The Tempering (The Mackenzie Duncan Series) (15 page)

“CALM DOWN? Why the fuck would I calm down? SHE WAS A FUCKING ANIMAL!” His body shook and even though he was yelling, trying to be brave, the amount of fear rolling off him was palpable.

“You were bitten and survived. Your wounds have healed. You are turning. If you want any kind of explanation, you need to calm down and listen.”

“You people are insane! I’m going nuts. That has to be it. I am still outside freezing to death. Hypothermia has made me hallucinate!”

Mackenzie stood from the couch and walked over to Geoff, keeping her eyes on the man who still muttered to himself. Placing a hand on Geoff’s shoulder, she leaned in to whisper in his ear. She had every intention of speaking to him without the man hearing, but the scent of him, his hair tickling her nose, and the low rumble that filled his chest when her body slightly touched his made her lose her train of thought.

A throat clearing by Margret with a pointed look shook Mackenzie from her daze and she managed to complete what she set out to do.

“Change. You can do it without the moon, right? Show him. Prove to him what we are saying is true.”

A slight nod of his head was the only response she was able to get from him. She wasn’t sure if the moment had affected him as it had her, but looking at the terrified man told her it wasn’t the time or place to worry about it.

“What is your name?” Geoff asked as he moved closer.

“Liam Hardy,” the blonde replied. His voice came out stronger, more confident than before. Mackenzie wasn’t sure if it was because he was trying to prove his courage or strength to another man, but whatever the reason, it was better than the quivering voice.

“Liam, you are not hallucinating, you are not insane, and we are not lying to you. You were bitten under the full moon and survived,” Margret said, then motioned to Geoff. At that moment, Geoff turned and Liam passed out.

Chapter 17

Moving Liam from the floor where he passed out to the pull out couch proved to be more difficult than previously. The change had begun and his skin was flushed red and hot to the touch, and his body writhed about.

“Is this normal?” Mackenzie asked in a whisper not wanting to wake Liam. She figured sleeping was probably the only way to keep the pain away.

“Yes. Every bitten Were goes through this. You did, but the body shuts the mind off for a reason. His bones are breaking and healing. Cartilage is shifting or growing. Muscles are stretching. It’s a whole process that the body goes through. The only thing to do now is wait.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” Waiting might be part of the process, but maybe she could make him more comfortable. He may not recognize what she was doing, but she did.

Grabbing a bucket of cool water, a washcloth, and some blankets, she went back to the den. Margret and Geoff stood off to the side, whispering with one another so low that even with her super hearing, she couldn’t tell what they were saying.

“I am so sorry, Liam. You can’t hear me, but I won’t leave you. We can figure this whole thing out together. You are not alone.” Her voice was soft and she knew the others could hear her, but she didn’t care.

Dipping the cloth into the cool water then ringing it out, she placed it on his forehead.

“Mack? Come on. Let’s leave Margret to deal with this. You need to rest.” Geoff stood so close she could feel his breath on her neck. As much as she wanted to turn around to see how close he was and to go wherever he asked her to, asshole or not, she couldn’t leave Liam. He was her responsibility. She would be his sire. He needed her.

“I can’t leave him. Not yet.” Tears slipped from her eyes but for the first time in ages, she didn’t wipe them away or force herself to stop. Someone needed to grieve for his lost life even if no one knew it was gone yet.

~*~

Within hours, Liam began crying out in what could only be described as half growl and half cry. His body shook with shivers as the first wave of fever broke. Mackenzie moved quickly to remove the cool cloth. As she grabbed the warm wool blanket to cover him, she noticed that the sweat had soaked his clothing.

Without a second thought, she removed the shirt that Geoff had put on him when he was brought in and threw it across the room. Liam’s chest rose and fell quickly with each labored breath. The defined abs and pecks were something to be admired, but before she could add to her pile of guilt where Liam was concerned, she covered his body with the blanket.

Footsteps echoed in the hall outside the closed den door. She knew Geoff hadn’t gone far after Mackenzie turned him away. She could hear him muttering to himself, trying to find the words to change her mind.

She wouldn’t allow herself to stray from her duty. She wondered if he actually understood what she was going through. He wasn’t bitten after all. He never had to deal with the blackouts or losing everything important in his life, like she and Liam had. He knew what was coming. He could plan for it.

Feeling her irritation growing with every footstep, she walked to the door. When he stopped moving, she took a deep breath. Flinging the door open, Geoff stood in front of her with a big grin on his face. “Good, you’re ready to give him some space. Let’s get out of here.”

Mackenzie’s eyes narrowed at him. “What?”

“I am not going to get out of here. I want you to give ME some space, Geoff! I will not leave him like that bastard left me!” Slamming the door in his face, she moved back to the couch, glanced down at Liam and sat.

A few choice curse words could be heard as Geoff walked down the hall but it didn’t matter. She could smooth things over with Geoff later, but right now, Liam needed her. A soft knock on the door alerted Mackenzie to Margret’s presence.

“Sweetheart, are you sure you want to stay in here? All it is going to do is make you keep thinking about what went wrong. What is done is done and we will all be here for him from day one. Maybe you should find some alone time to forgive yourself.” Margret’s voice was soft and her eyes danced between Mackenzie and Liam. As much as she wanted to believe her, Mackenzie just didn’t believe she could ever forgive herself.

“I can’t, Margret. I need to be here when he wakes up.” Returning her attention to Liam, she heard the door softly click closed.

The light filtering into the room through the large windows began to turn a golden color before disappearing. Moving from her perch on the side of the couch to turn on a small light, she was able to stretch. With her muscles wound tight, she was beginning to feel uncomfortable enough to find a new place to rest. Her bed was beginning to sound like a good idea before Liam began to cry, now in a much deeper octave. Why should she be in comfort if he was in agony? She decided that she would stay where she was.

The laughter and joy that could be heard floating throughout the house irritated her. They acted as if a man turning into one of them happened so often that it didn’t require any kind of consideration or sorrow. How could they just not care?

When the scent of sizzling chicken filled the air, her stomach growled loudly. Looking longingly at the door that led to the kitchen, she sighed and sat back down next to Liam. Food would be there when he awoke.

“Mackenzie?” Geoff’s soft voice said after a light knock on the door. “I brought you some dinner.”

Looking up, she saw the sincerity in his actions. He could be a jackass, but he did care if he took the time to put up with her mood swings and still bring her dinner. Still not quite ready to let him know she had forgiven him, she sighed in an exaggerated tone, hoping he would think it was in irritation.

“Thanks, I guess. Just put it on the table.” The fried chicken smelled delectable and her mouth began to water. She practically ran to the table, her grumbling stomach leading the way. Geoff stood off to the side, leaning against the bookcase with a little grin on his face, watching her devour the plate of food. Realizing she was being watched, she slowed down her chewing, swallowed, and wiped her mouth. She began to eat like a proper lady then looked over to Geoff.

“Does this mean I am forgiven? I know I can be an ass, but I brought you chicken.” The smirk remained fixed on his face and as much as Mackenzie wanted to smack it off, she couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“I suppose. Thank you for dinner.” Geoff nodded his head and left the room without another word to leave her to her bedside vigil.

~*~

The sun rose and fell once more before Liam gave any indication of waking. His limbs had lengthened and became more taught. His skin cleared up and his blonde hair looked slightly longer and had more highlights.

The moaning and thrashing about had stopped just an hour before his eyelids began to flutter open. Mackenzie jumped up from his side and stood back, not knowing what the best course of action would be. Should she stay right next to him, hold his hand and tell him what had just happened, or should she stand back and give him space to deal with it himself?

Before she could make up her mind, standing halfway between his side and the wall, he yawned, sat up, and stretched. Mackenzie froze, waiting for some kind of response from Liam. After rubbing his eyes and scratching his nether region, he finally looked up and locked eyes with her. The yellow green shade of his irises sent a pain through her chest as if an ice pick had found its way in to her overheated body. He was a Werewolf.

“What happened? Why am I here and why are you here?” His voice was steady but the acidic tone wasn’t missed. He was not happy to see her. He remembered that she was the one to attack him. She knew that she had to explain, to let him know what he was.

“You changed. You’re a Werewolf now. I’m sorry. When you change at first you have no memories and no control, I didn’t mean to. I really didn’t.” She had been planning on being cool, calm, and collected while talking to him, but every icy glare he sent her way dug deeper into her heart, riddling her with guilt. Every word she spoke was filled with regret and tears.

“Get away from me. You are insane! This whole thing is crazy! I am not a Werewolf!” Liam stood and ran from the room. Wiping her tears, she followed after him, hoping someone would stop him along the way.

Reaching the front door, she found it wide-open, snow flurries blowing into the entryway. Liam stood outside with Margret and they spoke quietly. Not wanting to interrupt and scare him further, she stood and watched, trying desperately to hear what they were saying.

Liam walked away from Margret, who stood watching him before returning the house. As she passed Mackenzie, she reached out and squeezed her hand, and said, “Come on. Let’s go talk.”

Nodding her head, Mackenzie followed Margret through the house and into her office. She had never been in the office before and had believed it would be some big opulent room, but it wasn’t. It fit with the decor of the rest of the house, very down-to-earth and homey. There were papers lying about and a large desk with chairs on either side.

The only thing that made this room stand out above the others was the very large, very old painting of a woman that Mackenzie didn’t recognize. The brush strokes were stunning and the colors so well preserved that she was mesmerized by it. The woman had dark hair, and was standing in the middle of a clearing wearing nearly nothing—with woods on one side of her, a cottage on the other, and in the distance, a spectacular stone castle.

Margret smiled when she saw that Mackenzie was taking an interest in the painting. She walked back around to stand next to her and admire the ancient work.

“It is stunning. Where did you get it?” Mackenzie asked in awe.

“That’s my mother. Wasn’t she beautiful?”

“Absolutely breathtaking.”

“She really was. Powerful woman, powerful wolf. She is everything I aspire to be. She loved everyone within her pack, the largest in history. But, that is a tale for another day. Let’s talk.”

Nodding her head but not being able to look away from the painting for another few seconds, she was able to take in the similarities between Margret and her mother—the hair, the eyes and even the shape of their faces. It made Mackenzie think of her own mother. The one she had yet to contact since running away from college. She had to be worried, and that was never something she wanted to do. But how does someone not only tell their mother the three hardest words, ‘you were right’, but then follow it up by, ‘If I had listened to you I would still be human’. Mackenzie wasn’t sure any mother would be able to handle the second one.

Sitting in the chair opposite Margret’s, Mackenzie crossed and uncrossed her legs, laced her fingers together then unlaced them, and finally began strumming her fingertips along the wooden arm rests.

“Mackenzie, please calm down. Liam’s reaction is normal. The only thing we can do now is to give him what he wants, which is space. When he starts to notice the changes, he will be back. He knows what happened to him. I explained the signs to look for and warned him of the danger of being around humans close to the full moon. As a man, his strength is almost double your own and you remember how hard it was to control it.”

“But he shouldn’t have to do it alone. It was so scary, not knowing what the hell to do.”

“I know that. But he does know what is going on and he knows how to find us when he has questions. If you force him to talk to you, it will only make it worse. After his first change when he sees that you had no control, things may get better. Or it may take a lot of time. But as long as you never hold his anger against him, and are there for him when he needs it, everything will be fine.”

Not knowing what else to say, Mackenzie nodded and stood. She took one last look at Margret before glancing to the portrait and leaving the room. She didn’t want Margret to see how weak she was so she held it together until the door softly clicked closed behind her and the tears fell. Wiping them away again, she growled in frustration at herself. She was supposed to be done crying.

Each step up to the third floor felt like walking through quick sand. Her entire body was aching. She was exhausted from forcing herself to stay awake while Liam was changing, and not to mention the emotional toll his anger with her took on her body.