Everyone was in the chill room, along with a surprise guest who was tending to everyone’s wounds: Esme.
Phillip rushed Rose and embraced her so tightly that I was worried he might pop her. They both cried happy tears and then he let her go, keeping her hand in his, relaying all his emotions that he didn’t say out loud.
Draco was patiently waiting for his turn to touch his woman, and as soon as Phillip released her hand, he wrapped her in his arms, whispered things in her ear that no one else could hear.
Esme, who had her hair down and was wearing leggings and a sweater, walked over, having noticed I was favoring my right side.
“Let me see,” she demanded and then lifted up my shirt to see my shitty bandaging skills over the knife wound that Rosalie had given me. I’d been in bear form when I was stabbed, so nothing important was harmed; it was just a flesh wound, as they say. Some stitches and I’d be just fine.
She went about cutting the bandage with scissors from a bag she had next to her filled with all sorts of supplies, including pain killers. She cleaned the wound and neatly sewed it up.
“You guys will definitely keep me on my toes,” she commented, and I tilted my head to the side, obviously having missed something.
Lilith came over and kissed my dirty forehead with a loud smack.
“Phillip hired her part-time to be our Hero Society nurse. It seems we are going to need someone who knows more than a few tricks to pull a bullet from the muscle.” Lilith winked at Leon, who was sitting on the couch, looking tired as hell. They all looked like shit, if I was being honest.
My eyes searched for my mate’s, and I found them staring back at me with longing in his eyes but his body limp in the chair.
“His energy has to recharge, so he can’t really move right now, but come later today he should be fine. Go easy on him—he bought the Heroes some time,” Esme told me softly while the others talked to each other and welcomed Rose and me home.
“Thank you.” I leaned in to hug her, and I felt her body freeze at first then melt into my hold. I’d known her for years, and all that time, we could have been friends, had I not had a metal wall around my heart. But now that would change. She was one of us.
“Go get him, tiger,” she whispered into my ear, and I grinned. With fast steps, I was at the couch, lying my upper body over his, listening to his heart, hearing that he was okay with my own ears.
“I missed you too, kitten.” He chuckled, and I picked my head up to look into his perfect face.
“My mate,” I purred, and the soft vibrations coming from my chest at the notion made him grin wider.
“Your mate,” he confirmed, as I leaned in to kiss that stupid smile that drove me wild and made me feel home once again.
