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He felt her relax and then heard the soft sounds of her breath as she fell asleep against him.
“How are you feeling?” Sean asked.
“I’m fine.”
“Caspian, I know you try to be the hero. Her rejection must sting.”
He shook his head. “She is not rejecting me, Sean. She doesn’t know how to react. Like you, she is struggling on through.”
Sean had been terrified in the beginning. He’d also had to deal with the grief. The people who’d hurt him had also rejected him. Even as he didn’t want to admit it, Sean had been hurt by that.
So far, Sofia hadn’t given way to tears, but he knew the time would come when those feelings would spill out. As wolves, they were strong. They could handle anything that was thrown at them. To a point, they were stubborn against pain.
Their emotions, though, they were the real kick to the balls. It tore them apart. It was one of the reasons they mated so strongly. They found that one person to call their own, and from that day forward, there was no one else.
Mates were for a lifetime.
Packs were supposed to be a bond as well.
“The pack will be behind you every step of the way,” Sean said.
“Will you be available?” he asked.
“Me?”
“Yes. You know what she went through, Sean. You have been in her position. I fear … with the mating heat, will also come the pain. She is going to need someone to help her, to guide her through her freedom. I fear that person might not be me.”
Sean sighed. “You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
“I want to be prepared for everything. She doesn’t even understand the mating heat. She felt she was going crazy. She is hurting in ways I cannot quite understand.” All he wanted to do was protect her. To love her. To be there for her.
Chapter Five
“You don’t have to stay with me,” Sofia said.
She was so tired. The moment they arrived at the cabin, she’d not had the energy to look around and had ended up back in bed. Now, the following morning, she sat with a blanket wrapped around her, feeling the cold.
She’d never felt the cold before.
Across from where she sat, Caspian was in the kitchen, cooking them up a breakfast. The scents coming from him were making her mouth water.
Sofia recalled waking up in the middle of the night a few times, only to have Caspian there, his arms wrapped around her. She didn’t want to rely so heavily on him.
“Why wouldn’t I stay with you?” he asked.
“Don’t you have other important things to do?”
He shrugged. “Nothing is more important than spending time with my mate.”
There he went saying that dreaded M-word again.
Mate.
Sofia rubbed at her chest as she felt a sharp pain flooding her body. She didn’t feel … anything.
Arousal, yes.
The mating hormone? Her body was in complete overdrive, but the mating bond? Nothing.
“Stop overthinking over there,” Caspian said.
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m not used to all of this attention.”
“No problemo, baby.” He winked at her. “You do need to start getting used to being surrounded by pack though.”
She shivered.
Flashes of pain, begging for it to stop, rushed through her mind.
“I’m fine,” she said.
Caspian sighed.
Someone banged on the door, making her gasp and twist toward the sound.
“Chill, it’s fine.”
How could this man be a monster when he said words like chill and no problemo?
Caspian walked to the door, and she watched as he opened it, only to see three more people. One by one, six people entered the cabin. The heavy scent of forest and family overwhelmed her.
She didn’t get up.
“There are plenty of seats, go and get yourself one. I’ll be right in with food.”
She recognized Sean immediately.
There were two women and four men.
Sofia watched them carefully, very much aware that most of them wore the same or similar scar on their bodies as she carried on her neck.
Unwanted.
“Hello, there,” one of the men said.
“Sofia only knows Sean. Introduce yourselves so she can start to learn your names.”
“Melissa,” the one with short brown hair said.
She smiled at the woman and glanced around at each person who spoke.
“Raine.”
“Simon.”
“Books.”
“Liam.”
“It’s nice to meet you all.” Sofia landed her gaze on Books. “Is that a nickname?”
“No, miss. That is my name.”
“Books wasn’t named in his pack. They decreed he wasn’t worth being granted one, and seeing as he loves to read, we named him Books.”
She saw the pride in Books’ face. “Best day of my life being found by this pack.” He tapped his chest with his fist. “Pack rules.”
Caspian laughed.
“I know. I know. You don’t consider yourself a pack.” Books rolled his eyes. “He takes in all the strays.”
“Incorrect. I don’t take in anybody. What usually happens is they find me, and they’re not strays at all.”
“No, we’re just a bunch of unwanteds. I see you bear the mark as well,” Raine said, nodding at her neck. “That looks like it stung.”
