The Alpha's Mate Read Free Page B

launching herself up. She stood still for a few seconds as a wave of dizziness spilled over her, the walls spinning and mixing with the sunlight from the windows. She took two steps towards the door before her left knee decided to stop supporting her and she stumbled, leaning quickly against the wall.
    "Here, sit back down," Abigail said, guiding her to the chair. Kelly slumped down, unable to say anything. Even mostly supported by the other woman, the few steps back to the chair were difficult. "I think you need to see a doctor."
    For that Kelly was able to gain the energy to shake her head. "Just need some painkillers, and water. No hospital." Abigail clearly didn't agree. But she reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a pill bottle. Kelly took it gladly and swallowed two white tablets and another bottle of water.
    "How about a cool towel?" She walked out of the room before Kelly could say anything else. Kelly tried to control her breathing, hoping the room would stop spinning and that by some miracle she would stop sweating and cool down. This was so embarrassing for a first day of work. She hoped they wouldn't think poorly of her. She slumped further in the chair, her eyes drifting closed.
    She saw the forest and hills, in the distance a wolf howled. Kelly padded forward, hands reaching out to pluck a leaf from one of the trees.
    "Kelly!" Her eyes shot open to see Abigial crouched in front of her. "I've got one of the interns here, Alysa, she's going to take you home." Kelly wanted to argue, but she could barely keep her eyes opened now. Instead she just nodded.
    "Good, can you walk?"
    By god, she would, even if it killed her. Something told her that Abigail would force her to go to the hospital if she couldn't make it out of the building under her own power. But somehow she did, concentrating on the redheaded intern's back as she put one foot in front of the other until they made it to the parking garage and one of the facility's vehicles.
    The journey went by in a blur and she couldn't remember if Alysa tried to talk or if they rode in silence, but she entered her apartment and collapsed on her bed leaving all of the lights on.
    Kelly tossed and turned for some time, casting off all of her sheets and then clutching them closely as a wave of cold shivers enveloped her. She desperately wished for water but didn't have the energy to rise from the bed. After a small eternity darkness crashed over her and she surrendered to sleep. But even that wasn't restful.
    The forest once more, and that howling wolf, the trees, the dirt. Everything was new, everything was so familiar. And that sizzle of awareness rushed through her. Max, he was here. But the forest stood empty around her. She walked on, leaves crunching under her feet. And there he stood, shirtless, his jeans hanging low on his hips he looked over the rest of the forest from where the hill dropped down below him. She froze in her tracks, uncertain now, and knowing that the next steps she took could change everything.
    But this was just a dream, wasn't it? What could a dream change?
    He turned around and his eyes glowed that near yellow color before settling back to brown. "What are you doing here?" Awe laced his voice, but no accusation.
    "It's my dream." She approached him, and though she burned with the fire of her desire, she found herself able to manage it this time. She rested a hand on his shoulder.
    He raised his own hand to cover hers. "A dream?" But he said nothing else, turning back to look out.
    The wolf howled again. Max let go and took two running steps before he jumped up and disappeared from view. Kelly rushed up, but she couldn't see him. Instead, she saw a wolf running away. Kelly took off after it, branches flicking against her skin, scoring and cutting her as she ran.
    The wolf, Max, a part of her knew, ran faster, turning away and losing her from his path. She sank to all fours, padding after him, bounding at speeds she couldn't imagine. The