Page 15 of Undesired Mate

I wish I could get myself to calm down and drop the anxiety that’s wrapped itself around my throat and wants to squeeze the life out of me. I can’t shake it. The feeling that something is off. Why did he have to leave me alone here?

An almost head-splitting yawn reminds me of the broken sleep I’ve been getting lately. That’s what I should try to do. Sleep. I can’t worry if I’m asleep.

Ignoring the night sounds all around outside the building, I go through the motions—washing my face, changing into one of Levi’s shirts. It’s huge on me, more like a dress, but it’s his scent clinging to the fabric that makes me close my eyes and take a deep breath. Something stirs in me, something warm and satisfied that settles in my core and heats my pussy. I wish I could understand any of this. It’s like I don’t know myself anymore.

Before I can get into bed and force my thoughts to quiet down, a soft noise outside freezes me solid. Like an animal stepping on dead leaves or pinecones, the kind of thing I grew up hearing outside my mother’s cabin. For some reason, it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up and my breath come in short, sharp gasps.

Something is wrong. I can barely pull in a sip of air through the pinhole my throat has closed to while my eyes dart around the room, frantically searching for… what? A weapon?

It’s too late, anyway. I’m still frozen by fear when the door bursts inward. Filling the doorway is a familiar, hulking shape that heaves with every ragged breath. “Shane,” I whisper, shaking my head while backing away. “You shouldn’t be here. They’ll kill you.”

“I’m not who you should be worried about,” he grunts, his eyes glittering. There is evil in them, hatred. His chest rises and falls with every breath he takes through gritted teeth. “You freak. You fucking abomination. There’s no place for you in this world. You don’t belong here.”

A whimper leaks out of me, and the sound makes him smile. There’s a nasty sort of joy in it. “Don’t worry. I’m going to put you out of your misery the way I should have before.”

“You can’t do this.” I back away on trembling legs, barely shaking off my panic for the sake of moving. Where am I going to go? How can I get away? As fast as I know shifters can move, I doubt any of them would get here in time if I screamed. He would see to that.

“Come on, now,” he growls, breaching the threshold and advancing on me. “Don’t make this harder than it has to be. You’re dying either way. Why drag it out?”

Dying. It’s not like I didn’t know why he came, but hearing him say it out loud is a whole different thing. I’m going to die. He’s going to kill me.

Our eyes meet, neither of us blinking for what feels like an eternity. His massive fists clench at his sides as he bares his teeth in a snarl that promises pain.

And then he moves in a blur, lunging at me before I know what’s happening. I suck in necessary air, ready to scream, but hegrabs me and claps a hand over my mouth, silencing me before shoving me against the wall hard enough to make pain scream out in the back of my skull.

I can’t breathe! He’s covering my mouth and my nose with his huge hand, laughing while my eyes bulge, and I fight as hard as I can to get him off me. “That’s right,” he growls, those glowing eyes of his burning holes through me. “Fight. Waste your energy. Tell yourself there’s any way out of this when we both know there isn’t. Pathetic fucking freak. I’m doing you a favor.”

His grip tightens, and I’m sure I feel my bones grinding before he decides to use his hand around my throat instead, squeezing and shaking before throwing me across the room.

My throat is on fire, every breath agony. Dizziness slows me down, makes me stagger as I try to get to my feet before he reaches me. I’m too slow, of course. He moves like lightning, backhanding me hard enough to snap my head around before picking me up by my throat again and dangling me off the floor. “I’m doing the world a favor,” he grunts before throwing me across the room again, and the coffee table breaks when I land on it.

At first, I’m too dazed to move, and when I try to, white hot fire erupts in my ribs. All I can do is roll on my side and curl up in a ball with my fingers laced behind the back of my head. Just let it be over fast. Whatever he does, let it be over fast.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting roar makes me whimper and brace myself for the end. It’s strange that my last thought should be of Levi, but I see his face in my mind in the final moments before the inevitable.

When something breaks on the other side of the room, the sound stirs me into awareness. There’s two of them, two shifters, both snarling and growling as they struggle. I’m afraid to look, but at the same time, I can’t help it. I need to know what’s happening.

A huge, hulking shifter is fighting Shane, practically tearing the room apart as they struggle. I don’t recognize the second man, but he can only be part of Levi’s pack, or else why would he be here? My head is spinning, and my vision blurs a little, but I force myself to keep my eyes open long enough to watch the bigger, stronger man take Shane’s head in his powerful hands and twist sharply, breaking his neck and ending his life.

Just like he was ready to end mine. His body hasn’t hit the floor before my eyes close and sweet, merciful darkness closes around me.

“There she is.”That deep, rumbling voice is the first thing I hear once I’ve clawed myself back to consciousness. It’s like trying to fight my way through dense fog, but I can’t give up. No matter how tempting it is to let the darkness pull me under again.

Someone is looking down at me, and I realize right away who he is by the black T-shirt he’s wearing. “Is he dead? Did you kill him?” I ask. My voice is so weak and raspy after being choked.

“He is. And you’re going to be fine in no time—you might only be half-shifter, but your body should still heal quickly. I’m glad I got there when I did.”

Taking a quick look around, I realize we’re not at Levi’s anymore. “I brought you to be treated for your injuries,” heexplains before I can ask. “They’re minor, though I bet they don’t feel that way now.”

He wasn’t kidding. I ache in a dozen places after being thrown around like a doll. But I am safe. I feel it, and I have this man to thank. “Who are you?” I whisper.

“My name is Thorn. This is my pack.” He isn’t exactly warm, but he is protective, and he cares, in his way. I sense it.

“Thank you, Thorn,” I tell him, and I mean it with all my heart. “You saved my life.”

“Like I said. I’m glad I got there when I did.”

Before I can ask what made him find me, heavy, rapid footsteps ring out somewhere nearby. I lift my head in time to see Levi burst in, wide-eyed, almost panicked by the looks of it. “What happened?” He comes straight to me, searching my face, looking me over before turning to his alpha.

---