9 comments/ 19489 views/ 13 favorites Nicholas's Hope Ch. 01 By: NightGal Hello again everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read the revised first chapter of Nicholas's Hope. Thank you for all your comments, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Again it was without an editor so I hope I have caught everything. I'm still working on finding one. Hope you all enjoy!This story is of my own creation and all persons therein are fictional. All persons are over 18 if not stated. * Nicholas cursed, glaring icily at the root that had reached itself up as if by magic to trip him. His ankle was throbbing, and he knew from medical experience it was sprained or broken. A tender examination of his swollen ankle proved it to be a sprain, not as bad as a break, but still painful. "That will teach you to hike alone. Now you have to navigate this forest on your own, injured..." A clap of thunder followed by a torrential downpour had Nicholas groaning. "Oh yes, and if that wasn't bad enough. You get to do it in the rain." Still grumbling to himself about the weather and his predicament he searched his surroundings for a branch that looked to be strong enough to bear his weight. He was no small man, at 6 foot 3 with the body of the linebacker most people mistook him for; he was large enough that it made most people uncomfortable. People instantly looked at his body and dismissed him as anyone of intelligence, but that's what made him strive to prove everyone different. Nicholas was a doctor, and not just any doctor. He was the director of surgical practices at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington. He had grown up in these forests, and had wandered the trails since he was a boy of 10. Wide-eyed and amazed by everything around him he had spent most of his summers within the woods camping with his parents. The sudden flashback brought a sharp pain to his heart as he thought of all the summers his parents had come with him to these woods. The memories came unbidden now, flashing through his mind quickly. He had just turned 18, ready for the life of a college student when his parents surprised him with one last trip to their favorite site. They were going to spend a week in the Orestes, bringing in only light tents, and very few supplies. Nicholas had known his mom smuggled a chocolate bar into her bag. The one indulgence she couldn't leave. It had taken a day of hiking to reach their spot, a clearing in the middle of the forest ringed with tall pines. A small stream wound its way through the forest, not far from where his family had always made camp. It was always nice to have fresh fish for dinner, or whatever small game that turned up in the snares his mother set on the small game trails. She had been trying to teach him how to set the snares, but Nicholas had never had the patience to set the delicate wires. Instead he and his father would often hunt the small game with a bow instead. They never hunted the large game; they simply would take enough for one meal, perhaps two, but never more than they could eat. Skins were saved, some organs eaten, others used for fishing bait. Bones were always thrown away on a hike away from camp for the scavengers to find later. They always did their best to leave their special site as they found it. The only permanent fixture was a ring of stones where they built their fire. It had been there when they first found the site and it had been left as it was found. The last day of the trip Nicholas had left both his parents to go foraging for food. Walking along the bank of the stream he had scared a duck from her nest. Knowing she wouldn't return he grabbed the eggs, checking their buoyancy in the Water to make sure they were fresh. When they continued to float Nicholas gathered them into a small leather pouch he wore on his hip during hikes. It was left with the hair of the rabbit inside the pouch and would protect the eggs well enough till he returned to camp. It was on his way back to camp that he had heard his mothers scream, followed by a howl. The howl had been hasty, almost in glee and Nicholas rushed back towards his parents, instinctively not leaving a trail in his wake. When he finally did reach the camp Nicholas found his parents gone, and with the amount of blood around the campsite, he knew wherever his parents were, that they were no longer living. Shaking his head to clear the memories, Nicholas brought his mind back to the present and the situation at hand. His gaze skittered over a thick branch that had fallen close to where he sat. Wiping the water from his eyes he made his way over to the branch, praying that it wasn't rotten. Standing slowly he let his weight rest partially on the branch, ready to catch himself if it snapped. Once his full weight was supported by the branch he breathed a sigh of relief. Looking around him, Nicholas looked down the trail. He had shown another streak of idiocy in leaving his compass at home, right along with his trail map. Muttering obscenities at himself Nicholas picked a direction and started to slowly hobble his way down the path. The rain dripped into the back of his jacket, winding its way in cold little rivers down his back. At the rate he was going he was going to have to find or make shelter sometime soon and get a fire going. Deciding he had a way to go he continued down the trail till it split. Looking down each trail Nicholas tried to decide which way to head. The sound of the rain covered any sounds a car on the highway might make. Deciding his best option was to head towards his left he did so. Nicholas walked slowly, his eyes scanning his surroundings for any signs of something he could use for shelter. A loud crack sounded through the air, lightning flashing across the sky, and the noise of a tree falling close by startled him. Birds rushed by him, obviously fleeing from the falling tree. It could be used as a temporary shelter and seeing as the rain was not letting up Nicholas turned towards the direction the sound came from and hobbled slowly that way. It wasn't even 5 minutes that he had been walking that he came across the tree. It was a huge oak its trunk scorched black where the lightning had sliced through it, red embers glowed in the dim light and Nicholas knew if he worked quickly enough he could be warm and dry in the matter of an hour. Making his way up the truck Nicholas looked for the thickest growth of the limbs giving him the best possible cover from the rain. Pushing his way through the limbs Nicholas stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth dropping open slightly as he stared dumbly at the sight before him. A woman, in her mid-twenties if he was to guess by the spread of her hips and her well proportioned body, lay unconscious beneath several limbs of the tree. Her short brunette hair was curling gently around her face, matted somewhat with leaves and blood. Her face was heart-shaped, her lips full though busted and bloody. Her body, with its generous womanly curves, was marred with scratches, some of them deeper along her ribs and torso. A particularly wicked looking gash ran from her hip to her knee, the blood seeping into the ground to mingle with the leaves, dirt, and moss below her. Nicholas shook his head, stamping down the spurt of desire he felt course through his body. She was obviously injured and all Nicholas could think of was running his hands on her himself, firmly directing her moist and warm... "STOP!" Nicholas exclaimed to himself, running his hand through his hair roughly. Surveying her body now as a patient Nicholas slipped his pack from his body, rummaging through it. He pulled out a small medical kit that he always had handy, knowing it contained a suture kit. Next he pulled a small hatchet from there, normally used to cut kindling for his fires it would serve to chop through the branches that held her body down as well as give him a more comfortable area to treat her in. Pulling his poncho out of his bag he pushed his way through the branches to lay it across the top of the tree, letting it completely block anymore water from hitting the ground below it. Returning to the woman, Nicholas picked up the hatchet, starting to chop gently at the thickest branch that pinned her. The hatchet would dull quickly and if he got the thicker branches out of the way first he could break the smaller ones by hand if needed. It was tedious work, stopping every few minutes to check her breathing and pulse. She was blessedly unconscious through him clearing the branches from her body. He kept a few that were brittle and dry to start a fire to help warm her. The few touches he allowed himself to have as he checked the area where a branch was pressing, making sure it had not imbedded itself in her body before he removed it, let him know she was rapidly becoming chilled. As soon as the last branch was cleared Nicholas removed his coat, covering her body as best as he could without moving her so that the warmth of the coat might fight off some of the chill of her body. Removing a tinderbox and a flint from his pack Nicholas elected to try to start his own fire as the embers from the fire were likely rained out by now. Cutting open his jacket and removing some of the goose down and filler he quickly got a spark caught and after a few tenuous moments a small fire blazed. The branches insulated their small haven well and soon it was warm enough that Nicholas removed everything but his boxers and hung them in the branches to dry. Picking up his suture kit, he grimaced and prayed that she wouldn't wake through this. He had nothing to deaden the skin or keep her asleep. Using the canteen he irrigated the wound as best as he could, flushing whatever dirt and debris he could from the wound. Holding his breath as he picked up the curved needle he kept his gaze on the woman for a moment. Her breathing was shallow, and he could see the steady beat of her pulse in her neck. Threading the needle he bent forward to the task, sending up another silent prayer that she would remain asleep and blissfully unaware. The first stitch had Nicholas watching for any signs of waking, but she didn't and he continues on with the stitches. He tied them loosely but pulling the skin close enough that it could mend, but would leave a scar. He was afraid to fully close the wound in case there was anything in it he might have missed. Quickly moving down the long gash, he had lost count of the number of sutures he placed; instead concentrating on getting it closed in case she started to wake. When the last stitch was placed, Nicholas breathed a sigh of relief. There weren't any other gashes that were in need of immediate attention or sutures so he instead started to warm some water in his canteen. While waiting for the water to warm to cleanse her wounds he ran his fingers lightly through her hair, removing the twigs and leaves while feeling for any breaks in her skull. Thankfully there were none, though there was a small gash that needed to be stitched. Using his knife to cut away the hair around the area he quickly irrigated it with water and started to stitch it in the same process as he had done her leg. They weren't his best sutures but considering the circumstances, he knew they would do the job they intended. The water had warmed to a comfortable temperature and Nicholas ripped a section of his drying shirt off, pouring the water on it and starting to clear away some of the blood on her body. Remarkably some of the places he thought where small cuts were now simply just abrasions and only needed a quick swipe to clear the blood from her skin. While cleaning her he checked for broken bones, carefully letting his fingers trace her ribs. Nothing seemed to be broken and he breathed a sigh of relief. Gently he slid his hands underneath her, checking for any injuries on her back, and making sure there were no broken bones in her spine before he moved her. No breaks that he could feel, but Nicholas gave an audible groan as his hand grazed the tops of her buttocks. Quickly pulling away his hands and reaching for his shirt, he made sure it was dry before slipping it over the unconscious woman. Digging through his pack again Nicholas pulled out his only food, two MREs that he always had packed in case of an emergency. They weren't the best tasting meals that you could eat, but it was food, and would be hot so it would suffice for now. Ripping through the contents he elected to eat only the main entre of the meal in case he would need to ration the supply. Slipping it into the heater supplied with the meal and pouring a small amount of water in to activate it, Nicholas leaned back against the dense branches, crossing his feet at the ankles while we waited for it to warm. His gaze automatically fell on the woman again, and his thoughts drifted to how to get them both out of here. Talking softly to his self, Nicholas started to plan. "A litter for me to drag might be best, if she doesn't wake. Though if she does she can hopefully walk and won't have to drag her on the litter. Sighing Nicholas opened up the heater for the MRE, delicately plucking out the dark green package. Ripping it opened he discovered chicken noodle soup. He ate only the noodles, vegetables, and hunks of chicken out of the package, leaving the broth for the woman; he could finish what broth was left. Lifting her gingerly and settling her in his lap he reached for the packet of broth and felt a stinging feeling on his shoulder. Grunting briefly at the pain, he pulled the packet of soup closer. He made a few final adjustments, cradling her head in the crook of his elbow as he supported her and trickled a small amount of broth into her mouth. Reflexes took over and she coughed but managed to swallow some of the warm liquid. "That's it baby, drink for me. It will help." He murmured encouragingly. After an hour, he had only managed to get about half of the broth down her. It was better than nothing. Still cradling her in his arms he settled to watch the fire, drifting off to sleep. A loud noise startled Nicholas from his sleep, making him instinctively tighten his embrace around the woman. She made no move or noise that she had been disturbed, so Nicholas set her gingerly down on the ground. "Richard, I smell smoke." A woman's voice filtered through the branches. "I know Laura, I smell it too. Look, there is smoke coming through that tree. What is that on top of it?" Nicholas pushed through the branches towards the sound of the voice. "Oh Richard, look! He's hurt!" cried the woman as Nicholas came into view. "Man, what happened to you? Are you ok?" Richard rushed to Nicholas's side, supporting him from putting too much weight on his ankle. Nicholas grunted, accepting the help as he said, "My...girlfriend and I were hiking and the storm struck this tree. It fell on top of her. I have to get her to the hospital." Nodding Richard looked at Laura, "Call the rangers on the sat phone baby. I'll go see if I can get the woman out of the tree safely enough." Helping Nicholas to sit, Richard turned to push his way into the tree as Laura made a call on the phone. He could hear her relaying their coordinates off their GPS to the rangers on the other end. Richard blinked in surprise as he saw the woman, "Hey man," He called out, "She doesn't have anything but a shirt on!" Nicholas groaned. He had forgotten finding her naked in the tree. "Yeah, "he quickly lied. "Everything was wet last night and I couldn't get a fire started. I figured her clothes were best because mine would still fit her." He heard an affirmative grunt as his backpack was pushed through the trees, and judging from the conversation he heard from Laura she had gotten in touch with the rangers and was giving them their coordinates from the GPS In her hand. Nicholas couldn't help but frown at the piece of technology. Didn't anyone camp without batteries anymore? Shaking his head, he gave himself a mental slap. That battery operated hunk of metal was getting him out of these woods with the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Nicholas moved towards the downed tree, pushing aside branches to help clear Richards's way out of the tree. Richard had laced his arms into the woman's armpits, supporting her upper half as her feet lightly drug the ground. "Thanks man. Do you have any other clothing to put on her?" Nicholas shook his head. "What you see is what I have. I'll wrap a space blanket I keep for emergencies around us both." Richard nodded, following closely behind Nicholas as he slowly made his way to his pack. He pulled the small folded blanket out of the front pocket and moved to settle his back against a tree. Quickly ripping open the plastic bag of the blanket he spread it behind his back, motion for the woman. Richard nodded, bring her forward and helping adjust her slight weight into Nicholas's lap. Her head automatically settled into the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arms around her. Richard folded the blanket around the couple and walked towards Laura. Nicholas closed his eyes, tilting his head back to rest against the tree. A pent up sigh escaped him, and in the distance he could hear the faint buzz of engines. "I hear the rangers coming" he stated, his eyes still closed. Richard blinked, "Man, I don't hear anything" Laura laughed, saying "I don't hear anything either, but just because you don't hear it means nothing. You have very selective hearing. So selective that I think you're deaf!" Richard snorted, giving her a mock glare. "I resent that!" Laura gave an identical snort, retorting" You would." Sitting down next to Richard she leaned against him, snuggling for warmth in the chilly air. About an hour after Laura's call the rangers, sitting on their large quads, pulled up next to the fallen tree. A large man, almost the size of Nicholas, stepped off the quad, walking to the group of people. "Howdy folks. Everyone alright?" Nicholas smiled faintly, replying, "Alright yes, but not completely fine. I have an unconscious woman here that I need to get back to a hospital." The ranger nodded, "Not a problem. You think you can hold her while I drive? We only had one quad in the station, a couple of drunken teenagers got lost and my partners are trying to track them down. My name is Tom by the way." Nicholas nodded, "I can manage if you take it slow." Nodding Tom went to pick up the woman from Nicholas. His gaze drifted over her body as he coughed slightly, "You wouldn't happen to have her cloths would you?" Nicholas colored slightly, explaining, "We were caught in the storm last night, and with everything wet I had to burn her clothing since I knew mine would fit her and would at least be dry. If you wouldn't mind, could you pull that solar blanket tighter around her, she needs it to keep her temperature regulated." Tom nodded, gently tugging the edges of the blanket around her as Nicholas stood with the assistance of Richard. "Good luck man, we both hope she is ok." Richard said quietly to him as he supported Nicholas in his walk to the ranger's vehicle. Nicholas climbed up onto the quad, leaning against the small cooler that had been strapped to the rack on the back of the quad, it wasn't going to be the most comfortable ride in the woods he had taken before, but it was defiantly the most urgent. Holding his arms out to the Ranger, Tom gently laid the woman in his arms. Nicholas held her firmly against him, letting her head rest naturally in the crook of his neck. He felt her breathe deeply and then felt her warm breath against his neck. Smiling slightly he nodded to Tom, signaling that they were ready. Tom shook hands with Richard, "Good luck on the rest of your hike, and thanks for getting in touch with us about this." Getting on the quad in front of Nicholas and the woman, he leaned forward to start the engine, after giving a small salute to Richard and Laura who returned it with a wave, he set the quad in motion and called back to the base. Nicholas's Hope Ch. 01 "Clint. Come in Clint." "Clint here. You find the couple Tom?" Looking back over his shoulder at Nicholas, he let out a sigh as he replied, "I did yes. Could you phone the paramedics? We have an injuried lady here, she is going to need more medical attention once I get her out of these woods. We are about 45 out." "Copy that, I'll call them and have them here waiting for you." "Roger that. Out" "Out." The rest of the ride was silent, and Nicholas fought the urge to close his eyes as Tom wove in and out of the trees, not keeping to any real path in his haste to get back to the ranger's cabin. It took a little more than the 45 minutes that had been told to Clint before Tom pulled up next to a small log cabin. The cabin was a nice size, with the typical dark logs and green roof exterior. Radio antennas lined one wall, and three satellite dishes graced the roof. An overhang to the side sheltered the ranger's personal vehicles, and in front of them was parked an ambulance. Tom dismounted, reaching for the woman in Nicholas's arms as he said, "I don't know if you have a preference for hospitals, but the drivers will take you into Spokane and you can have your pick of the hospitals there. Nicholas nodded, grateful to be getting off the quad. His backside had gone shortly after the ride had started. The paramedics quickly came out of the cabin, one of them going to the ambulance to pull the gurney out of the back. After setting it up Tom laid the woman gently on the gurney where the paramedics removed the solar blanket and quickly cut through the shirt Nicholas had put on her. "What happened here?" One of the paramedics asked. Looking at the name tag, Nicholas quickly filled Daniel in, he elected to tell the truth about her and how he had found her. "I was hiking through the woods and found a fallen tree. I had elected to use it to make a shelter to weather out the storm and found her there. She had a few pierced places due to the branches falling on her. Since I had no way to radio in for the rangers I removed the branches and stitched places that needed to be stitched." The paramedic that was currently working on the woman paused long enough to look up and Nicholas and smile, "If you hadn't done what you did sir, this woman wouldn't be alive. I'm going to leave the stitches in for now, that way the doctors can take care of it and we won't open it up to infection out here. Great job Nick." Blinking in surprise, Nicholas looked a little closer at the paramedic. "Celeste? I had no idea you had become a paramedic, when did that happen? I thought you were on your way to pre-medical studies when I saw you last." Celeste chuckled, "That was three years ago Nick, I've since been married and had a baby. Life changes some people's plans." Nicholas nodded, watching as Celeste and Daniel pushed the gurney back into the rear of the ambulance, locking the bed into place. Celeste climbed into the back and Nicholas followed suit as Daniel closed the doors and walked around the vehicle to climb into the drivers seat. "Where do you want us to take her?" Daniel asked Nicholas didn't hesitate, "Sacred Heart in Spokane if you can swing it." "Celeste, is she going to be stable enough for an hour and a half?" "Should be Daniel, I just put in a hep lock. I'll attach a bag now." Turning to Nicholas, she smiled saying, "So how have you been?" Back at the cabin, Tom stood in the same place, stroking his chin thoughtfully. A man's voice interrupted his thoughts, "What are you going to do?" "The only thing I can do Clint." Tom sighed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cell phone. Taking a slow breath he quickly died a number from memory, waiting for the answering voice on the end of the line. "Hello?" A gruff voice answered. "It's me." "Tom. What's your reason for pulling me out of bed mid-day? I had a.." the voice hesitated," promising engagement at the moment." Taking a deep breath Tom started, "We have a slight problem..." TO BE CONTINUED... Nicholas's Hope Ch. 02 Hello everyone, and thanks for taking the time to read the second chapter of Nicholas's Hope. This chapter has been edited by my wonderfully helpful friend, Tcole. A HUGE thanks goes out to him. There is no sex in the chapter, and it is a little short, but hopefully a nice teaser of what is to come. Apologies for it taking so long, I completed a move, and fought with getting internet in my new place so this was a little slow in getting out to everyone. I hope you enjoy. Again, comments (the good or bad) are always appreciated. And don't forget to vote!!! This story is of my own creation and all persons therein are fictional. All persons are over 18 if not stated. ************************************** Acrid smells brushed her nose and she warily brushed them away. Blinking in surprise, she sat up, looking at her surroundings. A steady beep came from a machine next to her, a green line peaking on the screen in time with a soft beep. The walls of the room were a bland gray, matching the tiles on the floor. "How did I end up here?" She wondered silently, her eyes continuing to travel around the room. A pale peach couch sat underneath a bland watercolor of blossoms. Turning her head a splash of a bright, and out of place color, caught her eye. A vase of brightly colored blossoms, white, light pink, orange, and yellow roses, inter-spaced with greenery and small white flowers, sat on the table next to her bed. The sight of the arrangement, in the otherwise dreary room, brought a smile to her face. She wondered about who might have sent them, blinking in surprise as she couldn't even begin to guess. Tears came unbidden to her eyes as she tried to reach further into the recesses of her mind trying to discern her identity. Each time she tried, it was as if she was hitting a brick wall in her mind. Folding her hands in front of her face, she gently pressed them against her eyes, sobbing into her hands. Footsteps echoed down the hallway, stopping briefly in front of her door before it opened slowly. As soon as the sounds of her sobbing reached the ears of whomever was checking on her, they came quickly into the room. "There now dear, don't cry." A young woman said soothingly as she walked up next to her bed. She stopped her tears, rubbing her eyes to remove the remaining traces of the tears, though her eyes remained red as proof of her crying. Choking slightly on her sobs, she replied, "I...can't. Can't remember w-who I am!" She tried keeping the tears at bay, but was unable to as they leaked silently down her face. "Oh honey!" the nurse exclaimed, bending forward to wrap her arms around her patient, "It will be alright. We will help you figure it out." The empathetic nurse whispered soothingly, her hand rubbing up and down the young woman's back in an attempt to comfort her. A throat cleared at the doorway, and although the young woman in her arms was too distraught to hear it, Samantha did. Looking up she realized it was Dr. Nicholas. Smiling, and brushing her hand across the hair of the woman in her arms, she said softly, "Your doctor is here to see you." The young woman slowed her crying, peeking up at her doctor after she removed her head from burying it in the hollow of the nurse's shoulder. The heart monitor registered an abnormal beat as soon as her eyes gazed upon her doctor. He happened to be by far, the most attractive man she had ever met, which didn't matter because he was the only man she happened to remember at the moment. God he even SMELLED good. In turn Nicholas tried to stop staring at her. He had thought her eyes were gorgeous while she was unconscious. They were nothing compared to now, with her eyes sparkling with...was that arousal? Clearing his throat again he moved more fully into the room, a reassuring smile on his face. "And how are you today, Miss....?" He left the question open, hoping to gain her name, though the look that passed across her face was not promising. In fact, she erupted into a new gale of sobs and tears, pressing her face back into the hollow of her shoulder. Shocked, he looked over at Samantha who shook her head slightly, mouthing "Amnesia". Sighing in understanding, Nicholas moved forward, pulling the young woman into his arms and away from Samantha who only smiled and stepped back. It was widely known that Nicholas had developed an attraction to the young woman now in his embrace. Samantha grinned wryly to herself, the nurses had all been talking in the cafeteria about it. It was a romantic story so far, handsome young eligible doctor finds unconscious beauty in the woods. And now the beauty awakes with no recollection of her dark and mysterious past! Samantha pulled the young woman's chart from the hook at the foot of the bed. She quickly wrote down a few notes about recent developments and copied down the patient's vital stats from the machines next to her bed. Her crying had calmed considerably now and she clung to Nicholas hiccuping. Nicholas smiled into her hair, laying a tender kiss on top of her head. "Well now, since you can't remember your name, we can either give you a temporary name or we can call you the generic Jane Doe. Which would you like?" Rubbing her eyes again to clear them of tears, she replied, "I'd much prefer to have a name that wasn't Jane. Do I just pick one? "Hope!" was blurted from across the room from Samantha. Two sets of eyes turned quickly to look at her as she explained, "Well, Hope that her memory returns and honestly she just looks like a Hope." Nicholas turned to look at the young woman again, saying, "Well, what do you think?" Biting her lip, and seeming to mull it over, she nodded her head before replying, "I think I like it. Hope it is, for as long as it takes me to remember my own name." Smiling, Nicholas stood up, "It's time for us to go and let you rest now. I'll be back later to check up on you." Out in the hallway, Samantha eyed Nicholas, "So when are you going to tell her how you feel?" Nicholas blinked, taking his eyes away from Hope's chart to stare dumbfounded at Samantha, "What are you talking about?" Snorting, Samantha replied, "I'm talking about you being madly in love with the woman you found in the woods, the woman that is now your patient. Ring a bell?" Nicholas's face colored darkly, his voice low, "Now is hardly the time for me to start hitting on her, and I don't think it is appropriate for me as her attending physician to put the moves on her. Let her try to get her memory back." Samantha rolled her eyes, starting to walk off as she tossed over her shoulder, "Yeah, sure, you know, she might be a serial killer. After all, you did find her naked in the woods." Nicholas groaned, saying, "She isn't Sam. Just leave it alone OK?" "Fine, you're only hurting yourself, besides, she is just as interested in you as you are in her." She retorted, grabbing the chart for her next patient and starting down the hallway. Nicholas stood there for a few more moments, pondering what Samantha had said last. She thought Hope was interested in him. The thought brought a smile to his face and he rubbed his shoulder blade unconsciously, settling the ache that had started there. Perhaps when Hope was out of the hospital he could start seeing her. That had him grinning to himself as he grabbed a chart out of his box and made his own way down the hallway. Mr. Bunn had apparently been cheating on his cardiologist with fast food again. ***************** Miles away, a lamp shattered against the wall, nearly knocking down a portrait of the man who had once occupied this study. "I don't care what your excuses are! I want her here. YESTERDAY!" Tom bowed his head in submission, his voice steady as he explained, "She was injured my Alpha, and before we could track her scent she had been found by a human." "Human." His Alpha stopped dead in his tracks, his nostrils flaring as he turned to glare at his second, "What human? You said nothing to me of any human." Tom kept his head lowered as his Alpha stalked towards him, his posture threatening. Everyone knew the story of his Alpha's pursuit of a neighboring pack's Beta. There was talk that she had gone rogue after he had cornered her and tried to force her to mate him. "Yes my Alpha. The human that had found her had tended to her injuries; apparently a tree had fallen on her. I'm not sure why she didn't dodge it, but rest assured Alpha, we will find her. There are only so many hospitals around that would have been acceptable due to her injuries." "Her injuries?!" came back a questioning roar. Tom tried to ignore the menacing growl that came from his Alpha, taking a breath and speaking as calmly as he could, "She was completely unconscious. From what I was able to gather from the human as he explained her injuries to the paramedics, she was completely pierced with branches from the tree in multiple places. He... he said one had nearly pierced her heart. I believe her accelerated healing is what kept her alive, but she was not healed completely when I picked them up out of the woods, I could still smell her blood, but her heart was beating steady." Tom looked up at his Alpha slightly, still keeping his posture submissive as he tried to gauge his reaction. His Alpha's eyes were completely golden, and his silence only proved that his Alpha's beast was completely in control. "My Alpha?" Tom hesitated. Shaking his head to the side, and his eyes once more turning to a brown so dark it seemed black, Eric growled his reply, "What?" "Sir, what is it you would have us do?" Eric sighed, walking around his desk to sit in the large chair behind it. His father had often sat here when he was Alpha, but even though Eric was in charge he hadn't changed anything in the office. He often remember coming into the room and watching his father deal with issues within the pack. The room was powerful and Eric wouldn't have changed it for the world. He wanted to preserve and nurture the sense of awe and fear that the members of his pack should offer to him when they stepped through what was now HIS doorway. He turned the chair, staring out the window at the large city of Seattle spread below him. He tapped his fingers thoughtfully against the arm of his chair, his silence still giving no hint to Tom on the actions he wanted taken. "Bring her to me Tom. My plans can't go forward till I have a mate, and she will become my mate if I have to force her to mark me, she holds my mark already. Find this human that helped her and give him a reward. But Tom..." Tom looked up as his Alpha as he spun his chair back around to look at him, "Bring me your mate tonight. She will warm my bed in the absence of my mate until you find her and bring her to me." Tom's own eyes went golden; his beast fighting for control to protect what was his. Eric smirked, he knew what he demanded was unforgivable and tested the limits of his second's loyalty, but he frankly didn't care. "Is there a problem Tom?" Still fighting for control, Tom growled out, "No Alpha, there is no problem. She will be here tonight. I will find your mate for you and deliver her here as swiftly as possible." "Good, you can go." Eric turned his chair back around, listening as the door opened and then swiftly closed gently. He had to applaud his second that it wasn't slammed. Something needed to be done about Tom. In their last match together Eric had nearly been beaten by him. If the rest of his pack knew that Tom had almost bested their Alpha...well the thought was unbearable. He turned his gaze back to his window, looking out over Seattle below. His fingers ran over his chin thoughtfully. His mate lay in the hospital, hopefully enjoying the thoughtful bouquet he had one of his betas place an order for. He grinned evilly to himself, imagining the terror on her face as she read the card. He had signed it simply, "I'm coming for you. Be together soon. -E" Leaning back in his chair he contemplated on the different ways to punish his lovely mate without marring her beauty. Perhaps Tom would have some suggestions. The thought of Tom quickly brought a scowl to his face. He would enjoy Tom's mate tonight in every way he possibly could; it would only be fitting for Tom to hear her screams through their mating bond. He couldn't even begin to imagine the thoughts that would race through his beast's mind as it knew it's mate was being taken by another. It would test the loyalty that Tom had shown, and it would help to show Tom his place. He was quickly growing in his own strengths and could easily best Eric soon. Yes, something needed to be done, but not until Tom proved himself with bringing his true mate back to him, but until then he would make good use of the replacement. The thought of Tom quickly brought a scowl to his face. He would physically enjoy Tom's mate tonight in every way possible. It will be satisfying to hear her screams when I violate her mating bond. He leaned back in his chair as he imagined for a few minutes the thoughts that would race through Tom's beastly mind as he knew his mate was being abused. It would test the loyalty that Tom had shown so far and it would help keep him in his place. Eric thought ahead to himself; Tom was growing in his strength and might be able to best his Alpha soon. Yes, something needed to be done, but not until Tom proved himself by bringing his true mate back to him. Until then he would make fitting use of the replacement. Their pains would be his pleasure. Nicholas's Hope Ch. 03 So sorry everyone for the delay with this chapter. I am a full time mother as well as a full time student. I promise i will continue this story though it may not be as fast as some would love. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please don't forget to vote! This story is of my own creation and all persons therein are fictional. All persons are over 18 if not stated. * Hope ran as fast as she could. She could hear footsteps behind her and could almost feel breathing on her back. She darted through the trees as nimbly as a doe might; not daring to look over her shoulder to find out what might be chasing her. The moon was full in the sky above her, its light filtering through the trees all around. It illuminated the path on which she ran yet cast shadows which seemed to clutch at her in her fear. She stopped abruptly, somehow knowing that whatever was pursuing her was gone . Crouching low she knelt close to the ground, surprised that she hadn't noticed she was without clothing. Her skin was smooth, without scars or blemishes except for an ugly red mark on her neck and shoulder. It appeared to be a bite mark of some kind. Animal, but Hope couldn't remember exactly what had bit her. The forest was quiet around her, with only a soft hooting of an owl, and the chirps and calls of the crickets and frogs. A twig snapped behind her, the loud sound echoing around her, and Hope spun around quickly, coming face to face with a large silver wolf. It stopped a few feet from her, sitting back on its haunches to stare direly at Hope. The wolf's coat, while silver, was uniquely mottled with a swirling pattern of darker silver, its coat seeming to almost glitter within the moon light. Its eyes were large, almost feline in appearance with their bright blue color. Hope looked within the wolf's eyes, trying to sense if it wished to attack her. She didn't feel hostility, but a strange calm. It was like this beautiful creature wanted to be kind. From somewhere a memory gave her a warm familiarity with the wolf and she knew that it would rather die than hurt her. "Be at peace young one." A soft voice spoke into Hope's head. Startled, Hope fell back onto her rear, looking around quickly for the voice. Her eyes widened as she found no one near her and her gaze went back to the wolf. A canine smile played across the wolf's features as it slowly nodded its head. "You...you can speak?" The wolf nodded again, her soft voice again filling Hope's mind. "I am Luna, and though you may not know me now my child, I am the protector of your people." "My people?" Luna nodded her head slowly, coming forward to gently brush her nose against Hope's cheek. "Your people are a proud and fierce race, and though I know you do not remember them now, you will again soon.". Hope nodded slowly, her voice echoing the hope she felt as she ask, "Are you here to help me remember?" Luna shook her head sadly, "I am not little one. That is between you and your other half. When she feels you are ready she might share with you the memories she will never loose. Trust in her Hope, she will never lead you astray.". Hope's eyes filled with tears, "When will I find out who I am? WHAT I am?" Luna move to embrace Hope, pulling her in to her chest as her head laid across her shoulder and against her back holding her tightly. "You will remember when you are ready Hope, no sooner and no later. You will need your memories to make choices that you alone can make. But remember Hope," Luna pulled back to gaze into Hope's eyes, "You are never alone. I am with you always, and your mate shall be as well." Hope looked confused, "My mate?" Luna nodded, her gaze falling to Hope's shoulder. "Ah, you have been falsely marked unwillingly. Do you wish for me to remove the taint on you Hope?" Hope looked at her shoulder, lightly touching the bite mark. Something inside her recoiled upon itself and Hope felt a burst of intense hate fill her mind. Hesitantly, she nodded. "I don't wish this to be here, I'm not sure what it is, or what it means, only that some part of me wants it gone." Luna's eyes softened, the blue irises shining to a silver to match her coat as she moved forward. She ran her broad tongue over Hope's shoulder. The warm licks slowly soothing the sting as the strange mark began to heal and fade. Hope held herself still under Luna's ministrations, and felt part of herself relax within. The stinging that had seemed constant in her shoulder stopped and the muscles relaxed. Luna pulled away, looking down at the unmarked skin where the bite mark had once been. "It is gone now, to be replaced by an accepted mark". Hope nodded, not understanding the words but the feeling of rightness within her. Her gaze went back to the surrounding forest. "Where am I?" Luna let her gaze follow Hope's. "You are on the moon paths. Many wolves are able to walk the paths here to meet with their mates. Dreams are made here, destinies are formed. And now it is time for you to leave here Hope. Do not be afraid, I will be with you always." She reached forward, pressing her snout to Hope just behind her ear. Closing her eyes, Hope felt her body grow heavy, and as she re-opened them she stared at the familiar surroundings of her hospital room. She hear Luna's last parting words ringing through her head, "You now carry the mark of Luna." Miles away Eric sat upright abruptly, his sleep disturbed as his beast within howled with anger. His eyes went golden as his wolf broke free to the surface of its human body. He had felt the bond between the woman he had marked as his own being severed from him. It was impossible! Picking up the closest thing to him he hurled it against the wall, not even recognizing the priceless antique until it shattered, sending small shards of pottery in all directions. The outburst calmed him, his mind racing over the possibilities of what could have happened. He had felt Hope travel the moon paths, had been close to her almost ready to catch her when she had seemingly disappeared, gone from his senses and from the moon paths. His beast snarled within, weighing in on the situation. LUNA! By the goddess it had to be her! She was the only one who could have severed the bond Eric had created between them. But why, she hardly ever interfered with the lives of her people anymore. Most had thought she had vanished, simply moved on from favoring the beings she helped to create. Growling his gaze fell to the cowering woman at the foot of his bed, her chair rattling as she tried to move out of his gaze. "Tell me, Livy," Eric said softly, using Tom's pet name for his mate, "What do you think I should do?" His hand went down to slowly stroke her cheek. Olivia tried to hide the shiver of revulsion she felt at Eric's touch. She had no idea what he was talking about, she knew no matter what she said it would not be good for her. Staying silent she closed her eyes, holding back the tears that threatened to overflow at any moment. "Tom..." she thought desperately, knowing that her mate couldn't hear her. She had overheard Eric asking a witch to dampen her bond to her mate. Now the only time they could speak with each other was when they were within sight of each other. She knew it was a good thing that Tom couldn't feel her fear, and her pain, through their bond. He could concentrate on his mission, but Olivia couldn't help the loneliness she felt without feeling her mate with her. Olivia cringed as Eric roughly pulled her up onto his bad, she cried out as his hand ripped her clothing away. Eric removed his clothing, allowing himself freedom as he moved towards Tom's mate. "You know for a replacement, you're not half bad, Livy." He sneered, roughly grabbing her hips. He heard her gasp in pain as his nails dug deeply into her flesh, but it didn't faze him. He had only one objective, to clear his mind of his troubles. Grabbing himself in his hand he pressed forward to Olivia's warm center, stroking the head of his cock up and down her slit. Eric closed his eyes in pleasure, letting his head fall back as he continued to rub against her.He could feel her trembling and he knew it was from fear not passion. His dominance excited him. He would enjoy her pain even if it was not the desire he wished. He imagined her tanned skin a lighter shade, running one hand up from her hip to lightly palm her breasts. He felt her tense, and increased the pressure of his fingers on his nipples, moaning when she screamed against the pain. Olivia's eyes went golden, her wolf coming to the front of her mind and she mentally cried in relief as she felt her wolf numb her mind. Sinking into herself she felt her wolf's embrace as she took on the pain that Olivia's human body was now experiencing. It was uncommon that the animal half of a were had the need to take over the human body to spare their other half, though Olivia's wolf did it now, gently wiping her mind of the rape so she would know what had happened, but the trauma of it would never disturb her. Her wolf bared her teeth as her Alpha pressed his cock firmly into her moist sheath, not sparing a second for her to adjust, he continued to push forward until he seated himself fully. She heard him groan and mumble something even her keen hearing couldn't discern, not that she thought she wanted to. Eric reached one of his hands forward, roughing palming her breast and squeaking her nipples into hard nubs. He felt her tense, but she didn't utter a sound as he squeezed her nipples harder. Frowning, he roughly grabbed a handful of hair, pulling her head back. Growing at the sight of her golden eyes, he remarked, "My, my, so your wolf has come out to play has she. Well, let us at least make use of her. I promise you Olivia will feel what I do to her body wolf, you might be able to hide her temporarily within you, but mark my words wolf, she will feel this. Olivia's wolfen side let out a growl, her eyes narrowing in anger. She couldn't respond vocally, but she nodded her head curtly, already having plans to heal the damages herself. She was moist, not as wet as Erik wished, but the molten heat of her core goaded him on. Pressing forward roughly Eric felt a tear and hear the wolf whimper. "That's it baby. Scream for me." He grunted as roughly pounded into her, grabbing both of her hips hard as his movements became stronger. The wolf felt his hand grab her hips harder, and she let out a growl when she felt the beginning of his knot seeking entrance. She started to fight, trying to get away from her rapist, vocalizing her panic as she struggled. Eric laughed cruelly, using his superior strength to pin Olivia to the bed. He put a large hand in the middle of her shoulder blade, forcing her chest down to the bed and pressing her ass up higher to open her more fully to his invading length. "That's it baby, take it, take it." He chanted as he slowly started working his knot into the wolf below him. It took a few moments but soon his knot was fully enveloped by Olivia, and he groaned at the sensation of pinning his first female. He kept pumping in short strokes, inhibited by his knot, lost in the thought of Olivia's pain and her anguish. Male weres only pinned a female with their knot when they were mated, it ensured conception as well as heightened the whole experience for them both. Somewhere in the back of his mind Eric knew he was crossing boundaries that no Alpha should, but he wouldn't worry about it now. All that mattered was the now, the feeling of Tom's mate as he fucked her. As he would continue fucking her. Eric continued his thrusting, throwing his head back and closing his eyes as he felt his orgasm building. His balls tightened drawing up against his body, and with a final trust, and a bellow of pure satisfaction he felt his seed bath Olivia's womb. He pulled her down to her side, still breathing heavily as he lay next to her. He closed his eyes, running a hand lightly up and down her side. "Thank you for the fuck Olivia. I'm sure your mate will have a difficult time leaving you with me when he senses your heat approaching. And to think, "he paused, letting his hand settle on her abdomen, "With it so close to your cycle, and you being pinned by me, one could only question what the results might be." With a wide yawn, and another deep chuckle to himself, Eric drifted off to sleep, faintly feeling his knot lowering enough to withdraw from Olivia. Listening for the deep patterned breathing of sleep, Olivia eased herself up. Her eyes were still golden as she traveled the short distance her chain allowed her to travel to the wash area Eric had set up for her. Wetting a cloth with the cold water she started to bath herself, letting the cool water wash away the blood and Eric's seed. Hope lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling above her. The crazy dream had seemed like just that, a dream, but she had looked twice now in the mirror and found a small crescent mark below her ear. She had asked to look into her chart to see if she came in with the mark and it hadn't been there. The only way to explain it now would be the dream, meaning...it really wasn't. And if that wasn't a dream, then who was chasing her? Just thinking of it now made her heart beat harder and faster and her breathing more shallow. She knew within her that she knew who it was, but when she tried to look she hit the same brick wall within her mind that she had been hitting against for a week. Groaning, she put her hand to her forehead, turning her gaze to the flowers beside her bed. A small smile crossed her features as she looked at it. Roses this time, twelve perfect white blossoms with greenery and smaller yellow flowers of some type artfully arranged around them. Nicholas had been giving her flowers every 3 days now, before the others had even began to wilt. Thinking of him made Hope blush, and a part of her inside felt warm and happy at the simple thought of him. It was a happy feeling that quickly turned to desire for him. "And why not," Hope rationalized to herself, "I'm a healthy woman, and he is the most handsome man I have ever met." "He is the only man you have met." A small part of her conscious argued back. "I have met other men!" Hope retorted. "The two nurses don't count Hope. You need to meet more of men who aren't forced to be nice to you because of their work." Hope frowned, standing up to go look out the window. "I can meet men when I leave here. Whenever that will be." That small inner voice laughed, and remained silent. Hope had to laugh as well, rubbing the back of her neck and squeezing the tight muscles there. "Arguing with myself seems to get more interesting by the day." She mumbled. A knock sounded on the door, and Hope already knew who would be entering. Her cheeks flushed as she called out a greeting. The door opened and Nicholas stepped through returning her greeting by holding up a smuggled bag of McDonalds. "I have the goods. You sure your doctor is going to approve this?" he asked. "I have a feeling my doctor might be ok with it." Hope smiled knowingly, "So what have you brought for me to try today?" Nicholas smiled, starting to empty the contents of the bag on the tray table beside her bed. "Only an American classic that if you had ever eaten you would be sure to remember!" Hope's eyes widened as she moved closer to Nicholas, unconsciously she leaded forward, breathing deeply of his scent. Woodsy with a small underlying scent of something clean smelling she couldn't quite place her finger on. Just one full breath of his smell left Hope feeling grounded and better than any of the other medicines she had been on in her short stay at the hospital. Nicholas looked over her shoulder at Hope, grinning lopsidedly at her, before turning back to the food in front of him. "Here we go. Fries, check, big mac, check, coke, double check. Ready to eat now?" Hope nodded, looking suspiciously at the food. She could smell everything in it and it didn't smell as appealing as Nicholas was leading her to believe it was. Sitting on her bed she grabbed one of the boxes, and opened it. Holding the burger in both hands she tentatively took a bite, chewing on it slowly. Nicholas looked at Hope, "Well? Any flash of a memory? A spark of sanity?" Hope's looked up with saddened eyes, asking softly, "No...should there have been?" Nicholas realized his mistake, setting down his burger and taking the one from Hope to place beside his own; he pulled Hope into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Hope curled into the embrace, burying her face against his hard chest and inhaling deeply, trying to settle her emotions. Resting his chin on top of her head, Nicholas said softly, "Hope, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Your memory is going to come back to you, I know it will. Stop trying to force it and just let it catch up." Hope leaned back, looking up at Nicholas as she asked, "Do you think it will? It's been over a week now and I haven't even remembered my own name...how do you know I will remember anything?" Nicholas smiled, "I don't know how I know Hope, but some part of me just knows. I don't know when, or how, but I know it will. Is that enough for you? Knowing that eventually it will?" Hope nodded, "It will, but I don't know what will happen once I am discharged from here. One of the nurses said it could be any day now. I have nowhere to go, and you and Samantha are the only people I have even really talked to since I got here." Nicholas nodded, looking quickly at the door before his gaze settled back on Hope, "I have been doing a lot of thinking about that actually. Your discharge paperwork will be brought to you tomorrow. There isn't any reason for you to continue staying here at the hospital. You're healthy, in good condition with nothing broken and no need of any additional services to help you cope." Hope cut Nicholas off, "But where will I go? One of the nurses mentioned a shelter earlier where homeless people go, but what if I am not homeless? What if I just don't know where my home is?" Nicholas tightened his arms around her, breathing deeply at her neck and grounding himself in that musky vanilla scent. "I have been doing a lot of thinking about this Hope." He breathed gently against her neck before moving to look her in the eyes. "I would like you to move in with me. I know my hours can be a little crazy sometimes, but I have some vacation time left since I came out of the woods early and I can take it to help you get settled in. But I would really like it, I mean really like it, if you would come and stay with me." Hope started to say something but was cut off, "I have a spare bedroom, so before you say anything like that I don't expect you to sleep with me. I mean, like in the bed with me I have another bed. Not to say I don't want you in my bed..." Hope held the tips of her fingers to Nicholas's mouth to hush him. "You're going to dig yourself a hole if I don't stop you now. And I appreciate the offer Nicholas and I will move in with you." She smiled as she removed her hands from his lips. "I don't know why, but for some reason, I feel at ease with you. Like I have known you all my life..." Nicholas ran his hand under her hair to brush his thumb in the sensitive spot below her ear, "I feel the same way. It's weird for me because I know I haven't met you. I would have never forgotten if I had." His thumb brushed back her hair and he noticed the small mark there. "Hope, when did this happen?" Hope touched the small mark on her neck, frowning slightly as she replied, "I don't know really. I had such a strange dream this morning, but maybe it was just covered by a bruise?" She hoped he would think of that as an acceptable answer. Nicholas's Hope Ch. 03 Nicholas nodded, continuing to brush him thumb over the small mark, "It's possible you were so bruised and bloodied when I found you. It wouldn't surprise me if a tattoo here and there started to appear when your deeper bruises start healing." Hope laughed lightly, wrapping her arms around Nicholas, "I like you Nicholas. I really do." Nicholas leaned down, breathing deeply of her again as she spoke into her hair, "I like you too Hope. I really do. And I am happy to have found you." In the busy parking lot below Tom dismounted from his motorcycle and stared up at the huge building before him. Sacred Heart was a large hospital, and somewhere within its walls was the woman he sought, who if brought to Erik would set his wife free. Then he and his mate could go back to the life they had before his quarry had crossed his lust filled Alpha's path. She had been a proud beta of a neighboring pack, a beauty pursued by all the wolves that were eligible. But none had been able to defeat her in one on one and force her into the circle to mate with them and she accepted no offers that were put forth to her. Tom's own pack leader hadn't even been able to defeat her in the ring; instead he had snuck behind her while she traveled between packs on her patrols and marked her against her will. She had run from him then and Erik had called in his own Betas to hunt for her. Yet Tom and Clint had been too late. A human had found her and they had chosen to circle and watch. By the time Tom had decided to just take out the interloper another couple of humans had joined him forcing Tom and Clint to abandon the hunt. They couldn't afford that many human deaths on lands controlled by another pack. So here he stood now, cleaning up a mess his Alpha had created, his own mate stuck in the middle. Tom pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his sunglasses. Olivia. He wondered what she had endured at the hands of his Alpha. Hey wasn't disillusioned towards his Alpha. Eric was the worst sort of wolf to ever possibly lead a pack, he cared nothing for any of the wolves under him. The omega women were constantly on call to Eric's bodily needs. No one had challenged the Alpha because of his strength, he may not have the proper morals, but no one could deny his strength and strategy during combat. Tom walked towards the building, his steps determined. He would bring her back to his Alpha and spare his mate. Then, they would leave Eric's pack forever.