Claiming His Need (16 page)

I noticed Rex arrive and move toward his sister, which was good. He would help me keep her safe. I trusted him as I trusted my Feral Breed brothers. Refocusing on the assholes standing between Kaija and me, I adjusted my stance and smirked.

“You two gonna to do something here, or are we just going to dance all day?”

Lefty growled and jumped at me. I hunched down and struck from below, ripping open his abdomen with my claws. Righty hit me as I rolled onto my back. Jaws snapping and slobber flying, he snapped and barked and did his best to get ahold of my throat. But I was smarter, better trained, and full of a strength the likes of which I’d never experienced. I threw him off me with a swipe of my arm and followed him as he rolled away. Kaija and Rex fighting against the shorter man caught my attention, giving Righty enough of an opportunity to come at me again. We continued this way for three more rounds, me shoving him off at every attack but losing focus as I watched my mate spin and kick and punch. Finally, when I was pinned under the beast yet again, I heard her voice reach me through all his growling.

“For the love of the gods, Lorenzo. Just kill the man.”

I grinned even as I struggled to pull my arm free from his jaws. “Yes, dear.”

With more strength than I knew I had, I pulled my legs up and kicked the furry little fuck off me and across the clearing. Unfortunately, his teeth took a good chunk of my bicep with him. Bleeding and cursing the pain, I struggled to my feet and hurried toward my mate. Rex had the short fucker on the ground, while Shadow and Pup had made it through the melee to surround Kaija. There looked to be only three nomad wolves left alive, one of whom was trying to circle Sandman as he subtly led the creature away from my mate.
 

“You know, son,” Sandman said to the wolf. “You really picked the wrong day to screw with us. I’m pretty sure I’ve never felt more ready for a fight than I do right now.”

The wolf growled as Sandman smirked. The sound of a gun being fired interrupted the moment and made my heart nearly stop. Rex lay on the ground, clutching his knee as he rolled around in obvious agony. I raced toward Kaija’s side as the wolf jumped at a distracted Sandman, knocking him to the ground. Pup leapt into the fight, leaving only one nomad for me to battle.

A short motherfucker with a gun trained on my mate.

I slid to a stop a few feet in front of Kaija, looking the nomad right in the eye.
 

“You really don’t want to point that thing at her.”

He huffed a laugh. “Either she comes with me, or she dies. You pick, Gatekeeper.”

I raised my arms to the side and shook my head. “You’ll have to get through me to touch her.”

Nomad’s smile turned wicked and he aimed the gun over my shoulder. “Fastest way to take you down is to kill her.”

I yelled and jumped as he fired. A streak of red slammed into his side and knocked him to the ground at the same time my claws raked into his flesh. The bullet hit me in the side of my abdomen as I tore through his throat, blood pouring from each of us to redden the ground.

“Gates!”

Kaija appeared over me before I’d even stopped sliding across the gravel. I wrapped my uninjured arm around her and tried to push her behind me, clinging to my midsection with the other. I knew I’d gotten the son of a bitch, but I had no idea if he was dead or not. I needed her protected. But Kaija struggled against my hold, and between my damaged arm and the pain radiating from where I’d been shot, I was having a hard time holding her.

“Kaija, get back.” I pushed again, struggling to my knees to shield her. Kaija finally pressed her front to my back and wrapped one arm around my neck.

“Damn it, stop.” Kaija’s voice yelling in my ear made me freeze. My body shook as I panted, pain and adrenaline drastically affecting my focus. “Gates, look.” Kaija pointed to where the short shifter now lay in a pile of broken bones and spilled blood. I’d done it… I’d protected my mate. I nearly sagged in relief until a new shadow passed over us. A man I recognized as one of Half Trac’s Cleaners stood over the fallen shifter, gun in hand and pointed our way.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”

I sighed with relief even as the hulking Cleaner pointed the gun at us.

“It’s okay.” I grasped Gates’ shoulder and looked over him to the Cleaner. “I’m in no danger from my mate.”

The Cleaner stared at Gates for a long moment, and then tucked the gun into the holster under his arm.

“My apologies, Gatekeeper.” The Cleaner grabbed the short shifter off the ground and threw him over his shoulder. “Blaze’s orders were very clear. Protect the Omega no matter who the threat appeared to be. I know you’re her mate, but I couldn’t take the risk.”

“I thought you were here with Half Trac?” Gates glanced at me before pulling me around into his lap. Blood poured from the bicep of the arm holding his midsection, and I had a feeling there would be more blood coming from that wound. My brave mate had taken quite a lot of damage for me.
 

The Cleaner snorted. “That little fucker has a tendency to think he’s bigger than he is. Yes, we were sent with Half Trac to assist in the mission, but Blaze’s orders outrank all others. Half Trac wanted to change the plan to have us capture the nomads instead of killing them, but Blaze was clear. Protect the Omega, no matter what.” He looked at me and smiled. “I’m sorry my associate was crass with you the other day; he’ll be dealt with after we report back to Blaze on the situation. Please know you were never in any danger here today. Whether you shared your Omega power with us or not, we were prepared to kill for you.”

I nodded but quickly glanced down when something warm and wet slid over my leg.

“Gates…you’re bleeding.”

Gates pulled me closer even as he shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine. You’re bleeding all over me.” I stood and pulled off my cloak, revealing the jeans and long-sleeved shirt I’d worn underneath. Just in case. “Lie down, you can use this as a pillow until we can carry you out of here.”

“I said I was fine.” Gates pushed himself up as if to stand, but the Cleaner put a heavy hand on his shoulder and gave him a stern look.

“The Omega said stay down. I suggest you take her directive.”

I fought a smile as Gates grumbled. “Are the other Cleaners nearby?”

The man still gripping Gates’ shoulder whistled, and his two teammates walked into the clearing from where they’d hidden. They wore camouflage and had their faces painted to better blend in to the landscape, which was probably why I hadn’t noticed them earlier.
 

“We’ve got two men down who need more medical attention than the medic can provide.” The Cleaner addressed his team as Shadow, Pup, and Sandman joined our group. “I’ve got the Omega. Diesel, you take dark and cranky. Butz can grab Cappers.”

“Cappers?” I asked.

The Cleaner smiled at me. “Your brother got kneecapped. That shit hurts and doesn’t always heal right, but he did it fighting to save you. That earned our respect, and therefore he gets an honorary road name.”

Gates groaned as Diesel lifted him into a fireman’s hold. I rushed over, my mouth falling open as I saw the amount of blood coming from the wound on his side. Shifters may have extraordinary healing powers, but losing blood was our weakness. No blood, no healing. No Gates.

“We need to hurry.”

Smoke. It teased my senses, the acrid odor pulling me from sleep. I buried my face in my pillow, which smelled oddly of Gates. It didn’t matter how or why, I suddenly needed to immerse myself in him. Something dark and dangerous pulled me from my memories, but I blocked it as best I could. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to roll in Gates’ scent and spend the next two days unconscious. I curled into a ball and pulled the covers over my head to trap the spicy smell against my skin.

“I was wondering if you were ever going to wake up.”

My eyes popped open, looking across the naked expanse of Gates’ chest I was apparently resting on. When I lifted the edge of the quilt I’d covered myself with, I met the amused gaze of my mother. “How long have I been asleep?”

She sat in a slipper chair near the entrance to my bedroom with her iridescent maroon cloak fanned around her. Perfect, pristine, and yet paler than I’d ever seen her. I knew the last few days had been hard on her; they’d been hard on all of us. But I hadn’t expected to see her so obviously…upset.
 

“Nearly a whole day. The Feral Breed medic said you would be fine, but I will admit I was beginning to worry. And your poor mate was practically in a panic when he couldn’t wake you.”

“Gates was awake?” I pushed up onto one arm and inspected my sleeping mate. His color looked good, and he didn’t appear to be bleeding anymore. And yet he slept.
 

“Yes, but not for very long. He’s still a little weak from the blood loss and needs his rest.” She smiled softly at the man lying beside me. “He’s a good man, very protective of you.”

“I know.” I took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling, reliving the day before in my mind. “He’s killed a lot of people. And I told him to kill a nomad during the fight.”

“Yes, I know.”
 

When I looked at her, my mother had her head tilted and a calm expression on her face. No sign of revulsion or surprise. I sat up, wrapping the blanket around my naked shoulders and pulling my knees to my chest.

“I never thought I would be okay with murder.”

Mother crossed the room to sit on the edge of the bed and pulled me into her side. “No, I wouldn’t have thought you would. But our world is dangerous, daughter. Especially for you. When I think of what those men intended…”

She looked toward the door and sniffed. After a few seconds, she turned and met my eyes. “The gods only know what their true intentions were, but I can’t imagine any of them being good. Their deaths should not rest on your conscience.”

I took a deep breath as my eyes burned with the tears I fought.
 

“You don’t think less of him because of what he did? Or of me because I wanted that man dead?”

“Never, and not just because you are my beloved daughter and Gates your fated mate. You were taken, stolen in the night by a bunch of cowards who tried to set up a fight between our chosen protectors and our pack by making us trade their leader for you. They gave us no choice and showed no remorse for their actions. If the Breed hadn’t killed those men, I don’t know if you would be sitting here right now.” She wiped tears from her cheeks and met my eyes, her gaze unwavering. “I will forever be grateful to fate for bringing us your mate and his brothers of the Feral Breed at such an important time. As strong as we are, our pack is not trained to fight the way those men are. They are our defenders, not something to be feared or to look upon with disdain. They are a true blessing to us. And they did nothing wrong.”

I glanced at Gates as he rolled to his side, wrapping his upper body around me. He craved my touch even in his sleep, which made me smile.

My mother reached over and brushed Gates’ hair off his forehead. “Killer or no, the man cares for you and will keep you happy and safe. I can ask for nothing more than that.”

I smiled a watery smile. “I’m almost sad Gates is leaving the Breed, though I have to admit the idea of him joining our pack is not a bad one.”

“What do you mean? Why would he leave the Breed?”

“Because he’s my mate. I don’t want to leave here, and it’s my right to make that choice for us.”

She stood, her face dark with concern. “Kaija, that man is not meant for pack life. He will never be happy here.”

My gut clenched as she voiced the fear that had been percolating in the back of my mind since the first moment we met. “Perhaps he will adjust.”

“There is no adjusting for men like him. The Feral Breed is more than a motorcycle club. It’s a brotherhood. Those men live together, fight together, and rely on one another to stay alive. And your Gates has been a member for almost two hundred years. He will not
adjust
.”

I swallowed hard and refused to meet her eyes. “You can’t know that.”

“Oh, daughter. You have so much to learn.” She pulled my hair back from where it hung in my face. “I want you happy and safe, mated to a man who will make you smile and help hold you up when you need it. But life with a partner is not easy. There are sacrifices and compromises that must be made, on both sides, even with fate helping you along the way. You would be wise to remember that.”

I dropped my head as uncertainty swamped me. I had no desire to leave my pack, but my mother may have been right. My mate might not be happy staying in the pack with me. Living in the same place with one of us miserable seemed the only way we could have a life together.

“What’s got you so worked up?” Gates’ sleepy grumble interrupted my swirling thoughts. I glanced up to see my mother gone, the door to my bedroom closed, and my mate smiling at me with heavy eyes.

I sighed and smiled at him. “Nothing. How are you feeling?”

Gates watched me for a long moment before closing his eyes and stretching.
 

“Tired, sore.” He sniffed and lifted the sheet to look down his body. “And apparently dirty. I smell like blood and dirt.”

“You kind of passed out when Shadow pulled out the bullet. We didn’t want to do anything to wake you.”

“Hmmmm, that makes sense.” He sighed and closed his eyes again, wincing as he tried to lift his arm. “Damn it.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing really. Just wishing I could return the favor to the fucker who took a chunk out of my arm.” His eyes popped open. “Pardon my language.”

I laughed and placed my hands on his chest. “No need to apologize. I’ve heard cussing before.” I leaned over him and placed a small kiss to his dry lips. “I may have even said a few myself a time or two.”

Gates wrapped his good arm around me and pulled me all the way down to lie on his chest. “Oh really, now? And what kinds of cussing are we talking about?”