Chapter 8 – Blankets & Towels
Max picked me up from the mud puddle and started running to the clinic. He mind linked Dr. Baker so she could meet us there. Dr. Baker was waiting at the door and directed Max to take me to room three. No one was at the clinic this early so she worked alone to treat me.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Max asked Dr. Baker.
"I need to get her out of these clothes, please grab an arm full of heated blankets from the warmer by the nurse's station."
I was stripped naked and under a sheet when Max came back with the blankets. They piled the blankets over me, and I stopped shivering after an hour. My wolf healing started to kick in and Dr. Baker brought me some hot chicken broth to sip.
Max came into the room holding some clothes. "I thought you could use some dry clothes when you're released, so I went to your room and picked some up." He removed the blankets from me and replaced them with new blankets from the warmer. Then, he pulled up a chair and sat beside my bed.
I felt a little embarrassed knowing he saw my small pile of clothes in the tub. As if he read my mind, he asked...
"Lucy, is that all you have, in the plastic tub?"
I couldn't even answer back, I just nodded.
"How could my aunt be so cruel?" He stood up and anger was radiating from him. "I couldn't even find an extra pair of shoes and yours are covered in mud."
Max paced the room, "I've asked my youngest sister Megan, to bring over a pair of shoes and a warm jacket. She's about your size."
His sister Megan was a year younger than me, shy and quiet. Unlike Miranda, Megan was very smart and tutored kids at school. It's hard to believe that Miranda is actually related to Max and Megan.
"That's very kind of her, thank you." My cheeks flushed.
"Are you ready for another cup of broth or would you like something to eat Lucy?" Dr. Baker came into the room.
My hand went to my heart and there was a burning feeling. It felt like someone stabbed me in the chest and I cried out in pain. The stabbing pain intensified, and I felt it in my stomach as well. I screamed in pain. It was like a vice grip on my heart. It started to spread and was complete agony.
Tears were streaming down my face and I could see Dr. Baker moving quickly to get a syringe. "What the hell is going on?" I cried.
"Mate," Lia said. "Mate is with someone else." She let out a loud sorrowful howl in my head.
Dr. Baker injected me with a sedative to help ease the pain. "Lucy did you find your mate?"
"He didn't want me." I panted.
"Did he speak the words of rejection to break the bond?" She asked.
"Yes."
"Did you accept the rejection yet?"
"No, not yet." I replied as tears continued to stream down my face. I was going to wait a few weeks to see if he would change his mind, for Lia's sake, I hoped he would.
I continued to lay there for the next hour trying hard to ignore the pain. Max sat silently next to my bed watching me and swapped the blankets again for heated ones as they cooled. When it was over, I felt exhausted.
I had shivered all night in the rain with no sleep. I fought back hypothermia and I experienced the cheating mate pains. What I needed now was some sleep, so I closed my eyes but was soon disrupted.
"Lucy... Lucy!" I heard Rangers voice come through the mind link.
"Yes Alpha?"
"I need my room cleaned and sheets changed within the hour." He ordered.
"Yes Alpha."
I looked at Max and sighed. "Breaks over, Alpha just mind linked me. He needs his room cleaned and sheets changed within the hour."
Max growled. "You have got to be kidding me! You're in no condition to do anything. You need rest."
"If I don't go, I will be punished again. This is the life of a rejected and unwanted pack slave." I sighed.
I got dressed and slipped on the shoes Megan had given Max. They were the nicest pair of shoes I've worn in years, they looked practically brand new. Dr. Baker handed me a turkey sandwich as I left and insisted I eat.
Max and I walked back to the pack house. The rain had ceased for the moment, so we walked slow to allow me to finish my sandwich. When we reached the door, I took the beautiful jacket off that Megan also gave Max and tried to hand it back to him.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Returning the jacket and shoes, please thank Megan for lending them to me."
"Lucy, she gave those to you. Please, keep them."
I didn't know what to say. It was the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a very long time. I threw my arms at him and hugged him.
Twenty minutes later, I was standing outside of Ranger's bedroom with clean sheets and all my cleaning supplies. My heart was racing, I knocked first and waited. No answer, so I went inside. The room was empty, thank Goddess!
I moved fast stripping the bed and putting new bedding on. I picked up the room, dusted, vacuumed and emptied the trash. I made my way to the bathroom and cleaned it. His shower gel scent was still lingering in the air and smelled nice.
I picked up his clothes hamper and walked out into the hallway. I drop the dirty clothes in the laundry shoot that brought them down to me in the basement. I returned to the room, put the hamper back in the bathroom and stocked the shelf with fresh towels. I was ready to leave when I noticed a pillow was crooked. I went to the bed and bent over to straighten it out.
Ranger's scent filled the room and I could feel his eyes on my ass as I was bent over the bed. I stood up and felt his arms snake around my waist, he buried his head in my neck and inhaled. I reminded myself to keep strong and fight against the mate bond.
"I'm done Alpha. Is there anything else you need?" I kept my voice even and cool.
"I have everything I need Lucy, but my wolf wants you."
"What's the matter? Didn't his wolf get enough of the slut he was fucking this morning?" Lia sneered in my head.
"Lia, that's not nice." He whispered in my ear and bit down on my earlobe.
Oh no, the mind link! He can hear my thoughts and heard what Lia said. "I'm sorry Alpha, she's just upset, there's been a lot going on." I replied as I turned to face him. His blue eyes stared at me with such intensity.
"Get on your knees and show me how sorry you are!" He ordered.
He wants me to beg? I thought to myself. Hope he doesn't ask me to kiss his shoe. I got down on my knees and clasped my hands together, I was ready to apologize again when I heard his zipper open.
He reached into his pants and pulled his cock out. Stroking it a few times he looked down at me with lust in his eyes. He wants me to please him! I panicked and tried to scoot away.
"Bite him!" Lia said outraged.
"Lucy, you are mine and will do as I say." He demanded bringing his cock towards my mouth.
"I'm not your mate!" I shot back and ran to the bathroom. I tried to close the door and lock it, but Ranger grabbed the door and pushed me back. He was fast and strong.
He grabbed both my wrists and held them to the wall, above my head. His lips came crashing down on mine rough and demanding. I held my lips shut tight, even though the stupid mate bond was pulling me to kiss him.
"KISS ME BACK!" He growled and I could feel his wolf taking over.
I turned my head to the side, and he growled again. He began licking and sucking on my neck, the tingles were shooting throughout my body. His scent was delicious, I could feel the wetness between my legs. I squeezed my legs together as tight as possible.
He took another deep breath and a low growl rumbled in his chest. "I smell your arousal Lucy." His husky voice taunted next to my ear. "I know you want me."
"Let me go, I have work to do." I struggled back.
"What's the hurry? All the other she wolves would give anything to be able to spend quality time with their Alpha." He said and my wolf felt a jealous pain at the thought of her mate with other she wolves.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?" Miranda yelled from the door with her fists balled up and her face in rage.
"Babe, she walked in on me taking a piss and I was going to punish her." Ranger said as he zipped his pants back up.
"Maybe she should be punished in a dungeon!" She glared at me, still fuming. Surely, she didn't believe his lies, did she?
"Next time you deliver clean towels Lucy, you better fucking knock first, or you will end up in the hole. NOW GET BACK TO THE BASEMENT!" He roared.