The Beta's Forbidden Mate

Chapter Seventeen

When I woke up, it was still pitch-black. It took me a moment to even realize that I was conscious. But my dreams were never quite this cold, this damp, or this filled with wracking pain in every limb.

Especially my left leg. Something was very, very wrong there. I couldn't feel it at all.

There was a scuffling sound from somewhere in the darkness and I cringed away in fear, but then I heard the sound of murmured swearing.

"Asher?" I called out softly, wincing as I tried to turn my head.

He was at my side in an instant, gently cupping a hand under my neck.

"Olivia! You're awake." Relief was plain in his voice.

"What happened?" I rasped.

"You were amazing," he said, stroking my icy cheek. "After you killed Grimeer, you passed out. I was able to pick you up and break through a weak spot in the back wall of the barn." He touched my sweatshirt, which felt like it was soaked with ice water. "I'm sorry you're wet. I took us down a river for half a mile, to throw off our scent."

"Why is it so dark?" Even though I could sense Asher's face hovering near mine, I couldn't make out anything in the inky darkness.

"We're deep in one of the mountain caves," he answered. "Growing up, I used to hide from the alpha and his sister in these systems when I was bad. We will be safe, at least for a little while."

I clenched my jaw to keep my teeth from chattering. "It's so cold."

"I know. I'm trying to light a fire." I felt him move away, and there was the sound of a match striking, but nothing happened. Asher swore again. "I hid these in here years ago, but they must have gotten wet at some point."

Another scratching sound and there was the faintest of lights, barely more than a flicker in the blackness. I heard him breathing carefully on the kindling, urging it to take. A few moments later, a tiny fire was burning on the cave floor. It wasn't much, but I sighed as the heat from the flames kissed my cheeks.

It also let me see Asher, who was crouching over the small circle of stones, adding small twigs to the growing blaze. He was still naked, and I could see tremors of cold running down his skin as he worked. Every few seconds his eyes would flick to me, as if assuring himself I was still there.

For the first time, I could also see the wound on my leg, and instantly wished I'd remained in darkness.

Asher had cut my jeans down the thigh, and used his belt to wrap a tourniquet around it, but crimson continued to seep slowly from the jagged wound.

My head spun sickly. How much blood had I lost?

I needed stitches. Maybe even surgery to repair the damage.

The fact that I could barely feel my leg was bad. Very bad. I watched blood ooze around the tourniquet.

"I think...I think I need a doctor," I managed to hiss through gritted teeth.

"I know," Asher said. He sounded on the verge of panic. "But the pack is hunting for us. There's no way we'd get back to the city on foot."

My vision was blurring at the edges. "I have...a car. I stashed it just off the highway."

He chuckled faintly. "I should have known you'd have a getaway. You're the most incredible woman I've ever met."

I wanted to smile back at him, but the world felt distant, like I was seeing it on a television screen. My eyes fluttered shut as a wave of dizziness swept over me.

"Olivia!" Asher abandoned the tiny fire and flew to my side. "Come on, I need you to stay awake."

His voice sounded faint, and very far away. He put his hands on my shoulders, shaking me gently.

"Olivia! Please, please don't give up. I can't lose you. Not so soon after finding you. Please."

I felt his powerful arms embracing me, felt a shaking sensation as tears wracked his body.

I wanted to do what he said. I knew, deep in my gut, that if I fell asleep, I would never wake up.

But I also knew that I would never get to a hospital in time. I'd lost too much blood, and we were too far away from the city, even if the pack of murderous werewolves didn't find us and tear us to pieces first.

Asher could outrun them, but I would just get him killed.

I was only human—laughably weak and slow compared to them even when I wasn't injured.

Only human...

It took all the effort I had left just to open my eyes, and I had to take a deep breath before finding the strength to speak.

"Asher..." I croaked. "You...have to...turn me."

"Turn you over? I'm afraid that will just make it worse."

Exhausted, I shook my head. "No. You have to...turn me. Into a werewolf."

He froze, staring at me with wide eyes. "Olivia...I can't."

"Have to," I said, fighting to stay conscious. "You said...heals."

"But I'm not even sure I know how! It hasn't been done in nearly fifty years. And your life as a human...you'd never be able to go back."

Tears poured down my cheeks as I looked into his tortured brown eyes. "If you don't...my life as a human...is over anyway."

Asher's face crumpled. "I can't..."

I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore, and then fell closed. I didn't feel cold anymore, but instead very warm and comfortable—almost like I was floating.

I distantly heard Asher let out a choked sob, followed by a deep, shaky breath. "Okay," he said. "Okay. I will do it. I cannot lose you, Olivia."

"Hurry," was all I could manage to gasp as I felt tendrils of darkness pulling me under.

Asher took me in his arms and tenderly kissed my cheeks, then my lips. Then he set me back down, and backed up a few steps.

"I'm afraid this will be very painful. Try not to scream."

I couldn't open my eyes, so I sensed rather than saw him shift into his enormous wolf form. Whining softly, he padded toward me.

He took my wrist between his pointed fangs, taking care not to pierce the skin.

He whined again, a question.

I had no voice left to speak, and could only nod faintly and try to communicate my words to my mate.

Now. Hurry.

Please.

As if he could read my desperate thoughts, Asher's fangs pierced the flesh of my wrist.

And as hard as I tried, I wasn't able to stop from screaming.