This man was dangerous. Of course he was, he was half wolf. Dangerous to all my common sense.
“I’ll stay until Henry gets better.” I held up my hand when he started to reply. “That’s the best I can give right now, Chael.”
He reached over and cupped my face. He brought our foreheads together and my resolve slipped a little.
“You’re tough as hell. Do you know that?” He grinned.
I shook my head. “I’m not.”
“You got between two wolves and your dog last night, even though you were terrified. And you’re being stubborn even though I can sense how much you want to believe me.” He ran his lips across my forehead. “You’re my own little force of nature. With a heart of gold.”
I didn’t want to but my lips curled into a smile on their own accord.
“You amaze me.” He placed another kiss against my forehead and stood. “I have to go,” he suddenly said.
I peered up and glanced back toward the door. To my surprise, a man stood there. He was almost as tall as Chael with the same deep-bronze coloring, high cheekbones, and long dark hair.
It was as if he’d appeared out of nowhere.
“Chance,” Chael said.
The man looked at me and nodded in deference, his expression flat. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that he was related to Chael.
“Chance,” I whispered and then gasped. I snapped my fingers as I stood. “You were there last night, too.”
A small smile touched his lips, and he nodded.
“Chance is my brother and my highest-ranking beta,” Chael introduced.
Chance moved closer, holding out his hand to take mine. Chael nodded at me, and I gave him my hand.
He grasped it, bowing his head deeply. It felt strange for a man almost as captivating as Chael to bow to me as if I were to be revered.
Chance gave my hand one final squeeze before releasing it and stepping back. His gaze shifted to Chael, but he didn’t say anything.
“Yes,” Chael nodded as if answering some unasked question. He looked down at me. “Chance and I have pack business to deal with. We’ll talk more later.”
“Wait. Where are you going?” I still didn’t know what was going on.
“We’ll talk as soon as possible,” he assured. “I have to handle something. Remember, you’re safe here,” he emphasized.
“I’m only staying until Henry gets better,” I said, not knowing if that was to remind him or me.
The smile he wore dropped, but he nodded. “You can walk freely about the commune. All of the pack will be happy to accommodate anything you need. We’ll let you have some time with Henry before I send Elsie for you to show you around.”
He gave me one last look and then was out of the door.
I retook my seat by Henry’s bed. I had no idea what the hell I had gotten myself into.
When Dr. Drake left the room, I leaned down to Henry’s ear and promised him that it would be okay. I would figure out what was going on and get us back home, safely.
CHAPTER14
Chael
“Where is he?” I barked at Chance as I followed him to the town center, completely losing my cool now that Reese wasn’t in my presence. I’d dutifully watched over Henry while Dr. Drake performed his surgery while I allowed Elsie, one of our pack elders, to keep an eye over Reese. The time allowed for the shifter Chance had brought back to heal up from the fight last night.
After ordering the disposal of the other two bodies of the wolves we’d killed, I went out for a solo run. I needed time to myself to gather my thoughts. It took hours running in the mountains around our commune for my wolf to calm down. By the time I’d gotten back, it was early morning and my pack was up, bustling about, in and out of my home, preparing breakfast.
