“Because of me,” she said in understanding. “Because I was in danger.”
“Yes.”
“Is that why you wouldn’t let me leave Pop’s?”
“Part of it,” I admitted. “But only part. I just wanted you to be safe.”
“You can’t control everything,” she countered, gesturing at the bandage on her face. “You realize that now, right?”
ThatI wasn’t willing to admit. My emotions were too close to the surface.
“Why are you standing way over there?” she asked softly, patting the bed beside her. “Come sit by me.”
Relief made my legs wobbly as I took the few steps to the bed and sat down carefully next to her. Rosemary had never felt small or fragile to me, and I loved it. I enjoyed the fact that she was strong and capable of doing damage if she chose to. I adored that her body and mine lined up so perfectly. I worshipped the muscles she’d built almost as much as her long, silky hair. But then I’d seen her with that human on top of her, and now I felt like I was finally noticing how much thinner her wrists were, how slender she was in comparison to my bulk, how delicate her long neck was.
“You didn’t think I should know?” she asked, reaching out to wrap her hand around mine.
“I would’ve told you eventually.”
“When?” she asked. “After one of our sons showed signs?”
“Before that,” I argued halfheartedly. “But there was a lot happening and?—”
“You were a coward,” she cut in.
“It wasn’t that,” I lied through my teeth.
“At what point do you think you’ll realize that I can handle a lot more than you give me credit for?” she asked flatly.
“Of course you can.”
“Did you think I’d run screaming?”
“I figured it would give you pause,” I replied.
“Give me pause?” She snorted.
“I’ve worked really fucking hard to keep that part of me on a leash,” I snapped, irritated that she was acting like this little piece of my DNA was no big deal. “So…yeah. I figured if I told you, it might scare you.”
“Wrong.”
“You saw me last night. You saw what I turn into.”
“You turn into?” she whispered in disbelief. She shoved herself to her feet.
“Sit back down,” I ordered, reaching for her. “You shouldn’t be up?—”
“I’m fine.” She slapped my hand away. She took one step away and then glared down at me. “Do you want to know what I saw last night? My mate. My angry, terrifyingmate. I was so fucking relieved you were there. You could’ve been half-man and half-wolf, and I still would’ve been ecstatic when you showed up. You know what I thought when I saw you? Oh, thank God, Daniel is here. Everything is going to be okay now.”
“I wouldn’t even let anyone touch you,” I barked, rising to my feet. “I was so out of it that I would’ve fought them if they’d tried. You were bleeding so much, and I was so fucked up that I wouldn’t even let them help!”
Rosemary smiled, and I felt like I’d gotten the wind knocked out of me.
“Do you think I would’ve done anything differently?” she whispered. “If you were hurt, do you think I would’ve been thinking any more logically?”
“You don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t,” she countered. “There’s nothing you could tell me that would make me afraid of you. Not a single thing. I don’t care what kind of monster you are. Vampire, berserker, werewolf—you would never hurt me.”
