Brink Of Passion (Alpine Woods Shifters) (25 page)

“And you think you’re the right man to do that?”

Now Chad laughed. “Who do you think the members of this leap come to when they have a problem they don’t want to ‘bother you’ with? Me. With Leah by my side, the last surviving member of The Family, and the trust of the leap already in my pocket, I’ll be a shoe-in for Premier.”

A chill ran down Laurie’s spine with his words.
Last surviving member of The Family
. A coup, but not from within. All of them had targets on their backs.

Chad seemed crazy enough to do it. She glanced at Leah, now silently crying. Blood had seeped between her fingers where they clung to her side. Laurie’s heart broke for the woman. To have her mate, her lover, and husband shoot and denigrate her would no doubt deal more damage than the wound itself. Not that the wound wasn’t bad enough. It was bleeding heavily, soaking the right side of her shirt and carpet beneath. Chad had said she wouldn’t die, but how could he tell? They needed to end this quickly and get her help.

“Why now?” Max asked. His muscles tightened in anticipation of a fight.

Laurie readied herself to help.

“When you mated, I knew I couldn’t wait any longer. I draw the line at killing children. I couldn’t risk you getting the wolf pregnant with hybrid bastards.”

Unbidden, a growl rumbled through her throat.

“Nice to know you draw the line somewhere,” Max mocked him with a sneer.

Chad seemed to ignore him, continuing his rant. “I needed you and the rest of your officers out of the way. With no one suitable to be Premier, I have no doubt they’d turn to me to try and keep it in The Family. My children will have the same genes yours would have, except mine won’t be tainted by wolf.”

Laurie snarled at that.

“Scary,” Chad said sarcastically. His brother laughed.

“So you’ve been trying to kill me this whole time?”

“Best to cut off the head of the snake first.”

“And Ryan?” Max asked.

“Wrong place, wrong time. But he needed to go anyway. Too bad I didn’t hit him hard enough the first time.”

“Four failed attempts. Five, if you count Laurie’s hit and run this morning. Pretty lame score if you ask me.”

Laurie glanced at Max. Why was he taunting Chad?

“I wanted this to look like an accident, but no matter. Shooting Leah ensures the suspicion won’t turn my way. After all, everyone knows what a loving and caring husband I am.”

“What makes you think I’ll keep quiet?”

Laurie wanted to cheer at the bite of sass in Leah’s tone, but cringed instead as Chad kicked her in her stomach.

At her cry of pain, Kitty ran forward and latched onto Chad’s leg. With a curse, he kicked the dog into the wall hard. A squeal escaped the animal at impact.

Laurie raised a leg to move, but the click of the gun as Chad cocked it made her freeze. She turned to see the weapon trained on Max, but his attention now on Laurie. From the corner of her eye, she saw Kitty try to stand, before falling over. Hurt, but alive. That would have to do for now. Still staring at Chad, she put her foot back on the ground.

“I will never let you get away with this.” Leah’s words made Laurie cringe. While she applauded her spirit, she worried about the damage Leah had already suffered. Every instinct inside Laurie urged her to protect the woman, but she had to be smart. No matter how strong the urge to safeguard became, she had to wait until she had a chance of success. All she needed was an opening. For that gun to move away from Max for one moment.

“You’ll keep quiet or you’ll regret it. Don’t want to lose your family and your mate, now do you? Have you told them how long you’ve known about this little plan of mine? About how long you let me continue to attack them without ratting me out?”

Leah openly cried, shaking her head in denial.

Chad squatted beside her and forced her gaze to his. “You and your family are born into the power to rule over the rest of us. We never even had the chance. None of you earned your positions. It’s about time someone worthy shook things up.”

With his attention on Leah, the gun shifted slightly away from Max. Through their mate bond, Laurie sensed Max’s rush of adrenaline before he went into action. As one, they attacked; Laurie leapt at the leopard, while Max lunged for Chad, grappling for the gun.

The leopard was bigger than Laurie. Stronger. Immediately, she could feel his weight push her back. But her mother had always said, it wasn’t the dog in the fight that mattered, it was the fight in the dog. And Laurie had a hell of a lot of fight in her. She wasn’t just mad, she was pissed. No one attacked her mate. Her family.

With a snarl, she lunged for the leopard’s throat, hoping to end this quickly so she could help with Max, who would be overpowered with two attackers. Before she made contact, his claw swiped her across the face. Laurie felt the sting as it tore strips in her cheek, but she pushed the pain away. The cat might be stronger, but no way could he have the same desperation Laurie did. Her life was on the line. Hers, and her mate, his brother and cousins. Everything came down to this moment. Losing wasn’t an option.

She jumped to the left as his fangs tried to sink into her shoulder. Felt a small sting as they scraped the skin instead.

Behind her, sounds of the scuffle between Max, Chad, and his brother pulled at her attention, but Laurie pushed it all away. She had to trust him. Trust that he could hold his own, and do whatever she could to take down her opponent.

No matter what Chad or his family thought, Max was more than a figurehead Premier. From the moment she’d met him, she knew he possessed a powerful dominance, and a strength that would cow most shifters. She almost smiled even as she dodged another blow. These men were toast.

Her claws connected with the leopard’s hip. The cat yelped, before his teeth sunk deep into her side, yanking a chunk out. Laurie stumbled back, before firming her legs. Her side throbbed, her cheek stung, and her shoulder ached. No, no, no. She would not lose this fight. The stakes were too high.

Tyler. He’d gone to get the others and would be coming back. Help was on the way. They just had to hang on until then. If they could hold the men off until the others arrived, these three would have no chance.

Pushing the pain to the corner of her mind, Laurie lunged, sinking her fangs into the leopard’s shoulder and ripping flesh. The metallic taste filled her mouth as his fur darkened with blood. The cat howled, backing away. Laurie crouched, waiting for his next attack, but the cat continued to retreat, shaking his head in denial.

Oh, hell no. Already playing coward? These men started this fight, they could damn well stay until she and Max finished it.

She turned as the cat retreated further into the room. In front of her, Chad’s brother lay sprawled out, motionless. She sank her claws into his legs as she stalked toward the leopard. He tried to back away, but Laurie continued forward, letting him know there was no escape.

No doubt sensing her determination, the cat made one last attack. He lunged, crashing into her side as she reared up and sank her teeth into his throat. As she ripped his jugular, she felt his paws batter her chest, a sharp stabbing pain at a particularly hard blow. She stumbled back as his body crashed to the floor. Blood seeped from a tear in his throat.

Behind her, sounds of the fight between Max and Chad continued. She turned, determined to help him, when the room spun. Gray spots dotted her vision. She shook her head to clear it.

Max stumbled, and Chad swept his feet out from under him, causing him to crash to the floor. A cut on his temple and another on his lip bled steadily. Laurie started forward once again, stumbling as her feet refused to obey. Pain split her side as she collapsed, panting in a desperate attempt for air.

Where was that wheezing coming from?

Chad wrapped his hands around Max’s throat, a sneer darkening his face. Frantically, Laurie tried to stand only to fall over once again. She had to get to him. Had to help. She couldn’t lose him. Not now. Not after confessing her love and hearing him say he loved her in return.

Her useless legs wouldn’t hold her weight. Was the air getting thinner? She dragged herself forward. Too slow. Desperation clawed at her throat. Useless. Why was she so useless?

The ding of the elevator reverberated through the room like a bell tower. Both Laurie and Chad swung their heads toward the doorway as Tyler, Colin, and Ryan came into the room.

“What the fuck?” Colin exclaimed.

Not bothering with questions, Tyler dashed forward and pulled Chad off Max. Ryan, right behind him, bent down and felt for a pulse.

Laurie held her breath.

A beat.

Two.

“It’s weak, but there.”

All three turned in her direction. Laurie tried to tell them with body language that she was fine. She tried once again to stand, but fell to her side.

Knowing the danger was over, she let herself rest. Around her, blood splattered the carpet and sofa. Leah lay moaning. Max was unconscious. And Laurie was having a hard time drawing enough air. Her chest felt full of sand.

But they were alive. The relief was so profound, she felt tears pool in her eyes.

They were alive.

She heard Colin talking. Trusted they’d know what to do and who to call. She closed her eyes as a hand ruffled through the fur on her head.

“Laurie, do you think you can shift?” Tyler’s voice. The idea made her whine in denial. With her injuries, it would feel like rubbing crushed glass all over. “Unless you want to go to the vet instead of the hospital, you’re going to have to shift.”

For a moment, she entertained the idea. But getting fixed up at the vet meant staying wolf until her more serious injuries healed. And would force Max’s family to explain why they had a timber wolf as a pet.

She glanced at Max’s still form on the floor. She wanted to be able to talk to him. To hold him and kiss him.

Her whine turned into a cry as she forced her aching muscles back to their human form. The pain exploded inside her head as the agony in her side increased, each heartbeat a blinding blow against her temples until finally, blissfully, the darkness overtook her.

Chapter 17

The wheels of her IV holder squeaked in the silence of the corridor as Laurie crept down the hall. She glanced into the room to her right and saw a woman she didn’t know sleeping in the bed. She moved onto the next, knowing Max had to be around here somewhere.

Three doors later, she found him, his eyes open as he stared at the ceiling. Earlier, she’d learned both Max and Leah would be staying on the same floor as her—Leah for the gunshot wound and Max for a bad concussion. Colin and Ryan had filled her in when they had come by her hospital room where she’d been treated for a punctured lung and had the gashes in her cheek stitched together. She still hadn’t built up the courage to look in a mirror. The wound would scar, too deep to shift away, but Laurie had never been a great beauty to begin with. Lucky for her the lung hadn’t required surgery, although they had stuck her with a scary-looking needle to aspirate. But she’d rather not remember that.

Max’s gaze pierced into her as she opened the door and stepped inside.

“You should be in bed.”

“My thought exactly,” Laurie said as she crawled into his hospital bed. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tighter against him. Enfolded in his arms, she was finally able to relax. How was she supposed to rest when the last time she’d seen him he’d been unconscious and bleeding?

“How bad?” he asked. She had no doubt he’d already been apprised of her condition. Probably nagged until he knew more about her injuries than she did.

“You tell me. Am I hideous?” She’d meant it as a joke, but her chest tightened in anxiety. Vulnerability ate at her mind as her stomach churned in dread. What if he was no longer attracted to her?

Max pulled her gaze to his with gentle hands. She watched his eyes trace the gashes before returning to hers.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

Unbelievably, tears filled her eyes, clouding her vision. She blinked them away, needing to see the unwavering acceptance in his gaze.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too, jellyfish.”

Her breath huffed out on a shadow of a laugh. How many nicknames did he have?

“We make a good team.”

Her chest swelled with pride knowing she’d been a help to him. “Yeah, we do. No more keeping important things from me.”

His hand reached for hers, entwining their fingers together. “I promise. We’re in this together.”

Together. Her heart fluttered at the word. She rubbed her ear against his shoulder and felt him clutch her a bit closer, hissing when he held her too tight.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s okay.” Tears slid down her face, dampening his shoulder.

“Laurie?” The concern in his voice brought the tears on faster. “I’ll get the nurse.” But she stopped him when he reached for the call button.

“I thought I’d lost you. Chad was standing over you, choking you, and I couldn’t get there.”

“Hey. It’s okay. I’m okay.” Leaning over her, he kissed her tear stained cheeks. “In another month, this will all be forgotten.”

Laurie raised her eyebrows, an incredulous smile curling her lips. She would never forget how close she’d come to losing him. Never stop appreciating every day with him.

With a laugh, he kissed her curled lips and pulled her back against him. “Kitty’s going to be fine,” he said after a moment.

“I heard. Broken hip. But according to Ryan they aren’t even casting it and it doesn’t require surgery. Just a sling.”

“I’m glad.”

Laurie smiled against his shoulder at the relief in his voice. “Admit it,” she teased.

“What?”

“You like her.” For all his fuss about having a dog, he sure treated her well. Let him try and deny it. She’d seen them watching TV together.

“She not only saved my life when I was poisoned, but she risked her life when we were held at gunpoint. That is an extraordinary dog.” He was silent a moment, his hand rubbing circles on her back. “But don’t be getting any ideas. One is enough.”