Fallon’s grip on my fur turned desperate. “Not a chance, lady.”
Noreen moved forward anyway. Emotions not my own flooded me and I acted before I thought. I stood on the bed and everyone backed up. My platter-sized paws hit the floor, teeth bared. Half of me still on the bed hid Fallon from view. The other half had teeth and claws ready. I couldn’t stop the rumble in my chest. If my mate didn’t like it. I didn’t like it.
MINE.My growl bowed every head, shaking the room.
“Pulse seems great!” Noreen squeaked.
Fallon looked at me with a stunned expression, blanket still at her neck.
You’d take my side?
I chuffed.I’ll tear her apart for you.
She patted my haunch, some of her fear receding.Okay, wolf of the North. Settle down.
My butt plopped on the floornext to the bed, wagging, turning my head to her.
Give me a second to get my bearings. I’ve never passed out before.
I flopped my head onto the comforter and let Fallon gather her courage as she petted my oversized snout. Pride swelled in my heart when she turned to Noreen. “What happened?”
“I want to say first, you’re very brave, Fallon. Not many people…” Noreen trailed off.
I didn’t blame her. Even if I hadn’t been able to experience Fallon’s emotions, I knew she didn’t think she deserved that kind of praise for anything. I would spend my existence proving her wrong if she let me.
Noreen cleared her throat. “Well, just facts then. It’s the second stage. You pushed too hard and passed out in the kitchen. At least drink this to boost you while you go through the transition.”
Leave it on the side table,I told Noreen. Fallon would decide whether she wanted it.
“What is it?” Fallon didn’t reach for the bottle.
I’m not an experiment, she said. I wasn’t sure if she meant for me to hear that. The thread of fear in our bond made me pause. If anyone had made her feel that way, their life would be forfeit.
“Not a cure or anything. It’s just void berry extract with some calcane root to help with the pain; remove the outward growths. Though I see Declan did a pretty good job.”
Fallon still didn’t move as Noreen left the bottle.
“Thank you,” she said and Noreen retreated again.
Fallon rolled over, pulling the blanket up, turning away from everyone.
My eyes glowed into the room.Leave now, please. I will call you if we need anything.
Fallon hunched tighter into a ball. I slipped my muzzle onto her hip and she freed a hand to stroke it. That was a good sign. At least she would interact with me because even though I was worried, I was also mad as a basket full of murder hornets. She was going to account for keeping this secret. We told each other everything. We were a team long before we were fake mates. All that time I could have been hurting her or helping her.
I shifted and crawled to her side of the bed. Nudging the blanket away, I looked her straight in the eye.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Honey?”
Her shrug was infuriating. “I’m more than this.”
Anger and fear made me blunt. “Of course you are, but ‘this’ is also a big part of who you are.”
“I didn’t want to bore you with my long history of rejection. You tend to stop telling people when you get hit for it.”
I bristled in every direction. “Who hit you?”
Her little huff warmed me. “Metaphorically, Declan. Besides, there’s nothing to do about it.”
