Page 10

Chapter

Nine

D ANNY

Reality returned to me slowly. I was surrounded by warmth, a soft mattress cushioning my body, and cozy blankets making me sleepy and restful. I blinked, and my vision slowly cleared. I was on my side, and someone was sitting on one of the chairs from the dining table beside my bed.

“Everett?” I rasped, my throat drier than I expected.

“Hey, Danny.” He wrung his hands. “How are you?”

“Tired.” With an effort, I repositioned myself so I could see his face. His lips were pressed together, his dark eyes serious. “Why are you… in my bedroom?”

Everett sighed. “Do you remember what happened?”

What did he mean?

Furrowing my brow, I racked my mind, searching my most recent memories. Immediately, I stiffened as images flashed through my mind in a terrifying montage.

“The window broke,” I murmured, sifting through the images, trying to make sense of them. “I smelled wolves, and I ran. One of them chased me.”

“We think it was the rogue wolves from Moonlight Cove.” Everett rubbed his bearded jaw. “They smashed through the bakery’s front window and then drove away. Knox heard it happen and saw you run into the woods, so he followed you and brought you back. It was probably him you sensed behind you.”

“Oh.” My cheeks heated. I should have recognized his scent, but I’d been too panicked. “How did I get here?”

Everett cocked his head. “Knox got you to shift back and carried you. He’s waiting in the living room. Do you want to see him?”

I flopped against my pillow as I considered the question. My mind was still fuzzy, and my muscles ached. I felt wrung out. But Knox had helped me. It wasn’t right for me to continue to ignore his presence except for our text exchange. It was time for me to face him.

“Yes, please.”

Everett hesitated. “Are you sure? I can tell him to come back later.”

I shook my head. “Now is good.”

Before I talked myself out of it.

Everett left, and less than a minute later, Knox appeared in the doorframe. He dithered, obviously uncertain whether or not to come in.

I gestured at the unoccupied chair. “Sit.”

He strode over, and my heart rate lifted. There was something sexy about his long-legged swagger.

“Thanks for helping me,” I said, hating the stiltedness of my tone.

Knox’s dark eyes softened. “I’d hardly leave you in the woods in the state you were in.” He looked poised to say more, but held back. “Are you hurt? You didn’t seem it, but not all injuries can be seen from the outside.”

“I’m fine.” I relaxed slightly, grateful he wasn’t going to push anything. “A little achy, but that’s probably just from being so tense. It’ll go away soon.” Considering how fast shifters healed, it was likely mental as much as anything else.

“Good.” He shifted his weight. “How was your day before a bunch of wolves drove through your storefront?”

I snorted, then blinked, surprised at myself for finding amusement in something that had scared me so badly. “Same as usual. I was making myself a coffee for my break when… when it happened.”

“How do you like your coffee?”

Gods, he was letting me off easy.

“Full of sugar.” I smirked. “I have a caramel latte with cream on top.”

His mouth curved, the full lower lip thinning as it did so. “Sounds about right.”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s better than your bitter, sludgy double-shot espresso.”

Knox’s lips parted, and he huffed a laugh. Heat unfurled in my gut at how deliciously husky it was. “I’m glad you’re feeling good enough to tease me.”

I jolted, caught off guard. I had been teasing him. A few weeks ago, I’d have been too scared to do that. Perhaps I was making progress, even if it was painfully slow.

Knox stood. “I should go.”

An instant denial tore through me. I didn’t want him to leave. The instinctual part of me wanted me to curl up beside him and bask in his presence, but I couldn’t bring myself to voice that desire.

My bear growled, annoyed at me for denying us the closeness we needed.

“Can I come back?” he asked, adjusting his leather jacket as if the action would stop me from detecting the sour scent of his nerves.

Some mate I was .

My alpha was no doubt fighting his urges to claim me in order to respect my wishes, and I hadn’t even made him feel like he’d be welcome to return.

“I’d like that,” I whispered.

He nodded, and turned to the side. I studied his profile, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the strain bracketing his mouth. He looked rough. Was that because of the scare, or was my continued rejection of our bond weighing on him?

Shifters weren’t supposed to delay mating if we were lucky enough to find our fated partner. Most fated pairs would bond within a day or two and work out the details afterward, trusting in the gods to have sent them their perfect other half. This waiting we were doing wasn’t natural.

My fear overrode my own mating urges, but Knox didn’t have the same trouble. He was keeping his distance by willpower alone.

Guilt churned in my gut. That wasn’t fair to him. But I didn’t know what else to do. The thought of simply mating with him and trusting in the gods made me feel sick. What if he ended up being just as violent and controlling as Rex?

I closed my eyes so I didn’t have to watch him leave. With my enhanced hearing, I could make out every word as Everett escorted him to the door and warned him not to push me when I was already vulnerable. As if he would. Bitterness welled within me. If he’d been going to do that, he’d have done it already.

No, he was being patient. Even when it hurt him.

I gritted my teeth. If I were someone different—someone better—he wouldn’t be suffering alone right now, and nor would I.

Light knuckles rapped on the bedroom door. “Danny?”

My eyes flew open. “Milo. When did you get here? ”

Milo padded inside on socked feet. “Just now.”

Damn. I must have been angsting internally for longer than I’d thought.

“Did you see Knox on the way out?” I asked.

“Yes.” He dropped into the chair and rested his forearms on his thighs.

He looked about to ask after me, but I spoke before he could. “What do you think of him? Can I trust him?”

Milo was a good judge of character. He’d had a difficult life and sorting trustworthy people from untrustworthy ones had been a matter of survival for him.

Milo nibbled on his lower lip, his bright eyes angled downward as he thought. “I think…”

“Yeah?” I prompted.

He drew in a deep breath. “I think Knox is someone who knows what he wants and goes for it. In this case, you’re the thing he wants.”

A thrill shot through me.

I knew that. Of course I did. But somehow, hearing it still delighted my bear.

Mate.

“I don’t think he’d hurt you,” Milo continued, rubbing his palms on his jeans. “But his sense of morality might not be the same as yours.”

He had a good point there. I’d never aid in a kidnapping, but Knox had. He’d helped Tomas kidnap Milo for payment, even if he’d had second thoughts later.

“Do you think I should give him a chance?” I wanted to, but I didn’t know if I could bring myself to risk it.

Milo smiled sadly. “I can’t make that decision for you.”