“Make sure she eats again too,” Gram directed, heading in the direction of Carter’s office.
I tried to ignore the awkwardness between us, but it was difficult. We’d agreed to see how things went after this was over, but now that it was done, I was uncertain.
“My truck’s out front,” he said, gesturing toward the street.
I nodded and walked outside, surprised when he opened my door for me, helping me into the cab though I was perfectly capable of getting in under my own steam.
I watched him with narrowed eyes as he moved around the front and slid into the driver’s seat.
“Buckle up,” he directed.
I did as he said without argument. I stared unseeingly out the window as he reversed out of the parking spot and headed out of town. It wasn’t until we’d been on the road for nearly ten minutes that I realized we weren’t heading in the right direction.
“Where are we going, Lachlan?” I asked.
His face was grim when he answered, refusing to look at me. “We need to talk.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Lachlan
My hands grippedthe steering wheel so tightly that the leather creaked ominously and the hard plastic beneath it compressed in my grip.
Chloe stared out the window without speaking. Her skin was still paler than normal and despite all the food her grandmother and I had been shoving at her the past few days, she’d lost weight. All her energy had been directed toward healing the wound that Brayden Kirkpatrick inflicted.
Last night I hadn’t been able to take it any longer. She moved and whimpered in her sleep and I knew she was having nightmares. I’d climbed into bed with her, wrapping her in my arms.
I’d done it for selfish reasons as well. I needed her close to remind myself that she was really here, within reach. The past three days seemed surreal.
I had a mate. Another mate.
Finding one’s true mate over the course of a lifetime was amazing. Surviving their death even more difficult. But to have a second mate, it was a blessing beyond comprehension. It was rare. I’d only heard of a handful of wolves that had found a second mate after losing their first.
Now I could count myself among them.
I pulled down the drive that led to Darrell’s cabin. At my request, Calder and Mason had come to remove all the cameras, leave our bags, and fill the fridge. I fully intended to keep Chloe here with me until she was healed and acknowledged me as her mate. I wanted time with her, just the two of us. I also had her grandmother’s blessing.
When I’d mentioned the idea, she said, “Don’t make any plans for a few weeks. That she-wolf is more stubborn than anyone I’ve ever met in my life.” Then she eyed me. “You know how to make pancakes? Because that’s one way to soften her up. She loves ’em.”
Her eyes widened when my cheeks heated and I realized I was blushing for the first time in fifty years.
“Well, isn’t that interesting,” she commented. “Don’t worry. I won’t come rescue her if that’s what you’re wondering.” Then she stared at me, her green eyes narrowing. “However, youwilltreat my granddaughter like a queen or you’ll answer to me.”
I knew enough of Sophia MacArthur’s reputation to understand that she meant what she said. And that she was a damn sight scarier than her granddaughter.
“I love her,” I stated. “All I want is for her to be happy.”
“Then we’ll never have to have this conversation again,” Sophia said. “Because that means you’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”
Then she surprised me by giving me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Welcome to the family, Ian Lachlan. I couldn’t have picked a better mate for my Chloe.”
With her approval, I’d gone about making my plans.
Though, now that we were here, I wasn’t sure where to start or what to say.
“Let’s take a walk,” I invited Chloe. “Sophia mentioned you’ve been antsy today. Then maybe you’ll sleep better when you take your nap.”
She studied me for a long moment and I wondered what she was thinking. Since she’d woken up after nearly dying, Chloe had been different. Quiet and distant, as if part of her remained on the other side of the veil. It made something in my chest twist painfully.
