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That was another mistake, because on reflex my foot slams down on the gas pedal. I’m not watching what I’m doing or where I’m going. I hear a horn blow. I tear my gaze away just in time to see another car’s headlights heading straight for me. I cut the wheel deeply, sending my car careening out of control and directly into a light pole. My body jerks, my head is pushed down from the force of the collision, and it slams into the steering wheel.
Then, the world goes black…
6
#7
(STARK)
I see the collision as if it is all happening in slow motion. Even with my superhuman speed, there’s not a damn thing I can do. I run toward the vehicle, but I don’t make it. The only thing I can do is tear her door from the car to try and get to her. Her body is slumped over, her head pushing against the horn, causing the blaring noise to echo around us.
I smell her blood first. Sweet as candy, dripping down the leather wrapped wheel and calling to me like sexual heat. Her wavy, blonde hair is covering most of her face. Blood streaks part of the soft, almost white, curls and it sucker punches me. It looks wrong.
She’s mine.
That thought is clear. It’s intense and I feel it from my head to my toes. She’s my mate. The rightness of it settles deep inside of me and it’s even stronger than the protectiveness that’s surging through me. The feelings war with one another until I become little more than an animal driven by instinct.
My mate. Must protect her.
I frown as I catch another familiar scent in the air. I shake my head to clear it. I need to concentrate on Grace—not old ghosts. I breathe easier when the scent is gone. It hast to be my fear trying to shake me. I must save my mate.
There’s a small crowd gathered around us. I hear them all talking, some louder and others mere whispers. I tune them all out. Beneath their noise, I can hear my mate’s heartbeat. It’s strong and that reassures me—at least a little. Yet, I don’t have a minute to relax, because another smell hits me, this one acrid.
Gasoline.
I’ve always heard that you’re not supposed to move someone that’s been in an accident. There’s no way I can let her stay in the car, however. I need to get her out of here and make her safe. There’s just one big problem.
She’s terrified of me. It’s not like she’s going to let me whisk her away.
“Leo. Oracle. I need you!” I call out, panic in my voice.
“What’s up?” Leo answers immediately and just knowing my brother answers me so quickly calms me.
“My mate is injured.”
“Your mate?”
“I’m bringing her back to the compound. Have the medical facility ready and see if you can get Oracle lucid enough to help—”
“I hear you. You won’t bring her home, though.”
I frown when Oracle’s voice jumps in.
“The hell I won’t. She’s mine.”
“They won’t allow it,” Oracle argues.
Before I can ask him what in the hell he’s talking about, an ambulance and two police cars pull up. It’s only then that I notice the crowd has grown and they’re attention is centered on me.
“Fuck,” I hiss, knowing what’s coming next.
“Tell them you are her husband and follow her to the hospital. Leo and Ettie will meet you there.”
“What will you be doing?”
I snap out the words in my mind, as a hand moves me away from my mate. I snarl, at them, the animal inside of me taking over.
“You need to give us room to save her. We must get her out of this car in case there’s a fire,” the guy yells.
Everything inside of me screams that I will get her out, that I will save her, protect her. My body shakes with the need to take control. I don’t, however. Instead, I step back, allowing them to work efficiently to get her out. I figure they have medical training and would know the best way to move her. It kills me to see other men handling what is mine. The second they get her on a gurney, I’m there, holding her hand.
She’s unconscious and looks so helpless lying there that it physically hurts.
“Sir, we need you to move so we can load her into the ambulance,” the paramedic says.
“I’m going too.”
“We don’t allow anyone to ride in the ambulance. You’ll have to follow us. The hospital will need you to be there to get her registered.”
“I’ll be there,” I mumble, ignoring the fact that I have no info to give them. I’ll figure that out later. I lean down and kiss her on her forehead. “Fight, sweetheart. I’ll be here waiting, I promise.”
I pull back and watch as they load her up. A policeman comes over to stand by me. He’s holding a jacket, black thick-rimmed eyeglasses, and a purse in his hand.
