Lib Novel Page 90
It’s then that I realize the scent of my own desire is thick in the air, blanketing us both. She’s able to resist it, which annoys me.
I can only watch her in silence. As angry as she is, she is still taking care of me. She unwinds the bandage and wraps it around my waist before tying it carefully. Lowering my shirt back down, she puts everything back in the first aid kit and leaves the room. Her foot has barely crossed the threshold when I hear her say, “I didn’t mean to hurt you. But I don’t want you touching me, either.”
I stare after her, feeling slightly elated at her tender care. It makes me wonder if she really does feel anything for Noah Black. If she did, she wouldn’t keep coming back in here to help me.
*** **
It’s hard to lie in bed when I know Sophia is out there, probably asleep on the couch. I can feel my body healing slowly, but I still need a couple more days. I glance at the wall clock before getting to my feet. Flexing my injured arm, I’m relieved that it is regaining some of its movement. Making my way into the living room, I see Sophia lying on a mattress on the floor next to the coffee table.
The feeling of guilt is intense. I should be the one on the floor, not her. I can see from her uncomfortable expression that she’s not sleeping easy. She keeps tossing and turning. I crouch down next to her and press my hand down on the mattress. It’s quite lumpy. Making up my mind, I gently pick her up, swallowing a groan of pain when her weight settles on my injured arm.
I have never missed having a healer around more than I do right now. It’s a struggle to carry Sophia even though she weighs next to nothing. I slowly place her on the bed and cover her with the blanket. Her tense muscles relax, almost as if her body recognizes where it is. My lips form a small smile.
Stroking the wayward strands of hair off her forehead, I study her calm expression.
She looks so at ease now. I don’t think I have ever seen such an expression on her face. She’s not going to tell me who put these bruises on her, but I’m going to find out. And like I did with Freddy that night in the woods, I’m going to teach whoever it is a lesson he will never forget.
I sit down on the chair beside the bed and watch my fated mate sleep soundly.
How can I protect her?
She’s right, yet again. Once I leave, no matter what anybody does to her, I’ll be too far away to do anything about it.
What if I convince her to join us? If we are successful in locating the Silver Wolf, maybe I can talk Sophia into coming north with us. The bond between us should disappear once I take a different female as my mate. I can find Sophia someone worthy of—
The train of thought comes to a halt as I realize the gravity of what I’m trying to plan. Hand Sophia off to another man? My wolf is throwing itself against the cage of my mind, enraged by the idea. No. No, I can’t do that.
I should just make sure I get rid of those who want to hurt her. Starting with Noah Black. I don’t trust him. There’s something about him that doesn’t rub me the right way.
What was with his strength? Even if he has been training, there is no possible way he should surpass an Alpha when it comes to speed and strength. But I could hardly keep up with him.
My eyes linger on the sleeping Sophia, and I feel the cage that holds my wolf inside me crack. It wants to be near her. It wants to comfort her, lick her wounds. If I restrain myself any longer, I know the consequences aren’t going to be pretty, so I allow the shift to take place.
The bed is narrow, and I circle it anxiously, not knowing how to lie down next to my mate without waking her. Finally, with no other choice left, I rest my head on the bed, rumbling happily, one paw on her stomach. When she doesn’t stir, I close my eyes, letting myself slip into sleep, Sophia’s presence soothing the agitation inside me.
I know she’s going to have words to say to me once she wakes up, but I would rather not think about it now.
Chapter 18
Sophia Hope
There has never been a man more deluded than Alex Stone.
Carrying two bags of groceries in my hands, I stomp my feet on the ground as I make my way toward Rita’s house.
The nerve of him! How dare he? Who does he think he is, trying to interfere in my life? I have half a mind to pummel that gorgeous face of his into the ground.
I woke up to the black wolf curled around me—and my bed broken.
I don’t know when it broke, and I don’t know when he carried me there, or when he decided it would be a good idea to climb into the bed with me, but right now, he’s nursing a good headache from the way I screamed into his ear.
It’s chilly out today. I wish I’d had the presence of mind to bring my jacket, but I was so desperate to get out of the apartment that I only grabbed my wallet and keys.
I cannot understand this man. He says one thing, and he does another. If he’s adamant about staying at my place while he recovers, he should have the decency not to make it difficult on me. But he can’t seem to understand what boundaries are.
He broke my fucking bed! Does he have any idea how much beds cost? I was lucky to find that one secondhand! He’d better be ready to fork up the money for a new one.
My arms are aching as I carry the shopping bags up the lane. The anger stirring inside me is not exclusively due to what happened this morning. It’s about the events of last night. I found out Alex’s plan, and now knowing he’s looking for the Silver Wolf, I knew I had to be careful. I couldn’t tell him the Wily Vixen isn’t the person he’s looking for; I would have had to give up my secret identity. And I don’t trust him enough to do that.