Page 16 of Their Shared Mate
Kyle arched his brows. They had known each other for years so it was unlikely Kyle would be fooled by Victor’s nonchalance. “What does that mean? Have you and Raphael picked out a mate from the women you just rescued?”
Abandoning all attempts at casualness, Victor allowed his excitement to show. “I’m more enthusiastic about the possibilities than Raphael, but he has agreed to explore the situation.”
“Raptors choose their mates, correct?” Kyle asked, curiosity narrowing his eyes. “Are your instincts involved at all or is it a decision like any other?”
“Eagles choose their mates, so we all assumed that an instinctual drive wouldn’t be involved like it is with you or the wolves. None of the females we’ve interacted with before have triggered any urgent feelings, which made it feel like our assumption was right.”
“But then?” Kyle prompted with a grin.
“But then I saw Claire for the first time. She is physically attractive. There is no doubt about that, but I have never reacted to any female the way I reacted to her. It was like my entire body was suddenly electrified.”
Kyle chuckled and held out his hand. “Welcome to the I-found-my-soul-mate club. She will drive you absolutely crazy until she’s ready for you to claim her, but it’s worth every sleepless night.”
“I don’t just have to convince Claire. I have to convince Raphael.”
“I know Raphael almost as well as I know you, so I can predict with relative certainty that he will not take long at all to come around.”
“He was the one who first suggested we start looking for a mate, so I hope you’re right. However, he insists that he doesn’t want a female he has to tame, and Claire is as wild as they come.”
“Feisty women are the only way to go.” Kyle flashed another blinding smile. His coalition had recently claimed a spiritedwoman named Tara, so Kyle’s attitude was understandable. “I suggest you?—”
A massive gray wolf bounded out of the shadows and leapt for Kyle’s throat. A second wolf followed close behind.
Victor dove for the first wolf, refusing to let it get its jaws around his friend’s throat. His shoulder connected with the wolf’s side, knocking him away from his intended victim.
Letting out an enraged roar, Kyle faced the second wolf. The smaller wolf lunged as the first repositioned. Kyle punched the wolf squarely in the muzzle, first one side and then the other. The wolf yelped and its jaw hung down at an unnatural angle.
Victor snapped his attention back to the larger wolf. The creature roused, scrambling back to his feet with a menacing snarl. Victor manifested lethal talons as he circled the larger wolf. If he attempted a full shift, the wolf would attack while he was facilitating the transformation. And the forest was too dense here. His wings would be a hindrance, not a help. No doubt Kyle was hampered by the same problem.
The larger wolf lunged again. Victor twisted out of the way and kicked the wolf hard in his side. The maneuver gave him just enough time to reverse his talons and draw his pulse pistol. He blasted the creature as it turned and charged yet again. The hybrid instantly collapsed, so Victor spun toward Kyle.
The lion hybrid lay on his back, the smaller wolf on top of him. The fucking wolf had shredded Kyle’s chest with his claws, and the only thing that kept him from ripping out Kyle’s throat was his obviously broken jaw. Victor fired, but the shot was slightly off and hit the wolf in the hindquarters. The wolf yelped then ran off into the forest.
Victor rushed over to his friend as Kyle tried to rise. His torso had deep furrows running diagonally from shoulder to waist. He needed medical treatment immediately, but where? The feline village was closer, but Raphael could accomplish more than simply sewing the wounds shut and letting them heal on their own.
“Grab my neck,” Victor ordered as he bent and lifted the wounded cat off the ground. Victor grunted but managed to hoist Kyle chest high.
“Are you going to be able to carry me all the way to my village?”
“You need more than sutures, unless you want to be out of commission for the next few months. Those slashes are bone deep in places.”
“Fly fast,” Kyle urged weakly. “I’m not sure how long I can stay conscious.”
Victor walked to the nearest break in the trees and manifested wings. He took several deep breaths, saturating his lungs with oxygen, then leapt into the air. His heart thudded and his ears buzzed as adrenaline energized his reactions.
Twisting and bending, Victor maneuvered up through the trees. Kyle groaned with each forceful sweep of Victor’s wings, but they finally broke free of the canopy. The cat had to be in excruciating pain, but there was nothing Victor could do about that until they reached the raptor village.
Suddenly Kyle’s eyes rolled up and his body went limp. It was Victor’s turn to groan. Carrying another hybrid was challenging on the ground. Supporting one while flying was almost impossible.
Victor’s arms, chest and back muscles started to cramp long before he reached Eagle Village. He found a safe place to land and reached out across his psychic link to Raphael.
Kyle’s been mauled by a wolf. I need you now!He infused the signal with urgency and left the link open so Raphael could find him more easily.
On my way.
Victor took off his shirt and pressed the wadded-up cloth against the cat’s seeping wounds. Victor wasn’t sure what else he should do. He could wrap a sprained ankle or apply a simple bandage, but this was way beyond his abilities.
It only took ten minutes for Raphael to find him, but it felt like hours.
