Bloodlines

Dean

The pain was excruciating. With every step another jolt of pain traveled through my spine and a few specks of blood hit the pavement. The bleeding has since stopped, but when the scabs form, they get broken quickly. I have to keep up appearances though. I am the alpha. Its about time I start being treated like one.

I have Katie in meetings all day. She has Skype call after Skype call with the other alphas. I told her to tell them I have other matters to deal with if they ask for me. More often than not they have their right hand talking to me anyway.

It's been a little less than a week since the initial fighting went down. The wolves are still being punished for attacking Katie and me. I have to set an example of them. It's the only way to assert my dominance.

Everything hurt more when I was human. At least when I'm wolf the pain becomes second. Survival comes first. But every night when Sara is sleeping, I shift back. And it hurts. Oh does it hurt.

She's sleeping now. And as I shift, my skin rips and tears, new wounds are created and I doubt I'll ever be fully healed. I need to stop shifting, but when one gives me relief, the other becomes a necessity.

I turn on the shower and while I wait for the water to heat up, I wipe up the blood on the floor. Every movement hurts and I'm breathless by the time I step in the shower. All the blood and grime washes down my body. It swirls down the drain.

Water drips off my nose. I breathe in. I breathe out.

There's a knock on the door. "Dean?" It's Anna. How did I not know she was spending the night?

I turn the shower off and grab the towel off the toilet. I wrap it around my waist and open the door.

Her cheeks turn red but her eyes don't leave mine. "Is everything okay?" I ask.

"Is it?" she counters. Her eyes leave mine only to stare at the blood that's mixing with the shower water as it flows into the towel at my waist.

"Everything is fine. Where's Sara?"

"Sleeping. I couldn't sleep and heard the shower." Anna looks at the ground. "You need to stop shifting, Dean."

"No I—"

"Dean, you're creating more pain than necessary for yourself. Stop shifting, take some pain medicine. I'm sure Katie can handle the pack while you recover. That's why she's around, is it not?"

I look away from her. She was right. And I wanted to agree to her, but I couldn't. Alphas don't take breaks. I run the pack with my beta, or with my mate. I don't have a mate so I run the pack with Katie: my beta.

"And if you're going to be stubborn and not listen to me, at least stay human and let me wrap you up. You can't keep reopening these wounds." She takes a step back. "C'mon."

I follow her to the kitchen.

She sits me down at the bar stool. "Aunt Holland has taught me a few things about healing." She sorts through my cabinets as if she owns the place. It brings a smile to my face and my pain is temporarily forgotten. She pulls out the first aid kit and a bottle of peroxide. She pulls a paper towel off the roll and comes to my side.

"I'm just going to dry you."

I nod.

I watch her face as she dabs my shoulder with the most care in the world. She wipes it down and her concentration is so high that her tongue sticks out of her mouth slightly. She then bites her lip before she goes to my back. I lose sight of her and focus on her hand that touches my uninjured shoulder. Her hands are delicate—cold even. Why are they so cold?