I didn’t know how he could eat at a time like this, but I wasn’t surprised. Shifters normally let nothing come between them and food. We burned a lot of calories and needed to eat frequently to keep up our strength, which meant I would probably try to force myself to eat something as well, even though the thought of food turned my stomach.
And then we would be on our way back to the Moonhaven Bear Clan… and back to my mate.
Chapter 7
Piper
After the Prime loaded Matteo onto the plane, putting him in the back bedroom, and all of the enforcers had been loaded on, I said a quick goodbye and we got on our way.
My first stop was to make sure the healer was comfortable and to check on Matteo.
Moving through the plush seating, I nodded cordially to the shifters assigned to protect Alanna and me, then knocked on the bedroom door at the back of the plane.
The healer opened it, and I blinked in shock for a moment, because the bedroom was larger than I’d expected. There was a huge, dominating bed, but also a TV, a built-in dresser, an adjoining office, and a bathroom.
Matteo came slowly awake, blinking owlishly at me. “Are we airborne?”
I nodded. “Yeah, we just took off. There’s food if you’re ready for it. I can grab it for you.”
He grimaced, but his healer spoke up. “The Prime sent some light food for you. You’ve been using a lot of energy to heal, and your body needs nourishment to keep doing it.”
Matteo reluctantly nodded. I patted his shoulder and used the tiny kitchen to heat up the food that had been sent for him.It was just soup and rolls, but it looked perfect and light enough for him to eat right now without making him sick.
A wolf shifter came in, saw that I was trying to figure out how to transport everything in to Matteo, and grabbed a tray for me.
“Thanks, let me set this all on there.” I set the utensils, cold water bottle, napkin, rolls, butter, and bowl of soup on the tray. When I moved to pick it up, he politely nodded me off, then helped me deliver it. I helped Matteo sit up, and the shifter set the tray gently on his lap.
“Thanks, Piper, and...”
“Orion.” His voice was soft, more bass than tenor. He had thick, wavy, dark blonde hair and eyes that looked like stormy seas.
“Orion. I appreciate the help.”
Orion nodded and went back to his seat, while I stayed with Matteo for a bit.
He gave a chin nod toward the retreating Orion while munching on a small bite of his roll. “New enforcer?”
“Yeah. You may have been out of it for that conversation. We’re getting quite a few enforcers to protect Alanna and me. They’re all heading to Clan lands. Those from the Prime are traveling with us on this plane, and those from King Asharien are coming separately.”
His nod was thoughtful. “Sounds like it will be a full house.”
“And a baby.”
He smirked. “Wasn’t there a show in the 80’s about that?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “How are you feeling?” His skin was still very pale, and I didn’t like it. I wasn’t sure how Riggs would react to the fact that I broke his First. Also that I wrecked his SUV and then left it at the airport. Maybe he could send someone to retrieve it.
“Like my insides are melting.”
I winced. “That’s... not great. Is there anything I can do for you?”
He finished half his soup and one of the rolls, then set it aside. Or tried to. He was too weak to move the tray, so I took it and set it outside his room on the floor.
“No, but thank you.” He made a face. “I remember that we spoke to Alpha Riggs, but I don’t remember what was decided. Is the Clan okay?”
I sat on the edge of his bed and lowered my voice, even though I knew half the shifters in the main cabin would still be able to hear me. “Barrett has been casing the Clan. They found evidence that he’d been on the property.”
Matteo’s face went cold and hard, and his gaze went distant. Immediately, I knew that he was contacting Riggs via their Clan link.
