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M ist heard a quiet chuckle and glanced over at the man Fate had declared as her mate. Short, dark blond hair, a full thick beard, and eyes that were the color of the darkest chocolate. Her tongue snuck out to lick her bottom lip and she bit back moan.

Damn, she did love chocolate.

A soft gasp escaped when a low, deep, rumble echoed around the room. Those captivating eyes were locked on her lips, filled with hunger, and then they slowly raised to meet her gaze. She couldn’t look away even if she wanted to, which she didn’t. Even though she was in pain, and still slightly terrified after barely escaping Darius and the fire that was overtaking the room she’d been locked in, what she really wanted to do was crawl out of the bed and into his thick, muscular arms. To cover his mouth with hers and see if he tasted as good as he looked. To wrap her legs around his waist and…

“Are you okay with Aurora, Desi, and your mate staying while I check you over, Mist?”

The words broke through the fantasy Mist was creating in her mind, causing a small shudder to run through her body. Dammit, she didn’t want it to be a fantasy, she wanted it to be a reality. She needed his hands on her more than she needed to breathe in that moment.

“I can kick them out if you would like. You just let me know.”

There was amusement in the doc’s voice, and a small smile tilted up the corners of Mist’s lips. She’d always liked the other woman, but right now she was just too tired, and in too much pain to banter back and forth with her.

Another low growl filled the room, and her mate’s dark gaze swung over to the doctor. His lips curled up showing off impressive fangs. Fuck, all the growling going on from the demon was causing her skin to heat and her pussy to pulse with need. It was a good thing she wasn’t wearing any panties right now or they would be soaked.

It was clear Saint was going to put up a fight if she or the doctor tried to make him leave, but Mist didn’t want him to go. It wasn’t just the panty-dropping, sensual desire he made her feel, something she’d never felt with anyone else before. She felt safe with him, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. While she might be all hot and bothered at the sight of him, she also craved the feeling of being protected, shielded from danger. Especially after what she’d just been through.

Mist tore her gaze from Saint to look over at where Aurora and Desi stood waiting. No, she didn’t want her mate to leave, but there was no way in hell the women were staying. She wasn’t baring her girly bits to anyone else except the doctor and her mate. Nor was she going to allow them to see the other secret she’d kept from her entire coven for just over two years.

That meant she had to think of a reason to get them to leave without hurting their feelings or pissing them off.

“Actually, Aurora and Desi, can you do a favor for me, please?”

Aurora’s eyes narrowed on her and she placed a hand on her hip. “Depends. Are you going to try to get rid of us?”

Mist couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped at Aurora’s haughty attitude. “I was hoping you would go to my apartment and get me some clothes. I promised God a meeting, and I don’t want to have to do it in a blanket.”

It was the truth and she knew Aurora would scent it now that she shared her soul with a bear after mating Noah Channing a few months ago. She had no desire to meet with God or anyone else who might be waiting on the other side of the bedroom door wearing only a blanket, no matter how soft and snuggly it might be.

Underwear and a bra would be nice. Jeans, a shirt. Socks and shoes. A toothbrush and a comb. Maybe she should make a list.

When Aurora would have argued, Desi placed a hand on her arm. “Of course, we can do that for you, sissy, if that’s what you need from us.”

Mist’s heart warmed at the endearment the demoness used. “Thanks, Desi. I really appreciate it.”

Aurora sighed, reaching over and linking her hand with Desi’s. “Fine, but we won’t be long.”

With one last glare from Aurora’s flashing emerald eyes, she blinked, vanishing with Desi. They were gone so quickly Mist didn’t have a chance to tell them exactly what she wanted.

As soon as they left, Freya laughed softly, shaking her head as she asked, “Are you ready, Mist? I can smell your blood and scent your pain. Being a shifter, you will heal quickly, but I want to make sure there isn’t anything to worry about that shifting a couple of times won’t fix.”

Mist nodded, closing her eyes as Freya pulled the blanket down to her waist, baring her body to not only the doctor, but also to the man who Mist would be spending the rest of her life with. She flinched when she heard a soft gasp from Freya, and then a string of dark curse words from Saint, knowing what they saw.

Faded, slightly puckered, older scars marred her body. Wounds from a time in her past that she kept hidden from everyone else, including her coven sisters. They didn’t need to know how hard life had been before she accepted her position in the coven. Only the Goddess and the woman who saved her from the hell she’d been in, knew what happened to her after she left foster care. It had been years since she’d seen the woman, but she would always hold a special place in her heart.

There were also fresh wounds, ones she’d just received from her bout with Darius before she’d been summoned through the portal that had appeared in the old farmhouse. The gashes weren’t too deep, but could have been worse if she hadn’t managed to shock him when she shifted and attacked.

“These look like claw marks,” Freya said, ignoring the old wounds and focusing on the new ones that still had blood dripping from them.

“They are,” Mist told her, wiping at a tear that slipped out and down her cheek as she thought about how close she’d just come to death. She was a strong, independent woman, but even if she’d won against Darius, she wouldn’t have been able to find a way out of that room. If someone, or something, hadn’t pulled her into the demon realm, there was no doubt in her mind that she would have been with the Goddess right now instead of in her mate’s room. She never would have met that man who was meant to be hers.

Mist’s eyes sprang open when she felt a light touch on her skin that she knew wasn’t the doctor’s. Her breath hitched as she watched her mate’s fingers lightly trace over her flesh near where Darius’ sharp claws had gotten her.

“I’m going to kill that motherfucker,” Saint snarled, raising his gaze to meet hers. “We are going to find him and end him.”

“We?” Mist whispered, reaching a hand out toward him. She needed to touch him. She knew she was safe now that she was here, wherever here was, but she needed him closer.

“We,” Saint repeated with a nod. He walked around the bed and clasped her hand with his, his other one going to gently cup her cheek. “You and me, kitty. Together. You are not going to sit back and wait anymore. You are going to fight because that’s who you are. A fucking fighter.”

He wanted her by his side when he went against his brother. He didn’t want to hide her away. He wanted her with him. Mist covered his hand at her cheek with her own, nuzzling into his touch. “Yes, together.”

Saint’s eyes went to where she was sure she had a nice bruise from her escape attempt through the window, and his eyebrows furrowed as he ran a finger down the side of her face. “What happened here?”

Mist sighed, closing her eyes again as Doc Freya started cleaning her wounds. She winced at the sting of pain when the doctor got close to the open cuts. “Damn chair hit me.”

She wondered absently if the bruising would go away quickly if she shifted.

“What?”

Mist let out a muffled laugh at the confusion in his voice. “I’ll explain later. Tired.”

She was so exhausted she was struggling to string a coherent thought together, let alone voice them.

Saint was quiet for a moment, then she felt lips near her ear. “That’s fine, beautiful. Get some rest while the doc takes care of you.”

Mist’s eyes fluttered open when she felt a kiss on her temple. “The others are waiting.”

“They can wait,” Saint said gruffly, rubbing his cheek against hers gently, staying away from the injured side. “You need to rest.”

“Yes,” Doc Freya agreed. “And you need to shift at least one more time before going out there. It will help seal these wounds up.”

“How did you know, Doc?” Mist murmured, already fading into sleep.

“Know what?”

“About my jaguar. I didn’t even know for sure.”

“It was in your scent. Any other shifter would have known. I’m surprised the Channings didn’t ask you about it.”

“Aurora didn’t know.”

It was so hard for her to stay awake and get the words out.

“Aurora is new to the shifter world, Mist. She probably had no idea what the difference in your scent meant. But I promise you, the Channings do.”

“Saint.” His name was a breath on her lips. She tightened her grip on his hand, not wanting him to leave her, but she didn’t have the energy to voice what she needed.

“I’m right here, sweet kitty. I won’t leave you.”

“Safe.” She felt so safe with him. In his room, his private space.

“You are safe here. I will protect you, as will my MC brothers and sisters. They would give their lives for you.”

“Family?” Did he consider the MC his family like Desi was? It sounded like it. She hoped so. She’d always wanted a big family.

“Yes, they are my family. And yours now too.” She felt another kiss near her temple. “Sleep, Mist. I will be here when you wake up.”

Trusting her mate to watch over her, Mist drifted off into sleep, feeling more content than she had in… ever.