“That’s not necessary.”
“Yes, it is.” I stretch my arm out for her to take, praying she does. I don’t know where we stand right now. Her behavior towards me reminds more of Marla…. Friends. But Angel is so much more to me. My life force, essentially. I need this female, and I don’t expect that will ever change.
When we reach the small cabin on the west side of the pack, Angel blocks my path. “I’ve got it from here.”
“Not leaving,” I say.
She bites her lower lip, then stands straighter. “Then stay here, please. I’ll feel… self-conscious if you listen in. And Tiberius might not want to talk to me if he knows you’re here.”
“Oh, he’ll know it.” I bend forward, kiss the fuck out of her, then release her lips. He’ll smell me on her for sure. “Now you can go.”
“That’s a dick move, Garrett.”
“And yet you didn’t pull away.” I’m grinning as if I won a small battle.
She rolls her eyes and slams her open palm on my chest. “Don’t move.”
I pick up her hand and kiss her palm.
“You’re incorrigible, do you know that?”
“Always go with your strengths.”
With a chuckle, she heads down the path.
I step off the path, just enough to keep the door in view. Enough to watch Tiberius open the door, scent and frown at seeing her, then cross his arms over his chest. Her body language grows tense, but she persists with whatever she’s saying.
When he steps inside and she follows, my wolf claws the hell out of me.I don’t fucking like it either, but I have to trust her.My words don’t settle my wolf, but calm him long enough to stop dragging his claws across my insides… his way of reminding me it’s Tiberius I can’t trust. My wolf’s right, but he’s not in charge here. I am.
A few minutes later, Angel emerges and the door shuts behind her. I quickly step back onto the path, precisely where she left me.
“May I ask what happened?”
“You can, but I won’t answer.” Her smile relaxes me, as does the hand that slides into mine.
“Where next?” I ask.
“You assume there’s more?”
“No, just hoping to escort you wherever you want to go.”
“To the lab. Mila asked me to report there for treatment.”
“I don’t understand. I thought your wolf finished healing the road burn finally.”
“Have you been checking up on me with my doctor?”
“Yes,” I say without shame. “What’s wrong, Angel? Is whatever this treatment is the reason you’ve been staying away from me?”
“Partially. I want to be fully healed before we talk.”
My stomach’s knotting with fear that she’s suffering from some condition I could have picked up on earlier, maybe even prevented.
She grips my face. “This isn’t your fault, and Mila said it’s curable.”
“What’s the condition?”
“I don’t know. That’s what I’m about to find out. Care to go with me?”
