A Skittish Mate

Callum

The bones in my leg grind together like crushed glass as I force the shift. My human body materializes, sprawling in the dirt, naked and panting heavily. Agony rips through my shattered shin, a blinding fire that threatens to drag me under. I bite down on the inside of my cheek until I taste copper, refusing to scream. I curse Kaelen to hell and back. That bastard knew exactly what he was doing. He knew his pack would retreat this way through the dense pines, leaving a surprise for anyone foolish enough to chase. I had raced around the perimeter, attempting to cut off their escape route, but I ended up stepping right into the brutal iron jaws of that damn bear trap.

I know my pack will come back for me. They are warriors, but they are still deep in the chaos of battle, hunting Kaelen's men down like the dogs they are. I have been bleeding out for hours. Sitting in that trap, I knew immediately that I couldn't shift into my human form. While I could have used my hands to pry the spring loose, the shifting process itself would have snapped my mangled leg completely in half. I was not willing to risk full amputation and lose my Alpha title. So, Bram and I endured. We are strong Alphas. The pain was significant, but it was only a matter of time before my warriors found me.

We had been struggling, desperately trying to figure out a way to get the trap off when the air suddenly thickened. The heavy stench of mud and my own blood was instantly overpowered by an incredibly intoxicating scent. Cinnamon and nutmeg. It hit my senses like a physical blow. After over ten years of endlessly searching, here, in the middle of a dark forest covered in the blood of a recent battle, I finally found my fated mate. Her sweet scent instantly calmed Bram, soothing the violent rage boiling inside my wolf.

She approached as a beautiful, skittish reddish-brown wolf. Despite her obvious fear, she managed to pry the brutal iron jaws open. Now, as I lie here in my human form, fighting the urge to pass out from the pain of my compound fractures, I look up at her. She shifted back into her human form right before I did. I watch her sage-green eyes widen in absolute shock at the sight of me. She immediately scoots backward, her bare skin scraping against the forest floor as she tries to put distance between us.

I take in her completely naked body. Her pale skin glows under the harsh moonlight. She doesn't have the thick, corded muscles of the warrior females in my pack. She is lean, soft, and breathtakingly beautiful. Her breasts heave with every panicked breath she takes. My fingers twitch. A heavy, possessive desire pools in my gut. I want to drag her bare body against my chest and mark her right here in the dirt.

"Easy there," I say, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the torture radiating from my leg. "You just got me out of a trap. I may be a vicious Alpha when I am hunting my pack's attackers, but I am not the kind of man who kills someone who just helped me."

She watches me carefully, her body tense and ready to bolt. Because she didn't give me her name while she was in her wolf form talking to Bram, I am resistant to giving her mine until I know what pack she belongs to.

"You said you are a doctor?" I ask, focusing on her words from earlier.

"I am studying to be one," she says, her voice cautious.

"For humans and wolves?" I ask her. This revelation thrills me. It is highly unusual for a wolf to study human medicine, and I am in desperate need of a good doctor. The physician in my pack is old and needs to retire. I need someone young, someone intelligent, someone exactly like my little mate here to take over my pack infirmary.

"What pack are you from?" I ask, though a part of me isn't sure I care. I am currently at war with so many packs that the odds of her being from enemy territory are high. But she is out here alone, not fighting alongside any warriors, which is completely out of the ordinary.

"I am not from a pack. I am a lone wolf," she says quickly. "Did you want me to look at your leg?"

I notice the immediate deflection. She smoothly changes the subject away from herself. Interesting. Lone wolves are alone for a reason. It makes me wonder what kind of trauma forced my mate to live without the protection of a pack.

"Yes," I say, keeping my gaze locked on her sage-green eyes. "I would appreciate your medical assessment."

More than the assessment, I just want her closer to me. I know her physical touch will help manage this blinding pain. She hesitates for a fraction of a second before crawling closer. Her intoxicating scent of cinnamon and nutmeg fills my nose again. Long reddish-brown hair falls over her shoulder as she leans over my shattered leg. She distractedly flicks it back out of her way, a casual, everyday motion that mesmerizes me. Her fingers brush against my torn flesh. The moment her skin makes contact with mine, a remarkable wave of relief washes over me. The sharp, stabbing agony in my bones noticeably numbs, replaced by a soothing warmth. The mate bond working its magic.

"What is a lone wolf doing out here all by herself?" I ask, watching her examine the bloody bone fragments protruding from my shin.

"Letting my wolf out," she says softly, not looking up at my face. "It is not easy when you go to a human university."

I can't look away from her. "You know there are pack wars going on around here," I warn her. She might not be fully mine yet, but my Alpha instincts are screaming to lock her away where nothing can ever touch her.

"There are pack wars going on everywhere," she replies, her fingers gently probing the damaged muscle. "If I tried to find someplace where war isn't happening, I would have to run in the human areas and risk hunters shooting Anita. You are going to need surgery on this leg. You have multiple fractures, several being compound fractures."

Again, she diverts the conversation away from her personal life. I already knew I was going to need surgery. I saw Bram's bones sticking out of his leg before we even shifted.

"Anita?" I ask, studying the delicate curve of her jaw. "Your wolf's name means merciful? How appropriate for a doctor."

Her fingers on my leg are incredibly gentle. She inherently knows exactly where to apply pressure and where to avoid, causing only minor discomfort.

"Gracious or merciful, yes. And Anita is a wonderful wolf," she says proudly.

I am about to tell her that Bram agrees when a distant, piercing howl echoes through the trees. Cedric. My Beta.

My mate's head snaps up. The sudden scent of her terror spikes, souring the sweet cinnamon in the air. Her heart rate skyrockets, thudding frantically in her chest. I expect her to turn and run for her life. A lone wolf caught in the middle of a pack's territory should flee. Yet, instead of bolting, she does something that completely stuns me. She scrambles to her feet and bravely takes a protective stance directly in front of my crippled body. She stands completely naked, shielding a wounded, massive Alpha from a potential threat. A perfect Luna. She is pushing her own intense fear aside to protect someone in need. A fierce, possessive smile spreads across my face. She is absolutely perfect for me.

"Relax," I tell her, my voice laced with dark amusement. "It is my pack coming back for me."

"Oh," she breathes out, her shoulders dropping slightly. "Well then, that is good. You need to get someplace safe. Hopefully, they will not attack me for helping you."

"I will protect you," I state firmly, meaning every single word.

The heavy thud of paws hits the dirt as my warriors come rushing up through the tree line. They immediately surround us. My Beta, Cedric, shifts into his human form. His eyes lock onto the unknown, naked female standing over me, and he aggressively snarls at her presence.

"Who are you?" he growls.

My patience instantly evaporates into pure, unchecked rage. I let out a vicious, booming snarl that startles both of them. "She is the one who got me out of the bear trap I was in!" I fiercely command, my Alpha aura rolling off me in heavy waves. "Stand down!" I will not tolerate a single ounce of disrespect toward my mate.

Cedric blinks in shock, instantly lowering his head in submission. He turns away from her, frowning, and crouches beside my leg. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," I grit out.

"Okay, let's get you back to the pack," Cedric says. He signals a couple of warriors to help me up.

I wrap my arms around their thick shoulders, forcing myself upright. As I lift my bad leg off the dirt, fresh waves of absolute torture crash through my body. I grit my teeth, fighting the darkness encroaching on the edges of my vision.

"Ready, Alpha?" Cedric asks.

"Yeah, let's go."

Cedric shifts back into his wolf form, taking point as the guard. The warriors supporting my weight start to move fast. Through the dizzying haze of pain, my eyes track my mate. I catch her slowly stepping backward, attempting to silently slink back into the deep shadows of the forest.

"Wait!" I bark the command loudly. Everyone freezes. "Bring the doctor," I order.

"The doctor?" one of my warriors asks, looking confused.

"The girl! Bring the girl!" I snap, turning my head to glare at her. I can see the exact moment she calculates whether or not she can make a run for it. "Don't even think about it," I warn her.

Cedric's wolf, Garrick, moves swiftly to her side. He lowers his massive head and nudges her bare thigh, physically blocking her escape route and forcing her forward. A low, dangerous growl rumbles in my chest. Bram is violently possessive at the proximity of another male to our naked mate. I want to tear Garrick's head off just for brushing against her bare skin.

Her sage-green eyes flash up to mine, wide with panic. "I should go," she stammers out, her arms wrapping around her bare breasts in a futile attempt to cover herself. "Like you said, there are a lot of pack wars going on around here. I probably should get home."

"Home?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. I know I sound arrogant, but I don't give a damn. She is a lone wolf attending a human school. Where exactly does she call home? If I let this skittish lone wolf run off into the dark, I will lose her forever. I know she will never let her wolf run in these woods again after tonight. By the time my shattered bones heal and I track her down at the university, she will have transferred to another state.

"School," she clarifies, her voice shaking slightly.

"Hmm," I hum, weaponizing my authority and her own guilt against her. "Well, as you just reiterated, it is not safe out here. Especially for a lone wolf. What kind of Alpha would I be if I left you to fend for yourself in a war zone?"

I lock my eyes onto hers, my voice dropping into a hard, commanding tone that leaves absolutely no room for debate. "No. I think you should come with us."

Pressing her lips together, she gives a reluctant nod and follows behind me.