Page 4 of Kai's Hunger

I breathed deeply, fighting for control. Soon, a sense of calm washed over me. The creature inside me quieted, soothed by her presence.

I picked her back up and rounded a bend, then spotted home a few hundred feet ahead. Home, right. More of a compound. It’d been built into a hillside, partially hiding it from view. We’d let the vegetation grow up around it to make it difficult for outsiders to find. To make it difficult for others of my kind to find. I stopped and glanced around, then sniffed the air for any sign of threat. The only thing within miles were various forest animals. My small bundle was so still I grew concerned. Shit, at least she was breathing. The fact that she hadn’t been jarred awake by my dash through the woods worried me, though. She was injured worse than I’d first thought. As I approached the door and was about to knock, it was flung open. Wyatt stood on the other side, glaring at me. Fucking terrific.

“What the hell did you do?”

“It was an accident,” I bit out. “She’s injured. Let me in.”

My brother didn’t budge. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and ordered, “She’s human, Kai. Get her out of here.”

I wouldn’t release the female. Not even for my alpha. “It’s my fault she’s hurt and I want Creeg looking her over.”

“Take her to a hospital and leave her. She’ll be fine.”

“No,” I ground out, tired of the argument. “We’re wasting timechatting. I won’t risk her life.”

The bastard only shrugged. “Why do you care? She’s not our kind.”

I rolled my eyes. “Does she look like a threat to you?”

Wyatt’s lip curled up at one corner. “Looks can be deceiving.”

Enough was enough. The female was injured because of my reckless bullshit and I would damn well see to her care. “Let me pass!”

I heard a noise coming from behind Wyatt, then Creeg came into view. “What’s going on?”

“She’s injured. I want you to examine her.”

Creeg stared at her, his gaze raking up and down her body before he waved a hand in the air. “Bring her inside,” he ordered.

“I’m trying but big brother is afraid of the tiny human.”

“I’m not afraid of her, damn it.”

I let my facial expression do the talking for me. Wyatt finally relented and stepped out of the way. “She’s your responsibility. When she’s well, send her on her way. That’s an order, Kai.”

I couldn’t give him my agreement. Something about the female called to me. I wanted to know why I was so drawn to her. As I stepped inside, all my brothers descended at once. Like the dumbasses had never seen a female before. Jesus. I was fast getting irritated by their curiosity. “Move,” I ordered the lot of them.

Their attention was centered on the female, all but ignoring me. Miggs moved closer and lifted a hand to touch her, but I quickly stepped backward. “Do not,” I growled, baring my teeth at my younger sibling. He got the hint.

“Why do you have a human and why is she bleeding?” Miggs sniffed the air and licked his lips. “She smells amazing.”

Creeg cleared his throat. “Come on, before there’s a riot,” he muttered as he led the way to the lower level. As we entered the area that my brother used as an onsite emergency room, I brought the female to the cushioned table and placed her on top of the cool surface. She didn’t stir, didn’t so much as flutter her lashes. “She’s too still, Creeg.”

My brother got to work, taking out a stethoscope and undoing the top two pearl buttons of her blouse. He pressed the metal disc to her chest and listened to her heart. “Steady, that’s good.” Next, he lifted one eyelid and shined an ophthalmoscope into her pupil.

I was on edge. Like ready-to-claw-my-brother’s-eyes-out on edge. I didn’t like Creeg so close to the female. I knew my rising anger was uncalled for, but I couldn’t keep the growl out of my voice as I asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m checking for a concussion.”

“And?”

“I want to do a scan,” he explained, “but first I need some information.”

“Anything,” I replied.

“Was she complaining of any pain?”

“No. I saw the cut on her head. It worried me, but she didn’t seem to notice it. Then she passed out.”

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