Page 43 of Corbin (Wild Wolf Pack from the world of Gallize Shifters #2)

Corbin licked his lips. A tiny bit of water dribbled into his open mouth. He mumbled, “More.”

“Not yet, tough guy.” Confident female voice. A woman in charge.

He mentally swam through fog to get his brain working. Where was he?

More water dribbled. He needed to wake up and get a real glass of water. His eyes fluttered. Determined, he forced one eye to open. That seemed easier than two.

An attractive face surrounded by wild short black hair.

“I know you,” he said. “Jaz.”

She chuckled. “I hope you do. If not, I missed a head injury, which is unlikely since I spent a significant amount of time making sure you didn’t have permanent brain damage.”

He thought back to the last time he was cognizant of his surroundings. “That was real after all, huh? Adrian and a guy named Rory. They truly showed up to rescue me.” His voice held wonder he could not hide.

She put the back of her hand to his forehead and no longer joked with him.

“Yes, it was real. Rory did a great job of keeping you alive. Even with how badly you were injured, it wouldn’t have been so difficult, but you’d been shot with titanium.

It was slowly killing you and prevented your wolf from healing your body. ”

“Ares. How is he?”

“I haven’t seen him yet. I’m hoping he’s in a deep sleep to heal.”

Air whooshed from Corbin’s lungs after a deep inhale, but with only a small amount of pain. “Thank you and Rory. Will I see him again?”

“I’m sure. He’s with our local headquarters. I believe the Guardian, our eagle shifter boss, wants you to meet the rest of our Gallize shifters in this area.”

“Gallize? Is that what you and Adrian are?”

“Yes. We have said little about that to the pack, but Bosse knows, and you’ve gone through as much as any Gallize would have. Our Guardian said it’s time we bring all of you up to date, but only you right now. You’ll find out everything when he’s ready to share that information.”

Corbin struggled for words that would express how much this meant to him.

“What an honor to be brought into your group. That alone is huge, but to be alive and not tossed off the compound means the world to me.“ He paused, thinking of all that had happened. “And I’m still a pack member. You’re the best.”

She gave him a reluctant smile.

“What? After all that, you’re going to give me bad news?” Corbin smiled. Good to know his facial muscles worked again.

“I don’t think it’s bad news, but I did something without your permission. Adrian said the Romanian guy had been electrocuting you through that chip in your back.”

“That’s right.”

“When I put you into a deep sleep, I took it out.”

Nausea rose in Corbin’s throat. Was he paralyzed? He wiggled his fingers and toes. They worked.

“You’re fine, Corbin. I have unusual powers, as you’re aware, which I tapped into to move through your body. What I had to do caused some minor bleeding, but once I finished removing that chip, I closed those cuts.”

Thinking of what she did for him was sobering. “You’re far more than a healer. Thank you for doing that. You and Adrian are both amazing. I owe you a huge debt for all you’ve done.”

She released a sigh. “You’re welcome, but that’s not how it works here. We’re all a pack. We do for each other. I am extremely fortunate to have Adrian for a mate. One day, you’ll be just as lucky, I’m sure.”

Corbin froze. How had he not thought of Eirene? He tried to sit up, gasped, and fell back onto the bed.

“Don’t you dare screw up my hard work,” Jaz stormed at him.

“Sorry, but I have a mate.”

She had reached to recheck his temperature and stayed her hand. “Adrian said you told him Eirene Givenchy was your mate.”

“She is. Do you know if she’s safe?”

Jaz stared at him slack-jawed.

Adrian strolled in with a bounce in his step. “You look a hell of a lot better than two days ago.”

“ Two days?” Corbin turned to his side, grunted in pain, but kept working toward standing.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Jaz demanded. “Don’t you dare get up and fall.”

Adrian said, “Hang on, Corbin.”

Corbin tried to make them understand. “The Romanian caught Eirene, too, but I made her promise to escape. Then I distracted Vlad so she could get away. I’ve got to find out if she made it back safely.”

“She is in Spartanburg. Give me a minute.” Adrian turned to Jaz. “I’ve got to talk to him and maybe get him up to go with me.”

Jaz swung her anger at him. “I told you he can’t get out of bed for another day.”

Putting his hands on her shoulders, Adrian said, “He could use some fresh air badly. I won’t let him fall.”

She flipped her hands up as if dismissing them both and walked out.

Corbin called, “Thanks a lot, Jaz. I promise I’ll rest later.” Glum at making her unhappy, he turned to Adrian. “Sorry she’s angry.”

Laughing, Adrian said, “You can’t fix that. When anyone messes with her healing, stay out of her way.”

Once Adrian had him up and helped him with putting on workout pants and a loose T-shirt, Corbin felt better. He spoke to his wolf. Ares, are you okay?

Ares sighed and grumbled, Hungry.

Corbin had never been so happy to hear his wolf speak to him. I’m getting on my feet for the first time. Let me move around a little to see what kind of shape we’re in. Keep resting, and I’ll get some food for us. I’m excited to be alive and never having to face the Romanian again.

Yes. We have good friends.

Hearing Ares sound genuinely happy about the people around him gave Corbin hope that they could have more than a peaceful existence. They could become the brothers in heart they should have been from birth.

By the time he made it to the porch, Corbin dropped onto a wicker loveseat, exhausted from that small effort.

Jaz had a point. That short walk had wiped him out.

“Thanks, Adrian, for more than getting me out of here without Jaz strangling me. I never expected to escape Vlad or be entirely free of my past.”

“You’re welcome. Jaz does not like her people to be in pain, but she does like them to be happy.”

“How did you find me in that barn?”

Adrian shrugged and only said, “We had some help.”

These people were connected way better than the Romanian’s criminal organization.

“I’d like to get a message to Eirene.” In truth, Corbin wished he could shift and run to her, but she’d come close to being killed more than once since they found each other.

She might have initially been happy to see him but could have come to her senses about how dangerous being with him would be.

He still wanted to talk to her about taking risks by trying to save female shifters all by herself.

“Let me grab you some real food and then we’ll talk,” Adrian said over his shoulder as he went back inside and let the screen door swing shut.

Corbin wanted another glass of water but not enough to bother Jaz.

Adrian returned and seemed jumpy. He put a tray down on the table in front of Corbin filled with four loaded hamburgers, a double pile of fries, half an apple pie, and a large glass of water.

The aroma alone had Corbin salivating. When was the last time he’d had real food? Too many days to count, but ... he couldn’t eat without knowing how Eirene was doing.

Putting his hands on his hips, Adrian said, “Go ahead and eat. I’ll fill you in on Eirene.”

“I can’t talk to her?”

“Give me a chance to catch you up.”

Ares rumbled, Eat. We need food now. I want Pixie.

Corbin sent back, Okay, okay. I’m eating fast so I can talk to Eirene. If she’s okay and they both still want us, then we’re going to them.

Ares asked, Pixie not want me?

Damn. His wolf sounded pitiful. Corbin lifted a hamburger and chomped down while explaining to Ares, Sure she does. That was awful and dangerous with the Romanian. I need to be sure they both still feel safe with us.

His wolf made a snort sound. Pixie wants me.

Corbin didn’t doubt that, but life as the wolf part of their body was less complicated than the human side.

He leaned back with a napkin in his lap and kept working on the pile of food in front of him.

“I have the feeling something has gone on while I was unconscious that I need to know about. Is that correct?”

“Shit fire. I’d like to wait until Eirene can tell you.”

“Well, I’d like to know what you know right now,” Corbin countered.

“Okay, but don’t jump up or try to move around. I want to keep the peace with my mate.” Adrian tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair. “When you and Eirene vanished, Leszek went on the news saying a rogue wolf shifter had kidnapped her.”

Corbin put down the last half of his hamburger and worked past his aches to sit forward. “How bad is the fallout?”

“SCIS found me after Beckham called me to find out what was going on. I told him she was with you. I did not tell anyone you said she’s your mate.”

“That’s good. I want it to be up to her to announce something like that. I have to admit, I’m not sure how she feels about being my mate after what she went through with Vlad. She and her wolf are not dominant.”

Ares said, You are wrong. Pixie strong.

Adrian said nothing. He erupted into laughter and couldn’t catch his breath.

“None of this is amusing, Adrian.”

“I know. Give me a second.” He wiped his eyes and propped his forearms on his knees when he leaned forward.

“Eirene showed up in Spartanburg a day after you two disappeared and called a press conference. She said you were not a lone wolf, and a shifter trafficker from Romania had captured you. She called on anyone who knew anything about this Romanian and where he might be holding you to come forward and offered an expensive ring as a reward. When one of the reporters asked about her relationship with the lone wolf, she said you were her mate, and you were a member of a pack. She warned her fans not to listen to lies floating around the media.”

Heart bouncing around his chest like a gerbil on cocaine, Corbin would never be able to wipe the grin off his face. She still wanted him as a mate. “That’s my girl.”

Ares added, Our girls.