It was a bit more than a flesh wound. A deep puncture cut right through his ribs.
“Rage, I-I think you’ve been shot.” My voice came out ragged and hoarse, shredded with disbelief.
Could he heal from that? Maybe … but it wouldn’t be fast enough for us to get away if the alpha king had trackers out. They’d smell his blood from a mile away.
“Can you shift?” I asked, my eyes wide as panic thrummed through me.
Rage rolled his eyes. “You know I can, woman. But the wound isn’t going to go away—”
“I’m working on that.” Apparently, it was time for more blood magic experiments. Didn’t Surlama say the healing potion she’d made for Kaja had virgin blood in it? Or maybe I made that up, but my blood had certainly worked to heal Rage in the Realm of the Dead.
I grabbed Rage’s dagger and, gritting my teeth, ran the blade across the meat of my palm for the second time tonight.
“What the hell, Nai!”
I stepped up close to him and braced myself. “Trust me. Pull your hand back so I can put my blood against your wound.”
His eyes widened with understanding, and then he grimaced. “Umm, no. That’s weird.”
“Umm,yes. I’m pretty sure that’s what healed you when you passed out right before the four horsemen came.” Like 81.2% sure. I wasn’t that good at CPR.
He sighed in defeat and dropped his hand from the wound with a muffled grunt. “Bloody fu—”
I pressed my hand to the wound, and Rage’s shoulders sagged.
“Oh,” he exhaled. “That’s … a … bit … better.”
A bit? “Like ten percent or forty percent?”
Rage closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed.
“Uh … hello?”
“Like twenty percent,” he answered just as a low howl filled the air.
Fear bubbled up in my chest.
Rage’s eyes snapped open, shifting from green to yellow in a single blink.
“Let’s shift.” He started to sprint into the forest.
“Umm, you seem to be doing more than twenty percent better!” I called after him as I ran.
Come on, girl. Time to shift.
My wolf surged to the surface; my clothes fell in tatters around me.
Yes!
Rage and I both raced on four paws into the woods, away from Dark Row. I had no idea where we were going, so I followed his lead through the trees. Eventually, the acrid smoke dissipated, and all that was left was the smell of earthy loam, pine, and woodland animals. We started to climb, and the terrain changed. Instead of soft, spongy earth, the soil became more rocky and the trees more sparse though they climbed much higher into the air. The temperature dropped, and the air kissed my nose with an icy bite as fatigue pulled at my limbs.
‘Are there other shifters out here?’ I asked.
‘Yes. Keep mate safe.’
Always chivalrous. My mate’s wolf was like a white knight. Not that I was a helpless princess. In fact, as we continued to run, I debated telling him that thus far, I’d had to save his life twice tonight—three times if I wanted to count the negotiations with the Keeper. But none of those had anything to do with his wolf. I’d be better off keeping those tidbits tucked away until I wanted something from human Rage.
Guilt welled up from the depths of my wolf’s hidden corner, shaming my petty thoughts. As if I’d really keep score.I was kidding, girl.I want him happy too.
