Chapter 4 #2
Out of habit, I started to unbuckle my belt and pull my shirt and undershirt off over my head, then paused.
The desire for skin contact was strong and instinctive among shifters, especially when someone was injured or hurting emotionally.
But it wasn’t necessary for me to undress to warm and soothe Alice, and most importantly she might not appreciate opening her eyes to find me in bed with her in my boxers.
Privileges I’d had in her bed last night didn’t transfer to this bed today.
My wolf growled in displeasure, but I left my clothing on and slid under the covers next to Alice. The bed shook as she trembled.
Very slowly, I turned Alice to her side, curled up behind her, and drew her gently against my chest. She let out a breathy whimper, then went quiet except for raspy breathing.
This was a nightmare version of how we’d lain together in the hours after dawn. Her vanilla-sunshine scent was still there, but far stronger were the odors of magic, pain, fear, and burned flesh.
I closed my eyes, inhaled, and exhaled slowly. In my arms, she shivered and moaned.
My wolf curled up, his eyes glowing. Comfort and warmth, he said.
Thanks to my physiology as an alpha, my body knew what to do to help an injured or weakened member of my pack.
Alice wasn’t part of my pack, but my body produced calming pheromones whenever I was near someone in distress.
I also drew gently on our pack bonds to let their comfort and strength wash through me and into Alice.
Just as I started to settle in, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I growled and fished it out.
Ron Dormer: Got signatures from Hines and scheduled the project. Everything ok?
I’d forgotten about Gerald Hines. At the moment, I cared far less about that job than Alice’s condition, but I was glad Ron had been able to step in and finalize everything.
Me: Thanks for taking over. Pack emergency. I won’t be coming back this afternoon. Can you cover for me in the meetings?
Ron: Of course. Will you need tomorrow off?
I looked at Alice. Her shivering had eased a little, but her heart raced and she was still in shock. All my instincts told me she needed me, whether she would admit it or not.
Me: I probably will take tomorrow off. I’ll let you know for sure later tonight.
Ron: I’ll hold down the fort. Take care of your people.
I put the phone on the bed behind me, drew the covers up to Alice’s chin, and settled in with her in my arms, careful not to rub against her skin or hurt her. Again, I drew gently on my pack’s bonds and let the warmth and strength of our pack wrap around Alice like a blanket.
She let out a wispy sigh and moved to press her back closer to my chest. She’d done so instinctively, not consciously, but my wolf was pleased. He put his head on his paws and let his eyes go half-lidded.
“I see your magic blending in her aura,” Malcolm said quietly. “That’s you comforting her?”
“Yes,” I murmured.
“Thank you for helping her. Helping us.” He sighed. “Sorry for calling you numbnuts.”
“Apology accepted.” I found an unburned part of her hand and stroked it lightly with my thumb in a quiet, even rhythm I hoped would soothe her. “Thank you for keeping her alive until I could get here.”
“You just met her last night, you said?” His voice didn’t sound suspicious anymore, but he was wary.
“Yes,” I said. “Before I left her house, I asked to see her again. She said she’d think about it and saved my number.”
“Hmm.” His chilly presence moved away from the bed toward the burned circle. “Do you think she planned to call, if it hadn’t been for this?”
“I’m not sure,” I admitted, still stroking her hand. “Probably not.”
“You’re honest, anyway.” Malcolm’s chuckle sounded tired. “Well, I’ll let you two sort it out when she’s awake and healed, or as healed as we can get her. By then, hopefully she’ll let you take her home. She has strong healing spells that will finish the job.”
My wolf curled his lip at the thought of Alice sending us away.
“I’ll try another healing spell when I think it’s reasonably safe,” Malcolm added. “Keep doing your thing in the meantime.”
“I will,” I assured him. Nothing could keep me from it, at least for now.
Thanks to the healing spells and my comfort, tears no longer trickled down Alice’s face. Her breathing was less labored too. She still shivered, but not nearly as badly. The pile of blankets and my body heat were helping.
Fierce, fearless Alice would survive this awful accident. I’d make sure she did. More than that, I felt it in my gut. That was why my wolf had calmed down. But we had many hours and many terrible healing spells to go before she’d be all right.
And I had no idea how she’d react when she woke and found me beside her, especially if Malcolm was right and she didn’t know who she’d called for help. He even seemed uncertain as to whether she’d let me drive her home despite her injuries.
What would I do if she ordered me to leave?
Just as that thought made my stomach lurch, Alice snuggled back against me again. The movement was tiny and I knew she was instinctively seeking warmth and comfort. But just like last night, my breath caught in my chest at how good and right she felt beside me.
I hadn’t gone to Hawthorne’s last night looking for anything more than to relax with a drink after a long day, and yet with a little luck, that spontaneous decision might have changed the trajectory of my life.
I closed my eyes, stroked Alice’s hand, and wrapped her in all the warmth and comfort my body and heart could give.