Coveted (29 page)

Shayla squeezed his arm
and dropped the bullet on the grass. “Jacob is dead. Who would’ve done this?”

She couldn’t tear
away her attention away from the injury, fascinated to see the dribble of blood
slow, then stop.

“Silver is poison,
almost like a paralytic when it’s lodged near major organs. If not removed, our
bodies will shut down. After a time, we can’t heal the damage.”

“You’ll—”

“Be fine in an hour
or so.” He gave her a small smile, but the ordeal had exhausted him, and his
eyes slid shut as he fell unconscious.    

The sound of a bullet
being racked into a chamber made Shayla instinctively hunch over Lassie. A
much-too-familiar shape emerged from the darkness, dodging around the
tumbled-down walls of the castle.

Her nutty priest.

“You. Why?” Conscious
of Aiden behind her, Shayla stood, using her body to shield him as best she
could. A wild fear grabbed her throat that she might lose him just when she had
everything she’d dreamed of within her grasp.

“I believe your man
said it best. I found you first. You’re mine. I’m not going to let someone else
take you from me.”

Shayla blanched, only
now understanding that the man was completely insane. “How did you get free?”

“Everyone was so
busy, I just walked out.” The priest smirked, his grip tightening on the
weapon.

With a sudden
certainty, Shayla knew he was going to kill Aiden.

The priest couldn’t
allow him to live and risk him come after them.

Fear swelled, held
her immobile in its icy grip, leaving her helpless to do anything.

Without warning, he
lifted the rifle and fired.

“No!”

The report boomed in
her ears. The necklace pulsed a bright green, breaking the spell of fear, and
she moved faster than she ever had in her life. The world around her blurred. Time
slowed as she ran toward Aiden.

For a second, nothing
happened.

She pushed harder,
dread constricting her chest as she waited for Aiden to crumple to the ground.
For a bullet to steal everything from her.

Then something
slammed into her shoulder.

Shayla stumbled to a
halt.

“You foolish girl,
what have you done? You ruined everything.” Shayla heard the gun drop with a
clank and feet scurrying away.

A roar of denial shattered
the air.

Shayla stared blankly
at Aiden as he rushed toward her, and she realized she’d been shot.

There was no pain
yet, but it would come, relentless and unforgiving. A dribble of blood trickled
down to the small of her back, the heat of it shocking.

Then she was in
Aiden’s arms.

“Why would you do
that? I would’ve healed.” He clutched her to him as her legs folded out from
underneath her. Shayla smiled up at his gruffness, her fingers brushing over
his anguished face to soothe away the terror.

“Liar. I couldn’t
take that chance.”

“I need to see the
wound.” But he couldn’t move.

Shayla nodded. “I’m
fine. Do it.”

He nodded, but it
took him another second to finally snap into action. He gently turned her,
tearing a groan from her despite her best effort to stifle it against his
shoulder. Material ripped as he tore her shirt clear down the back. The bullet
meant for his heart had hit her high in the shoulder. Blood continued to trail down
her delicate skin, the puddle growing at an alarming rate.

She’d never make it
back to the castle in time.

He leaned back and
tipped up her face. “I need to get that bullet out.”

Shayla grimaced. “I
understand.”

“What do you need me
to do?” Lassie had crawled over to them, his face alarmingly pale, but he was
healing.

Aiden’s stomach burned
for vengeance, but he had other priorities. “Save as many men as you can. Then
I want you to hunt down that bastard and eliminate every trace of him.”

The man was gone in
seconds.

Aiden shredded the
edges of his plaid, his hands shaking so badly he nearly dropped it twice as he
worked to create a thick pad. He pressed the sharp tip of his claw against her
shoulder but couldn’t make the cut, couldn’t bear to cause her any more pain.

“Damn it, do it
already.”

He snorted, took a
deep breath and did as instructed. Her body jolted as he sliced into her flesh.
She muffled a scream behind her clenched teeth and clutched at his arm.

All his senses were
focused on her until the world around them faded. When he probed for the
bullet, her heartbeat fluttered alarmingly in her chest, and her breathing grew
raspy as she started to lose consciousness.

Aiden pulled back and
turned his arm until it was under her lips. “Bite down.”

Shayla recoiled from
him. “You’ve already lost too much. I—”

“Do not argue with
me. Bite.” Aiden used his anger to push power into the command. Her teeth sank
into his forearm, and he welcomed the pain, gently pushing a strand of hair
behind her ear. “Though not at full power, my blood will help you heal.”

When she’d taken two
weak swallows, he probed for the bullet again. Her back bowed at the intrusion.
A strangled scream was torn from her, then she blessedly fell unconscious. He
paused for a second, not even breathing, as he listened to her heartbeat.
Reassured by the sound, he ruthlessly dug out the bullet and pressed the pad
against the wound. For the first time in decades, he didn’t know what else to
do. There was no strategies to work, no enemy to fight.

She needed expert
medical help.

James and the chopper
were her best bet.

Aiden lifted Shayla
and cradled her against him, stricken to see her so still and silent. Careful
to not jar the wound, he ran.

* * *

They were being
followed by his pack. Any time they ventured too close, Aiden bared his fangs in
warning. No one else was allowed to touch her. He grounded her in the living
world. If he let go of her for even one second, he feared the link connecting
them would snap, and she’d be forever beyond his reach.

The chopper came into
view, the blades whirling as it readied for takeoff. If they left, Shayla was
as good as dead. He pushed his wolf to his limits, then asked for more. Panic
threatened to consume him at the thought of not being enough, and his wolf gave
a mournful howl.

Everyone halted at
once and turned in his direction.

The chopper was
crowded with the most critically injured. No one spoke as he approached. Two injured
men took one look at the precious cargo in his arms and slipped out of the aircraft
to make room.

Aiden jumped into the
chopper with her in his arms, stopping the last man. “The alphas?”

The injured young man
gestured behind them. “In the tunnels, getting the rest of the people out and
collecting the bodies.”

Aiden turned and spied
James busily examining the injured. Aiden gave a piercing whistle to get his
attention.

The doctor lifted his
head. When he spied Shayla, he said a quick word to the man next to him, and
hurried forward. “What happened?”

“She’d been shot.”
Aiden reached out of the chopper, jerking James clear off his feet and depositing
him none to gently next to them. “Take us back to the castle.”

The pilot did as
commanded, the aircraft lifting from the ground in under a minute.

James knelt and took
charge. “I’ll need to see the wound.”

Aiden tucked Shayla tighter
against him, burying his face in the curve of her neck, presenting James with
her injury. The beat of her heart steadied him, the tangy scent of her calming his
beast enough for him to stay human.

“The bullet’s out.
The cut is clean, the extraction a little sloppy, but the injury should heal.”

Aiden rubbed his
cheek against the top of her head, unable to bear any form of separation. “Then
why isn’t she awake?”

James sighed and
rubbed his temple. “She spent herself. She’s exhausted. Combined with her
injury, it’s overloaded her system.”

“She will not die.” A
snarl curled his lips. Fangs burst from his gums. The doctor didn’t so much as
flinch as he studied the change.

“It’s up to her body.
Our biggest concern is to make sure infection doesn’t set into her shoulder. If
we can regulate any fever, she’ll pull through. If it spikes too high, chances
are slim that she’ll ever wake.”

 Chapter Thirty

T
hree days had passed, and
Aiden was going out of his mind. Fever burned through Shayla despite everything
they’d done to prevent it.

And nothing they’d
tried had any effect.

His fingers tightened
around her hand. He couldn’t allow himself to think he might lose her now after
all they’d survived. His wolf rested under his skin, hunkered down and
motionless, willing her to open those gorgeous blue eyes.

His life before her
had been a hollow imitation of living. He’d just gone through the motions for
his pack.

He couldn’t go back
to that.

He hadn’t showered or
shaved, hadn’t slept, too afraid to leave her side lest she slip away when he
wasn’t there to prevent it. Trays of food were left and removed untouched. He’d
lived through the passing of his first wife, but he wouldn’t be able to go on
as if nothing happened if Shayla never woke up.

He now understood why
his father left when his mother died. That thought of life without Shayla was
unbearable.

She couldn’t die on
him.

He wouldn’t allow it.

He stared at her
lying motionless on the bed, and his resolve hardened. He’d do whatever was
required to bring her back, consequences be damned.

“I know what you’re
thinking, and you can’t risk it.”

“Cam.” Aiden didn’t
turn, hadn’t even heard the other man enter. He rubbed a hand down his face.
“It’s not your decision.”

“She has to give
consent. You know the dangers. It’s why you created the rules.”

“You’re worried about
me. Don’t be.” The mating bond was the only way to save her. Her injuries were
so severe, the risk of her dying from them was infinitely worse than any trouble
that arose from taking her as his mate without her consent.

“It wasn’t your
fault.”

Aiden whirled,
shaking with rage. “That man had been stalking Shayla for months. He followed
her across the globe. That should’ve been enough warning, but I brushed him off
as a nuisance, too focused forcing her to find our men to notice that she was in
serious danger.”

Cam walked toward the
fire, giving Aiden and the bed wide berth. “You couldn’t have known.”

“It was my fucking
job to know!” The roar echoed around the room.

“Your recent
imprisonment has weakened you. Her injuries will only make claiming her harder.
The longer you can wait, the better it would be for the both of you.”

The dream he harbored
of courting her for a year or two, giving her time to adjust to this new world,
shattered around him. “She’s worth the risk. I’ve waited too long already.
She’ll die if I do nothing.”

“And take you with
her.”

Aiden had no qualms
about dying. There was no worthier cause to his mind. He’d risked his life for
less. Now that it mattered most, he was terrified down to his bones that it
wouldn’t be enough.

There was only one
mate for him. She was his perfect match. There would never be anyone else.

“What if she comes to
despise you for binding her to you? You’ll have to live with that forever.”

Aiden shrugged. He’d
rather have her hate him for the rest of their long lives than allow her to
die. He’d ensure her safety from the shadows while she lived a full and happy
life. She’d never have to know. When she died, he would bury himself in his
wolf until he could forget everything that he’d lost, forget that he’d ever
been human. “Everyone I have ever touched has eventually come to hate me. I’ll
have decades to change her mind and make her fall in love with me.”

Cam didn’t speak for
a long moment. “How do you know she’s the one?”

“I didn’t. Not in the
beginning. She picked me.” Aiden rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb,
his lips kicking up for a brief second. “My wolf recognized her first. Chose
her.” He nodded toward the bed. “She wears the necklace.”

No one could argue
with that.

“If it was your mate,
what would you do?”

“Change her.” Cam’s
answer was immediate. Simple and straightforward. “When do you plan to
proceed?”

Aiden straightened,
the bones of his spine cracking. “Tonight. Neither of us can afford to wait
longer. She’s stopped healing; the bond is her only chance for survival.”

“If it doesn’t kill
her.”