Chapter 24 Round Two
Round Two
Anxiety buzzed between the members of the werewolf pack. Cade was deadly serious, glaring at anyone who didn’t act like a military robot. I caught Jem and Finn giving me baleful glances, like it was my fault Cade was being an asshole.
But at least I was allowed to take part in preparations. Cade had everyone out in the training yard going through exercises.
To my irritation, Cade and Luca took Rhett, Archer, Holt, and the serious cousin, Lux, for sparring rounds while Lana directed myself, Jem, and Finn. It definitely felt like the B-team.
She walked us through a simple set of exercises including pull-ups, which I was flat-out unable to do. Dressed in a ridiculously tight sports bra and bike short set that showed a stretch of tanned stomach, Lana crossed her arms and chided me.
“I don't know why you can’t do this. It’s not that hard. It’s like you’ve never worked out in your life.”
Jaw clenched, I tried again, pulling myself a few inches off the ground. “I haven’t.”
She huffed. “Maybe you should just go back and prepare lunch for everyone. At least then you’d be useful. We both know you aren’t going on this mission.”
My gaze strayed to where Cade and Rhett circled each other, shirtless. Sunlight gleamed on Cade’s golden skin, glinting off the sheen of sweat. The silvery scars of his claim mark were unmistakable, and it made my mouth water.
I was done questioning how messed up the fated mate bond was. I just wanted him, and he hated me, and we would torture each other until the end of time. It felt hopeless. If it wasn’t for Luca, I didn’t know what I would have done.
“Summer, focus!” Lana snapped. Her blonde ponytail swished as she shook her head. “Big, mean, and pretty over there isn’t going to be impressed by you right now.”
I tightened my grip on the bar and imagined swinging my legs up, locking around her neck and twisting her head. Violent, but satisfying. As if I would have the core strength to do that.
“At least my tits aren’t falling out of my top,” I growled.
Lana threw her head back and laughed. It was an attractive throaty sound that made me hate her even more. “Honey, you wish you had my rack.”
With a smirk, she sauntered off to pick on Finn and Jem.
I let myself hang, enjoying the way it stretched my back, as I watched Cade and Rhett fight. I’d never seen Cade train before, but it seemed to me he was slower than Rhett. My brow furrowed. That didn’t seem right.
My eyes tracked his movements, watching those glorious muscles lengthen and tighten as he swung at the older werewolf. In a quick movement, Rhett grabbed his wrist and twisted him around, shoving his knee and knocking him to the dirt.
A shout of pain echoed across the clearing, and I dropped into a crouch, panic making my heart race. Darting across the space, I dropped to the dirt beside Luca, who was easing Cade up to a seated position. Cade cradled his arm where Rhett had gripped him. He tried to rotate it and winced.
“I’m sorry, man,” Rhett said, scratching at his short silvery hair. “I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s fine. Just a fluke. I’m sure it’ll heal up fine by tomorrow,” Cade said through clenched teeth. Eyes closed, he tipped his head back, and I resisted the urge to lean forward and lick under the sharp edge of his jaw. Fuck this bond.
Luca and Archer each took an elbow and helped Cade stand. He shook them off, insisting he was fine.
Archer crossed his arms. “Alpha, you need to rest. I’ll walk you up to the house. Summer, you’re coming too.”
My eyes widened. Of course I wanted to come and keep an eye on Cade. I couldn’t help it. But he clearly didn’t want me.
“She should train,” Cade growled.
“Why? You aren’t bringing her on the mission.” Archer wasn’t backing down. His biceps bulged as he crossed his arms.
Cade stomped forward, toward the deck stairs and the pack’s lake house, grumping under his breath. Archer jerked his head at me, and I lurched forward. Arms hugging myself, I trailed after Cade, my stomach a weird jumble of anxiety, rejection, and horniness.
Archer followed us all the way up the stairs in a stiff, awkward silence. Cade turned left, as if he would head for a different bedroom, and Archer growled, “Nope, your room.”
Cade twisted around, but his snarl was cut short with a grimace. Archer raised one eyebrow, and Cade conceded, shuffling into the bedroom and all but collapsing on the bed.
Elowen appeared in the doorway. “Oh, did we have another incident?”
“Just a sprained wrist,” Cade growled.
“Oh, Archer, can you go get some ice for him?” Elowen paused, and Archer leaned down and whispered in her ear. She paused, thinking, and then nodded. “Agreed.”
I watched, useless, as Elowen retrieved a bandage from the bathroom and tightly wrapped Cade’s wrist. He rested his head against the headboard with his eyes closed and let her work.
Archer returned with a bag of ice.
Elowen propped her hands on her hips, thinning her mouth like she was ready for a fight. “Summer, you’re going to hold the ice in place. So go get in the bed with him.”
“What?” I asked, the word a bit strangled.
“I can hold ice. She should leave,” Cade huffed.
“You know just as well as I do that her presence will help you heal. And it’ll help undo this weakness you’re experiencing.”
Cade’s lips drew back to flash white teeth.
Archer sighed, stepping closer and dropping his voice. “Alpha, I know you wouldn’t lead us on a mission when you were not at full strength.”
Cade’s jaw ticked. “Fine.”
“Don’t sound like it’s such a sacrifice,” I muttered, surprising myself with my boldness.
“Get in there,” Elowen said, shooing me forward.
Tentatively, I climbed onto the bed beside him. Archer held out the ice pack and I accepted it, placing it gently over Cade’s wrapped wrist. He hissed through his teeth and I stiffened.
“It’s fine,” he growled.
“You need to be touching,” Elowen said, frowning.
Cade rolled his eyes, but wrapped his free arm around my waist and dragged me against him. I pressed into his side, my heart racing. Every inch of skin touching sizzled, all of my nerves exploding at once.
“Good, now don’t move. You need her. I expect you to still be here snuggling when I come back later to check on you.” Elowen tutted, leading Archer out of the room and shutting the door behind them.
The silence was thick and heavy, my body aching. I could feel each beat of my heart in my ears, my throat, and between my legs. Cade wasn’t immune either. He propped up his knee but it didn’t exactly hide his hard on.
My ridiculous brain kept suggesting dumb ideas, like reach into his shorts, climb on top of him, get naked. I stayed glued where I was, unwilling to humiliate myself further.
Cade exhaled, long and rough, and released me. I started to protest, but he scooted down the bed until he was lying flat, and then patted the blanket beside him.
Quickly, I stretched out, one hand on the ice pack, one tucked against my chest. My head rested on his shoulder, where it softened and transitioned to his pec muscle. One knee rested atop his thigh, and my toes tucked against his bare feet.
He was probably miserable, but I couldn’t help the pure bliss radiating throughout my body. That fated mate bond still hummed for more, but it was surprisingly eased by this amount of contact.
Cade let out a low groan. “They were right. I’m feeling better already. Dammit.”
“Sorry,” I squeaked.
A moment of silence passed. He turned to glare down his nose at me. “This doesn’t mean anything. But I think I’ll need you near me, at least until the mission is complete.”
“Okay,” I said.
Mentally, I kicked myself for rolling over like a submissive puppy, but the impulse to please him was so strong. And if it eased the painful ache that tortured me every minute we were apart, I was all for it. It was the least he could do.
Slowly, the tension eased, leaving a warm, gooey feeling in my muscles. Cade shifted his weight, turning his head so his lips and chin brushed my hair.
His chest rose as he breathed me in. He let out a low hum. Heat sparked in my belly. This was it. He was giving in. Any second he would kiss me, touch me, accept the bond.
Cade let out a snuffly snore as he exhaled.
He was asleep.
Shit.
Cheeks flushing, I closed my eyes and tried to rest too. It seemed impossible with his body against mine. I wiggled, wanting to grind against him, but the angle wasn’t right and I was terrified of waking him up. He needed to sleep and heal.
Finally, I gave in and relaxed into his hold. With the steady feel of his chest rising under my head and hand, it didn’t take too long for me to drift off too.