“Good. Cara was having problems breathing.” Yet another reason the woman should’ve listened to him and gotten out of the line of fire.
“It’s weird, right?” Terrent asked.
“What?”
“Life without the war. Trying to have normal lives when we’ve been fighting for so long. It’s like everybody is trying on new skin that doesn’t quite fit.” The Alpha wolf rubbed his chin, his tone thoughtful. “Although, it’s nice to have peace.”
“Those of us who’ve lived centuries know that peace is temporary. It’s always justtemporary, my friend.” Talen shrugged. “It’s not just that. My instincts are flaring and sharp . . . and I don’t know why. Danger is near, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“Living through peace is sometimes the hardest part,” Terrent murmured.
Amen to that. Talen looked down at his sleeping mate. Her dark lashes lay against too-pale skin, and even now a dot of blood marred her upper lip. They had to find some sort of way to allow her the freedom she craved without putting her at risk. “The bigger problem is that when peace ends, it’s often at the price of losing those we love.”
Nothing and nobody could take this woman from him. Not even peace.
No matter what.
Chapter 5
Cara awoke alone in the wide bed, safe and warm under a thick quilt. She blinked several times and partially sat up to see a still-smoldering fire safely contained in a stone fireplace across the spacious room. Exposed beams made up the high ceiling, while tongue-and-groove wood made up the walls. A window set into the nearest wall showed the very dim dawn light peeking through the blinds. It had to be about four in the morning.
The bedroom door opened, and Talen strode in, wearing running sweats and a ripped T-shirt. His thick brown hair had matted to his head, and his muscles strained in his arms and neck. His natural scent of wild pine filled the room.
She blinked. “You went running?”
“Yes.” He moved past the bed to an attached bathroom, all male grace, quietly shutting the door.
Wonderful. They’d been attacked by demons, had fought hard, and instead of sleeping, he’d gone for a run in wolf land.
The shower started.
She flopped back down and pulled the covers up to her neck. Talen in a quiet mood was never a good thing, and as terrible as his temper could be, she much preferred it to silence. The man had gotten too used to treating her with kid gloves through the years as she’d battled the deadly virus.
When was he going to see that she was healthy?
Not that he would’ve been okay with her fighting demons, no matter how strong she became.
The shower shut off, and her heart started to thrum. Seconds later, he opened the door, a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair hung to his shoulders, and a shadow covered his rugged jaw. The muscles in his chest shifted as he moved, so broad and strong.
His golden gaze remained steady as he crossed the room, dropped the towel, and slid into the bed.
She rolled onto her back, keeping some space between them. “Are you mad at me?”
“No.”
She didn’t believe him. “It’s okay if you are.” Then they could fight about it.
“I’m not mad.”
The stubborn bastard. “I think you are.”
“I can’t help what you think.”
Oh, he did not just go passive-aggressive on her. What happened to the full-on aggressive mate she fell in love with? At this point, she was going to have to kick his ass to get him to lose the attitude and treat her like she wasn’t some weak invalid. “You’re being a dick.” She moved to get out of the bed.
One hand wrapped around her bicep and pulled her across the flannel sheets.
She kicked out, struggling to be free.
