SEVEN
Mabel
“My car is over here,” Miles says, indicating a modern SUV.
He unlocks it, and I freeze as I look at the passenger seat. I can’t bring myself to get any closer. My heart races, beating out of control in my chest, and I feel like I’m going to pass out.
“Whoa! Easy, Mabel,” he soothes, wrapping his arms around me and blocking my view of the car.
“I can’t get in there,” I choke out.
He nods against the top of my head. “We don’t have to. I live right around the corner. We’ll walk.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
He rubs my back, and I suck in a deep breath.
“That’s it. Another deep breath,” he coaches me.
I lean against him as I try to calm down. It takes a few minutes, but I’m soon feeling better. Or as good as I can feel at this moment.
“Come on. My place is only a few blocks this way.”
Miles wraps his arm around my shoulder and supports me as we walk down the sidewalk to his place.
“Here it is.”
I look up at the townhouse, taking in the small-town charm of the building.
“You own the whole thing?” I ask as we head up the stairs.
He unlocks the door. “Yeah. Jensen lives right next door,” he says, pointing to the townhouse to his left.
“It’s good he’s so close.”
“Yeah, it comes in handy. We can carpool to work, and it’s easy to hang out.”
We head inside, and I look around the tidy space.
“I’ll give you the tour before you shower and get some rest,” he says.
“Okay.”
“Kitchen, living room, and laundry room are here on the first floor.”
I look around for a moment before he takes my hand, and we head for the stairs.
“How many floors is it?”
“Three. This is floor two,” he says as we step off the last stair. “There’s another living space, a bathroom, and the main bedroom on this floor. The floor above has another bathroom and two bedrooms, but I use it mainly for storage.”
“Where am I staying?” I ask as I look up at the floor above us. My entire body hurts, and I’m not sure I can make it up another floor. Not with the way my head is pounding and how tired I feel.
“You can take my room. The guest rooms aren’t set up for anyone.”
“And you?”
“I’ll take the couch. Right here in case you need anything or Jensen calls.”
“I can take the couch,” I offer.
He shakes his head. “No, it’s fine. You’ll be more comfortable in the bed. I’ll need to check on you every hour. Make sure that you’re all right.”
My head protests as I nod.
“Come on. I’ll get you a change of clothes and help you turn on the shower.”
“Okay.”
His room smells so good, and I try to be discreet as I breathe in his masculine scent. It’s as if everything about this guy is designed to put me at ease. Like he’s exactly what I need, what I didn’t realize I was missing.
“Here you go,” Miles says as he passes me a shirt, sweatpants, and a pair of his boxers.
“Thanks.”
“Let me get the shower going for you, and then I’ll give you some privacy.”
I follow him into the ensuite and watch as he leans over and turns on the shower, fiddling with the temperature.
“All good,” he says with a smile.
I wish he were mine.
“Thanks.”
I close the bathroom door behind him and lean against it. My head is killing me, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the accident or trying to wrap my head around him being my fated mate and a wolf shifter.
I strip carefully and step under the hot spray, sighing as it eases the tension in my muscles.
I know I should figure out what to do with Miles and all he’s told me, but I don’t have the mental bandwidth to do it right now. I’m too tired and worried about Dillon and what all this means for our savings and grand plan.
I smother a yawn and turn the water off. There’s only one towel hanging up, and I grab it and dry off. I pull on Miles’s borrowed clothes and laugh when I see how big they are on my petite frame.
Oh well. At least they’re comfortable.
I pad out to the bedroom and see Miles sitting on the edge of the bed.
“All set?”
I nod. “Yeah, thanks. Any word from Jensen?”
“No. He said the doctor just checked on her. The medicine is wearing off, and they expect her to wake up in a few hours. I’ll keep you posted, and you’ll know more as soon as I do.”
“Thank you,” I say softly. “For all of this. I don’t know what I would have done if?—”
“It’s my pleasure,” he cuts me off. “Now, let’s get you tucked in.”
He pulls back the covers and passes me a bottle of water with some pain pills. “You’ll need more in four hours. I’ll wake you up then.”
“I can set an alarm.”
He shakes his head. “Concussion protocol. I’ll wake you up.”
I take the pills from him, swallowing them down. I slip into bed and he tucks the sheets around me so tight that I’m not sure I’ll be able to move.
“All right. I’ll be back in a bit to check on you. Try to get some rest.”
Miles heads out of the room, leaving the door ajar. I see him getting settled on the couch and smother another yawn before my eyes drift shut.
It feels like I barely close my eyes before Miles shakes me awake.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
I crack an eye open to look at him. “You forgot already?”
He laughs. “Gotta make sure you’re all right, my mate. What’s your name?”
“Mabel Jones.”
“And what month is it, Mabel Jones?”
“June.”
“All right. Go back to sleep.”
I nod and pass out again.
This routine repeats five more times through the night. By the time he wakes me up at seven, I answer him before he can ask me anything.
“I’m Mabel, and it’s June,” I grumble.
He laughs. It’s quickly becoming my favorite sound.
“Are you hungry, smartass?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Good. I made breakfast. You need to get up because Dillon is awake.”
I’m instantly alert. “Dillon?”
“Yeah. Jensen just called me.”
I throw the covers off and leap from the bed. Or I try to. My head spins, and Miles catches me.
“Easy there, mate.”
He wraps his arms around me and carries me downstairs.
“I can walk,” I tell him.
“All right. Here.” He passes me a tinfoil-wrapped breakfast sandwich.
I unwrap it as I shove my feet into my shoes, practically inhaling the burrito. Once I’m done, Miles passes me another.
“Thanks.”
“Of course.”
We walk in silence as I eat, and my heart rate picks up as the hospital comes into view.
“She’s okay, right? Jensen didn’t say anything had happened?”
“She’s fine. She’s awake and groggy, but she’s all right.”
“Good.” I sigh in relief.
We head inside and up to the second floor.
I make a beeline to her hospital room and burst inside. “Dillon!”
I shove Jensen out of the way and wrap my arms around her. We both burst into tears.
“I was so scared,” I sob.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she sniffles.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see them in time.”
Dillon shakes her head. “It’s not your fault. I didn’t see them either. They came out of nowhere.”
“But I was driving. I shouldn’t have swerved. I should’ve replaced the tires. I should?—”
“I would have done the same thing, Mabel. It’s not your fault. I don’t blame you.”
“I do,” I whisper.
She looks at me with tear-stained cheeks. Her eyes dart behind me, and I turn to see Jensen and Miles hovering over us.
“Who are they?” she whispers.
“They’re the paramedics who saved us.”
Do I tell her about Miles being a shifter and us being fated mates? Oh, gosh! Miles told me that Jensen is a shifter, too.
I want to tell Dillon everything, but I know she’ll have questions I don’t have the answers to yet.
I turn to face Miles. “Could I get some water?”
He nods. “Be right back.”
“I’ll stay here,” Jensen says.
I give Miles a look.
“Come with me,” Miles says, practically dragging Jensen from the room.
“What’s with them?” Dillon asks.
I laugh. “They’re intense, right? But they’re good people.”
“Hmm.”
“So, how are you feeling? What did the doctors say?” I ask, changing the subject.
She sighs and tells me about her treatment so far. I do my best to listen, but all I can think about is Miles and what I’m supposed to do with what I know.