Apprehended Ch. 18

I sighed wearily.

Poor girl.

***

It took us longer than expected to depart. We somehow managed to purchase everything we needed for Christmas-including the tree.

Gavin refused to leave the female behind, which caused Ethan to pull rank and simply gather information to come back for her. The walk to the truck was not a good one. I was out of my element.

"We will come back," Ethan snapped sharply. I could tell he was losing his patience.

"Why couldn't I just have her now?!" spat Gavin.

There was nothing infantile about his tantrum. Oh no. This was a full-bloodied, male wolf who just found his mate. And he would do anything to have her.

That thought sobered me a bit. There were other forces at work here. Instinctual ones that could not be controlled. In a way, it was a little frightening; unable to control who your wolf wanted.

I kept silent. There was no way I was getting in the middle of this.

Ethan stopped by his truck and tossed the bags in. When he was done, he confronted Gavin. They were almost chest to chest. Ethan stood a solid six inches taller. "Two reasons, motherfucker. One, because I fucking said so. My word. My goddamn law. And two, because I do not want to explain to a store full of humans our reasonings for blatant public kidnapping."

Gavin was about to reply but Ethan grabbed him by the neck in pure, untamed aggression.

"Need I remind you who is Alpha?"

Gavin gritted his teeth but didn't dare speak in defiance.

"I thought so," Ethan growled. He shoved Gavin off. "Get in the goddamn truck, Beta."

Gavin was unmoving.

"NOW!" Ethan yelled. I nearly shrieked but managed to bite my tongue.

Jesus.

Gavin muttered a curse and got in the backseat, slamming the door so hard, the window nearly shattered.

I waited quietly on the sidewalk, watching from a considerable distance. Did I have to get in the truck with them? There was way too much...male, wolf machismo going on.

"Get in the truck, Luna," Ethan snapped.

WTH? Why was he angry with me? I didn't do anything other than breathe.

I hopped in with a glare and buckled up. Ethan followed, slamming his own door, and causing the hinges to moan. He started the car and we began the long, arduous-and now uncomfortable-ride back home.

It was worse than the ride home with Tony and Ethan at each other's throat. Desperate to break the tension and silence, I reached for the radio and nearly screamed in fright once more.

"No music!" they both snarled simultaneously.

I stared between the two. Geez. Well, alright.

I folded my arms across my chest and watched the road; the lights passing and fading...passing and fading.

"You took your Luna," Gavin said abruptly. "Without permission I might add."

Uh-oh.

Ethan didn't like that.

I shrank further into my seat.

The growl that permeated the truck was enough to shut any one up. Not Gavin, however. "You don't get to bring my female into this," spat Ethan. "There is no comparison. There never will be, motherfucker."

My brows shot up.

"She's my mate!" Gavin snarled. "Mine."

I knew that this would be a long shot, but I unbuckled my seat belt and got up.

"What are you doing, female?" Ethan spat.

I waved him off and made my way over the middle partition of the truck. Gavin muttered a curse and helped me climb into the backseat.

"Have you lost your fucking mind, Luna?" Ethan continued. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Don't you ever do that again."

I pegged him with a glare before focusing on Gav. I grabbed his hand and held it, his palm dwarfing mine. "I know I'm new to this. I'm a stranger here. An outsider looking in. But from a female's perspective with no knowledge of your world until I was literally thrown into it; I can tell you that simply taking her isn't going to help. She's going to be scared. Very scared. And because of that, you will have to try even harder for her to trust you."

I knew Ethan was hanging on every word, remembering how I reacted when I first arrived in his cabin. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Look," I continued, squeezing his hand. "I'll go with you myself. Together. Having another female would definitely help. You must ease her into it. Think of her. Think of how this will feel for her if you oppress her. I know you mean well. I also know that you will never hurt her. But she doesn't know that yet. So let's take it slow."

He nodded solemnly and agreed.

I was about to return to the passenger seat up front, but Gavin pulled me into him and hugged me tightly, engulfing me in his warm embrace. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Thank you, Luna," he whispered.

It felt a little awkward being in another male's arms. I expected Ethan to beat poor Gavin to a pulp.

But he didn't.

He stood silent, watching me. When Gavin finished, I hopped back into my seat and buckled myself in.

Ethan chuckled and reached over to grab my hand. He laced our fingers together, kissed my knuckles and said, "That is why you are Sol Luna, sweetheart."

I wasn't sure what that meant. I was merely trying to diffuse the tension.

That's when all hell broke loose.

"On your left!" Gavin snarled.

I jerked to the left, expecting to see...I don't know...something? What were we looking at?

A deer?

"I smell her, I smell her," said Ethan. He sped up, causing the truck to jerk forward. He glanced over at me. "You got your seatbelt on?"

"Yes," I said, getting a little scared. "What the hell is going on?"

"She's right there!" yelled Gavin.

"I see her, I see her!" said Ethan.

I followed their line of sight; my eyes focusing on none other than Dina's wolf running through the trees. She was fast, keeping a steady pace with the truck. Trees shook and fell as she ran, her bounds strong and sure. She snarled, her eyes finding mine in the darkness-an unwavering, cold gaze that made me frightened.

Fuck.

This was not good.

She came for me.

She came for Ethan.

She came for us.

Ethan floored it, the truck going as fast as it could, which wasn't very fast. Dina was gaining on us. "Shit, she's going to jump into the road ahead of us. Gavin. Drive."

I peeled my eyes away from Dina long enough to catch the true horror of what was happening. Ethan was stripping, keeping a steady hand on the wheel as he undressed. He moved fast, kicking off his boots and opening the car door while it was still in motion.

I snagged his thick arm. "Ethan, no, what are you doing?!"

He was calm. Too calm. And I realized that this was his life. This constant violence and aggression. This is was his normalcy. His reality.

And it scared the shit out of me.

"I'll be right back, okay?" he said. "You stay in the truck. Keep your seatbelt on. I'll distract her. Gavin will keep you safe, love. You stay with him and don't leave his side, is that clear?"

My lower lip trembled, and my heart raced. I hated to admit it, but I was petrified. I didn't want him to leave. "No," I said, my voice unsteady.

"She's going to ram the truck. Gavin and I can survive that. You cannot. I need to bump her off the road, my female. Now stay in the truck. I'll meet you at the cabin." He glanced at Gavin. "Switch."

Gavin slid into the driver's seat just as Ethan tossed himself out, his body transforming on the jump. His golden fur gleamed in the light of the moon and he looked magnificent. He looked steady as he ran, his muscled legs keeping pace with the truck. I could tell that he was able to run faster, but he was keeping his eyes on Dina. He knew what he was doing.

It didn't pacify me.

"Gavin," I said in fear.

He closed the truck's door and continued to floor it. "Don't worry, my Luna," he said, calmly. "I'm right here. I won't let her touch you. On my life."

Ahead, Dina broke through the tree line, running for the road and planting her large body in front of the truck, just as Ethan predicted.

Only, she never achieved her goal.

Ethan came in from the left, slamming into her so hard, she whined and tumbled back into the tree line from the sheer force of the collision. Ethan was on her, biting and attacking her. Trees moaned and crashed, nearly slamming onto the truck's hood.

I screamed. Gavin put a hand out to steady me as he swerved the truck to the left to avoid the carnage. "Easy," said Gavin. "We're almost there."

I turned, trying to see Ethan amongst the mass of fallen tree trunks that now lined the road. "Where is he, Gavin?" I unbuckled my seatbelt and jumped into the back seat.

"Luna!" Gavin yelled, trying to drive and grab me simultaneously. "Get your ass back in this seat right now! Right fucking now!"

I ignored him, my heart pounding, and my eyes watering. "Gavin...where is he? I don't see him." I pressed my nose against the back window, but Gavin was driving too fast. The trees were a blur and it was too dark to discern where he might be.

"I'm not going to repeat myself, Annie. Get your motherfucking ass back in this goddamn seat or so help me, I will grab you and do it myself!"

"Oh my god, I see him! I see him!" I shouted. He was following the truck, protecting us as Dina repeatedly tried to attack.

She attempted to shake him off each time, but Ethan was faster and stronger, pushing her into the thick trees to slow her down. The sounds were feral. Animalistic. She found my eyes and charged. I screamed and moved away from the door. Ethan bit into her flesh, yanking on her and causing her to jerk away just as she collided into the side of the truck.

"Shit!" Gavin snarled, swerving the truck to the left again.

I lost sight of them once more.

"Buckle yourself in!" Gavin demanded. "Now!"

I did as he said, slamming the seatbelt into place at the exact moment Dina broke through the tree line, her head lowered for impact.

I screamed at Gavin. "SHE'S GOING TO HIT US!"

Gavin swerved to the left again, but the truck wasn't fast enough. She collided-head first-into the back door, causing the metal to explode. It whined and moaned for a mere second before breaking clean off.

Cold air rushed in, whipping around us violently.

I stared in horror as her growl pierced the night. She shoved her head into the vehicle and snapped her jaws at me. I screamed again and managed to open the door on my side to avoid getting bitten. I felt the heat from her mouth and the whipping wind as I lulled to the left, my body nearly exiting the vehicle. The only thing stopping me from flying out of the car was the seatbelt.

Dina quickly exited and made her way to the other side for better access. If I didn't move, I was going to be eaten alive. I tried to grab hold of the truck's interior, but Gavin was speeding, driving over an unsteady road. I heard her growl and I screamed again, attempting to find anything that would give me the ability to pull myself back into the truck.

I whimpered when something soft brushed against my side.

But thankfully, it was Ethan.

I was so relieved to see him, I nearly cried.

He pressed against me so that we were side to side. He kept pace with the truck and nudged me in, allowing me to go back inside. I slammed the door shut just as Dina emerged from Ethan's opposite side, nearly biting his face off.

I pressed my hands against the glass in terror.

He dodged and slipped underneath her snapping jaw at the last second, jerking his head to the left and taking his own snap at her exposed throat.

She whimpered and tried to shake him off, but Ethan refused to let go. They fell back and I turned in my seat to get a better view.

They were fighting now, a ball of fur amongst the darkness. They began fading into the distance as Gavin continued to floor it. The engine roared and the wind whistled, whipping my hair around frantically. Panting, I looked around, my heart racing and sweat dripping from my brow.

All too soon, Gavin pulled the truck to a stop. He nearly flew out and ripped open my door. My seat belt was off, and he was yanking me out of the vehicle. My legs were jelly and my body was lax. I tried to make my muscles work, but I was filled with not only adrenaline, but dread.

Dread for Ethan.

"Richen!" he roared.

I stumbled and he righted me, pulling me along as he took long strides in the snow. "Take her inside, now! Jared, on me. Alpha is holding Dina off. She attempted to kill our Luna. I want her inside right fucking now!"

I was scooped up and carried off, Richen's strong arms holding me against him. I reached out for Gavin before he left with Jared and a few other males.

He grabbed my hand, kissed it, and let go. "I'll bring him home, my Luna. I promise." Then, he was gone; shifting and running down the road along the mountain's descent.

***

It felt like hours...no...days since they left.

I paced in the living room by the couch, wincing and hobbling along the wooden floor in a panic. "Where are they, Richen?" I asked, yet again.

He sighed and approached me, running his hands through his platinum blonde hair. "They will be fine, Luna. But I won't be if Ethan sees that I left your wound unattended."

"He should be here by now. They should be here by now."

He muttered a curse and picked me up again, carrying me to the couch where he began ripping my jeans apart from the ankle to the thigh. I winced and grabbed his shoulder for purchase.

"Jesus," he muttered. He snagged the first aid kit he took from the bathroom medicine cabinet and waded up gauze. He looked right at me. "This is going to hurt, okay? I'll try to do it fast, but it's going to burn like a motherfucker." Without warning, he tossed rubbing alcohol on the gauze and pressed it into the slice that ran along the top of my thigh to my knee.

I groaned and bit my lower lip so hard, I tasted blood. "Fuck!"

"Almost done," he said, removing the gauze to add butterfly stitches.

I knew it wouldn't hold long term. It was for the moment. But I didn't give a fuck. I just wanted the searing pain to subside.

"Done," he muttered. He wrapped my entire thigh in a thick, white bandage and taped it closed. Then he grabbed the discarded spplies, walked to the kitchen to toss it, and grabbed a bottle. "Here," he said, shoving the liquor at me. "Drink."

I snatched the glass and unscrewed the cap with trembling fingers. I drank nearly half the liquid, feeling the buzz almost immediately.

Shit.

Richen watched my every move. "You okay?"

"Yes." I glanced at the door again.

He took a seat on the coffee table directly in front of me, causing it to moan. "They'll be back," he said. "They always come back. We're stronger than you think."

I took another swig of liquor. "But Dina-"

"Is a female, Luna."

I scoffed, clearly offended at the biasness of the statement.

He chuckled. "Although you may find our ways misogynistic, here, instinct overrides modern concepts. Male wolves are the dominant gender. Dina may seem strong...maybe even unstoppable to you. But for us males, she is nothing more than a jealous female. One that can be tamed. One that can be easily killed."

I shook my head in disbelief. "You didn't see her, Richen."

He shrugged. "They're all the same, Luna."

I polished off the liquor. He returned to the kitchen and grabbed another bottle from one of the cabinets and handed it to me. I drank more. The pain was beginning to subside.

He took his spot in front of me again, his eyes assessing me. He always rubbed me the wrong way. I shoved some liquor in his face. "Here," I said. "Drink."

He declined. "I'd like to keep my dick if you don't mind."

I couldn't help it. I laughed. He smiled.

"You know," I said, taking another sip. "You're not so bad, Richen...I mean...once females get over your blatant creepiness."

He barked out a laugh just as the door burst open.

And Ethan walked in.

Very naked.

And covered in thick blood.

I dropped the bottle and got up, stumbling and tripping as I lagged. I reached out for him, crying out his name in happiness. "Ethan."

He was alive.

He stalked over, seemingly uninjured as he caught me in his arms and picked me up. I wrapped my entire body around him like a vise, burying my face into his neck and trying to hold back my tears of relief. "I'm right here, my Luna." He kissed the side of my head. "I'm right here, baby." He muttered sweet endearments against my ear in a different language. When he was done, he spoke to Richen. "Get out," he barked.

Richen left without hesitation, quietly closing the door behind him.

Ethan pulled me away from his body to look me over. "Are you alright, mea vita?" He ran his hands over my body quickly. "Where are you hurt?"

I shook my head slightly and kissed him, my lips crashing over his in a frenzied relief. I was so happy to have him in my arms. Alive and safe. When I was satisfied, I pulled away but tightened my hold on him. Pain exploded from my leg, but I ignored it. "Just my thigh," I said, running my fingers through his matted hair.

He walked to the couch and I settled once more. He fell to his knees and ran a gentle hand over the bandages. "I'll get Doc Baldridge over here."

He made a move to get up and I grabbed his hand to stop him. He took Richen's previous spot on the coffee table. "Ethan."

Shit.

My voice was unsteady. I cleared it. "What happened?"

He sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face, looking grave.

Fear made me tremble. Uncertainty made me anxious. "Tell me," I whispered, squeezing his hand.

He lifted it to his lips and pressed a kiss to my open palm. "Sweetheart..." His own voice cracked, and he too had to clear it. "We have her. She's severely injured. But..."

I waited, blinking back tears. Oh god. Who did we lose?

"It's Gavin," he said, rubbing quickly at his nose.

I shook my head frantically. "No," I said in disbelief. "No...no!"

"He's not dead," he added quickly. "But Dina, she..." He cursed and rubbed his face again. "She...umm...she took a cheap shot when he defended me. She caught him in the jugular. Baldridge is working on him now."

I rubbed at my eyes, failing to stop the tears that escaped. "Will he live?"

He nodded, looking tired...so tired. "Doc says yes. But it'll be a while before he heals. The throat is a very dangerous place for a wolf."

I remembered when he attacked Dina's jugular and I had to ask. "How bad is she?"

"Bad enough. I'm having Doc take care of her after Gavin is stabilized and you're taken care of."

"But...why?" I asked in confusion. "Why save her after everything she has done?"

"Because I want to see her face," he said. "I want her alive for the reckoning. Performed the right way, according to our laws."

"She killed Edwin," I reminded him. "What's to say that she won't escape again?"

He chuckled, though it held no mirth. "Not in her current condition. But I will do this," he said, his eyes unwavering. "I will do this the right way. I will not stray from the laws implemented centuries ago. I can't. I am an Alpha. I cannot simply take it upon myself and murder whomever I deem fit. There are protocols. I have to contact the Elders. These things take time, my Luna."

I sighed heavily.

This was raw. I didn't know enough to demand justice. I didn't know what procedures were implemented to enforce his peoples laws. But I did know that I felt uneasy with her near. I decided to put it on the backburner. "When can we see Gavin?"

"Soon. But let's get you taken care of. When we're resettled, we can visit him in his cabin."

I agreed.

Christmas suddenly didn't seem so important anymore.