Chapter 3 #2
The Friday they were set to leave for Big Bear came faster than Carter wanted.
He still didn’t want to attend the summit, but Nick wouldn’t let him remain behind.
He spent the entire flight fidgeting and worrying about everyone’s reaction to his injuries.
The fingers on Carter’s left hand would close all the way now, but sometimes they still opened against his will, causing him to drop things or be clumsy while pulling on his clothes.
His right leg was getting stronger, yet a fine tremor still racked the length of it whenever he overdid it.
He prayed he could go back to work soon, at least.
It wasn’t usual for a shifter to have long-term disabilities.
While they required some intervention when their injuries were bigger or deeper, they typically healed up faster than a human would with similar issues.
Carter figured his disabilities were unique because they stemmed from trauma to the brain instead of the affected physical body parts.
Still, it made him extremely self-conscious and aware of them.
He had spent little time around the others in their pack since being released from the hospital, so many didn’t even know about his hand and leg. They’d be finding out shortly.
Carter, Nick, Thayne, Cole, and Kai were all on the same commercial flight, so Carter spent some time getting to know Kai.
It was the first time Carter had been able to talk to him since Kai had spent the last summit in the single cabin with Cole.
Since then, Carter hadn’t been around the pack much because he’d met Darryl.
When Kai had started mixing with the other packmates, Carter hadn’t been there.
Kai seemed shy and quiet, and Carter liked his energy.
Maybe it was because he wasn’t a big male.
He was slender and small, like Carter. Not intimidating.
Carter didn’t feel anxious around Thayne or Nick, but the moment Cole had walked up to their seats, Carter’s heart rate spiked and sweat built along his spine.
Darryl had been a larger man—six feet four, muscular with a love of the gym, and with fists the size of boulders.
Cole was going to be his alpha, and Carter knew Cole wouldn’t hurt him, but he couldn’t stop his fear from creeping in.
“Carter,” Kai said, touching his arm. “You okay?”
“What?”
“You kind of zoned out.” Kai glanced at Carter’s leg, and he realized it was trembling. He gripped his thigh in a tight hold, even though that had never helped before.
“I’m fine,” Carter muttered.
Kai touched the back of his palm. “I overheard Nick talking to Cole about what happened to you.”
Carter stiffened, breath catching in his throat. Kai gripped Carter’s forearm. “It’s okay, Carter. I-I know what you’re going through. My uncle used to abuse me,” Kai said. “He would use me to steal from people and if I refused, he’d beat me.”
Gaze flying to meet Kai’s, Carter bit his bottom lip. “R-really?”
Kai smiled gently and reached up to remove the collar he wore.
Carter had noticed it when Cole had first introduced Kai to the pack.
He’d wondered what Kai wore it for but never had the chance to find out.
Until now. Carter’s eyes widened and his throat tightened.
Horrible white scars surrounded Kai’s throat. “Kai.”
Snapping the collar back in place, Kai tilted his head a fraction. “What he did left scars, too. Only mine are visible to the naked eye. It doesn’t make us weak. These scars… they strengthen us because we survived. Don’t let anyone take that away from you.”
Carter wasn’t sure he believed Kai, but he gave a slight nod. Kai smiled at him and patted his hand. “You went to the last summit?”
For the rest of the flight, Carter talked to Kai about the summit, the pack, and his day job. When they landed, Kai stayed by his side, chatting away. It kind of surprised Carter, but he was grateful for the distraction. They even sat next to each other in the SUV Cole had waiting for them.
There were already quite a few people from both packs when they arrived at the lodge. Carter saw several glances his way when he climbed out of the SUV with the cane. Kai gave them a hard look, and they looked away from Carter.
“You don’t have to do that,” Carter muttered, clenching his jaw. He knew the others would see him as a broken wolf. It wasn’t typical for any of them to have long-term disabilities like his. They normally healed within hours or days.
“They need to mind their own business,” Kai said.
He followed Carter into the lodge the Emerald Lake Hills pack would use for the next three days.
Kai and Cole headed upstairs, and Carter found a room downstairs.
He set his bag down on the bottom bunk in what appeared to be a game room.
Nick and Thayne would probably be happy about the reprieve from his presence.
Carter sank down on the bed and sighed, rubbing his right thigh.
“You okay there, Carter?” a packmate named Henry asked.
“I’m fine,” Carter said, pasting on a fake smile. “Just a little sore from traveling.”
Henry eyed him for a moment but accepted Carter’s answer, continuing to unpack his few items into one drawer of a large dresser nearby. “You all right if I take the top bunk?”
“Yep. I prefer the bottom bunk, anyway.”
Carter waited for Henry to leave the room before lying down to nap for a little while.
The actual initiation of the summit wasn’t until after sunset, anyway.
Usually, he would have helped prepare the food and drinks.
At least, last time he had. This time, he didn’t want to be around everyone staring at him.
When he woke, the sun had dropped low on the horizon, and the room had darkened significantly.
Carter struggled to his feet and grabbed his cane.
At least a half dozen people milled around the living room area of the lodge, and several more carried food out of the lodge to the tables outside by the bonfire.
He walked outside, navigated the steps carefully, and sat down on a bench in front of the fire someone had already lit.
He stared into the flames, lost in thought over everything he’d gone through in the last six months.
If he’d known where he’d be at this summit, he may not have attended the last one.
His loneliness and the lack of finding his true mate at the previous one had driven him to that club where he’d met Darryl.
Maybe things would have turned out differently if he’d just stayed home last time.
Someone holding a plate in front of his face disrupted his thoughts, and Carter looked up to see Nick standing there.
Carter took the plate, noting the burger, hot dog, and various salads plopped onto it.
He wasn’t hungry, but he knew Nick would nag him if he didn’t eat something.
Nick sat down next to him, with Thayne taking the spot beside Nick.
“Did you have a good nap?” Nick asked between bites of macaroni and cheese.
Carter nodded, stuffing a bite of potato salad in his mouth to avoid having to talk.
Nick kept up a stream of chatter, greeting anyone who walked by.
His cousin knew both packs well after visiting Seth on more than one occasion and mating into the pack, despite Thayne’s banishment.
Carter noticed how everyone from the Senaka pack ignored Thayne, though.
More than once, Carter saw Thayne’s jaw tighten and a flash of pain flicker over his features, so fast, if he hadn’t been watching, he would have missed it.
Thayne noticed Carter studying him and gave him a slight nod but didn’t explain or acknowledge the rebuffs of his previous pack.
Kasey and Seth, the alpha and alpha-mate of the Senaka pack, came around to talk to Nick, and Carter saw Seth glance at the cane resting against the bench. Carter flushed and glared at the ground, ignoring the alpha-mate’s stare. Seth crouched near Carter. “What happened, Carter?”
Carter flicked his gaze at Nick, who gave him an encouraging nod. “I was hurt,” Carter whispered.
“How?”
Shame and embarrassment kept Carter’s gaze firmly locked on the grass beneath his feet.
He’d met Seth only a few times, so he didn’t know the other shifter enough to trust him.
Nick leaned in and whispered into Seth’s ear.
Seth released a small noise of shock, then he set his hand on Carter’s knee. “I can help.”
Carter gave him a skeptical glance. “How?”
Seth looked around and shook his head. “Not here. Tonight, after everyone has gone to bed, we’ll meet at our lodge. I can explain then.”
Confused, Carter looked at his cousin again, who gave him a very subtle head shake. “Okay,” he replied.
He didn’t understand what the hell was going on, but if Seth knew of a way to make him whole again, he would give him a chance.
Sighing, he leaned against Nick’s shoulder a bit.
Nick and Thayne continued to chat with Kasey and Seth while Carter sat quietly, watching the other shifters around him.
He saw several had met their mates, by the way some were seated close to each other, talking quietly and exchanging soft glances.
Carter’s heart ached. He wondered whether he would ever meet his true mate.
If he did, would they want him? Healed or not?
Because no one in his own pack wanted him around, so why would his mate?
Embers from the bonfire floated in the air to mingle with the sounds of laughter and chatter coming from the many in attendance.
The night had grown cooler, and Carter shivered a bit.
Nick slid an arm around his shoulders, pulling him against him.
Carter sighed, pressing into Nick’s warmth.
He couldn’t be more grateful to his cousin.
If it weren’t for Nick, Carter wasn’t sure where he’d be right then.
Kasey and Seth wandered off after a bit, and he saw Seth enter the nearby lodge.
A large vehicle pulled into the area a short time later, and Carter’s attention focused on the occupant.
The guy was enormous. He had to be at least over a foot taller than Carter’s mere five feet five inches.
Denim encased long, powerful thighs and calves.
A black t-shirt covered an extremely broad chest, straining at the seams as if it weren’t quite the right size when the stranger moved.
Dark hair hung in a ponytail to the middle of the man’s back.
He was too far away to tell what color the guy’s eyes were, but since everyone from Senaka was Cheyenne, Carter figured they were a dark brown.
Black boots clomped up the steps, and the man disappeared into the lodge.
Carter’s wolf whimpered in his mind, and he frowned.
Nick interrupted his thoughts, and Carter looked away from the lodge. “What?”
“Did you get enough to eat?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m fine.” Carter nibbled his bottom lip and leaned in to whisper to Nick. “Why does Seth think he can help me?”
Nick glanced around the bonfire. “Not here, cuz. I’ll explain later.”
The conversation redirected after that, and Carter just stared at the fire, watching the embers floating in the slight breeze and the way the orange flames flickered across the wood.
He didn’t take his gaze from the fire until he heard a commotion to his left, and then he saw the huge stranger from earlier bearing down on him and Nick, rage on his handsome face.
Carter squeaked in terror and stumbled to his feet when the angry stranger slammed into his cousin, taking him to the ground with fists swinging.
Carter hit the ground with a small shout of surprise and pain, his bad leg twisting slightly.
Dirt and debris dug into his palms when he tried to stop himself from sprawling completely out.
The sounds of shouts and fists hitting flesh wrenched a whimper from Carter as the fight brought him back to the night Darryl had beaten his ass until he’d blacked out.
He curled in on himself, hugging his knees to his chest as best he could to protect his vital organs. Darryl would surely kill him this time.
Tears spilled over, and Carter sobbed. He screamed when a hand settled on his shoulder.
Then he heard his cousin shushing him, trying to calm him down.
The fighting had stopped, and there were conversations going on around him, but Carter wasn’t aware of much until Nick assisted him from the ground and back onto the log bench.
He winced when his palms stung and his leg protested the movement.
“Are you okay, Carter?” Nick asked, cursing when he saw Carter’s palms.
Carter looked up to see the stranger being held down by Kasey, a palm on the man’s shoulder and one arm bent behind his back.
Carter’s heart still beat a fast rhythm against his chest. Sheer remorse shone on the man’s face, and he could see pain in the man’s eyes.
“I’m sorry. Please forgive me, little wolf. ”
Kasey released the man slowly, waiting to see if he would need to intervene again. Carter swallowed when the guy rose to his feet. “Wh-who are you?” he asked.
Approaching at a slow, steady pace, the man lowered himself to his knees in front of Carter.
He could see the deep as rain-soaked soil color of the stranger’s eyes then.
The scent of warm vanilla and melted sugar rushed over Carter just before the man spoke.
Carter’s wolf went crazy, howling inside his mind.
“My name is Rey. You… You’re my true mate, little wolf. ”