Page 8 of Guardians

“Sir?” She tentatively drew his attention.

Kane turned around and smiled at her. “You can call me Kane unless we’re having sex.”

She blew out a shaky breath, glad that the rules only applied to the bedroom. “Where did the others go?”

“Malik is examining Bianca and?—”

“Bianca is here?” She stepped out into the living room, keeping the sheet snugly wrapped around her body. “How is she?”

“Flynn just stopped by to give me that and to let Malik know that Bianca was here.” He motioned to the backpack on the table. Lexie was about to ask him what was in it when he added, “They put her in the cabin next door so Malik has easy access to her.”

Joy unfurled within her, bringing happy tears to her eyes. “Can I go see her?”

“Like that?” He indicated her toga.

“After I shower and dress.” She looked longingly at the backpack. “I’m hoping Tara sent me some clothes.”

“Smart girl. And take your time in the bathroom. We can’t visit until Malik gives the go-ahead and I haven’t heard from him yet.”

She grabbed the backpack and returned to Kane’s bedroom. Tucking the sheet down between her breasts, she unzipped the backpack. It wasn’t just stuffed full of clothes. It was stuffed full of her clothes. “Oh, bless you, Tara.” She pulled out the first outfit and gave it a sniff. It wasn’t filthy, but it had definitely seen better days. Unfortunately, the second outfit was just as neglected. Laundry had been tricky at best in the human camp. They had a tent designated for the purpose, but even with a fire blazing, jeans and sweaters took so long to dry that most made do with clean underwear and T-shirts. She located her cleanest outfit and reminded herself to ask Kane about laundry facilities so she could rectify the problem as soon as possible.

Indulging in her second shower that day made Lexie feel guilty. But then a lot of things she’d been given tonight had affected her that way. It was hard to enjoy all these comforts while her friends were still miserable. She’d been afraid of taking too long during her first shower, so she hadn’t washed her hair. No power in the universe was going to keep her from washing it this time. It felt wonderful and once the lather was thoroughly rinsed, she stood beneath the warm spray and just reveled in the simple luxury.

“Feel good?”

She gasped and opened her eyes. The shower door had steamed up so Kane couldn’t see more than the outline of her body, but his presence invaded her privacy. He might not insist on being called Sir, but this was a subtle show of dominance.

Deciding not to let his rudeness upset her, she said, “It feels wonderful.”

“Well, the hot water heater is solar powered so it won’t be able to replenish the supply until morning. I told you to take your time, so this is basically my fault. But marathon showers work better during the day.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.” She reached over and turned off the spray, but kept the steamed-up door between them.

“Malik said we can come over as soon as you’re ready. Bianca is awake and doing well.”

He left the bathroom and she felt bad for misjudging his intrusion. He could have opened the shower door while he delivered his message, but he chose to allow her some privacy. The idea of him exposing her, gazing at her naked body as if he had every right to do so, sent a strange rush of heat sweeping over her body. Kane had manipulated her, used her desperation and hunger to gain her surrender. Why had his bullying affected her so deeply? She should hate him or at least resent his heavy-handedness. Instead, her nipples tingled and her pussy clenched with echoes of desire.

She stepped out of the shower and dried off quickly, eager to see her friend and distract herself from these disquieting thoughts. After dressing in jeans and a sweater, she returned to the bathroom and combed out her wet hair. If they were going outside, maybe washing it hadn’t been such a good idea.

“Any chance someone dropped off my coat and boots?” she asked as she stepped out into the living room. “I took them off in the lodge.”

He flashed a roguish grin. “I like carrying you around.”

“Is that my only option?”

“For tonight. I’ll go collect your things from the lodge in the morning.”

She wanted to see Bianca badly enough to swallow her pride. “Thank you. I’d appreciate it.” While she was humiliating herself, she decided to tackle the laundry issue as well. “All of my clothes are in desperate need of washing. How is that accomplished in your village?”

“When it’s warm, everyone fends for themselves. But when it’s cold like this, we use the communal laundry. Give me what you want cleaned and I’ll submit it with our next order.”

He deactivated the file he’d been working on and motioned toward the door. “Grab a blanket or the quilt off my bed and let’s get going. I don’t want Bianca to fall asleep before we get over there.”

Agreeing wholeheartedly, she darted back into the bedroom and grabbed the quilt. When she returned to the living room, Kane had pulled on his coat. She closed the distance between them, her pulse escalating with each step. She’d never met anyone before who could get her heart racing with just a look.

He picked her up and headed for the door. She wrapped one arm around his neck and held the quilt closed with the other. The wind stung her face and easily penetrated the thickness of the quilt. It felt worse somehow now that she’d been out of the cold for a few hours.

Someone opened the door as they approached, but Lexie had her face pressed against the warmth of Kane’s neck.

“Has he decided that you’re incapable of walking?”

Tara! Lexie lifted her head with a happy cry. “You came back.”

“It’s even worse than that,” Tara said with a blinding smile. “I volunteered. Now you’re stuck with me.”

Lexie wiggled out of Kane’s arms, shedding the quilt as her feet found the floor. “Are you serious? You’re going to let a coalition claim you?”

Tara shrugged. “You seem to have survived it. In fact, you look damn good.”

Lexie wrapped her arms around her best friend and hugged her tightly. “Thank you. I’m shocked, but so glad you changed your mind.”

“Bianca is getting sleepy.” Malik’s deep voice drew her attention to the other side of the room. He stood in the doorway to what was apparently the bedroom. “If you want to see her, now is the time.”

“Yes, Doctor,” Lexie sassed, but hurried into the other room.

Bianca was propped up on a couple of pillows. She still looked frail, but her eyes weren’t as glassy as before. Lexie sat down on the edge of the bed and gave her hand a squeeze. “Did they give you antibiotics?”

Bianca nodded. “Malik gave me a shot and a breathing treatment. Is he really one of your mates?”

“Yes. It’s Malik, Kane, and a man named Diego. They’re all part of the pride leader’s security team. They’re called guardians.”

“He seems nice.” Bianca coughed then shook her head. “I feel so guilty for what’s happening to you. If I hadn’t gotten sick?—”

“If you hadn’t gotten sick, we would have thrown ourselves on the mercy of the cats in a week or two. We were almost out of protein bars, and they weren’t enough to sustain us. We were freezing to death and starving. All your illness did was force us to admit the truth. We will not survive without the hybrids.”

“Then I want to volunteer too,” Bianca said then succumbed to another coughing fit. “If I recover.”

“You’re going to recover,” Malik said from the doorway. “I don’t allow my patients to die.”

“Lexie isn’t going to face these changes all by herself,” Bianca continued. “When I’m better, I’ll allow a coalition to claim me too.”

“You concentrate on feeling better,” Lexie insisted. “That’s your only job right now.”

After lightly squeezing Lexie’s hand, Bianca closed her eyes.

Malik motioned Lexie from the room.

Bianca was still propped up by the stack of pillows and the position looked uncomfortable for sleeping. “Shouldn’t we lay her down?” she whispered as she reached him.

“With the congestion in her lungs, this is better.” He closed the door behind Lexie before adding, “I don’t think she would have survived the night if you hadn’t accepted Kane’s offer. I honestly believe that you saved her life.”

“So do I,” Tara said firmly, drawing Lexie’s attention. “That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I couldn’t allow you to be so nauseatingly selfless. It might give the hybrids the wrong idea.”

Lexie laughed, needing Tara’s sense of humor more than she realized. “Did someone feed you? We need to fatten you up if you’re going to attract a coalition.”

That crack made the men laugh. “At the moment she doesn’t have any competition,” Kane pointed out. “She’ll have men lining up outside this door by morning.”

“Bianca volunteered as well,” Malik told him.

“Bianca isn’t healthy enough to make decisions right now,” Lexie insisted. “We’ll revisit the issue when she’s stronger.”

Malik nodded, looking embarrassed. “You’re right, and I should have been the one to insist on it. I’m her doctor.”

Tara shooed them toward the door. “You two need to go home, so we can gossip about you.”

“Lexie doesn’t have boots or a coat,” Kane told her. “I need to carry her back to our cabin.”

“I’ll come get you when she’s ready for a ride,” Tara countered as she opened the door. “Out.”

Malik laughed. “Your mates will have their work cut out for them.”

“I’ll return in one hour,” Kane said gruffly, refusing to step through the doorway.

“An hour and a half,” Tara negotiated with a stubborn lift of her chin.

He glared at her. “Ninety minutes and not one second more.”

“Agreed.” She blew him a kiss and then shoved him out the door.

Lexie was laughing so hard that tears escaped her eyes by the time the exchange had ended. “Only you, Tara. Only you.”

Tara’s expression grew serious and her voice softened. “It’s easy to push them around because I know they don’t have the right to discipline me. I know damn well that things will be different with my mates. I saw firsthand how they deal with rebellion.”

Lexie blushed at the memory of her first spanking. It had been so humiliating to stand there naked in front of the other guardians. And Kane’s belt… she refused to think about the searing pain and all the unwanted sensations that had been triggered as a result.

Forcing the memories to the back of her mind, Lexie focused on happier things. “I’m so glad you’re here. You have no idea what a relief this is.”

“For me too.” Tara shook her head. “I couldn’t face staying in that camp without you and Bianca there.”

They paused for another hug then sat down on the sofa. Lexie snagged the quilt off the floor and spread it over their legs. Someone had lit a fire, but the room was still chilly. “Was this cabin vacant? If not, where are the occupants?”

“It belongs to Flynn and Levi. They agreed to sleep in one of the barracks until Bianca recovers. And to answer your earlier question, they made me a sandwich before they left. Which begs the questions, where the hell did they get bread?”

“I’m not sure where they’re getting a lot of these things. Kane’s cabin has electricity, heated water, a refrigerator, and a recycler. They’ve been here over three years. The shampoo I used to wash my hair couldn’t have come from their original supplies.”

“Shampoo?” Tara whined. “I’d kill someone if it meant I could wash my hair.”

Lexie chuckled at Tara’s melodramatics. “Go take a shower as soon as I leave. If Flynn and Levi offered up their cabin, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind.”

“Indoor plumbing and refrigeration units, modern medicine and shampoo. I had no idea how different it is over here,” Tara admitted. “If we tell the others what they’re missing, I know a lot more of them will stop being so damn stubborn.”

“It’s not like they really have a choice,” Lexie sighed, saddened by the reality that they’d been unable to make it on their own. They were scientists, highly educated and ambitious. Why had these challenges been so difficult for them? Even before the wolves raided their camp, the humans had been struggling. Lexie couldn’t speak for the others, but she wasn’t used to failing so utterly. “We’re almost out of protein bars and we’ve all failed at hunting and fishing. They can join the cats or starve to death. If the cold doesn’t get them first.”

“I don’t think you should become a motivational speaker,” Tara teased, though her features were tense. “Brutal honesty is damn depressing.”

“I know, but we’re out of options and we’re out of time. Everyone has to face the truth if they want to survive.”

“I agree with you, but we need a better way of approaching the situation. When Kane carried you from the lodge, you looked like your life was over and you were about to pass through the pit of hell. You don’t look traumatized or abused, not even a little singed. So, tell me what actually happened. Was your wedding night everything you always imagined?” Tara waggled her eyebrows dramatically, but compassion warmed her eyes.

Lexie smiled, loving Tara’s sarcastic wit. “It was nothing I had ever imagined and yet it was a lot less horrible than I feared.”

Tara’s playfulness fell away completely. “I know enough about your sex life to understand how hard it must have been for you. Your previous lovers, all three or four of them, were beta all the way. Did the hybrids drop the caveman routine once they got you to their cabin?”

Lexie started to gloss it over, make it sound less harsh than it had been. But Tara would soon be experiencing the claiming for herself. Lying to her now didn’t make sense. “They’re not human, Tara. What you saw in the lodge wasn’t an act. That’s who they are. They’re aggressive, territorial predators. There was incredible pleasure, but there was also pain. They’ll demand your complete surrender. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll give it to them. Don’t expect slow dancing and flowers. That’s not what it will be like.”

After studying her closely for a tense moment, Tara nodded. “Thanks for the warning, but I think we should leave all that out of our recruitment speech. We’ll focus on plentiful food, heated cabins, and running water.”

Lexie smiled. Diplomacy had never been her strong suit. “I’ll just let you do all the talking. We both know you’re better at it than I am.”