RaleighPointRescueSue Read Free

“Lady—and I use that term generously—I can get the
fucking F.B.I. on the phone. Now get the hell
out .”
    The woman shot him a hard look and ran out the door.
    Mac breathed a huge sigh. God, he hadn’t been that close to
losing his temper for many years, especially around humans. As kids, they’d
always been brought up to respect their bear strength, and no human—as big as
those two guys were—could go up against all five hundred pounds of Mac’s bear
when he was in full shift. Not all humans
though, as he remembered the smell of the woman with the syringe. He
instantly dismissed the thought as he realized he had more important worries.
    Fuck. Mac hunkered
down in front of the shaking, curled-up form in the corner. Humanity? Some people didn’t know the meaning of the word.
    Mac hesitated as he took her in. He couldn’t smell her as
the stench of the place was masking it, and he wished again he had his mom or
Cassie with him. He also acknowledged that Brett had it right. They were
drugging her to move her, and he’d only just got here in time.
    His eyes fastened on the trembling figure in front of him.
Short gasps tore out of her throat. Head hunched down, arms tightened around
the knees, and clasped against her chest. Hanging on. Filthy sweats, worse than some he’d thrown away. Goose bumps pricking her bare
arms. The only bright thing in muddy looking, matted hair, was red. A drop. God, had they hit her? She hid her face, alternated
between shivering and rocking, except with no chair. What the hell did they do to you, honey?
    Lisa? Yeah, that was what Brett said her name was. Mac
cleared his throat. He had to get her out of here, and he didn’t have time to
be gentle.
    “Lisa? We need to get you out of here.”
    He placed one hand on her shaking forearm. He caught the
swift arc of her arm trying to connect with his face. Whoa, well, that was definitely an alpha reaction. Taking me on? He’d
have laughed if it were funny—at all.
    “No one’s gonna hurt you. Don’t
you wanna get out of here? Mmm ? There ya go.” He shrugged out of his sweatshirt.
    Thin arms stiffened but stayed still, and her chest rose at
a slower rate when he’d gently pulled the sweatshirt past her eyes. “So, you’re
not ready to try and take me out, huh?”
    She lifted her face finally.
    Oh God, now?
    Here?
    Of all times and in all places, stuck in some dingy shit
excuse for a hospital, with some girl who looked like she needed far more care
than he could give. His bear clawed frantically at him to get out, nearly
bowling him over in the rush to get to her.
    Mate.
    Mac growled and hung his head in despair. He hadn’t been
able to smell her because of everything else, and it had taken brushing the
side of her arm to help her with his sweatshirt as she lifted her face to him
to know.
    God, what a mess.
    Mate .
    A soft touch pulled his gaze. Possessiveness whirled around
Mac as he struggled not to gather her up and bury her in his arms. Need stabbed
him. Confusion chased the gold flecks in her gorgeous eyes, and he wanted it
gone. He wanted those incredible eyes clear and focused—on him.
    He realized she would feel a connection, but her ignorance
and whatever drugs she had in her system masked it. She lifted a shaky hand to
touch the side of his face, but still didn’t say one word. Deep purple marks marred
her neck. Mac’s body tightened, and a shallow breath
managed to escape. He took in her pale face under the bruises and gazed at the
chipped stubs of filthy, bitten fingernails as she lowered her hand back to her
side.
    Mac pulled himself together. “Lisa, we need to get you out
of here, okay?” He gently helped her stand. She winced as he looped an arm
around her side to steady her.
    He took one look around the bare room and didn’t bother to
ask if she needed to take anything. Taking one cautious step, she tried, but
her knees buckled. Mac caught her before she got anywhere near the floor.
Without thinking, he