Cravings: Alpha City 2 Page 9

  “It’s alright. Just some friends,” Kayden said when they stepped up to the falls to see Zoey jump from the ridge into the water. Brody was already looking at them when they came out of the clearing. He had a smile on his face as Kayden and Rose came closer.

  Kayden introduced Rose to Brody as Zoey swam to the side of the falls. She didn’t get out as she stared at Kayden and Rose. Then she saw the picnic basket in his hands. Her expression showed hurt then the shutters came down masking her thoughts.

  “Zoey, come meet Rose,” Brody insisted. Kayden could see the battle Zoey was fighting with herself as she got out of the water and walked toward him. All he could see was pain etched on her face, but that was crazy. She was with Johnny now, so seeing him with Rose shouldn’t hurt her at all.

  “Zoey, this is Rose Bailey. She is joining Kayden’s pride!” exclaimed Brody.

  “Hello, Rose,” Zoey muttered and stuck her hand out for her to shake. Rose released the breath she was holding and shook her hand. As soon as they shook hands, Zoey walked over to the blankets and started drying off like she was getting ready to leave.

  “Come join us for lunch,” Brody insisted. He knew what Brody was up to, but she was done and didn’t want to be around Kayden and his new mate. They would see each other often enough, but right now she needed time to get her heart right and control her emotions.

  “Sure, why not,” Kayden answered, then pulled out the blanket and laid it on the ground beside their blanket. He wanted to hurt her like she did him in Vegas with Johnny. He smiled at Rose then took off his shirt and jumped in the water.

  Chapter 17

  Zoey jerked her shorts on. She couldn’t believe he would show up here with his mate. Didn’t he work? He worked fast was all she could think. Now she knew the truth. He really didn’t want her. He wasn’t too mad if he was out with another woman right after he told her that he loved her.

  “Zoey, what’s wrong?” Brody whispered.

  “I don’t feel well, Brody. I think I will go home. I can run back. I need to run for a while anyway,” Zoey answered. Her voice was tight with tension. She looked around for her purse, but she remembered she left it in his truck.

  “Please don’t go. Just eat, then we will leave together.” Brody put his hand on her arm, stopping her from putting her shirt on. “You can do this,” he declared.

  Zoey wanted to run and keep on running until she never thought about him again. Brody tucked her hair behind her ears, then kissed her forehead. “Let’s eat, beautiful.”

  Sitting down, she watched as Kayden got out of the water. She pinched her arm and turned away as he walked back to the blankets. His skin glowed in the sunlight as the water dripped off his body. Just stop this, Zoey. For once in your life, just stop the cravings you have for him. He isn’t worth this. He is over you already. How much more proof do you need?

  She was pretty, his mate. Rose was her name, and she even had a pretty name. Her name sounded like a kid’s name. Zoey? She could feel the self-loathing creeping its way inside her soul. Telling her she wasn’t pretty enough or good enough. All the years Jena and the others teased her came back to the forefront taking over. It felt like high school all over again. She closed her eyes trying to make it stop.

  “Zoey, are you okay?” Kayden asked. She opened her eyes to find everyone was staring at her. She looked down hoping they didn’t see her pain. She wouldn’t break down in front of him. No, she needed to leave town. Random thoughts popped in her head thinking everyone was against her. Just like high school was all she could think. Brody must have known Kayden was bringing his mate. They were all in on it. She thought Brody was her friend. She was wrong. Her pain rushed forward. She grabbed her chest feeling like she couldn’t breathe.

  “No, not now. Not now,” she muttered.

  “Zoey!” Kayden jumped up and went to her side. “What’s wrong?” Kayden asked with concern in his voice. The moment he got near, her wolf whined, wanting her mate.

  “Nothing. I’ve got to go.” She pushed Kayden back, then jumped up and ran faster than she had ever run. She didn’t know where she was going, but it would be far away from all of them. Shifting while running was hard because she still had her clothes on, but she did it. Her clothes ripped to shreds as she continued to run faster. Her wolf was in charge now, and Zoey gladly allowed it.

  ****

  “Brody, we need to go after her!” Kayden yelled. Even he could see the pain and destruction that was in her eyes. Kayden started to shift when Brody yelled at him.

  “Call Ryder, tell him that I’m tracking her. I will leave markers. Look for the markers.” Brody’s clothes shredded as he turned into his grizzly bear.

  “Let’s go, Rose,” Kayden demanded. He needed to find her. She had to be okay. Rose ran behind Kayden. They jumped into the truck, and he immediately contacted Ryder and explained what had happened. Ryder didn’t say anything back to him. He simply hung up on him.

  “Rose, do you think you can drive my truck back to the house and wait for me there? I’ve got to find her,” he pleaded.

  “She is your mate?” Rose asked, but it wasn’t a question. It was more of a statement.

  “Yes.” He was ashamed of himself for trying to make Zoey think that Rose was his mate. He wanted to hurt her like she had him with Johnny, but something was wrong.

  “Go, Alpha. I can find my way back. I hope your mate will be okay.” Kayden didn’t wait to chitchat. He pulled the truck to the side of the road and jumped out.

  He knew the direction she was headed and knew if he got ahead of her then he could cut her off before she got too far. Running as fast as he could, Kayden allowed his panther to take over in order to find their mate.

  Chapter 18

  Zoey’s wolf stopped and looked around the forest. Something was wrong, and she felt like someone was watching her. She didn’t know what it was, but it wasn’t a shifter. She stopped and leaned into a tree trying to focus to see what or who was out there. The birds had stopped chirping. Even they knew something evil was among them. Getting lower to the ground, Zoey continued to listen and look around, but she didn’t see anything.

  The voice was as faint as a whisper on the wind, but she heard it. “I see you, wolf.”

  Zoey knew the only way to flush it out was to get up. She had to know what she was dealing with. Slowly, she got up and shifted.

  “Who are you?” Zoey called out. Her body vibrated with fear.

  “You hurt my daughter, and now, I’m going to hurt all of you.” Zoey still couldn’t see anything as she was hit by something so hard that it knocked the breath out of her as she slammed to the ground. When she opened her eyes, a woman was sitting on top of her. She had her pinned down on the ground. Zoey tried calling on her wolf, but nothing happened. She tried to yell at the woman, but nothing came out. She tried to breathe, but it became too hard to draw in air. She watched as the woman brought a knife out and stabbed Zoey over and over in her chest. She tried to block her, but she had no strength. The woman’s eyes were vacant like she wasn’t real. She tried pushing her off again, but she couldn’t even move her arms. Her body felt like it was shutting down, when suddenly the woman was knocked off her allowing her lungs to expand.

  Gasping for air, Zoey tried taking in slow breaths, but nothing seemed to be working. All she could do was lie there and let death take her. This was it. She was going to die, and she never told Kayden the truth, that she loved him and always had.

  Zoey heard the roar as Brody’s grizzly ran past her. She knew it was Claudia Blackwood. Her dark magic slithered around her like a snake. Slowly she blinked trying to stay awake as her eyes became too hard to keep open. She thought for sure she was dead when she didn’t hear any fighting. She hoped that Brody and whoever knocked Claudia off her was safe. All she could think about was Brody and whoever helped her. Unfortunately, her life wasn’t worth them dying.

  “Zoey. Oh God, no. Zoey, please stay awake. Don’t shut your eyes.” She must have been
hallucinating because Kayden was kneeling beside her. He clasped her arm as she struggled to breathe. “Don’t you dare shut your eyes. You have to shift now, Zoey. Your wolf will heal you. Shift Zoey, shift.” Kayden voice was squeaky as she heard the fear while he continued to plead with her, but nothing happened.

  “Zoey, shift, beautiful. We need for you to shift.” Brody came up beside her. She could see the tears in his eyes.

  She could hear her pack. They were coming, but it would be too late. She was already dead, and Kayden didn’t even know it.

  “Make her shift, Ryder. You are her Alpha. Make her shift.” The tone of Kayden’s voice was desperate as he begged Ryder to save her.

  Her teeth chattered as the blood quickly drained from her body. She knew she was losing too much blood as she tried to stay conscious. Looking into his eyes, she could see her brother’s angry face.

  “Zoey Malone, I command your wolf to come forward. Now!” Then she lost consciousness.

  ****

  Kayden watched as Zoey’s wolf came forward with her Alpha’s command. He dropped to his knees as Zoey’s wolf gasped for air then passed out.

  “What happened? Who did this?” Ryder was furious as he glared at him.

  “It was a witch. I didn’t get to Zoey in time before she stabbed her. When I knocked her off, she just disappeared into thin air.” Ryder glared at him like he was crazy. Hell, Kayden wouldn’t have believed it either if he hadn’t felt her body as he knocked her off Zoey.

  “It’s true. I saw the witch get up and smile then disappear. It had to be her, Ryder. It was Claudia Blackwood,” Brody insisted.

  “We need to get Zoey to a healer. She is hurt too badly for her wolf to heal her,” Ryder said and then went to pick up his sister, but Kayden lifted Zoey gently, then headed in the direction of home.

  “I will carry her. My house is closer,” Kayden growled out. He dared anyone to tell him he couldn’t carry his mate.

  Kayden walked fast toward his house. He stopped knowing that if he cut through the woods they would cut half their time off. No words were uttered when Brody shifted into his bear and cleared a path so Kayden could get through the brush. This was why he loved his friends. No matter what happened, they would always be there for each other.

  Brody shifted back as the house came into view. He ran up to the back door and opened it allowing Kayden to bring her in. Rose jumped up from her seat and gasped when she saw all the blood covering the wolf in his arms.

  Ryder was right on his heels when Kayden stopped in the living room and asked, “Ryder, did you get the healer?” His voice was shaky as he stared at his best friend.

  “She is out of town, but on her way.” Ryder’s face said it all.

  “God, please. She won’t make it in time.” Kayden’s voice was panicked. Lying her down on his bed, Kayden sat beside her rubbing her feet. He was afraid to touch her anywhere else. He had failed her, and now she was in so much pain. Her wounds were oozing blood as he prayed, “Please don’t leave me, Zoey.”

  He looked up as Rose walked into his bedroom. Her face was determined as she kneeled down in front of Zoey.

  “I don’t know if I can do much, but I may be able to buy her some time.” Rose looked up into Kayden’s eyes waiting for his consent. He didn’t know what she was going to do, but he would even accept a voodoo priestess if she saved his mate.

  Kayden nodded then watched as Rose gathered her courage and put her hands on Zoey. At first nothing happened, then her hands started to glow. Kayden looked over at Ryder, who moved closer to his sister, watching the woman carefully.

  “I never knew you were a healer,” Kayden muttered. It only lasted a few seconds, but the glow did something. Zoey’s breathing became stronger. He had seen the healers heal shifters before, but this was his mate. He practically jumped up and down like a little girl when he saw Zoey draw in a good breath.

  Rose dropped her hands and slumped over. She was exhausted from trying to heal Zoey. Brody rushed forward and grabbed Rose before she fell to the ground.

  “She will need to eat now,” Brody said then carried her out of the bedroom. Ryder and Kayden both shook their heads, smiling for the first time. Brody had a soft spot, especially for women who needed help. He was kindhearted just like a teddy bear. Brody was one of his best friends, and he trusted him to take care of Rose.

  “Kayden, we need to talk,” Ryder announced. Kayden knew this was coming, but he didn’t want to leave her side. London arrived and rushed in and dropped down in front of her best friend. She raised her hand, then dropped it to her side.

  “Blood is everywhere, Ryder. What happened? Is she going to be okay?” London questioned, with tears in her eyes.

  “She will be, thanks to Kayden and Rose,” Ryder answered. “Baby, stay with Zoey while I talk to Kayden.”

  “Okay, okay.” London turned around and laid her head down beside Zoey’s head. Kayden walked out behind Ryder as London started humming a song.

  Johnny and Andrew were waiting in the living room when they walked in. “Is she okay?” Johnny asked, concerned.

  Kayden couldn’t stop himself when he slammed Johnny into the wall. The anger was vibrating off him in waves.

  “Why are you not with your mate? She was hurt bad today.” Kayden wanted to punch Johnny when he looked at him like he was crazy. Johnny leaned forward and got in Kayden’s face.

  “Zoey isn’t my mate. You are. If you had stayed around long enough, she would have explained that she was telling me how much she loved you, and it would always be you. She had her hand on my cheek telling me that I would find someone one day, but no, you just ran away from her. You didn’t even let her explain. You ran. So before you start putting the blame on someone, take a look at yourself.” Johnny pushed Kayden, and he stumbled back forcing himself to stay on his feet.

  His gut clenched at the words. “What?” Kayden whispered. He felt like he had been sucker punched in the stomach. His heart wanted to break knowing he had caused her so much pain and that she ran to get away from him. His damn pride caused this.

  “It’s true, Kayden. Zoey has been in love with you since she was a little girl. She won’t tell anyone what happened, but you had better get your head out of your ass before I knock it off. I won’t let anyone hurt my sister, ever again. Not even you.” Ryder added salt to his already open wound.

  Kayden turned away from the others. “I almost got her killed.” His voice was only a whisper and husky with emotions.

  “No, it wasn’t your fault, but you two need to sit down and get your feelings out in the open. Tell her, Kayden, how you feel. We have known for a long time how you feel about Zoey, but she deserves to hear it from you, and then you need to sit and listen to her. Give her the same courtesy. I want my sister here in Alpha City, so unless you want Johnny Ringo to make a play for her, you better get your shit together, my friend, before it is too late,” Ryder stressed to him, but Kayden growled at the thought of Zoey with anyone.

  Kayden didn’t have time to respond as his home phone started ringing. He had totally forgotten about Thorn and Rose’s siblings. He stumbled forward and grabbed the phone. “Hello.”

  “Alpha. I have our cargo and everything is okay. We are already in route and will be there late tonight.” Kayden blew out the breath he was holding, relieved that at least something had worked out.

  “See you soon.” Kayden hesitated before he spoke. He needed his second to know how much he appreciated him. “Thorn, thank you,” Kayden replied. He needed to speak to the entire Alpha Council about his father and what he was doing, but that had to wait until he could get Zoey better.

  “It’s what I do, Alpha, plus these are good kids and will make a great addition to our pride,” Thorn responded and then hung up.

  Kayden looked over at Rose’s concerned face. He smiled letting her know that everything was okay. “They will be here tonight,” Kayden answered with a chuckle.

  The smile left his face when he heard Zoey
moan. He rushed into the bedroom as London covered Zoey up with a blanket. She had shifted and was trying to talk.

  “Zoey.” Kayden dropped down beside the bed bowing his head to her. “I thought I lost you. I’m so sorry, baby, for not listening. I was stupid and prideful. Please forgive me.”

  Zoey had tears in her eyes when Kayden looked into them. Slowly she put her hand on his cheek and drifted back to sleep. He found hope in that one touch of her hand and promised himself that he would never let anyone hurt his mate again.

  Chapter 19

  Zoey could hear London humming. For a minute she thought she was back at Milton College listening to her best friend get ready for class. London had a beautiful voice but never let anyone hear it. She didn’t know if Ryder knew she could sing so well. But something was wrong and then the pain hit her in the chest. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. Her throat felt like it had sand embedded inside it when she tried to talk.

  Opening her eyes, she saw London looking down at her. Then it was like a switch had been turned on, and the past events of what had happened came crashing down on her. She remembered Kayden and his mate at Pier’s Point and the witch in the woods. Gasping for air, she remembered the knife stabbing her in the chest over and over. The witch was too powerful when Zoey tried to stop her. It was Claudia Blackwood. She said she was going to get us all. She needed to warn the others.

  Kayden came running in the room and dropped down in front of her. She could see the pain and helplessness in his eyes. “Zoey, I thought I had lost you. I’m so sorry, baby, for not listening. I was stupid and prideful. Please forgive me.” It was Kayden. He had tears in his eyes as he looked down at her. He saved her life,and now he wasapologizing. She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, but nothing would come out. Taking a deep breath, she forced her hand out to touch him. Then blackness came, and she slipped under again.