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“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

Kurgan stopped suddenly, and I almost walked into the back of him.“What are we doing?”

“Lenny is wounded.I need to tend her,” Kurgan said.Lenny’s eyes widened with alarm as his green eyes came to me.“You smell sick.The pup will tend you.”

Brick looked at me and frowned, then scented me.“He’s right, I can smell the infection.”

I pulled my shirt down a little to show him the damage.

“Fuck.Why didn’t you say something?My senses are all over the place after the shit that happened, but still?—”

“It’s fine, and you’ll need time before you’re back to feeling like yourself.”

“Suck out the infection and lick,” Kurgan said to him.

Brick looked at me, brows lifted.“I’ll help you, whatever you need.”

Kurgan nodded in approval.“Jagger might kill you, but his female won’t be dead.”

Brick made a choking sound.

“I’ll be okay,” I said quickly.“I just need to rest, so I can recharge my magic and work on the infection myself.”

Brick puffed up his chest.“I can do it.I can help you.Jagger won’t be pissed if I save your life.He will, however, kill me if I let you die because I was too much of a coward to do it.”

I couldn’t believe he’d ever hurt Brick.He still held my hand, and I squeezed it again.“Let me see if I can do something first, okay?”

He nodded, and we both watched as Kurgan kicked broken branches onto a pile, while still holding Lenny in his arms, then finally aimed one hand at the pile, blasting it with fire and setting the branches alight.At least we’d be warm.Despite the hellfire, the forest wasn’t hot, the opposite in fact.

He sat then, still holding Lenny on his lap.

“Put me down now, Kurgan,” she said shakily.

“No,” he said, shaking his head.“I’m protecting you.”He took her foot in his hand and lifted her leg, studying the bite he’d given her.“You’re wounded.I’ll heal it.”

“You caused it,” she said.“You caused that wound, and I want you to put me down.”

He snarled and gripped her tighter, breathing hard.

“Lenny,” I said low, “hounds are emotionless until they find their mates.Being with you will awaken new emotions in him, and he’ll have no idea how to deal with it.I know it’s hard, but try to keep him calm.”

His gaze sliced to me, and he bared his teeth.“She’s mine.I protect her.I won’t hurt her.”

“I know,” I said.“You’re doing a really good job too.You’ve kept her safe.”

He pressed his nose to her hair.“You’re safe, Lenny.”

She squeezed her eyes closed.“I know.Thank you.”

He lifted her then, sitting her beside him, and grabbed her ankle, dragging his nose along her calf as he growled low, before he started licking.

Lenny shrieked and tried to shove him away.

Kurgan didn’t seem to notice.

“Calm,” I said to her.“Licking is how a hound heals others.”