Worth Fighting For

Chapter 11

Misty rubbed her hand over her face as she listened to the woman prattle away. Excuse after excuse. None of this made sense.

“You’re a vet, he’s sick. How can you turn him away?” Hysteria bled into her voice. What was she supposed to do? This was her baby.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but we only take domesticated pets. Dogs, cats, birds. We don’t treat foxes.”

Her mind went completely blank. Something was wrong with Oscar, but she didn’t have the first idea what it could be. Without the vet’s help, she was clueless. Why wouldn’t they help her?

“You might try the vet over in Oakville. One of the doctors at that practice used to work at a zoo. He may be able to help.”

Throwing a quick “thank you” over her shoulder, Misty ran outside. Oakville was a bit farther away from town than she wanted to go, especially with all the hoopla about staying close to home, but her options were limited.

When she’d woken up this morning, Oscar had still been asleep. Hours later, he woke, but had still not been his energetic self. She’d known something was wrong. Just known. And she needed help to figure out how to fix it.

Briefly, she’d considered calling Cody, but her wounds from the night before were too fresh. In all honesty, she wasn’t ready to talk to him yet.

No, she’d handle this on her own. Oakville wasn’t that far. She’d get Oscar the help he needed and be back before anyone even missed her. After settling him in the back seat, Misty got back behind the wheel and took off. Everything would be fine.

They wanted to keep him overnight. But he would be okay. Misty kept repeating it to herself as she walked out of the vet’s office. He was going to be okay. Her heart could finally return to its normal rhythm.

When she’d gotten home from her early morning class to find Oscar still asleep… She wouldn’t think about that. The vet assured her he would make a full recovery. That was the only thing that mattered. In a few short days, they’d be back in the woods hunting up breakfast. Well, his breakfast. Misty had never understood the appeal. Give her eggs and a muffin over raw rodent any day of the week. She’d just have to watch him more carefully. Make sure he didn’t eat anything he wasn’t supposed to. Who knew acorns were toxic? But the vet suspected eating them had caused the pancreatitis in Oscar. Thank God she’d managed to find him treatment. He was going to be okay.

Now that the drama of the morning had settled, Misty’s spirits soared. Her relief filled every part of her, making her almost lightheaded. There wasn’t even any room left for the resentment she’d felt last night. Maybe she’d call Cody and they could hash things out over lunch.

This morning had given her a bit of perspective. As long as they had their health, everything else would fall into place. She wasn’t willing to be used for sex, but she couldn’t believe that’s what Cody was doing. He cared about her. She knew he did. So if he needed time to figure out his emotions, she’d give him time.

Certainty gave her a sense of euphoria. She felt as if she floated ten feet above the ground. Which might explain how she’d been blind to the swarm of people until they were upon her.

“You think you’re better than us?” one shouted in her ear.

Who were these people, and what were they talking about? She shook her head frantically and tried to deny the accusation, but it was too late.

As if a dam broke, everyone ran forward, shouting in her ear. Misty slammed back to reality hard. The breath whooshed out of her as she looked around. Frowns marred everyone’s faces. No, frown was too mild a word for the rage reflected in the faces around her.

Trying to get away from the advancing crowd, Misty turned to run back to the vet’s office. To any building. But found more people coming from that direction. Her heartbeat pounded furiously inside her chest as every muscle in her body tightened in fright.

Desperate to escape, she spun in a circle, searching for a path out. All she saw was a sea of angry faces, shouting at her from all directions. They called her bitch, slut, pure bred whore. There was no way out of the mass of furious people.

The anger around her snowballed until she barely understood one word from the next. Frantic to shut out the angry voices, she covered her ears with her hands. But the effort was futile.

Fear threatened to overwhelm her as she found herself surrounded. Ruthlessly, she pushed it down.

A man stood in front of her and when she met his eyes, he spit in her face. She flinched as it hit her cheek. The shock of their hatred had her freezing in shock as tears filled her eyes.

“You stupid bitch!” Someone screamed in her ear right before a hand reached out and yanked on her hair. Pain burst across her skull as another hand wrenched her hair from the other side.

Another flash of pain.

Then she was pulled from all sides. Hands tore at her clothes, at her hair, scratching her without thought.

Misty called for help, but the crowd drowned out her words. With a sob, she begged those around her. They either didn’t hear her or didn’t care.

She turned to try another direction when a hand flew out of the crowd and pushed her. Hard. She stumbled, falling into a body in front of her. The woman she’d fallen into slapped her face with enough force to turn her head. Breath whooshed out of her lungs and her hand flew up to cup the offended flesh. Her cheek tingled with a mix of pain and numbness.

With a fresh sense of desperation, Misty frantically sought an exit. Some way to extricate herself from the situation. She had to get out of there. Now. But the bodies closed in around her until she barely had room to breathe.

Hands pushed her from all directions now. Claws scraped down her arm, causing her to yelp in pain. In a flash of panic, she wondered how far they would go. All it would take would be one person. One person with a knife. She’d bleed out on the street surrounded by people who hated her. Never again would Cody hold her in his arms. She’d never hear him tell her he loved her. If only she’d let him say it last night. At least she’d have that to hold on to.

Thoughts of Cody steadied her, even as the crowd seemed to grow wilder. It seemed the less she fought, the angrier they became. No. It couldn’t end like this. She had to find a way out. What had Cody taught her? When something goes wrong, she should breathe and keep a cool head.

Her lungs were tight with panic as she drew in the first breath. The air pushed painfully against the tight muscles. She forced herself to draw in another, deeper this time, and felt a sense of calm fill her, even as her head smarted from continued hair pulling.

Your job is not to win, it’s to get away. Use whatever means necessary to get your attacker on the ground and remember the pressure points… Cody’s lessons came back to her. Get away. That was her purpose. By whatever means necessary.

A hand punched her back hard enough to bring a fresh wave of tears. No doubt she’d have bruises tomorrow. But it did make up her mind. If she would be hurt either way, there was no reason not to fight her way out.

With that resolve in mind, Misty punched the man in front of her in the throat. His eyes bugged out as he clutched it. She squeezed past him as new rage boiled in the crowd around her.

The next man, she thrust her hand up against his nose. Blood flew out, some landing on her shirt, but she didn’t stop to think about it.

Arms circled her from behind, forcing the air from her lungs as they tightened. On instinct, Misty squatted, breaking the hold. Without stopping to think, she turned and punched the man in the balls.

More hands reached for her. Clawed her. Nails dug into her skin, but Misty blocked out the pain. Using every ounce of training, she made her way to the edge of the crowd. The people behind her moved, blocking her from her car.

No time to worry about that. Now that she’d fought back, the crowd was becoming more violent. The only option left was to run, and hope they didn’t follow.

Stripping as she went, Misty threw herself into her change. As the shift swept over her, she pushed her body past endurance, rushing her fox to the surface. The pain blinded her, but she stumbled to her feet and took off for the woods. The need to get far away overrode everything else.

The crowd pursued her as far as the woods before breaking apart. But Misty never slowed down. Adrenaline flowed thick in her veins, allowed her to push her body harder. Faster.

She must have run for over an hour in blind panic before her lungs forced her to stop. Once she did, she collapsed on the forest floor. Her lungs wheezed as she struggled to pull air in. A quick inventory of her body showed pain originating from her abused scalp, her cheek, her arm, and her left front paw.

Raising her head, Misty looked around and sniffed the air. She didn’t recognize any landmarks, but detected the scent of Alpine Woods, Jason’s wolf pack. At least she was among friends.

Her legs wobbled as she stood. She wouldn’t make it much farther, but if she could make it to town, she’d be safe. Was probably safe now that she’d crossed their pack boundaries. But she couldn’t rely on the crowd staying off pack territory. The attackers had smelled like shifters, but not any she recognized. And she’d been outright panicked–she couldn’t trust her nose at the time.

As her sense of relief, of safety, grew, her steadiness shrunk. Her paws carried her in an uneven line as she continued to struggle for breath. Her chest felt like it would explode, or implode. But determination pushed her onward. Once she got to town, she’d get an inhaler and go home.

A sob of relief escaped as she caught sight of the bookstore, Books and Crannies. Help would be there. Putting on a burst of speed, Misty ran around the building until she reached the front door.

Of course it would have to be a push door and not automatic. But before she shifted, Laurie, Jason’s sister and owner of the store, opened the door for her.

“You lost?” she asked, staring at Misty with humor lighting her eyes. The humor vanished as Misty limped past her before collapsing with a drawn-out whine. The change swept over her until she lay wheezing on the floor in human form, no doubt bleeding on the entrance rug.

“Julie, Samantha, I need some help over here!” Laurie shouted.

The two women rushed over. With their help, and a throw blanket they thankfully had on hand, Misty was seated in a comfortable leather chair. Julie sat beside her, a first aid kit in hand, patching up the scratches on her arm.

They were talking to her, but Misty was past hearing. Everything passed by in a daze until the sharp sting of antiseptic touched her exposed wound. Her breath hissed in, resulting in a coughing spat as her lungs protested.

Laughter came next, tinged with hysteria. What a fucking mess. Her cheek felt hot and swollen, her muscles protested every move she made, and she’d no doubt be covered in bruises tomorrow. To top it off, she was having an asthma attack. Because why not.

“Here drink this. It will help with the wheezing and the nerves.” Samantha pushed a cup of something into her hand. Steam floated up and the scent of chamomile drifted out.

“Thanks,” she croaked, grateful for the tea and the kindness. She hadn’t been the nicest to Samantha in her thoughts. Now she regretted every bad thought.

Across the room, Laurie stood at the counter with the phone to her ear.

Although she didn’t hear the conversation, she had no doubt Laurie would call Cody. The relief at that nearly drowned her. Cody would come for her, and when he arrived, everything would be okay.

He barely remembered to put the car in park and turn off the engine before throwing himself out of the car. From the moment he’d gotten the call from Laurie, his brain had stopped functioning. The need to see Misty, hold her, overrode everything. He now understood exactly how Jason had felt months ago when he’d come to pick up Samantha from his house.

Slamming the front door of the bookstore, he swept his gaze around the room until he spotted her. In an instant, he crossed the room, crouching down to stare up at her.

He noted her ragged breathing as he dug in his pocket for her inhaler. When Laurie had called him, she’d mentioned the excitement had pushed Misty into an attack. It had taken him an extra ten minutes to run home and grab her inhaler. Ten minutes of him grinding his teeth. But now that he was here and able to offer her relief, he was glad he’d taken the time.

Holding it up to her mouth, he waited until she’d taken a couple puffs before releasing it into her hands.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Truthfully…not really sure.” She still breathed heavy, but the wheeze had disappeared.

“Why don’t you tell us what you remember,” Jason said.

Cody glared at him for pushing her. He hadn’t even seen the other Premier, but it was obvious from his body language he’d been there the whole time.

“I’d gone…Oakville. As I was…making my way back to my car, they just…attacked. From all sides. I couldn’t get away. They were so enraged.” She shivered, no doubt lost in memories.

Cody ran a comforting hand down her arm until it hit the white bandage. He frowned at it.

“I’ve never seen such hatred before. They kept calling me bitch and pulling my hair. Finally, I fought back and got away. I shifted and ran. Just ran.”

The fear in her eyes forced the air from his lungs. The need to bring her home and cuddle her close overwhelmed him.

“I’m taking her home. Now. I’ll call you in the morning to discuss this,” he told Jason. Because their territories were so close, this problem concerned both of them. But he couldn’t do his duty as Premier right now. He had bigger concerns.

Ignoring her protests, Cody lifted Misty into his arms and carried her to the car. Neither of them talked on the ride back to his place. Nor as he carried her inside.

It wasn’t until he lifted her onto his kitchen counter and examined her injuries that she spoke.

“I’m okay. Really.”

Cody gazed into her eyes and saw the truth. Shaken up, not seriously hurt. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t have been. Thinking about what might have happened caused an ache in his chest and sent his fox clamoring for control. The colors in the world altered as his eyes shifted.

Protect mate.

It hit him like a ton of bricks. Like that, everything clicked. Misty and mate became synonymous with each other. No other woman would do.

It had always been Misty.

“Mate,” he whispered, the fox more in control than the man.

He saw her eyes widen before he moved, claiming her lips in a desperate kiss. After a moment, those eyes floated shut, a moan rumbling from her throat. Instinctively, he deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers.

Pure hot lust slammed into him and he growled against her lips. He felt the reins of control slipping through his fingers, but he fought to hold on.

That morning, she’d been attacked and traumatized. His lust would have to wait until she was ready. He wasn’t a brute to take her when she was so unsteady. No matter how much his inner beast wanted to.

His control slipped another notch as her arms encircled his neck. Using every bit of willpower he possessed, Cody pulled away, leaning down to rest his forehead against her shoulder. He pulled in a ragged breath, still struggling with his wolf. Now that his human side had accepted Misty as his mate, his fox demanded he complete the connection.

One bite was all it would take, but the primal beast inside him demanded he claim her in all ways. He’d heard rumors. Everyone claimed a bond was tied tighter when formed during sex. It was also said, when the enzyme in the saliva that initiated the bond released into the bloodstream, both people experienced out-of-this-world pleasure. His best friend had mated last year and told him to think of the best orgasm he’d ever had and multiply it.

Imagining it had him shaking with barely checked lust. He had to stop. Tomorrow would be soon enough to mate with her.

“Why did you stop?”

He looked up and met her stare. After a moment, when he still hadn’t spoken, she went on.

“Was it because you don’t know how I feel, or because you’re still not sure? Are you changing your mind?”

“Of course not.” He grabbed her arms, forcing her to stare into his eyes, to read the emotion teaming there. “You are mine.”

“Then what’s holding you back?” She spoke with care.

“You’re hurt.”

Breaking eye contact, he stared at her reddened cheek. A growl rumbled in his throat at the hand print there. The sight gave his human side a greater foothold toward control over his fox. He reached up and covered the abused flesh gently with his hand. She was so fragile.

“You were in danger, and I wasn’t there. Do you have any idea how much that kills me?” The mark on her cheek and the gauze on her arm were the only visible injury, but no doubt she had others. The wounded look in her eyes when she’d described the attack earlier, the relief when he’d first entered the bookstore, told him how bad it must have been.

“You were there with me. Without your training, I never would have been able to escape. Don’t you see? You did protect me.”

The songs were all wrong. Love wasn’t a free-fall, it was a takeoff. He flew with it into the clouds as big flashing neon signs pointed out what he already knew. He was over the moon for this woman.

Her eyes darkened with emotion akin to his. “Take me to bed.” She crooned, pulling him toward her.

He allowed himself to be drawn in. Allowed himself to be convinced. He would maintain control. Could keep it together and love her gently. To show her exactly how much she meant to him. How much he cherished her.

His mouth brushed hers, pulling away before coming back for another brush. She moaned at the teasing caress, opening her legs and shifting closer to him. Savoring her flavor, he leaned in and nipped her lower lip, sweeping his tongue over the ache his bite left behind. Her hands reached for him, but he resisted their pull.

This was the time to go slow. To take care and explore every inch of her body. Using the tips of his fingers, Cody swept his hand up her spine. Silky smooth skin arched into his touch, trying to deepen the contact. But they had the rest of their lives ahead of them. All the time in the world. He was in no hurry.

“Cody,” she groaned. Her back arched, her extended nipples poked against the t-shirt he’d brought for her.

As if tasting a delicacy, he leaned in and nibbled on her lips until her passion-clouded eyes drifted closed.

She leaned in to deepen the kiss, but he turned his head, trailing butterfly kisses across her cheek until he reached her ear. Taking the lobe in his mouth, he sucked deep. With his teeth, he gave the side a sharp tug, before soothing the ache with his tongue.

The more she moaned and writhed against him, the firmer his control became. Driving Misty mad with lust filled him with intense pleasure. Filled him with a sense of rightness. The way her claws scraped his shoulder, he knew she stood on the brink of release. And he’d brought her to the edge with a simple kiss. Yeah, he felt like the king of the world.

Unable to stand the shirt between them, Cody swept it over her head.

In wonder, he stared at the sight he’d bared. Misty really was gorgeous. Her skin lay out before him, a creamy expanse dotted with freckles. He wanted to kiss every one of them. Her breasts weren’t large, but weren’t small either. They were just hers. And hers were perfect.

He swept a finger down the crease between them, causing her to arch upward, her head thrown back. Offering herself to him. It proved too much temptation to resist, as he leaned closer. But he paused with his lips an inch from one distended nipple, breathing through his mouth, across her flesh.

In the air between them, he felt the anticipation building. Her legs tightened against his hips, her hands pulling his hair until they forced him to close the distance. Her taste exploded on his tongue, proving too much for his tenuous control.

He threw open a drawer to his right for a condom. A few days ago he’d come home to find Misty scattering a large box of condoms throughout the house. He’d found it funny at the time, but right now he was extremely grateful. Unwilling to part with her breast, he continued to feast as he blindly searched in the drawer. He’d seen some in here just this morning, he knew he had, so where the hell were they?

His hand closed over something plastic that crinkled. He broke contact and held it up triumphantly.

Both of them stared at it a full minute without speaking. Cody didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It wasn’t a condom.

“You planning on rubbing that ketchup over your…hot dog, chief? Cause I gotta tell you, ketchup and sex doesn’t have the same impact as, say, chocolate sauce and sex.”

The laugh bubbled up as he stared at her until he was unable to resist. Their passion cooled in the face of such ridiculousness. Cody rested his head against her shoulder until tears slipped out of his eyes.

“You looked so proud to have found it.” Misty giggled as their laughter tapered off.

Taking advantage of the break in action, Cody leaned over and dug in the drawer, pulling out a real condom this time. He started to open the package, but Misty stopped him with a hand on his arm. Then she took the package from him and tore off the wrapper.

With a seductive look, she swept her free hand down his front, until she found the object of her search. Her fingers curled around him and squeezed until his eyes rolled back in his head. His hips bucked as she moved down his length to the head, her hand still wrapped tightly around him. After a couple pumps, she released him to roll the condom on and gripped him again, pulling him forward using his cock.

They both groaned as the tip touched her entrance. Pushing her hands aside, he gripped her hips and plunged. The feel of her wet heat encasing him almost undid him. He eased out only to thrust back in. Her lips caressed his neck, but his focus centered on the pleasure building below.

Inside, his fox tried to break his control, but he held firm. As much as he wanted to plunge hard and fast, the day had been traumatizing enough for Misty. She needed gentle and slow. So he gritted his teeth and slid out. The friction set every nerve ending on edge, firing his blood.

She writhed against him. Her hips bucked, even as his fingers dug in to stop their movement. Rubbing against him, her moan caught in her throat as she tried to pick up the pace. The wiggles were doing nothing for his tightly strung control, but he held firm.

“Faster, damn it.” Her voice was guttural.

He didn’t answer, just continued his easy pace.

All of a sudden, a sharp sting pierced his neck. Even as he noticed the pain, a tidal wave of pleasure raged inside him, devastating his control. Half aware, he pumped his hips over and over, releasing inside her. White light flooded his vision as his brain simply shut off. The pleasure too intense.

Once the buzzing in his ears stopped and his vision returned, Cody wiped a hand over the still smarting flesh on his neck and brought his fingers to his eyes. Blood. The wound began to heal. He felt the skin reforming. But his brain was slow to process what had happened. He searched his mind, and discovered something that hadn’t been there before. Misty.

Always before, she’d been a part of his heart. But now she was a part of his soul. He felt it entwined with his own, connected in a way few would understand. The connection felt as solid as if they were tied together. As he followed the path in his mind, he felt everything she felt. Utterly sated and so deeply in love with him it made his heart stumble.

She groaned then, falling backward onto the counter. When she looked at him, he saw brown fox eyes staring back at him.

“Wow,” was all she said. All he needed.

“And just think. I still have to mark you.” He smirked, causing her to groan.

“I’m not sure I’ll survive it!” And she looked utterly serious.

“Wuss,” he teased, picking her up and carrying her to bed.

Later, as he lay on his back with Misty draped on top of him, breathing deeply as their bodies cooled from another round, Cody played with her fingers and thought about everything that had happened. Both were content to remain in silence until their heartbeats slowed to a normal rhythm, beating in time with each other. In some regards, things had progressed quickly–their first kiss had been less than two weeks ago. But in his soul, he felt as if he’d waited eternity for Misty. Finally, his fox whispered to him.

After a moment, she raised her head and studied him.

“Are you still upset about that night I tried to get you drunk?” Her face was utterly serious; her eyes pleaded for understanding.

He had to be honest. He let out a garbled sigh. “I thought about it all last night. You know, I think my mom was right. Familiarity did blind my fox where you were concerned. And the reason things have changed recently, is because something woke my fox up and pointed out what stood right in front of him. Maybe you did it. That night. So no, I’m not upset. I’m actually grateful.” He reached up and cupped her cheek. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

A smile bloomed, lighting up her entire face. Her happiness flowed through the link they now shared. It would take a while to get used to another person’s emotions inside him, but it had proven to be quite a thrill during certain sexual encounters. Through the bond, he’d felt a flare of pleasure as his tongue tickled certain spots, or as his finger pressed into the small of her back.

In a tender caress, he swept a lock of hair behind her ear. Without a word, she leaned down and nipped his shoulder. Life couldn’t get any better, he thought as he cuddled her closer. Everything had fallen into place.

A broken nose, bruised esophagus, and even a few cracked ribs. Stella listened to her followers as they described what had happened with the fox at the impromptu protest. Better than she had imagined.

The council would be hard pressed to ignore this. Time to put the final phase of her plan into action. Stella picked up a knife from the table, testing the blade against her finger. Time to tighten the noose around the necks of the foxes…and the council. Soon, she’d control them all.