RUNT

Why?

Christian

I follow her scent for as long as I can but soon it just stops. I smell blood and sweat but looking around the small clearing I don't see any sign of our mate. Lowering my snout to the ground again I manage to pick up her scent but just end up at the base of a large tree.

I can't climb up as a wolf so I shift back before pulling myself up into the branches. Almost immediately I spot her, bloodied and unconscious, laying over one of the large limbs overhead. As I carefully approach the smell of blood gets stronger and I can see it dripping from the limb she lay on.

Feeling my wolf surge forward was expected but as I caught sight of the bleeding wound down her side and the blood running down her pale cheek I almost lost control. Her tuft of dark hair was caked with drying blood, her skin littered with scratches both shallow and deep, even her collar bone rest in an odd position.

Our poor mate. My wolf howls out from within me as I gently slip her into my arms before hopping to the ground.

She really is something. He adds and I can feel something akin to care coming from him. Our little mate. We need to take care of her. This cant happen again, I don't like seeing her hurt like this.

Neither do I. I huff out before hurrying towards the infirmary. We should have killed those women ourselves.

She wouldn't have liked that, she wanted to earn her title.

How do you know that? I growl as I reach the edge of the woods.

She may not understand what it is she felt but she showed she wanted to defend what is hers. Us.

And that makes it okay? I watch as pack members wisely avert their gazes as I stomp down the stone path on a mission. She got hurt! She didn't have to and she got hurt. Pride and titles be damned! I don't want to get her hurt in MY pack!

Me neither. I felt him cut the link after that comment but I know that for once he had actually agreed with me all because of the petite female in his arms.

'Gabriel, infirmary. Now.' I bark through the link as I push the doors open and march myself right into an empty room not giving a damn about protocol.

I know what needs to be done and it needs to be soon, setting her down on the hospital bed I try to steel myself for what I must do. It is going to hurt her but it will be worse if I wait. My fingers slide over her shoulders before coming to rest on her obviously broken collar bone. Taking a deep breath I quickly realign the bone hearing her whimper in pain.

Tears stream from her closed eyes but I continue to hold the bone in place knowing it will take a few hours to heal completely. I sit on the bed firmly holding the bone from shifting as I do so before taking in her scent in an attempt to relax. I didn't need to be killing doctors and nurses just yet.

I look around the dull white room and think of the times I have been here in the past, mostly when I was still a pup. Gabriel and I fought allot. Many a broken nose and black eye were treated under this very roof.

I remember when we were dragged here the first time by our mother. I had broken Gabriel's nose and was sporting a black eye and a busted lip. Mother was furious with us for fighting but we both refused to tell her what it all was about.

We were seven or eight at the time and Gabriel was already girl crazy. I had embarrassed him when he was flirting with some much older girls, he was wanting to prove to me that girls weren't icky but instead I punched him. We both did a number on each other but were laughing by the end because that's the kind of brothers we are.

I start to clean her wounds out before I hear the door open behind me and a nurse comes in pushing a cart of supplies. She is an older woman with short greying hair dressed as one would expect a nurse to be. She clears her throat as she looks my little mate over and shaking her head.

" Alpha. That's one tough girl you got yourself." The nurse smiles as she examines my unconscious mate, spending extra time on the wound to her side. "Just keep cleaning her wounds so that she doesn't get an infection. The poison should be clear of her system in a few hours. I suggest taking her home though so that we don't risk any further damage to her system."

"Clean how?"

"Give her a warm bath about an hour after we give her this," She holds up two pills before handing them to me. "The hard part is getting her to swallow them while she is recovering."

I frown, I can't just cram my fingers down her tiny throat. My brow wrinkles as I remember one of those girly films Rebekah likes watching where the man uses his own mouth to feed her the pills and I blush slightly. It would have to work.

I wait till the nurse leaves before I attempt it, taking a moment to grab a glass of water. Leaning down I slip the pills in between my lips before pressing them to hers. The tingles cause her to let out a soft moan and part her lips enough for the pills to slide past. I hurriedly pull back and take in water before repeating the process and forcing her to swallow the pills.

I pull away again satisfied with the results but not my method, I would much rather kiss her when she can kiss me back. I let out a frustrated sigh as I glance at the clock, I have enough time to get her back to our room. I scoop her up and begin the slow walk back to the pack house wondering where on earth Gabriel is.

Doesn't matter. We have our priorities straight. Our mate will be closer to us. My wolf states proudly.

I can't help but agree with him. Gabriel isnt here, isn't with our little mate. If he isnt dealing with whoever is responsible then I will teach him what it means to abandon the one made for you. I growl under my breath as I push open the doors to the Alpha floor.

I try to link him again but get no response, he must be in the dungeons. I set her gently on my bed before walking to the bathroom to run her a warm bath. I need to try to wake her up but I don't think she will be able to clean her own wounds.

I start the water running before heading to Gabriel's bathroom to find some more feminine smelling soap. I quickly find a slew of body washes and shampoos that have been collected in one cabinet and fish out a few before hurrying back to my bathroom to turn off the water before it gets to high.

I return to my bed and watch her curling into my pillow, her cheeks flushing pink as she lets out a soft purr before hissing in pain. I see her eyes flutter and I am immediately at her side with her hand in mine.

"Little one, its okay. You did so well... I am so sorry I wasn't there to protect you.." I fail at keeping my voice steady as she curls up into my arms. "We have to clean you wounds so the poison doesn't cause you an infection but first we need to clean you up... I ran you a bath."

"I can't.." she squeaks out as she buries her face in my neck.

"I am going to help... if that is okay..." I quickly interrupt her because I am nervous, more than ever before.

I know she has been in a state of undress this whole time but she was unconscious and hurt so I thought nothing of it, it was just unimportant, but now that she is curling her tiny frame into me seeking comfort I am suddenly very aware. Too aware.

"It's okay." She answers in an almost breathless tone. "I feel weak..."

I scoop her up and take her to the tub as carefully as I can. "Can you sit up on your own?"

"Not really.." She whispers out.

I just chuckle and climb into the tub still holding her, hearing her hiss as the warm water stings her wounds. I wish I could take her pain away again but know its not possible, yet at least. Once we are fully mated we will be able to share pain but we arent there yet.

I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her back against my chest, grabbing a washrag in the other hand before lathering her up with some berry scented body wash. I try to stay focused on the task at hand but as my hands glide over her skin I cant help but linger.

My beautiful, tough as nails, tiny little piece of heaven. I don't know how I got so lucky.

I grab a cup and wet her hair before washing her short black hair, careful not to get any soap in her eyes in the process. I reach for the drain letting the water flow down the drain completely before standing up with her curled against my chest.

I snatch a towel and set her on the counter before patting her dry and pulling the first aid kit out to doctor her larger wounds. I wrap her side before pausing to dry myself enough that I can take her to bed. I need to hold her close to me so that I don't go kill those women in the infirmity or whoever Gabriel has in the dungeon. I need to stay calm because Serenity needs me.

"Why didn't you watch the fight?" she whispers as I take her to the bed and lay next to her. The sound of defeat in her voice makes me regret my choice but I cant change it now.

"I couldn't watch. I wanted to kill those women but they were yours to defeat, not mine. Seeing you hurt would have made me a danger to everyone present.." I frown as I speak because it all sounds like excuses. "I was scared little one, you are too important to me. I shouldn't have run away."

"What? Why?" she shakes her head in confusion.

"Because you deserve better. You deserve mates who are there for you, who can control their impulses if its for you. I feel like such a failure." I grumble out as I feel her arm slide around my hip and her chest press into mine.

"Nonsense. You are perfect for me. You didn't fail, I just didn't understand." She presses her nose to my chest and nuzzles into me. A small smile settles on her lips as her head rests on my chest. "I don't understand allot of things so please be patient with me."

I pull her closer against me, enjoying the way she fits against me. Tomorrow I will visit the dungeons and deal with whoever dare to hurt my little mate but tonight I would just bask in her presence. I would do anything for her if she would ask, but she isn't the type.

But I think that's why I might just love her.