How many times did I look at the photo and wish I could remember even just one moment with her and now here she is, the second I set foot in Bloodstone Pack territory. I know then that no matter what happens, I’m staying here.
I have to.
Nothing will force me from this place. Behind Thorne’s Embrace I can make out the curve of a lake and the mountain rises up behind it and vanishes into the dark sky. After all these years it's just like I remember it. Still impossibly massive and holding up the world while time crawls by.
“Keep moving.”
Ah, yes, my escort’s requisite two words. The spell my memories weave around me shatters into the present. I look away from the tree to a handsome shifter glaring at me. I try not to remember how good his mouth feels on me. How good the hard length of his-
“She beat you!” Lucian’s whoop breaks through the thought I should not be having and I breathe out a sigh of relief. What the hells was I thinking?
“She did. She’s fast…that’s good.” I look up in surprise at Thorne’s unexpected praise. I never thought an alpha would saythat after being beaten by anyone, much less an Omega. “It’s very good.”
Lucian laughs. “Very good,” he mimics back in a robot voice before he comes up and claps a hand on my shoulder. “Congratulations. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone beat him in a foot race. You smoked him.”
“Thank you, ah, it wasn’t easy. My wolf mostly did it,” I say carefully. The alphas that I’ve known would never take losing to an omega well. They’d make the omega pay and as much as the Defenders seem different, I don’t know what I’m dealing with entirely. Better to play it safe in the name of making a good impression so the Bloodstone Alpha lets me stay.
“She likes to win,” I say quickly when Lucian gives me a questioning look. That satisfies him because he nods knowingly.
“So does mine but he was pretty pissed about the whole rain situation,” he says, nodding up at the storm. “Plus this? Talk about dead weight,” he says, giving the man he’s got slung over a shoulder a shake. The man doesn’t stir and when I take a closer look I see that he looks a little…gray.
“Um…he’s not dead is he?”
“Like literally?” Lucian leans back to look at the man. “Shit. What if he is?” He gives the man a shake. The effect is less than encouraging with the man’s head bouncing around.
I hold up my hands and step forward. “Maybe don’t do that.” Was the man a part of the group of hunters that shot me? Yes. But my healer’s instincts are hard to suppress. I have to help this man.
“Give him to me,” I say and hold out my arms to take the man from Lucian. Lucian moves to do as I ask but that’s when I hear a growl.
Thorne plants a hand in the man’s chest and shoves him back against Lucian. “He doesn’t touch you.”
“He needs help. How can I help him if I can’t touch him?” I ask, hands going to my hips.
“Why would you help him?” I can hear the disdain in Thorne’s voice. He’s right to feel that way, all things considered.
“Because that’s what I do,” I say and look up at him. “I’m a healer. That’s why I’ve come here.”
A murmur goes up from the Defenders and instantly I’m on edge. Every one of them is looking at me. The humans look too, even though they don’t understand why the Defenders are looking at me. I’ve never been great with attention but now there’s over a dozen pairs of eyes on me. The confidence I felt over the past few days is gone, dried up under the brunt of the attention and I wilt.
I lower my eyes to the ground. “I-I came here to see if I could serve as healer. I’m ready to earn my place. I know plants too.” I grab my bag and hold it up. “I brought enough herbs and salves to start working right away. I wouldn’t even need supplies. I swear I don’t need much.”
Thorne makes a sound that I don’t understand. It sounds like a cross between a cough and groan. When I look at him I see that he’s wearing a pinched expression. Oh no. I’m losing them. I’m never going to get to the Alpha at this rate.
“Like I said, I don’t need much and I’m willing to work hard. I can sew, cook and clean. I’m handy with some things too if that’s needed. All I need is a bed, somewhere to stay that’s dry and a meal a day.”
Thorne looks like he’s swallowed his tongue when I say that. I look around the group and see the rest of the Defenders look the same. There isn't a friendly expression in the group. As expected, the humans are confused and the Defenders look horrified. I look to Lucian hoping to get some signal that I’m not making a complete ass out of myself but I’m out of luck. Lucian’s face isthe closest to normal and it’s a pitying look that he sends my way.
Oh hells. This is bad. I’m going to get thrown out on my ass. I shouldn’t have been so adamant about helping the man, or telling them about my plans to join their pack. Too eager as usual. I wince and slowly lower my bag.
“You’re pathetic and weak, a used up orphan begging for love. You’ve always disgusted me.”
It doesn’t matter where I go or who I’m with. I’m never going to be free of being the unwanted orphan, am I? I hear a few whispers from the Defenders and my heart sinks. I can’t make out their words but my mind runs with what they could be saying about me.
“Whore. Slut. She’s no good. Cursed.”
They saw me with Thorne in the meadow, didn’t they?
They had to have realized something wasn’t quite right about us being there together.
