Page 15 of Guardians

“This is torture,” Lexie lamented as she collapsed into one of the chairs.

Tara was no longer in the waiting room. She’d likely returned to the cabin she was sharing with Bianca. Her primary reason for being there had been to support Lexie, so it wasn’t surprising that she’d left.

Another hour passed before Raphael emerged from the treatment room. He was rubbing the back of his neck and yawning widely. “I was able to repair the worst of the damage. He’ll still require a lengthy convalescence, but he will survive.”

An excited cry escaped Lexie as she flew across the room and hugged Raphael. “Thank you,” she gushed and hugged him again.

Raphael laughed and eased her back. “All I did was direct the energy you provided. If it weren’t for the soul bond, there was nothing more I could have done.” He yawned again. “I’m too tired to transform. Can I crash here for the night? I’ll fly home in the morning.”

“Stay as long as you like,” Malik offered. “In fact, I’ll ask Zion to assign you a cabin if you’re willing to help me out on a regular basis.”

“Give me a female and you’ve got yourself a deal,” he countered with a chuckle, then motioned toward Kane’s room. “He needs to rest, but he’s conscious right now. Say good night to him and then go home!”

Lexie rushed into the treatment room and had to fight back a happy cry when she saw Kane’s silver-blue eyes open and filled with life. Carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, she took his hand between hers. “Don’t scare me like that, mate. My heart can’t take it.”

He managed a weak smile. “I’ll try harder next time.”

She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed his knuckles. “Sleep, my love. It’s what your body needs most.”

“I think what my body needs most is what we were doing on the beach.”

Her cheeks heated and she smiled at him. “Soon. You have to regain your strength first.”

“Good point.” His eyelids began to droop, but he shifted his gaze to the foot of the bed where Malik and Diego stood. “Thank you, brothers.”

“No need to thank us,” Diego assured. “All we did was fuck our mate.”

“You did a lot more than that, and I know it. Soul bonds are forever.”

Malik shrugged, yet relief was clearly written in his expression. “Just means that you’re stuck with us.”

Kane smiled, but his eyes drifted shut before he could form a response.

It took Kane three full weeks to regain his strength. He spent the first week in the clinic, and two additional weeks at home in bed. He complained the entire time and drove everyone crazy. Even so, Malik refused to let him out of bed until every internal laceration had healed completely.

“I thought doctors made the worst patients,” Malik growled on the final day. “You undoubtedly take the prize.”

“Am I free to return to work?” Kane demanded. “More important, am I free to fuck our mate?”

Lexie laughed. She was standing in the doorway enjoying the mostly playful banter.

“Your wounds are completely healed,” Malik agreed. “Whether or not you can fuck our mate is up to Lexie.”

“Come here, mate,” Kane ordered. “I have a powerful need for you.”

More than happy to oblige him, Lexie pulled her flowing day dress off over her head and crawled across the bed. Kane swept her beneath him and opened her legs with his knees. He paused long enough to kiss her and lightly stroke her clit. As usual, she was wet and ready for his cock. Then he was deep inside her, fucking her hard and fast. Lexie met him stroke for stroke with her legs drawn up high against his sides. Kane only lasted a few minutes, but the strong, steady thrust of his huge shaft triggered her orgasm moments before he spilled his seed.

“Damn,” he panted. “That was pathetic.”

She laughed and kissed his lips. “You’re clearly out of practice,” she teased, “and there’s only one remedy for that.”

“Give me a minute to catch my breath and I’ll do better,” he promised.

It was such a relief to see him happy and healthy again. Worrying about him had taken ten years off her lifespan. “After breakfast,” she insisted, quickly scooting off the bed. “That sort of exertion requires food.”

They cleaned up and went into the living room. Diego and Malik were cooking breakfast, so Kane and Lexie set the table, then sat down and enjoyed steaming mugs of Rydarian coffee.

After bringing the food to the table, Malik and Diego sat down in the last two chairs. The food was passed and mugs refilled before anyone said anything more meaningful than please and thank you.

“It has been three endless weeks and my annoying doctor insisted that I be kept in the dark about everything.” Kane shot Malik a melodramatic glare. “Have there been any important developments?” He looked at Lexie as he asked, “Zion’s deadline passed. How many of the women chose mates and how many left the village?”

“Twenty-six have chosen their coalitions,” she told him, pleased with the progress that had been made. “Over a hundred are actively courting. Forty-nine are living in the shelter, but I don’t think they’ll stay there for long. The past week has been relatively warm, and males are sneaking out there to flirt with them. It’s a slower process, but I honestly think they’ll rejoin the village as soon as winter arrives.”

“There has been an interesting development with the brothel,” Diego told him with a grin.

Lexie shook her head. “That was a total blindside. Everything about the compromise was shocking.”

“What compromise?” Kane paused with his fork halfway to his mouth.

“The ones left behind after the wolf attack begged Zion to find some way of allowing them to join the village,” Lexie explained. “All of them had direct interaction with hybrids. Some participated in the experiments, so I thought for sure he’d refuse.” She paused and shook her head again, still amazed by the outcome. “He suggested that they join the brothel. I think he expected them to feel insulted and walk out, but eighteen of them agreed.”

“So there are now twenty-one sex workers available to anyone who has a voucher,” Diego concluded.

“You said that eighteen agreed,” Kane mused. “What happened to the other five?”

Lexie sighed. She understood why Zion originally refused to deal with that group, but knowing they were out there vulnerable and starving bothered her. “I was hoping they would simply return to our old camp. I know some of the women were sneaking them supplies. But Tara and I went to check on them yesterday and the camp is deserted.”

“Did they relocate to somewhere safer? What happened to them?”

“We’re pretty sure the wolves took them in. There was no sign of a struggle, so I think they went willingly.”

Kane shook his head, concern and frustration pulsing across the soul bond. “Speaking of the wolves, have the females they took during the massacre been recovered?”

Diego answered, his features tense, expression grim. “Travis assured me that they’re not being abused and there has not been an attack since they were taken.” He looked at Lexie apologetically as he added, “Zion isn’t happy about the situation, but he thinks we should?—”

“Let sleeping dogs lie,” Kane finished for him.

“Basically.”

Lexie was torn by the outcome. She was thrilled that the bloodshed had stopped, but she couldn’t help feeling that the women taken in the raid were some sort of sacrifice.

“On a brighter note,” Malik cut in as he began to clear the table, “the raptors have officially joined the alliance.”

“That is good news,” Kane agreed.

“None of the women were comfortable climbing up to the raptor village,” Lexie added. “So several of their males attended last night’s gathering. They seemed to be well received.”

Kane nodded as he pushed to his feet and drained the last of his coffee. “I’ll check in with Zion for a new assignment. I’m anxious to get back to work.”

Diego laughed. “We’re aware.”

“We’re all aware,” Malik reinforced.

The coalition had just finished the cleanup when Zion arrived at their door. Making house calls was out of character for the pride leader, so they all knew something was wrong.

“Welcome back, Kane,” he greeted as Lexie led him into the cabin. “I won’t keep you. I know you’re still recovering.”

“I was just given a clean bill of health,” Kane told him. “What’s going on?”

“Diego’s spy, Travis, just confirmed some extremely troubling news. Eugene Babcock is still alive and he’s working with the wolves.”

“What do you mean, working with the wolves?” Diego objected. “Elias hates that bastard even more than we do. If Babcock is Elias’ captive, the human won’t be alive for long.”

“They’re working on something scientific. Travis has been unable to learn exactly what it is, but Babcock has been there since the massacre, so Elias has a reason for keeping him alive.”

“God damn it.” Kane muttered as he shoved his chair under the table. “This is all we need.”

“I agree. That’s why I’m here.” Zion looked at Diego. “I need your Shadows to find out what they’re doing as soon as possible.”

“I’ll go myself.”

“No, you won’t,” Zion said emphatically. “You are the Shadow leader. It’s your job to train them and command them, not to do their job for them. No more missions unless I specifically tell you to go.”

“But I?—”

“I said no, and I meant it. You’re too valuable to risk on recon missions. Send whomever you like, but you are not going yourself.”

“Yes, sir,” Diego grumbled.

Clearly Zion’s decision frustrated Diego, but Lexie was thrilled. Diego preferred to work alone, which increased the danger of his missions. Training and planning missions were still important tasks. They were just a lot less dangerous. The more time he spent within the safety of the village walls, the happier she would be.

Zion clasped his hands behind his back and turned toward Lexie. “I’m better at snarling and snapping than showing gratitude. However, this is important enough for me to make an exception.”

Having no idea what he was getting at, she just looked at him curiously.

“You have done an excellent job solidifying our alliance with the humans. Without your assistance, I’m not sure the alliance would have succeeded at all.”

She started to point out that the harsh weather and lack of food would have forced a similar result. But praise was incredibly rare coming from Zion. She needed to accept it gracefully. “I’m glad I could help.”

“You honor your coalition, and you honor me. Kane has chosen well.” His lips curved into a rare smile, but the expression faded nearly as fast as it formed. “I have a new task for you. It’s rather unpleasant, but I hope you’re willing to accept it.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“Akari, one of our hybrid females, was taken captive by the wolves a few weeks back.”

Lexie crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “I know about the attack.”

“She has become despondent and refuses to speak to anyone. She is barely eating. Her mates have tried everything they can think of, but they are unable to help her. You are compassionate and kind and having survived a horrific wolf attack gives you a common ground with Akari. Would you be willing to talk to her, see if you can get her to respond?”

“Of course I would be willing, but I know someone a lot more qualified.”

His brows scrunched together, and he tilted his head. “Who? Where can I find them?”

“In the cabin next door.” Lexie smiled. “Tara worked at a crisis center before she was hired by Nuevo Biotech. She has a lot of experience with rape survivors. She’d be perfect to speak with Akari.”

“Akari was not raped,” Zion explained, compassion warming his gaze. “Wolves and cats don’t fuck. We find it unnatural. Akari was subjected to physical and emotional abuse. She was beaten, burned, and cut.”

“In other words, tortured,” Lexie stated with a shudder. “Tara is still the best person to counsel her.”

“What drew Tara to the crisis center?” Kane asked after a tense pause. “Did she survive a rape?”

Lexie shook her head. “It was her sister, but that’s all I’ll say. It’s not a story Tara is comfortable sharing.”

“Understood.” Zion unclasped his hands and released a sigh. “Would you explain the situation to her? Tara and I have a way of butting heads.”

“Of course, and I’m sure she’ll do it. We’ve both been concerned about Akari ever since we heard that she’d been targeted.”

“Very good.” He took a deep breath and shifted his gaze to Kane. “Stop by the lodge this afternoon and I’ll give you a full update. It will be wonderful to have you back.”

“I’ll be there,” Kane assured him.

Zion left a few minutes later and Lexie headed for the coat rack by the door.

“And where do you think you’re going, mate?” Kane asked in that deep, stern voice that never failed to curl her toes.

Heat washed over her entire body, making her arousal simmer. “I was going to go talk to Tara. Somehow I landed on Zion’s good side and I’d like to stay there if possible.”

“Is that so?” Kane strolled toward her, eyes narrowed and gleaming. “You accused me of being out of practice.” He captured her wrist and pulled her toward him. Affection and desire flowed freely between their minds. “We both know there’s only one remedy for that.”

Warmed by the heat in his eyes, she closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m more than willing to help you improve your skills.”

“I’m out of practice too,” Diego said as he pressed in behind her. He brushed the hair away from the side of her neck and lightly nipped her.

“Me too,” Malik joined in. He turned her head to the side and kissed her mouth. “I need lots and lots of practice.”

Lexie shivered. They had yet to take her as a soul-bonded coalition, all three of them at the same time. She’d been dreaming about it ever since that day on the beach. She was excited to experience the utter completeness in reality. “I guess Tara can wait for an hour—or two.”

The End