Bitten By Deceit by Shawntelle Madison Page B

mouth to keep from cursing. Kyle’s anger floated off him in waves and pounded against her skull. She had come here for a reason. Getting angry over his bitterness wouldn’t help Meg or the others who hid from Liam.
    She tore at the gauze on her wrist and revealed the bite mark. The skin around the wound was mottled with purple streaks and bright red splotches from the spreading infection. With the protection removed, the flesh burned as if heated by fire. Her body had held on so far, but how much longer did she really have? Would it be long enough to see Meg again?
    Kyle raced over to her, stood before her, and she gasped when he snatched her wrist to inspect the wound.
    “What the hell happened to you?” His fingertips rubbed the delicate skin, and she winced. Anywhere he touched, the burn intensified until she ached to scream, and as much as she’d wanted Kyle to touch her, having him do so was torture. When he released her, she caught her breath and managed to speak.
    “Liam...He bit me.”
    She wanted Kyle to reach for her again, regardless of the pain. But he only loomed close, leaving her weary for support after the long drive. From his parted shirt, she peered at the hard ridges of his abs, then the faint trail of brown curls that led down to a part of him she’d never forget. It didn’t take much for him to rile her up. But her desire for him didn’t matter anymore. She needed him for other reasons.
    His black eyes examined her. Would he see her desperation and help?  
    “Something happened to Liam a week ago. Members of the pack began to disappear, and then dead human bodies started popping up all over the place. They’d been mangled by the pack.” She took two deep breaths before she continued. “Then he came to my house… He didn’t look right. He had a sickly smell, and his face had wrinkles—as if he’d aged a few years. All of the missing pack members were with him, following his commands without any forethought. Without any mercy. They almost seemed dazed and rabid. He said he’d make me join him and be obedient at his side.”
    “All this sounds crazy.”
    “I agree. It’s something I’ve never heard of before. Or even if there’s a cure or a way to fight it.”  
    Heat radiated from Kyle as he rubbed his face with his hand. “Where’s Liam now?”
    “After he bit me, he waited for me to fall under his control. But I didn’t, and I ran away. I managed to call one of the remaining pack elders. I thought I escaped undetected, but he said Liam’s chasing me.”
    Kyle’s gaze darkened as he quickly closed in on her. He was so close she could see the muscles in his face twitch. “You led him here ?”
    Her mouth moved, but nothing came out.
    “Do you realize you’ve lead Liam out of our territory—an isolated area—into another one with innocent humans?”
    Any hope Emma had held faded with each of his words. The pain of the infection inside didn’t compare to the ache his response brought. Oh, God. What had she done? Had she signed a death sentence for anyone who crossed Liam’s path on his way here?
    She searched for the right words to say. “If you come back with me, we can stop him before he reaches this place.”
    “Em, you shouldn’t have come. You should’ve grabbed Meg and gotten the hell out of there. I’m not the man to solve your problems anymore.”
    She bit her lower lip to control her words. She had to say the right thing. “It’s not my fault Liam deceived you. And it isn’t the fault of all the innocent people he’s killed.”
    He scoffed. “So, after everyone in the pack turned their backs on me, I’m supposed to risk my life for them?”
    Not only for them, but for me.  
    Kyle stormed to the tool rack. He selected a wrench before making his way back to the minivan, and Emma’s heart sank. She’d been dismissed. For all the years she’d known him, he never retreated from a fight. Until today.  
    Emma held in her tears until she reached her car.