Chasing Seth (4 page)

Kasey frantically raced to the cliff, managing to stop, and peered over the edge. The black wolf lay on a low outcropping of rocks just above the river. A soft breath of relief huffed from his muzzle before he closed his eyes and shifted back to his human form. He would need both hands to get to her. The wolf lay alarmingly still as he began to make the treacherous climb down to her. His fingers dug into the side of the cliff as he hung on with superhuman strength. His feet searched for purchase on the slippery, dirt-covered rocks jutting from the side of the cliff. The scent of blood reached his nostrils about halfway down, and his heart lurched painfully.

When he dropped down to the outcropping, he crouched next to the black wolf, running his hands over her limbs. Thankfully, as werewolves, they healed faster than normal humans, though it would still be painful as the broken front leg knit itself together again. Several gashes ran the length of the wolf’s sides, and there was another large slice along her left cheek. Glancing around, Kasey searched for another way up. He wouldn’t be able to carry the other wolf back up to the top of the cliff, and there was no way in hell he’d leave his mate here. The only thing he could do was follow the bank of the river and search for a clear pathway.

Gingerly, Kasey slipped his arms beneath the black wolf. He winced when his mate whimpered in unconsciousness, knowing he was hurting her further but having no choice. His body sang out in joy at the feel of the black fur against his skin. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he breathed in the strong scent of cinnamon wafting off of his mate, taking it deep into his lungs. His eyes flashed when they opened just before he carefully hefted the warm weight into his arms. His mate felt shockingly dainty and slender. Hardly any weight rested in his arms at all. Frowning, he wondered if his mate had been starving herself.

He couldn’t concentrate on that now. The banks of the river were going to be difficult to traverse. When the river swelled and breached its banks, the dirt became miles of mud before the river eventually flooded the entire ravine. Thankfully, the rainy season didn’t start for another couple of days, but there was still no guarantee it was safe. He hesitantly began to make the trek downriver.

Over the next hour, his mate never stirred, garnering further concern. If the injuries were severe, she’d need their pack Healer. Relief speared sharply through Kasey when he spotted a steep trail leading back up into the forest. His feet were sure as he climbed it, never faltering under the weight of his mate.

He finally reached his truck and delicately settled the black wolf on the passenger seat, making sure she rested comfortably, and then covered her with an old quilt to ward off any chill. Kasey hurriedly climbed into the driver’s seat, heading for the reservation as fast as he dared. The Healer would know what to do. Kasey’s hands tightened on the steering wheel as he glanced over at the motionless form next to him. He didn’t know why the wolf had been so terrified of him or hadn’t recognized him as her mate, but he would do whatever it took for her to accept him.

Almost two hours passed before the pack Healer could examine the injured wolf. Instead of heading to his home, Kasey turned toward the cabin owned by the pack. It was closer to the reservation and the Healer.

Kasey remained tense as he watched Charlie Blackhawk examining the black wolf. “Is she going to be okay, Charlie?”

Charlie gave a small laugh as he checked on the leg that had been broken during the fall. It was already slowly repairing itself, but with the amount of time between the break and the wolf’s arrival, the bone would need to be re-broken and set properly. The wolf had lost a lot of blood as well, which was sure to leave it weakened. “She is a he, and I am afraid that we must break the bone again, Kasey. There is no other choice. If we do not, it will heal improperly, and he will not be able to walk without discomfort and a limp.”

Kasey sucked in a breath, his face paling at the thought of having to hurt his mate all over again, but the Healer was right, so he agreed with a reluctant nod. “All right,” he muttered, filing away the fact his mate was male for later perusal.

“Come hold him down by the shoulders, Kasey. Hold him tight, because I fear he will wake up when it is done.” Charlie waited for Kasey to move into position before gripping the leg close to break. The Healer could sense the wolf stirring, and there was no way the pain would not bring him into full consciousness. Taking a deep breath, he twisted, re-fracturing the half-repaired bone.

Kasey winced at the sound of bone cracking, and the slender body beneath his hands shuddered. A loud yelp of pain suddenly issued from the wolf, and he came awake with a vengeance, struggling to get away. Kasey put as much weight on the wolf as he dared while Charlie, working quickly, realigned the bone and strapped on the splint. Kasey crooned to his mate, trying to soothe him. “Shhh, pup, it’ll be okay. The pain is over.”

The wolf continued to struggle until he’d exhausted himself and couldn’t move. Charlie examined the other cuts, but only one deep cut on his left side concerned him. “He’s your mate, isn’t he?” Charlie asked intuitively while working to stitch up the deep gash in the wolf’s side.

Kasey could only manage a gentle nod, anguish tightening his throat.

Charlie gave a sigh before saying, “You will have your hands full with this one. His mind is unsettled and filled with much pain and terror. I am afraid that he has suffered some sort of abuse, and it will take all of the patience you lack, Kasey, to gain his trust. If you do not learn to control yourself, you will not be able to get through to him.”

“I will do whatever it takes,” Kasey swore roughly, his throat raw. Charlie had never been wrong.

Charlie did not tell Kasey what else he’d sensed, for it must be something the other male discovered for himself. He merely nodded, passing a hand over the wolf’s side to relieve some of his distress. “Rest, young one. No one here will hurt you. I promise you.”

The black wolf calmed slightly, although not completely. His eyes never lost their wary look, and he shuddered at regular intervals. Kasey barely noticed the chair Charlie shoved toward him other than to hook his boot around the leg and pull it closer. He would not leave his mate. The ever-present fear clinging to his mate was like a sting to his skin, pressing into him as if it were needles. The hand not touching his mate clenched upon his thigh. Knowing someone had hurt the black wolf left him battling with the rage he felt at that unknown assailant. If he ever had the chance, he’d rip them limb from limb.

Eventually, he felt the wolf let go and fall into sleep, if not because he trusted that they wouldn’t hurt him, then to escape the pain. The bone would be completely healed within the next day or so, but it was a painful process. Kasey knew from experience, having broken several bones over his thirty-two years. He allowed his hand to sift through the soft black fur. It felt so good beneath his palm, and it sent a sharp shaft of arousal through his body. His teeth elongated slightly, pressing into his bottom lip. More than anything, he wanted to claim his mate, but it did not appear he would be able to do so for some time. “I have a feeling you’re going to lead me on a very long chase, pup,” he murmured, his breath causing one of his mate’s ears to flicker.

Kasey allowed his cheek to press against the warm back. His eyes slid closed as he once again tried to picture the delicate male wolf in his human form. A scowl settled between his eyebrows as, once again, the white veterinarian’s face popped into his head. Damn it. How could he possibly be thinking about the infuriating doctor when he was actually touching and caressing his mate? If he had anything to say about it, the man wouldn’t be staying in town long. He had to find some way to make him leave.

The warmth radiating from his mate and the soft, gentle breathing began to lull Kasey into a light sleep. He drifted, never once relinquishing the gentle hold he had on the other wolf. He was so afraid that the other male would disappear. Nothing would keep him from having him. If patience was what it took, he’d find a way to be patient. He just prayed he could make the other shifter believe he wasn’t going to hurt him before he ran off into the forest and never returned.

Seth
struggled out of the darkness, grimacing at the agony coursing through his veins. Why was he in pain? He searched his memory for the details of the previous evening before it hit him. He whined low in his throat at the vivid details of being chased through the forest before stumbling over the edge of a cliff. He remembered the ground rushing up at him, and he’d thought for sure he was dead. Then he relived the pain he’d abruptly woken to as an older man had re-broken his back leg. After it had been reset and put into a splint, he’d heard the deep, throaty voice of the sheriff there as well. The word “mate” echoed over and over inside his head. Mate? He was no one’s mate.

A growl rumbled in his throat as he realized the heavy warmth on his side was someone’s head. The warmth lifted away, and a strong hand scratched behind his ears. Seth felt his body react in a strange manner, almost leaning into the touch. Horrified, he worked at getting a grip on his actions. Wrenching his head away from the other male, he made to sit up, but the hands were there pushing him down. “No, don’t move. You’ll only injure yourself further.”

He stiffened as the sheriff came into view. How could he have been so stupid? That explained why Bullet had disliked the sheriff immediately. Seth bared his teeth at the other man, who stepped back slightly, lifting his hands in a supplicating gesture. “I won’t hurt you, pup. I swear it.”

Pup? The man called him pup? Seth moved again, only to let out a fiercely pained whine as the leg he’d broken objected. The sheriff immediately returned to his side, pressing him down. “Please don’t move,” the man practically pleaded with him.

Seth knew he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so he relented and settled back on the soft mattress beneath him. The bone would mend quickly, quicker than a human’s. He snarled warningly at the sheriff, whose hands were still on him. The dark-haired Cheyenne pulled his hands away and resumed his seat beside the bed. “I know you can’t speak,” he said quietly, “and I’m going to take the time I have until you’re healed to convince you that I mean you no harm. My name is Kasey, Kasey Whitedove. I’m also a shifter, a werewolf.”

He knew that much! After the previous evening’s events, he’d kind of figured it out. “You’re also… my true mate,” Kasey said, with such reverence Seth twitched in discomfort.

He didn’t believe true mates existed. He’d learned as much in his past. His ears flattened to his head, and he snapped at Kasey, warning him off. The man’s face fell in disappointment, and Seth’s heart twinged in his chest. He didn’t understand the guilt running through him for hurting the sheriff. Why should he care? He ruthlessly shoved the feeling deep down. Kasey just wanted to use him like all the rest. They weren’t mates. Seth’s mind demanded he never forget the lessons he’d learned all too well.

“I don’t understand why you can’t feel it, pup, but it’s there. So tangible and real,” Kasey insisted. “Some of us search forever to find our mates and never find them. I will show you we are meant to be.”

Seth turned his muzzle away from Kasey, deciding to ignore the bigger male. He already knew Kasey hated him. Once he’d shifted back to human form, Kasey would change his mind, and he wouldn’t want to be mated to him. Seth wasn’t Cheyenne. For some reason, the realization pained him more than his broken leg. A fine tremble worked its way through his body. His eyes burned alarmingly, and he blinked quickly. What the hell was this? It felt as though his heart would shrivel inside his chest. Eyes widening in terror, he lifted his head and searched his body, desperate to know if the sheriff had already marked him as his. But the only marks he felt were the ones from his fall. If the son of a bitch had marked him, he’d kill him.

“I didn’t mark you,” Kasey said stiffly. “Besides, it wouldn’t work unless we mated at the time I made the mark.”

Sheer relief caused Seth to slump down to the bed again. He’d been born as a werewolf, and until a few years ago, he’d never known other wolves existed, but he’d learned quickly and harshly about the world of werewolves. His parents had known his secret, shared his secret, and protected him from the world. But they’d taught him to be careful and never to reveal his true nature to anyone. If he had the chance, he must leave here without letting Kasey know his real identity.

“I wish I could talk to you,” the man said agitatedly, interrupting his thoughts. “There is so much I wish to know. Were you born this way? Are you one of the Created? What do you look like in your human form? How long have you been on your own? Why are you so frightened of me?” He broke off for a moment, studying the toes of his boots before looking up and capturing Seth’s gaze. “I could never hurt you, pup. You are a part of me.”

Seth whined and lifted his paw up to press against the ear not resting on the bed. He didn’t want to hear this. He was no one’s mate. He didn’t want to be anyone’s mate. Being a mate meant pain and fear and blood.

“I don’t know what has happened to you in the past, but I promise you I won’t give up. You will come to trust me,” Kasey stated calmly and with certainty.

If he’d been in his human form, Seth would have snorted and said good luck, but he merely rolled his canine eyes. It would take at least a day or even two days for his limb to heal enough that he could shift back. He gnashed his teeth together, wondering what he would tell Chessie about why he had just up and disappeared for forty-eight hours without letting her know. What could he possibly tell her?

Kasey’s voice cut through his thoughts again. “I was born a werewolf. Most of us are on the reservation. But there are some that are not born that way. We call them the Created. They’re an abomination, a travesty. They are not allowed in our territory and never allowed to join our pack. Since I first saw you three nights ago, I’ve wondered if you are one of them. One of the Created.” Frustration entered Kasey’s voice. “Are you one of the Created? Were you bitten and changed? Just… just shake your head no if you aren’t.”