Wolf Bound

2 - Ignorant fool!

Damian

“This won't hurt him,” Richie states while drawing liquid into a hypodermic.

My eyes widen in shock.

How dare he refer to my mate as He!?

And what the fuc.k is he doing?

He’s going to kill my mate!

No! This cannot happen. River has done nothing wrong. Goddess, she’s been through enough!

Why don’t they understand?

Fuc.k it!

I rush to River’s side, grabbing her hand as she snarls at Richie.

“If you refer to her as him again, I'll rip your throat out!” I yank the blanket over River’s body.

I don’t want this disrespectful cunt looking at River’s body any longer. There’s nothing wrong with her body, but she deserves some dignity.

“But he’s a guy? Or a girl? I can’t even tell, what with it having breasts up top and looking utterly female but for the peni.s down below.”

“It? Are you fuckin.g stupid? Do you have a death wish?!”

‘Kill him!’ My wolf snaps.

Goddess knows I want to, but Dad would string me up.

I don’t know how River acquired breasts; she never had them in our dreams, and it’s rare for she-wolves to have implants. But I’m guessing this was done to her at the facility. Whether it was willingly is another story.

I bare my teeth at Richie. “I’ve told you already that River identifies as female. Have some fuckin.g respect! I’m not sure when she had the implants, though.”

“How the hell could you possibly know that? Goddess, Damian, this is just weird!”

“Because I do! I’ll tell you one more time, then I’ll kill you. Have some fuckin.g respect, you moron.”

“But that’s not normal for Werewolves!” Richie all but yells. “None of it is normal. Thinking he’s female, breast implants, and Goddess only knows what else!”

Our pack doctor isn’t saying anything that many others wouldn’t in this situation. He’s ancient, and this kind of thing was even rarer when he was young than it is now. But I swear to the Moon Goddess that I will kill this bastard!

“That’s enough, Richie.” Dad snaps. “If River feels as though she’s female, regardless of male parts and breast implants, then you’ll show her the respect she deserves. Understand?”

“Yes, my Alpha.” Richie bows.

I knew my dad would understand. But then, he’s always been open-minded, my whole family has.

“Apart from the dic.k, she looks female. Skin, hair, features, even the curves.” My brother, Jai, points out. “She’s really pretty.”

I’d snap at my brother, but Jai is right. No one would be able to tell River was born male when she looks the way she does, so utterly feminine.

“Shut up, Jai. Get on with it, Richie!” Dad snaps.

Richie nods and moves towards River.

“Touch her and I’ll kill you all!”

Drew, my eldest brother’s eyes widen. Drew is visiting home with his mate for a few days. He and Jai were with me when River ran into my arms half an hour ago. Jai looks as though he wants to tackle me to the ground, and Richie’s mouth is hanging open in shock.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” Dad hisses.

River thrashes about on the bed, growling and staring wide-eyed at my family. The straps around her wrists keep her tied to the bed. And I have a terrible feeling that she’s been through all of this before.

I hate seeing her like this, but it’s necessary for now. River’s wolf hasn’t completely relinquished his hold over River just yet, and that can be a dangerous thing.

I have to try to make my father understand why I can’t allow anything to happen to River. Goddess, she’s naked under that sheet, and I’ve seen the scars and bruises. My mate has been through something awful, and it would kill me if my family were the cause of more pain.

“Do you remember when I was fifteen and I started having those dreams?”

“The one’s about your mate?”

I nod my head at Dad.

“I told you once how she would come to me and whisper that I was the only one who could save her. Every night, I saw her for four years. Then it ended for a few months, but then it suddenly came back just as strong as before.

“What I didn’t tell you was that in those dreams, my mate would tell me how she was Wolf Bound in the real world. She’d been that way for years, human one moment, then a wolf the next. The wolf would take over for months on end, but the human side would get only days. Again and again, it happened with no reprieve.

“She used to reach for me, all the while telling me that I was the key to freeing her. Then one night, the dreams stopped again, and I didn’t understand why. I kept trying to reach her, but I couldn’t find her.”

“What are you getting at, Damian?” Dad asks.

I close my eyes for a second while swallowing the lump in my throat.

I open my eyes again. “I couldn’t reach her because my mate was in a laboratory being tested on like an animal!”

I know that’s what happened to her. River told me once in our dreams that her parents were sending her to a place that specialized in helping those who were Wolf Bound. Once she entered that place, she cut contact with me. She would only have done that if they were hurting her, and it’s clear from the damage on her body that that’s what happened.

All eyes look from me to River and back again.

“This person is your mate?”

I nod at Dad.

“The guy from your dream?”

“Girl!” I snap at Drew.

“Girl, sorry. I didn’t mean to sound rude, Damian. There’s nothing wrong with the way your mate is, it’s just taking a little getting used to when I’ve never met anyone like her before.”

I nod my head because I understand where he’s coming from.

“How the fuc.k is this possible?”

I don't answer Jai, there’s nothing for me to say. Besides, I don’t have the energy to explain any of this right now. All I care about is making sure no one touches River.

“My Alpha,” Dad looks at Richie. “The boy,”

“Girl!” Yell loudly. I'm going to kill this motherfucker if he doesn’t show my mate some damn respect. I swear to the Goddess, I’m losing it!

‘Just fuckin.g kill him already because if you don’t, I will!’ My wolf growls.

‘Calm down, Dixon. I want to kill the ignorant prick as much as you do. But that will have to wait. River needs us right now.’

‘You’re right. But I swear, I can’t take much more.’

‘I know.’ I sigh.

Richie sighs. “This girl is feral. There is no saving her, you know this.”

“I swear to Selene, if you come near my mate, I’ll tear you apart, Richie. Do no fuc.k with me right now!”

“This is the way of things, Damian!”

My eyes widen again at the audacity of the man.

Who the fuc.k does he think he is to speak to me like this?

“Hel – Help me.” River gasps while clutching my hand tighter. “I… don’t want… to die.”

I turn to look at River; her eyes are locked with mine. I see so much sadness and pain that a tear slips from my eye.

Who would do this to her?

Why would they do this?

I lay my hand on River’s face, and she instantly calms. Our eyes stay locked as I lean down and press my forehead to hers.

“Everything will be okay, River, I promise.”

“I’m scared,” She whispers, breaking my heart further. “Please don’t let them kill me.”

“No one is going to kill you. I’m here, River, and I’m not going anywhere. No one will hurt you again.”

“Dad,” I hear Drew say. “They’re bonded, even without mating. If you kill his mate, Damian won’t want to live. Don’t do this to him. Mom will be broken if anything happens to Damian.”

“Drew’s right,” Jai says. “Besides, Damian has been there for us more times than I can count. Now, it’s our turn to be there for him.”

I press my lips to River’s head, all the while keeping her hand in mine. I just want to get her out of here, back to the safety of my room.

“I ran,” River swallows hard. “From that place to find you. Someone whispered,” She swallows again. “That it was time. I’m sorry.”

“Shh,” I kiss her forehead again. “You have nothing to be sorry for, baby.”

“Does the girl have any injuries that need dealing with?”

“Nothing serious, my Alpha. It seems her wolf has healed anything serious.” Richie tells him.

“Good. Damian?” I turn my head to look at Dad. “Take your mate to your room. Help her get cleaned up and then let her rest. We’ll talk later.”

I close my eyes as relief floods me. I then wrap the blanket around River and lift her in my arms bridal style. “Thank you,” I say, and nothing more. I walk out of that room, determined to keep my mate alive.