Her Protective Mate (The Ward Wolf Pack Novella Series, Book 3), Theresa Hissong [i can read books TXT] 📗

animal collided with him, knocking the four-wheeler over, rolling it down an embankment.

The moment the machine stopped, he felt the pain in his chest, and it was then he knew he was in serious trouble. There was no one out there to help him. He was alone, and from the appearance of blood on his abdomen, he was fucked.

There wasn’t a lot of time to get himself back to his cabin, but it was the only way. If he had to crawl, he would. There was a sat phone in his ATV, but the machine was a broken, scattered mess down the small hill. One glance at the machine and he knew the phone wasn’t going to be easily found. His supplies were scattered everywhere.

The tall forest grass and vines covered the ground, and the phone was as dark as the dirt around it. Booker used his hands to pat the undergrowth, praying he could find his phone as the pain in his gut flared.

“Fuck, where is that phone?” he growled.

His mind went to Aspen, and he had to push that away. He wasn’t going to go down without a fight, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to die out there off the trail where she would find his body.

His body was weak, and his mind was covered in a fog. There were sounds around him, but with the loss of blood, he couldn’t tell if he was imagining the sounds of branches cracking. Was it a wolf? A bear? Natural ones or supernatural?

He blinked a few times as the sound of footsteps came closer. Sniffing and huffing.

His name was called, but that could’ve been his imagination. The warm blood leaking from his body was turning cold and sticky against his skin. Aspen’s name fell from his lips, but the sound was gone…and so was Booker.

Chapter 10

Aspen zipped up her backpack after double checking everything she’d packed for her trip to see Booker. She was ready to get on the plane to see him. Although their relationship was new, it’d moved fast. There was no doubt in her mind that she was deeply in love with her mate.

“Aspen!” Nash’s voice echoed through her cabin as the door flung open. Her heart stopped in her chest for a split second when her brother’s eyes were completely hazed over.

“What’s wrong?” She felt it…she knew it.

“I need you to get your things and get on the plane with Charlie,” he growled. “Booker has been hurt, and the bears found him.”

“What?” she cried. “What happened?”

“Come with me and I’ll explain,” he ordered, reaching for her hand. She grabbed her pack and ran with him toward the terminal.

“Isaac and his clan were on a run,” he began. “They smelled the blood miles away and knew it was human. They found him down an embankment. His ATV had crashed. He’s not in good shape.”

“No!” she screamed. “I have to go.”

The sound of Charlie’s plane firing up spurred her on. She hugged Nash for a split second before running toward her awaiting ride.

“I can’t leave here just yet, but Isaac will help you,” Nash promised as she ran.

Charlie had the back door to the plane already open, waiting for Aspen to arrive. She tossed in her pack and climbed in her seat, donning the headset as Charlie began to taxi out.

“What do you know?” Aspen asked.

The crackle of the communication with Isabell at the terminal paused her, but Charlie looked over as she gave Isabell the all clear to take off.

“Charlie?” Aspen pushed.

“The bears are with him, and his is alive, but barely,” Charlie said, fighting back tears. “I’m going to get you there as fast as I can.”

Aspen covered her face and cried softly. She didn’t have to ask for any more information, because she knew what she’d find there wasn’t going to be a simple injury.

“I’ll do everything I can to help him,” Charlie added.

“I know you will,” Aspen said as she tried to get her emotions in check.

Charlie was a trauma nurse for humans before giving it all up to become a full-time pilot with Ward Air & Transportation. She would be able to at least tell Aspen if Booker’s injuries would require medical attention in Anchorage, and thankfully, she could fly him to the hospital.

When they landed, she didn’t wait to grab her things, dropping out of her seat and running with every ounce of speed she could muster. The moment she approached the cabin, two of the clan were waiting outside. They stepped aside and allowed her to pass.

The moment she saw him, she cried out from his injuries. His body was bandaged, but that did nothing to keep the blood from coating the white sheets they’d torn up to use for first aid. He was on his couch with his eyes partially open. He moaned softly, but there was no recognition of her arrival.

“What happened?” she snarled, her eyes pinning the clan leader.

“We were out on a run and scented the blood,” Isaac began. “We knew it was human and went to investigate. When we got within a mile or so, I realized it was Booker. His scent is strong, because it’s mixed with yours. We were able to bring him back here, but he’s in really bad shape, Aspen.”

“How bad?”

“You’re going to have to make a decision,” he pressed. “I don’t think he will make it to Anchorage.”

She dropped to her knees in front of the couch, touching the side of his face. He whispered her name and closed his eyes completely. The sound of his heart was faint, and she knew Isaac was right. Booker wasn’t going to make it much longer.

“I can change you into what I am,” Aspen hurried to say when Booker gasped from the