa’s dark hair from her face and feeling her forehead before peeling open her eyelids to stare inside. She remained silent as she examined her from top to toe, removing Marissa’s clothing as she went. With each item that fell to the floor, Shade’s heart sped up until it was racing in his chest. Marissa’s skin was pale, with several scars that had his blood boiling and his teeth grinding. Lana glancing over
