20. Phil
Phil
I woke feeling like I had a bag over my head and cotton stuffed into my ears.
My right arm ached, and both arms stung.
My calves stung too. I tried to say something, but the cotton in my ears must have been shoved down my throat too.
I felt dry as a bone, and my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.
My wings fluttered, and pain shot through my wing muscles.
I hadn’t felt that level of discomfort since my first week flying to and from Sedrick’s house.
A groan slipped through my parched throat. Immediately two sets of similar, worried brown eyes stared down at me.
“Phil?” Dillon questioned while Ruthie wiggled toward my head and carded her fingers through my hair. “Are you awake?”
I figured my open eyes should hint that I was, but Dillon was a kid. Besides, who knew? Maybe I slept with my eyes open. I’d never shared a bed with anyone to know for certain.
“I-I am,” I managed to gruff out.
“I’ll go get Uncle Sed.”
Before I could stop him, Dillon hopped off the bed and was gone from my sight. Ruthie remained, petting my head like I was her favorite kitty.
Sedrick’s deep, rumbling voice filled the room in what felt like no time at all. “Phil, how are you feeling?” Sedrick’s voice matched his handsome, worn face. Deep, purple bags rested below his tender brown orbs. The amber glow emanating told me his wolf was paying attention too.
I started to try to say something but only managed a harsh “Thirsty.”
“I’ll bet,” Sedrick answered. “Ruthie, why don’t you and Dillon grab a couple of glasses of water for Phil. Some OJ would be good too.”
I heard more than saw Dillon and Ruthie scramble out of the room.
Sedrick placed a knee on the edge of the bed and loomed over me.
His hands reached out, but he was hesitant to touch me.
“Can you sit up? I’m afraid I don’t have any straws, so you’ll need to sit if you want to drink.
I’m not sure how much you remember from yesterday, but you lost some blood, and that’s probably why you’re so thirsty. You need to replenish.”
My mind whirled so fast that it almost ached.
Images flew through at alarming speed and with even more alarming clarity.
I pushed myself up without thinking, ignoring the immediate ache and sting.
“The kids.” I cranked my head toward the door.
Despite the pain it caused, my wings fluttered. “Are they—”
“They’re fine. Thanks to you. And just in case you were wondering, it is you we’re all more worried about.
” Sedrick’s tone was sharp, maybe with a hint of reprimand.
But overriding that was a bottomless pit of concern.
He confirmed that thought when he whispered, “You scared the shit out of me, Phil.”
“Sorry.” The word slipped out of my lips before I could think about why I was sorry.
“I don’t want an apology. I want you to get better.” Sedrick shifted so both knees were on the bed and kneeled over me. “Now, is it okay if I lean you against the headboard? Will it hurt your wings?”
I stretched my wings out, flattening them while trying to scoot back on the bed.
Sedrick reached under my arms, his fingers wrapping around my torso, and helped lift me into place.
My cheeks flushed, and despite my evident blood loss, I still had enough to pink my skin.
I hadn’t realized that I was near naked.
My undies scooted against the sheets on the bed; that was the only way I realized my modesty was still mostly intact.
“Th-thank you,” I said hesitantly. My throat still felt like sandpaper, but it was a little better than when I’d first woken.
“You’re welcome.” Sedrick opened his mouth to say more, but Dillon and Ruthie bounded back into the room, scrambling onto the bed. Remarkably, not a drop of water or juice spilled.
I reached for the water first and downed the glass with hardly a breath in between.
“Careful,” Sedrick scolded. “Drink the juice next, then the other glass.”
I couldn’t find it in me to argue. My hands were shaky, and I figured I could use the sugar.
“You okay, Phil?” Dillon’s worried gaze traveled up and down my body. Following his eyes, I saw all the bandages wrapped around my arms and legs.
“I’m good,” I exaggerated. Good wasn’t quite how I felt. But I was alive, and although I hurt, the damage seemed minimal or at least not lethal. That was a definite win. “How are you?” I asked, remembering he’d been bitten by those nasty gnomes too.
“I shifted a few times, so I’m almost all better. See.” Dillon pulled up the sleeve of his shirt to show off a barely visible mottled green bruise here and there. “The rest of it looks about the same.”
Relief smacked into me. “And Ruthie, you doing okay too?”
Ruthie rapidly nodded. Her hair was a disaster, and she absently pushed it off her forehead so she could see.
“From what I hear, you got Ruthie out of there before the gnomes could get to her,” Sedrick said.
“He did.” Dillon beamed, puffing out his chest. “Phil knew I could handle those gnomes.”
Sedrick’s eyes narrowed on his nephew. “Phil wouldn’t have had to worry about either of you if you’d done what he said and stayed indoors, out of harm’s way.”
Dillon collapsed in on himself, shoulders rounding and head down.
“I think there’s something you wanted to tell Phil, isn’t there?” Sedrick’s tone left little doubt that it wasn’t truly a choice.
“I’m sorry, Phil. I should have listened. I didn’t mean to get you hurt.” Dillon’s head snapped up, and his eyes were pleading pools of pain. “And I didn’t mean to bite you. I’d never hurt you on purpose. I thought you were another gnome and—”
I tugged Dillon into my chest. The action pulled at my wounds and hurt, but I couldn’t take the guilt radiating off him.
“It’s okay, Dillon. I understand. I knew the minute you bit me that you were just confused.
It’ll heal up just fine and won’t even scar.
” I didn’t know that for certain, but pixies typically didn’t scar easily.
Dillon’s wolf was close to the surface and reflected in the amber of his eyes. It looked like he wanted to protest for half a second, but in the end, he gave a firm nod and a hesitant smile. “Pixies are tougher than they look.”
“Way tougher,” I agreed and gave him a final hug before letting him go. Ruthie took Dillon’s place and snuggled up close. It was Ruthie’s nonverbal apology.
Sedrick laid a hand on Ruthie’s back, rubbing gentle circles. “Why don’t the two of you go get cleaned up. I need to talk to Phil for a few minutes, and then I’ll be out to fix you breakfast. Okay?”
Ruthie gave my chest a final squeeze before releasing me. She slid off the bed and automatically reached for Dillon’s hand. Dillon’s cheeks flushed pink and the softest “Thanks, Phil” drifted into the room before he tugged Ruthie out after him.
“I think he’s more embarrassed than anything else,” Sedrick said as he sat on the edge of the bed, dipping the mattress.
“He didn’t listen to what you told him, and you got hurt.
Dillon has good alpha instincts, which is eating away at him more than anything.
” Sedrick hung his head, hiding his profile.
“I understand how he feels,” Sedrick blew out a frustrated breath.
“This wasn’t your fault. If anything, it’s mine. I should have—”
“Not another word.” The heat in Sedrick’s voice silenced me immediately.
“You will not claim fault in this, Phil. You asked for my permission before Peaches tried to contain the gnomes, and I gave it. This is on me. I could have paid the emergency fee.” Sedrick held up a hand, silencing the protest forming on my lips.
“Yes, it’s astronomical, and it’ll hurt to pay it, but where the kid’s safety and yours are concerned, there’s no price too high.
I figured that out a little late, but as the saying goes, better late than never. ”
I flushed, and my wings tried to flutter against the pillows cradling my body. I knew Sedrick felt that way about Dillon and Ruthie, but it was another thing to be included in that statement.
“For the record, Peaches feels bad about what happened too.”
Again, I started to protest.
This time, Sedrick leaned into me, one hand on either side of my head, pinning me to the headboard and silencing my wings.
“I told him the same thing I just told you. It’s not his fault.
” Sedrick’s fingers ghosted down my cheek, brushing away a strand of hair and tucking it behind my ear.
“Your hair looks nice down, Phil. You can do whatever you want with it while you’re working for me.
Up, down, braided, I don’t care. As long as you’re comfortable. ”
Sedrick’s lips were so close I could feel his warm breath against my skin.
I licked my lips, and Sedrick’s wolf-bright eyes followed the motion.
My heart hammered, and my skin felt too warm.
I couldn’t help it. My wings pushed harder against the pillows, and pain flashed through the damaged one. I automatically winced.
Sedrick blinked and pulled away.
“The healer didn’t leave any more pain medication, but I can call him and see if—”
“No. I’m fine.” I grinned at the stupidity of that statement. “Well, I’m not exactly fine, but I will be. I just . . . I should know better than to move my wing, but sometimes it’s hard not to.”
“It’s instinct,” Sedrick answered with absolute surety.
I’d never thought of it that way, but I supposed it described things accurately enough.
I looked down at the bandages wrapped around my arms. A sheet covered me from the waist down so I couldn’t see the wrappings on my legs.
I could feel them, though. The pain wasn’t welcome, but at least it had softened my burgeoning erection.
Werewolves were tactile. Sedrick hadn’t meant anything by his earlier proximity.
He’d be mortified to see the reaction his nearness had on me.