The Touch of Her Hands [The Wind River Pack 3] (Siren Publishing Classic) (19 page)

“This is Alpha Cardston,” said Erika. “Alpha, this is Zack Wind River and his mate Aurelia.”

The alpha’s gaze traveled up and down. “You’re late. What took you so long to get here?”

Zack narrowed his eyes. “We left at daybreak and it’s a nine-hour drive. We made decent time.”

The alpha snorted and looked at Erika. “See to the pups. Make sure they’re ready.” Erika nodded and hurried down a dark hallway.

A movement out of the corner of her eye caught Aurelia’s attention. A large, wooly dog lay sprawled on the floor behind the chair in the corner. The dog lifted his head from the braided rug and happily thumped his tail in greeting. She walked over and dropped down beside him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his fur.

“Impressive,” said Cardston. “Renauldo doesn’t usually take to strangers. You must have quite the touch.”

Aurelia shrugged. “I’ve always had a way with animals.”

Cardston threw back his head and laughed. “Then you should get along with us just fine.” He turned his attention to Zack. “The pups get worse every day. What do you need from us to work your miracles?”

“Just to be shown to the children.” He hesitated and took a step closer to Aurelia. “And to be alone with them.”

Cardston growled. “I’m just supposed to trust two individuals I’ve never seen before and leave them alone with two of the most vulnerable members of my pack?” He pulled himself from his chair and scowled at Zack. “Would you calmly walk away and leave Nathaniel with your mate?”

Zack dropped his head back exposing the line of his throat. “We mean no disrespect, Alpha Cardston. Our terms are to protect my mate, not endanger your pack.”

Cardston shook his head. “I want the pups well, but I can’t leave them defenseless with strangers.”

Aurelia rose to her full height. “If I understand correctly, an alpha does what is best for his pack, and his people, no matter what.”

“What’s your point, young lady?” asked Cardston.

“I think you should be in the room with us. I know we can trust you to keep our secrets.”

Zack frowned. “Aurelia, I don’t—”

“It’s okay, Zack. I can’t explain it, but I can feel that it’s okay for him to be there.”

Zack shrugged. “Whatever the lady wants.”

Alpha Cardston chuckled and moved toward the hall. “I’m guessing your mating is fairly new. For your sake, I hope you learn to stand up to her in time.” He motioned toward the end of the hall. “This way. Let’s get this miracle started.”

Aurelia joined Zack and followed the alpha and Nathaniel down the hall, stopping in front of the third door. Cardston knocked once and then opened the door.

Erika knelt by one of the beds, kissing the forehead of a small boy. She rushed to her husband and threw her arms around his neck, sobbing convulsively.

“What is it?” asked the alpha. “Are they worse?”

Erika looked over her shoulder. “Their fever is up.”

The alpha’s pale-gray eyes under thick black eyebrows filled with water. “Nathaniel, take your mate and wait in my office.”

“No,” Erika cried. “I won’t leave my pups.”

The alpha placed his hand on her cheek. “I’ll be with them every second, and I promise to watch over them.”

“Why can’t I stay?” said Erika.

Alpha Cardston glanced at Aurelia and then back at Erika. “If our doctor needed to operate on them, you wouldn’t be allowed to stay. This is no different. You must give the young lady the room she needs to help them.” He pushed her closer to Nathaniel. “Now, go. I’ll come get you when there’s any change.” Erika shot one fearful look toward the bed and then allowed herself to be led from the room.

The alpha closed the door. “Now what?”

Aurelia pulled off her jacket. “Put both of the boys in one bed, as close together as you can. Take off their pajama tops so their skin can touch each other.” She watched as he picked up the small boy and carried him to the bed where his brother slept. He deftly stripped off his shirt and laid him on the colorful sheets. Zack bent and stripped the other child.

When they stepped back, Aurelia pulled a chair over to the side of the bed and sat down. “What are their names?”

Cardston pointed to the larger of the two boys. “That’s Nate, after his father, and his brother is Johnny.” He cleared his throat. “This won’t hurt them, will it?”

Aurelia shook her head. “I’ve never had anyone tell me they experienced pain before.”

“She healed me once,” said Zack. “All I felt was a warm, inner glow. It actually felt pretty good.”

The old man nodded tiredly. “Go ahead, then.”

“Once I get started, you mustn’t touch me or the boys until Zack tells you it’s okay.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

Aurelia took a deep breath and reached for the boy’s hands. She worked their fingers until they clasped together and then enclosed them inside her own two hands. Her eyes drifted closed, and she reached inside herself for the magic that always lurked just below the surface.

* * * *

Alpha Cardston felt his canines drop as the woman’s hands began to shimmer in the room’s dim light. An orange glow spread around her fingers like she was shielding a lightbulb under her hands. When the orange light began to move up the boy’s arms, he took a step toward the bed. He growled when Zack grabbed his arm and pulled him back, and then snarled when he shook his head. Taking a deep breath to calm his wolf, he shook off Zack’s hands and returned his attention to the bed. His breath caught when he saw the young woman almost completely encompassed by the orange glow.

Aurelia stayed that way for several minutes, and then the glow began to fade. It retreated back along the boy’s arms and onto her skin where, after a moment, it began to fade. Zack moved close to her chair just in time to catch her when she slid off the wooden seat toward the floor.

“Is she okay?” asked the alpha.

Zack smiled. “She’s fine. This is normal. The healings take a great deal of her energy. She’ll need to sleep for a few hours before we can leave. Do you have a room we can use?”

“Sure, no problem. What about the pups?”

Zack grinned. “Have a look for yourself.” He clutched Aurelia tight to his chest and moved back to allow the alpha next to the bed.

Cardston placed his hand on Nate’s forehead and smiled when the boy opened his eyes. His skin was cool to the touch, and he seemed alert and oriented.

“I want my mommy,” said the small child.

The alpha laughed. “I’ll get her for you, boy.” He motioned Zack toward the door. “Come on. I’ll show you where you can rest. You might was well stay until morning. The roads are pretty icy at night. We can have a big celebratory breakfast, and then you can be on your way.” He moved down the hall and opened another door. “This is a guest room, and it has its own bath. Sleep as long as you like. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He glanced at the pale-faced healer as Zack walked by.
What the hell is she? How can she heal them with just her touch?
He shut the door behind Zack and hurried down the hall to his office. When he threw open the door, Erika squealed and came running to throw herself into her alpha’s arms. “You two, go to you pups now. They’re awake and fever free. The young lady did it.”

Erika raced down the hall while Nathaniel stopped and crossed his arms over his chest. “What exactly did she do to our boys, Alpha?”

“What she did was private, Nathaniel. I gave my word not to reveal her secrets. All you need to know is that she healed them, not harmed them. You owe them a debt of gratitude.”

Nathaniel bit his lip and nodded, tilting his head to the side to expose his neck. “Yes, Alpha. I’ll thank them personally.” The young man turned and made his way down the hall, disappearing into the room that housed his children.

Cardston moved to the bar and poured himself a healthy snifter of brandy. He sank into the chair behind his desk and closed his eyes. Remus Wind River had a powder keg in his pack just waiting to explode. There wouldn’t be any way to keep her secrets safe, especially if she continued to use them. For what she did today, he’d offer the services of his pack to keep her safe.

Aurelia slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The unfamiliar room lay steeped in late afternoon sun. She could see a darkened bathroom across the room. Before she could gather her thoughts, the door opened and Zack walked in carrying a small tray with a plate and two cups.

“It’s about time you woke up. Do you feel better?”

“How long?” Her voice was husky, and pitched low.

“Right at ten hours this time.”

“The children?”

Zack smiled and set the tray on the bedside table. “They’ve gone home with their parents. They both at a decent breakfast and show no signs of fever.”

Aurelia nodded and scooted up in the bed. “It was the same with them. It wasn’t a disease. Something foreign was in there that had to be driven out.”

“Don’t let it worry you, love. You fixed them, like I knew you would.”

She dropped her eyes to the zipper in his jeans, staring at the way the old faded spots undulated between patches of deeper blue. His skin looked freshly scrubbed and shone with a healthy glow. Desire raced through her system. She felt it explode like a small bomb in her stomach and spread to her extremities.

Zack grinned. “Are you always gonna wake up horny after one of these sessions?”

She grinned and shrugged.

Zack grabbed her hand. “Come on. I’ve got the perfect place for us.”

Aurelia nodded toward the tray. “What about breakfast?”

“It’s only coffee and Danish. It’ll still be here when we get back. I need you, woman.” He scooped her off the bed and strode toward the bathroom where he sat her down on a plush rug. Aurelia shivered as he ran one finger down the side of her neck and traced a pattern down her arm. He wrapped a hand in her hair and jerked her head back, forcing her lips open with his tongue. His kiss was brutal in its intensity. The taste of his breath against her lips weakened her. He thrust his tongue into her mouth as he ground his cock into her belly. His arms reached down, enclosing, lifting, so that she was completely off the ground in a hungry, warm embrace that seemed to swallow her whole.

Zack grinned. “Wanna get wet with me?”

Aurelia giggled and felt her pussy clench. “Absolutely.”

Zack turned on the water and then stripped off his clothes. He drew her chin upward and captured her lips with his. His kiss became seeking, fevered. Then, he tore his lips away and picked her up, climbing into the tub with her in his arms. Quickly he slid the door shut, enclosing them in the steamy environment.

Water splashed on Zack’s skin, beading up and dripping down the middle of his wide chest. She groaned when she felt his lips against the side of her neck. Turning, he pressed her against the tile wall.

“Eeekk,” she squealed. “You could have warmed it up first.”

Zack laughed and crushed her to him, his hardness firm against her stomach. Slowly, he slid one hand down the gentle curve of her hip, his fingers burning her skin. She turned her face up into the warm spray, and melted against him with a sigh. Her thoughts cut off with the touch of his lips against hers, soft, warm, and strong.

Zack’s brown-eyed gaze raked over her wet, naked body as she relished the feel of the water sliding over her shoulders and breasts. It gushed over her thighs and shins to collect in little pools around their feet. She had to fight the urge to rub her clit when his lips pressed into her skin, the heat building between her legs. Aurelia’s fingers contracted in the hair on his chest as she went on tiptoe to coax his mouth harder against her own.

“You excite me,” Zack whispered. “Let’s get cleaned up so we have more time to play.” He grabbed the bottle of liquid soap and poured a generous amount in his hand. Taking his time, he swirled the scented bubbles over her full breasts. Grinning, his hands moved lower, encouraging her to lift one of her legs so he could work the lather over her taut calf muscles. After a moment, he repeated the process on her other side. They took turns soaping each other’s backs.

Aurelia traced patterns on Zack’s chest with her fingers, sliding over his soap slicked skin, gliding over the hard muscles playing in his shoulders. She loved the way the soft, slick skin felt under her fingertips. “Time to rinse,” she said.

She watched the water stream over the taut outline of his stomach and finally flow over a daunting, mighty erection. She placed her hands on his shoulders and let them slide down his chest to his flat nipples. Leaning close, she sucked the small nub between her teeth and heard his harsh groan.

Zack’s arms snaked around her, pulling her close under the warm spray. He pressed his knee between her legs to support her as she moaned and arched her swollen breasts against his chest. Large, warm hands began massaging her shoulders and back. He used his thumbs to dig into the tense muscles of her neck. Waggling his brows, he brought his arms around to cup her small breasts. His fingers splayed wide over her naked skin.

The hot water and steam caressed her back while Zack’s gorgeous, wet, naked body pressed against her front. “This feels so good,” she whispered.