Page 59 of Escaping Monsters

Chapter Twenty

Two weeks later

Sweat dripped down my face and neck as I woke pressed between a massive man and an even more massive wolf.

“Too hot,” I muttered as I wiggled out from under the wolf and sat up.

Declan raised his large muzzle, yawned, and rolled over to the side of the bed, giving me another couple inches of space. I glanced between him and Chad, who lay to my other side.

“I’m thinking rub a dub dub, three werewolves napping in one bed is too hot for this lady…” I peeled my sweaty t-shirt away from my stomach.

Chad murmured something unintelligible and rolled over toward me, and his eyes slid open. The former rockstar’s head was wrapped in a bandage, and I knew beneath, the scars were still raw and red.

“Teagan,” he said, and his eyelids widened as if he was surprised to see me. “Did I do something wrong again?”

“Not at all,” I whispered, instantly feeling bad for disturbing his sleep. I tucked his thick blond hair behind his ear. “Sorry for waking you.”

He and I had been sharing a recovery bed for two weeks now while the other werewolves cycled through. Both Chad and I had been going in and out of recovery sleeps and keeping each other company as the good doc operated on us. The gun that Oliver shot Chad with had thankfully been loaded with regular, run-of-the-mill lead and copper ammo. The bullet had also gone in one side and out the other, which helped with healing, or so Lucas told us.

Even though Chad and I were almost always sleeping, his living, breathing presence reassured me every moment of the day. He was alive. He was going to live. We both were healing from our injuries. It didn’t even seem possible, but we both somehow survived Oliver Hunt.

“You’re awake,” Jasper’s familiar voice growled from the doorway.

“We fell asleep.” I yawned and lifted my head to look over at the burly alpha. “What time is it?”

“Almost six.” His bright blue eyes met mine, and a warm smile spread across his lips.

“Six? Are you serious?” A bubbling excitement rose in my belly, and I couldn’t help but smile. “Lucas finally agreed to have our date tonight, and my lazy ass almost napped through it.”

“I’m sure Lucas wouldn’t mind pushing the date to next week if you don’t feel up to it,” Jasper said.

“No. Nope. I’m up to it.” I scooted to the end of the bed and set my feet down on the cold wood flooring. My newly healed soles ached as I put weight on them, but it was a low throbbing pain, nothing like the sharp slicing agony that I’d been feeling for weeks.

Jasper stepped into the room. “You want me to carry you?”

“No—no thanks.” I waved him off. My feet were a little sore and legs just a tad bit wiggly under me, but if I had Jasper carry me around, Lucas would more than likely postpone our date once again.

Jasper tilted his head. “Which way are you heading?”

“The bathtub,” I said as I placed one hand on the wall and headed for that side of the room.

Jasper pushed off the wall and headed past me, and a moment later, the sound of running water crashed down, and steam billowed out of the bathroom door. When I finally made it into the room, I found Jasper leaning down with one hand trailing in the water, his face tense with concentration. “I think this is the temperature you like.”

I leaned into the counter. “You’re always taking care of me, Jasper.”

My throat clogged, and I couldn’t find the words to say all the things I needed to say. It had been two weeks, and he and I had yet to talk about everything Oliver revealed that horrible night. The knowledge just sat there between us, this massive woolly mammoth in the room. I was a mass-murderer. I killed every person who wronged me or my family, and yes, I hadn’t had a choice, but it still had been my hand that wielded that blade. Oliver had told Jasper the most hideous, unforgivable part of my past. I had been the one who watched the life fade from their eyes. They had begged me to stop, not Kane or anyone else. They begged me, and I killed them.

I shivered, even though the room was warm.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” Jasper stood and headed for the door, and the rock forming in my throat grew exponentially.

“Jasper, I…”

He turned, and his beautiful blue eyes met mine.

The knot in my throat grew so large, there was no possible way that I could speak, so I just shook my head.

“Thank you,” I managed.