Celina #2
Juno parked in the circular driveway and was out of the vehicle within seconds, already moving to help support Osias’s weight. But her mate, stubborn as always, waved him off with his uninjured arm.
“I can walk,” he said, though the slight tremor in his voice suggested otherwise.
Celina slid out and immediately positioned herself under his good shoulder, ignoring his protest. “Walking and walking without tearing these wounds any further are two different things. Stop being an Alpha for five minutes and let us help you.”
The key felt solid and reassuring in her palm as she finally unlocked the front door. The familiar scent of cedar enveloped them as they crossed the threshold, Juno steadying Osias from the other side despite his continued grumbling about being perfectly capable.
“Kitchen now,” she directed, guiding them toward the back of the house where she’d seen the well-stocked medical supplies during her explorations of their shared space.
They soon settled Osias onto one of the bar stools, his naked torso revealing the full extent of the damage in the afternoon sunlight streaming through the windows. The gashes were angry red lines against his tanned skin, deeper than she’d hoped but not catastrophic.
“You need help with this?” Juno asked, already moving toward the medical cabinet with efficiency.
“No.” The word came out more firmly than she’d intended. “I can take care of him.”
Something shifted in Juno’s expression—approval, maybe, or recognition of the claim she was making. This wasn’t just about first aid. This was about her right to care for her mate.
“Call if you need anything,” Juno said simply, then headed for the door. “I’ll be making some calls about those rogues.”
Once alone with Osias, Celina moved to the sink and began gathering supplies—clean towels, antiseptic, bandages, everything she’d need to properly tend his wounds.
Her hands had stopped shaking, replaced by the focused determination that had carried her through three decades of performing under pressure.
“You should be getting ready for your Q&A session,” Osias said, watching her work with those blue eyes that missed nothing. “The Best Actress nominees event is important for your campaign.”
She paused in her preparations. “I’m not going.”
“Celina—“
“My top priority is staying here and taking care of you.” She dampened a cloth with warm water. “End of discussion.”
Through their bond, Celina felt his frustration spike, followed immediately by a wave of pride and then reluctant resignation. He wanted to argue, wanted to insist she maintain her professional obligations, but he also recognized the steel in her voice that meant further protest was futile.
“You don’t need to do that,” he said quietly as she approached with the damp cloth.
“Yes, I do. You’re my mate.”
She began cleaning the wounds with gentle, methodical strokes, each swipe of the cloth revealing the true extent of the damage.
The gashes were clean—claws rather than teeth—which would make healing easier.
But they were deep enough to require careful attention, and she could see exhaustion weighing on him despite his attempts to appear unaffected.
His body tensed as she worked, his muscles jumping under her touch when the antiseptic hit the raw flesh. She felt his pain echo through their bond, a sharp counterpoint to her own emotional turmoil over seeing him hurt.
“The rogues knew exactly where to find us,” she said, focusing on her task rather than meeting his eyes. “This wasn’t random.”
“No,” he agreed grimly. “It wasn’t.”
She applied antibiotic ointment with careful precision, then began the process of bandaging the worst wounds. Her fingers worked with steady competence, wrapping gauze around his ribs and securing the dressing on his shoulder with medical tape.
“There.” She finally stepped back to examine her handiwork, satisfied with the neat bandages. “You need rest, fluids, and absolutely no heroic Alpha nonsense for the next forty-eight hours.”
He didn’t look thrilled about that prescription, but when he tried to stand, she pressed a firm hand against his uninjured shoulder.
“We’re going upstairs so you can lie down properly.”
The journey to their bedroom required more assistance than his stubborn pride wanted to accept, but she could feel his energy flagging as they climbed the grand staircase. By the time they reached the hallway, he was leaning on her more heavily and his breathing was slightly labored.
She soon settled him onto their bed with careful attention to his injuries, pulling the covers up to his waist and adjusting the pillows to support his bandaged shoulder. In the soft afternoon light filtering through their bedroom windows, the lines of pain around his eyes were more pronounced.
“Rest,” she ordered, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Her phone suddenly buzzed against her hip, and she answered it quickly when she saw it was Daya.
“Celina?” Daya’s voice carried a note of controlled panic. “Please tell me you’ve seen the headlines circulating on social media.”
“No.” She moved toward the window, lowering her voice so Osias could rest. “We just got home after Osias was injured fighting off two lions, and I’ve been treating his wounds.”
“Is he okay?” The panic shifted immediately to genuine concern.
“He’ll recover. But I’m staying home with him while he heals.”
“That makes sense. But Celina—you need to check the news. They’re saying dangerous lions are loose in Hollywood, and there’s already speculation about one transforming from human to lion.”
Her stomach dropped as the implications crashed over her in waves.
Someone saw Osias shift.
“How bad is it?” Celina asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.
“Bad enough that you need to get ahead of it. The story’s still developing, but if someone has video or photos...”
Celina closed her eyes, her mind already racing through damage control scenarios.
Thirty years of navigating Hollywood crises had taught her that the first twenty-four hours were crucial.
If they could shape the narrative quickly enough, they might be able to contain the damage.
But if someone had actual evidence of Osias shifting from human to lion…
She turned back toward the bed, where her mate was watching her with those blue eyes that had already read the situation.
“Someone saw me, didn’t they?”
The resignation in his voice made her chest ache. This was what he’d feared most—not for himself but for his pride. The exposure that could destroy everything he’d built and everything he’d worked to protect.
“I think so.” She moved back to his side, taking his hand in hers. “But I will do everything I can to protect our pride. I’ll use every contact, every favor, every resource I have.”
His fingers tightened around hers, and through their bond she felt a surge of emotion so powerful it nearly knocked her off balance—pride, gratitude, love, and something that felt like wonder.
“Our pride,” he repeated softly.
Our pride. Not his. Theirs.
“Yes,” she whispered. “I’ll protect them. I’ll protect you. Whatever it takes.”
“I know you will,” he said, settling back against the pillows with a small smile that transformed his exhausted features. “That’s why you’re perfect for this pride. Perfect for me.”
As she reached for her phone to begin the most important performance of her career—not on screen, but in the ruthless arena of public opinion—Celina felt the weight of responsibility settle on her shoulders.
She was no longer just Celina Bates, Academy Award-winning actress. She was the Alpha’s mate. And she would not let her family down.