Chapter 5 Carter
CARTER
Carter followed Seth into the lodge. It was quiet inside. Most of the members of the visiting pack were already in bed, and Carter didn’t hear many voices. A quiet hum of a T.V. in one room trickled down the stairs. “This way,” Seth said, gesturing toward the back of the lodge.
He led the way into a large room with a king-size bed and an attached bathroom. “Lay down on the bed,” Seth said. “Do you know what a Rho is, Carter?”
With a sharp intake of air, Carter stared at Seth. Rhos were so rare that they were only born once every one hundred years. Carter had never met one in his life. “You’re a Rho?”
Seth nodded. “But please don’t tell anyone. Only a select few people know. Mostly because Kasey doesn’t want anyone to know what I can do. He’s afraid other packs will try to abduct me. My ability is that I can heal almost any injury.”
“You think you can heal me?” Carter asked, afraid to hope, but his heart beat hard against his chest.
“I hope so. I haven’t come across any injury yet I haven’t been able to heal, but I’ve never tried with one like yours. Please, lay down. It’ll make this easier for both of us.”
Carter moved over to the bed and gingerly sat on the edge. He set the cane to rest against the nightstand nearby and gripped the mattress in both hands, digging his fingers in. “What if it doesn’t work?” he whispered.
Seth approached him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “Then you keep doing what you’re doing. From what Nick said, you’re already a hundred times better than you were at first, right? It’ll just take a bit more hard work and time.”
Taking a deep breath, Carter nodded and scooted back and lifted his legs onto the bed.
Seth laid a hand on Carter’s head and another on Carter’s chest. Carter didn’t know what to expect.
A warmth built from Seth’s hands, spreading along his skin and into the muscle.
He closed his eyes, his wolf whimpering at the presence flooding his body.
The odd sensations sent tremors through Carter.
The heat penetrated his brain, and Carter gasped, back arching from the bed a fraction, his eyes flying open in shock. Seth’s eyes were closed, and Carter saw how pale he had become. Sweat built along the alpha-mate’s temples and trickled down his cheeks. “Seth?” Carter asked.
Suddenly, Seth let out a small moan, released his hold on Carter, and rushed to the bathroom, where Carter could hear him retching into the toilet. “Seth! Are you okay?” Carter asked, pushing himself up from the bed.
Seth stumbled out of the bathroom, a weary smile on his face, and he waved a hand at Carter before collapsing into a chair near the bathroom.
“I’m okay. It’s just a part of what happens.
When I heal someone, I take the darkness, the toxicity, of their illness or injury into my body.
The only way to expel it is to throw it up or bloodletting if it is severe enough. ”
“Jeez,” Carter muttered. Without thinking, he lifted his hand to run his fingers through his hair and froze with his hand in front of his face. There was no trembling. “Oh,” he said, flexing his fingers.
He stepped toward Seth, almost crying when his right leg didn’t feel as though it would buckle or he needed to grab for his cane. Tears stung his eyes, and Carter stifled a sob. He took several more steps, moving back and forth across the room. “I-I can’t believe it,” he said.
Seth smiled, the color slowly returning to his cheeks. “I’m so glad it worked. I’ve never had to heal a brain injury before.”
“Thank you,” Carter whispered. “Thank you so much, Seth.” This time the tears fell over and he rushed to Seth, dropping to his knees before the alpha-mate and hugging him tightly. “Thank you.”
Seth returned the hug. “I would have done it just because you’re Nick’s cousin, but you’re going to be pack soon, too. I’m just happy I could help.”
Carter broke away from Seth and leaped to his feet, unable to wipe the teary grin off his face.
“I can’t wait to see Senaka. Nick has told me so much about it.
He said there’s this amazing little diner that has great coffee.
I love coffee. Though Nick tries to limit how much I drink because he says the caffeine makes me bounce off the walls.
I told him that’s not true, but if he’s around, I never get to drink more than one cup.
Oh, he said you and Kasey have horses. Do you think I could ride one someday? ”
Seth blinked at him and then started laughing, standing from the chair he sat in. “You can ride any time you want, Carter.” He slung an arm around Carter’s shoulders. “I think we’re going to be great friends.”
Carter’s eyes widened. “Really? I don’t have many friends.
Except online. Have you ever played WoW?
World of Warcraft? If not, I could show you.
It’s a lot of fun. I probably spend more time on there than I should, but no one in my pack really likes me.
They think I talk too much. Oh, God, I’m talking your ear off.
I’m so sorry. This is why I have no friends back home.
None of my packmates can stand me.” In his excitement over being healed, Carter had forgotten his decision to stop talking so much.
He hung his head, eyes downcast, as he waited for Seth to tell him to be quiet and get away from him.
“Well, that’s a stupid reason to not like someone. I like how passionate you are. There’s nothing wrong with talking about things you’re interested in.”
Carter had met Seth before, a few times when he was younger, but they were far enough apart in age that Seth had already left the pack by the time Carter was old enough to be more than a pesky little kid.
Seth had visited the Emerald Lake Pack twice since mating Kasey, and Carter had only gotten to say hello before someone had chased Carter away.
“I’d like us to be friends,” he mumbled.
“We will be,” Seth said firmly. “Let’s go back out there and tell everyone the good news, hmm? I’m sure your mate is eager to have you back at his side, too.”
Hesitating, Carter hunched his shoulders a little. “Do you… Do you think he’ll really like me?”
“He’d be stupid not to,” Seth replied.
“What’s he like?” Carter asked.
“Rey is an enforcer, but I know he told you that already. I’ve only known him a short time, but he’s a good man, from what I’ve seen.
He’s kind to those in the pack and he’s usually got a good head on his shoulders.
Not counting when he lost it tonight over you.
Despite being the muscle of the pack, he does more than just protect everyone.
I’ve seen him literally give someone the shirt off his back. ”
Warmth and eagerness settled into Carter. His mate sounded amazing. More amazing than he deserved. “Has he ever… hurt anyone?”
Seth squeezed Carter’s shoulder. “Rey would never hurt you, Carter. Ever.”
Nodding, Carter let Seth lead him out of the bedroom and back to the porch. Rey practically vaulted from the chair he sat in near Kasey when they exited the front door. Carter blushed when Rey grabbed his hand instantly. “How’d it go?” Rey asked.
Biting his lip, Carter peered up at Rey from under his lashes, but he couldn’t fight back the bright smile that broke over his lips. “It worked!”
Rey swept Carter up in a firm embrace. “I knew he could do it. I’m so happy for you, little wolf!”
Carter heard Nick’s crow of happiness, but he couldn’t think past the feel of Rey’s hard muscles wrapped around him.
The man was like a giant heater with how warm he felt!
He was so giant he engulfed Carter, more than double in width compared to Carter.
He gingerly slid his arms around Rey’s chest, gripping the back of his t-shirt lightly.
When Rey’s arms tightened in response, Carter buried his face against the side of Rey’s neck.
The scent of vanilla and warm sugar raced along his senses, but another, headier scent of leather and spice lay buried beneath them.
Carter hadn’t been close enough earlier to pick up on it, and he couldn’t quite stifle the low groan he set free. Pressing tighter to Rey’s skin, he inhaled deeply, eyes fluttering closed. “You smell so good,” he murmured.
“Do I?” Rey asked, his voice husky, chest vibrating with the deep tone against Carter. “So do you, little wolf.”
Rey kept one arm banded around Carter’s waist, while the other stroked along his back to his nape.
Carter licked his lips without thinking, his tongue flicking over the warm skin on Rey’s neck.
A shudder rippled through Rey’s vast frame.
Strong fingers flexed on Carter’s nape before Rey broke the embrace, carefully lowering Carter back to the wooden porch.
The man’s brown eyes were dark as autumn leaves right then, and Carter felt the drag of Rey’s hard cock along his stomach when his mate set him down.
Disappointment settled into Carter and he went to pull away, wondering if he’d done something wrong to make Rey release him. Rey wrapped an arm around Carter’s back, tugging him into his side. “Remember my promise earlier tonight, little wolf?”
Carter looked up at Rey, brow furrowed.
“Getting to know one another, a walk, and a good night kiss. Nothing more.” Rey glanced toward Nick. “Which lodge are you staying in?”
Thayne gestured north of where they were. “About a half mile that way.”
“Guess we get to test out that healed leg of yours,” Rey said to Carter, leading them to the steps and down to the ground. “Tomorrow we can spend more time together getting to know one another and deciding what our plans will be when the summit is over.”
Carter nodded and stepped away from Rey. “I can walk back with Nick. That way you don’t have to walk all the way back here.”
“Nope. That’s not how it’s done, sweetheart,” Rey said, smiling. He took Carter’s hand in his and tugged him along behind Nick and Thayne, who were already farther ahead of them. “What would you like to do tomorrow?”