Wolf at the Door: Salvation Pack, Book 1 (29 page)

But she was a fighter too, his Gwen. And she was his. His heart and his soul.

Louis hurried past him into the bathroom and dumped the lone bag of ice they had into the tub. It was already half filled with cold water.

“Slowly,” Gator warned him.

Jacque nodded and bent over, letting her toes hit the water first, then her legs and torso. She cried out, a pitiful sound that shattered his heart. He stopped and glanced at Gator.

“You don’t have a choice. She’ll die for sure if we can’t break that fever.”

Steeling himself against her whimpers, he put her in the tub and knelt beside it, keeping his arm around her shoulders. The T-shirt she was wearing was quickly soaked through and became transparent. Jacque didn’t care. If it helped her live, he didn’t care who saw her naked.

Cole turned off the water, leaving the room in silence except for the harsh sounds of Gwen’s breathing. There wasn’t space for all of them in the bathroom so the rest of the men retreated to the bedroom to give him and Gwen some privacy. He was very afraid they’d all lost hope and were giving him time to say his goodbyes.

He closed his eyes briefly and swallowed back tears. How had it come to this? When he’d met her all he’d wanted to do was protect her from his father. How quickly that had changed into him wanting to keep her in his life forever.

“Gwen.” He traced the parchment-thin skin on her face. It was so pale now, not rosy with life and color as it usually was. “I’m so sorry I got you into this mess.”

“Not. Your. Fault.” The three barely audible words shocked him. His gaze flew to hers. Her eyes were open and slightly unfocused.

“I’m not sorry I found you.” He continued talking to her, hoping if he did she’d stay with him. “I’m just sorry I didn’t do a better job protecting you.” The words were bitter and scarred his soul.

He lifted her wet hand to his mouth and kissed it. She was still too hot. He couldn’t tell if the ice bath was helping her or not. He felt the slightest pressure of her finger, as though she was trying to squeeze his hand but didn’t have the strength.

Jacque knew the others could hear every word he spoke. Their hearing was too keen and they were only a few feet away in the other room. But he didn’t care who knew how he felt about Gwen.

“I love you,” he told her. “I’ll never love another woman the way I love you. You’re it for me, Gwen. My mate. My life. My other half. You’re my purpose for being here.”

She shivered and parted her dry lips. “Love—” That was as far as she got before her entire body seized. Something rippled beneath her skin. It reminded him of his wolf taking over his body just before he shifted.

Gwen gasped for breath, clutched her chest and then slumped back in the water, her body lifeless.

“No,” he whispered, reaching for her limp wrist and checking for a sign of life. “No!” His tortured yell echoed around the room. Beyond him, he heard the mournful howls of the others. He lifted Gwen out of the tub, clutching her in his arms as the cold water dripped from her. Anguish and sorrow filled him and he tilted back his head and howled.

Gwen knew she was dreaming. She had to be. There was no way she was talking to a wolf. The large creature was beautiful with blue eyes and light brown fur streaked with blonde. She didn’t think wolves had blue eyes, but then she remembered that Gator had blue eyes.

I can be part of you if you wish it. But you must accept me or I’ll die.

She frowned at the female voice that filled her head. She didn’t recognize it, yet it felt familiar somehow. Who was talking to her?

Quickly, make your choice.

The wolf started to fade, leaving her alone in the gray misty void. Gwen didn’t want to be alone. “Stay.” The word seemed to be eaten up by the mist around her. She couldn’t see beyond two feet in any direction. It was scary and she sensed other beings, other things out there. Yet she wasn’t afraid for herself, only for the beautiful wolf. “Don’t go.”

You accept me as your own.

If that’s what it took to keep the wolf safe. “Yes.” Thinking of wolves made her sad. She didn’t want to leave Jacque. It hurt to think about him being alone. But he wasn’t alone, was he? He had his brother and his pack around him. She was the one who was alone.

The wolf padded toward her and walked right into her. Gwen’s entire body jerked.
You’re alone no longer.
The voice in her head echoed in her heart and made her smile. No, she wasn’t alone anymore.

She heard the mournful howl of a wolf in pain and started to fight her way out of the surrounding mist. It was Jacque. She knew his howl as well as she knew his voice. He was hurt and she had to get to him.

“Help me,” she whispered to her wolf. Already the beautiful animal was a part of her, lending her strength to Gwen’s more fragile body.

It wasn’t logical, but none of that mattered, not here in this place where death and life seemed to meet and mingle. She heard another howl. Fortified with renewed strength, Gwen began to fight.

A heavy hand came down on Jacque’s shoulder, but he shook it off.

“Jacque.” The sorrow in Louis’s voice hurt him to his core, but he couldn’t look at his brother, couldn’t admit that Gwen was gone. Once he did, there was no going back.

He buried his face against her neck and inhaled her scent. Even through the sweat and dried blood he could smell her sweet scent. He rocked her in his arms as he would a child, trying to offer both of them comfort when there was none to be had, at least for him.

“Jacque.” Louis’s voice was more insistent. He was about to tell his brother to shut the fuck up and leave them alone when Louis spoke again. “Her hand just moved. Jacque, she’s not dead.”

His head jerked up and he stared down into her face for signs of life. This was impossible. Her heart had stopped. He’d checked for a pulse and she’d had none.

She let out a small gasp and then another. Jacque jumped to his feet and carried her into the bedroom. The others clustered around the bed, all of them watching intently.

“What the hell happened?” Gator asked.

“I don’t know.” Jacque sat on the bed and dragged a blanket around Gwen. She was cold now, icy. He rubbed the fabric up and down her arms, trying to warm her. It was such a contrast from minutes before when she’d been burning up.

Louis went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of socks. He returned and crouched in front of them and carefully put them on Gwen’s feet. “We need to get her dried off and warmed up.”

Jacque knew Louis was right but he didn’t want to release Gwen. What if she wasn’t out of the woods yet? What if this was simply another stage she had to go through before she died again, for she had died, at least briefly. He had no doubt about that.

As if sensing his dilemma, the others turned their backs on him and Gwen. Jacque unwrapped his treasure and set her on the bed long enough to strip off the wet T-shirt and rub her dry with the blanket. He tossed it aside, ripped the sheet off the bed and wrapped it around her. He sat back with her cradled in his arms.

“Gwen. Come on,
chère
, talk to me.” He rubbed his thumb across her bottom lip, feeling a puff of warm, moist breath. Her chest rose and fell slowly, but she was breathing.

“Let me check her pulse.” Gator hovered next to the bed, waiting for Jacque’s permission before he touched her.

“Go ahead.”

The rest of the men were standing, arms loose by their sides, ready to deal with whatever new challenge arose. The bond between them was even tighter than it had been, strengthened by their fight and the ordeal that had followed. No matter what happened, Jacque knew he’d survive. His friends would allow nothing less.

“Weak but steady.” Gator put his hand on her forehead. “Her fever must have broken. She’s almost too cool to the touch.”

Armand went to the closet and got another blanket, snapped it open and settled it over Gwen. “Don’t want her to get cold.” His gruff tone held a world of caring and Jacque nodded his thanks.

Gwen’s eyes fluttered. “I think she’s waking.” Jacque caressed her cheek. “Gwen. Can you hear me?” He needed her to look at him, to say something to him. Anything. The memory of holding her cold, lifeless body was one that would never leave him as long as he lived. But, by whatever miracle, she was back and he’d be eternally grateful for this second chance.

She licked her lips and swallowed. “Thirsty.”

“Get her some water.” The words weren’t even out of his mouth before Cole disappeared into the kitchen and returned quickly with a glass of water. Jacque took the glass and held it to her lips. “Take small sips,” he instructed.

She took several before turning her head away. He handed the glass back to Cole and willed her to talk to him. He forced himself not to rush her, but to allow her to speak in her own time. It wasn’t easy when he wanted to hear her sweet voice again more than anything in the world. Then his wait was over.

“You don’t look so good.” She lifted her hand to his face and touched it. He covered her fingers with his palm and held them to his cheek.

Around him, the men erupted into laughter. Jacque smiled down at her as a blast of energy surged through him. Gwen had made it. She’d defied the odds and beaten death to come back to him. “You don’t look so hot yourself,” he told her. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips.

She frowned, making her forehead wrinkle, so he smoothed the lines away. “I went away,” she told him. The room went silent.

“I know,” he told her. “But you came back.”

She nodded. “I heard you howling and I knew you were hurting.”

Jacque closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He knew when he opened them there were tears shining in them. Gwen had come back, for him. “I thought I’d lost you.” His voice was rough with emotion.

“I know.” She patted his cheek and sighed.

“Are you hungry? Do you need anything?” Whatever she needed, he’d get it for her. Jacque knew she had a lengthy road back to health, but he was in this for the long haul. Whatever it took and however long it took. Gwen was his and he planned on taking very good care of her.

She tilted her head to one side and then turned to Gator. “I have an amazing craving for blueberry pancakes.”

A huge smile split Gator’s face. “I can help you with that.” He walked over to them and placed a kiss on her forehead. “Welcome back, Gwen.”

One by one, the others came forward and kissed her gently on the forehead. She smiled and patted their cheeks and fluffed their hair. And all these tough warriors, these male werewolves, allowed her.

Gwen was the gentleness, the care that had been missing in their lives and they all soaked it up like a sponge.

“Who is gonna help me cook some pancakes?” Gator asked as he walked out of the room.

“I’ll make coffee,” Armand volunteered.

Cole was silent, as usual, while Louis offered to help with the bacon. All was well in his world, Jacque thought as he hugged Gwen closer to his heart.

“I love you, Gwen. You’re my mate. Mine for as long as we have.”

“I love you too.” She was obviously tiring and her eyelids fluttered down. “I have a lot to tell you.” She sighed and snuggled close.

Jacque closed his eyes too and a sense of peace, of rightness settled over him. He could hear the rattle of pans in the kitchen and his stomach rumbled. He was suddenly starving. None of them had eaten in over a day. It was no wonder he was so ravenous and he knew the others had to be feeling the same. He hoped Gator made plenty.

Chapter Twenty-One

“Enough.” Gwen pushed back her plate and rested her hands over her stomach. She was wearing socks, an oversized T-shirt and a flannel bathrobe. Not exactly a fashion statement, but it was warm and cozy.

“But you’ve only eaten two pancakes and three slices of bacon,” Jacque pointed out.

She thought it was incredibly sweet that he was actually counting how much she ate. Not that she could blame him, not after what they’d gone through today. While the rest of the men shoveled back mountains of pancakes and bacon, along with several loaves of toasted bread and a gallon of coffee, she’d managed her meager feast. Eating was awkward with three of her fingers in a splint and her throat sore, but she’d managed and Jacque helped by cutting her pancakes into bite-sized pieces. “It’s enough for now. And it was delicious.” She turned to Gator. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,
chère
.”

It was always the same with these men. They genuinely seemed to like doing things for her. It was a novel experience for Gwen and one she knew she’d never take for granted for as long as she lived. She sighed and let her eyes drift closed, content to listen to the men talk.

Warm hands closed around her, lifting her. She snuggled closer to Jacque and sighed as he sat back in his chair with her in his lap. “I’m okay, just tired.” She could almost feel her body healing itself from the inside out. It was a strange sensation. The werewolf bite had changed her in ways she couldn’t begin to imagine, and one side effect seemed to be increased healing powers.

He kissed her temple. “You sleep if you need to, but if you want to talk…” He trailed off, obviously not wanting to rush her.