I focus on the steady rhythm of Cass’s heart against my back, the gentle sweep of his thumb over my hip. Minutes pass, the tension slowly bleeding out of the room as his knot begins to subside, the intense pressure easing into a dull ache.
Once it completely deflates, Cass shifts.
The movement is careful, but a pained breath catches in his throat as he gently rolls away from me. There's a strange, wet, suctioning sound as his cock finally slips from my body, leaving a sudden, achingly empty void behind him.
A hot gush of our combined release immediately follows, trailing down the inside of my thigh.
The sudden loss of his warmth and weight leaves me feeling cold and exposed on the mattress. I risk a glance over at the alpha and see him sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to me, one hand pressed to his lower back. His posture is tight, and for the first time, I wonder if the violent pull of his knot had hurt him, too.
I stare at his rigid back for a moment, the ache in my own body forgotten as a new sensation filters through our bond. It's not anger or possessiveness, but a sharp, focused throb of pain emanating from my alpha, and it’s centered low on his left side.
His knee.
"Are you okay?" I ask as I slowly sit.
"I'm fine," he says instantly, his voice clipped and dismissive. He doesn't turn around. He's trying to shut me out, to wall off his pain like he does with everything else.
But our bond doesn't lie.
I can feel the dull, persistent ache radiating from him, a pain he's clearly trying to ignore.
Instinct takes over, and I move, filled with a sudden drive to soothe my mate. I push the tangled sheets asideand crawl across the bed, the cool air a shock against my heated skin.
I kneel behind Cass and carefully drape my body over his broad back, my arms wrapping around his chest. My chin rests on his shoulder, and I press my cheek against the warm skin of his neck, letting my own calm flow through our connection, a silent offering of comfort. I don't say anything. I just hold him, letting him know that I'm here, that I feel him, and that he doesn't have to be alone with his pain.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I ask, and Cass nods.
I slide my hands down over his chest, careful as I shift my weight, and my gaze drifts to his leg. His left knee is bent slightly, resting against the mattress. Even in the low light, I can see how swollen it still is, but the skin isn’t as red as it was a few days ago.
I study it quietly, my thumb brushing slow, absent-minded circles over Cass’s sternum as I anchor myself to him.
“You’re lying,” I say softly. “It does hurt.”
A huff of breath leaves him. “I’m managing.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
He doesn’t argue with that.
I shift my chin on his shoulder, eyes still on his knee. “How did you get shot?” I ask.
Cass’s entire body goes rigid.
“What?” He turns his head so I can see his profile, shock flashing across his face. “Who told you I was shot?”
I give the alpha a firm look. “Don’t dodge the question.”
His jaw works, teeth grinding like he’s trying to decide whether to shut me out completely or give in. The bond between us tightens, not painful, just taut with tension and something like reluctant surprise.
But I don’t back off. “If you expect me to accept your pack, then you need to let me in too.” I say, before deliberately adding, “Fated mates don’t keep secrets.”
That gets Cass’s attention. His dark blue eyes lift to meet mine, and I stare right back.
I know it’s manipulative to use his own beliefs against him, but I don’t really care. I refuse to be the only one in this house who is expected to be vulnerable.
“Hey.” I shift to remind Cass that I’m still waiting. “I can handle it,” I say, raising my voice in the hopes that I sound stronger than I am. “Tell me what happened.”
For a long moment, he’s silent.
