Kirsty lay pale as snow, her fingers locked around her shotgun, her side wide open as blood leaked frighteningly fast to pool beneath her. Kade was beside himself, terror stampeding through him, with only one solution in his mind.
He looked around, relief flooding him as he saw both Lennox and Dara beside him, guarding both him and Kirsty. There was still fighting going on around them, but at least he knew his betas would keep them safe for now. They better because he would not have his Wolf’s strength for much longer, not for what he had planned.
Kade ignored his own wounds; he could deal with those later. For now, his focus was on his mate. His one and only goal was to get her to safety and save her. The wound she was suffering from would be fatal to a human if he could not heal her quickly. He would need to do something drastic and only one thing came to mind. He only hoped she didn’t hate him afterward. If she survived.
Don’t fucking think like that! he roared in his head, forcing the quickest transformation of his life. His fur rippling, bones cracking and realigning, muscles and tendons changing from beast to man.
A brief second before it was complete, he heard Lennox in his head. “We’ve got you, Kade.”
Of course they did. They were brothers. He had put his life in their hands many times and he was doing so again. This time was the most vital of all. This time, his mate’s life was at stake.
Kade grimaced as he leaned down, the wound in his shoulder complaining as he scooped Kirsty up and cradled her against him. Her warm blood dripping down his naked body sent waves of despair rushing through him. His heart aching with misery and anguish as his strong thighs took off running towards his cabin.
One thought careening through him like a tornado out of control: save his mate.
Lennox sped before him, clearing the way, knocking anything that blocked his path out of the way: friend or foe. Dara brought up the rear, guarding him from attack, Kade glancing behind and finding Isla by his Beta’s side, her bloody and wounded beast snarling at anything that dared to come within a few feet. Within seconds, Kade was surrounded by his Wolves, ensuring his and Kirsty’s safety.
His heart soaring at his Pack’s loyalty in the hour of his greatest need.
Kade knew without a doubt, this was indeed that moment. If he lost Kirsty now, his life would be all but over. He would not be able to come back from the damage caused by such a devastating tragedy. His sanity would be damaged beyond repair and his future would be in a dark cell, policed by the Council. That was if he endured past the first twenty-four hours and he doubted he would.
“No, don’t even think like that. She will make it. I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure she does!” Kade told himself as he tore up the steps to his cabin, Lennox already smashing open the door.
“Fiona! Fiona! I need you in my room, now!” Kade roared as he tore up the stairs, Kirsty’s blood leaving a trail as he ran. Her unique metallic scent invading his nostrils so that it was all he could smell, everything else blocked out. His one and only focus was his soul-mate, she was the only thing in the entire universe that mattered.
Kade placed her gently on his bed before rushing to pull out a load of fresh towels. He was already applying them to her wound with firm pressure when Fiona arrived, her face white and drawn with worry.
“Oh no! Kirsty! Alpha, what happened? Is she all right?”
Kade’s lip drew back as his head whipped around, snarling. “Does she fucking look all right? No! She is not. The stupid bint came right out into the battle to try and help and got herself wounded by a rogue. She’s mortally wounded and I can think of only one way to save her. Fiona, what I need from you is to keep her alive long enough for me to do what I need to. Okay?”
Fiona’s eyes widened, not understanding. “What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to mate her, right here and now. That way we’ll be bound and . . .” Kade drew in a deep breath. “For fuck sake, Fiona, can’t you connect the dots? I don’t have time to explain.”
Fiona sat on the edge of the bed, placing her hands where Kade’s were. “I’ll do this. Sorry, Alpha, I understand. But when you’ve done that I need to check you over too. You’ve got some serious wounds yourself that need attention.”
“Fuck them, they’ll heal,” Kade growled, getting on the bed next to Kirsty, his voice softening as he ran a hand down the side of her face. “I’m sorry my beautiful lass, this wasn’t how I planned on doing this, but it’s the only way.”
Kade forced his incisors to descend slightly, slicing his wrist open, and allowing his blood to flow freely. “Fiona, can you hold her mouth open while I bite her, please? Make sure she swallows some of my blood?”
Fiona barely nodded, her hand moving to lower Kirsty’s jaw, opening her mouth. Kade placed a kiss on his mate’s cheek. “I love you with every fiber of my being. I’ll do anything for you, kill for you, die for you, but right now, baby, you have to fight for me. You have to live for me. I, Kade MacKenzie, Alpha of the Crescent Loch Pack, acknowledge you Kirsty Carmichael, as my one true soul-mate. You are mine, and you have
