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Oliver! I shoot out of bed and am halfway across the room before I remember that I’m naked. Enzo’s eyes bug out, and he whirls around to give me privacy. I’m just as shocked and scramble for the sheet off the bed to wrap around myself. That leaves Rook naked as a jaybird in front of Ren and Charlie, but he doesn’t care. Shifters are too used to nudity to have a sense of modesty.
My guys all watch me with amusement while I cling to my sheet with flaming cheeks. I glare at them all. “Go check on Oliver. I’ll be there in a minute.”
Ren doesn’t need to be told twice. He’s out the door in a blink, following Enzo to the room next door. Charlie stops by me on his way out. He kisses my cheek and whispers, “Thank you, darling,” before sauntering out of the room.
Arms slide around my waist, and Rook kisses the side of my neck. “Well, that was interesting.”
“Sorry.” I shiver from the feel of his lips on my skin. “We’ll have to lock the door next time.”
Rook kisses my neck one more time, then lets me go. “Get dressed, baby. Let’s go see Oliver.”
My heart bursts with joy, and I need to see Oliver awake so badly I can’t breathe. I throw my clothes on and don’t wait for Rook to dress himself.
I let out a cry of relief when I see Oliver sitting up in bed. He looks like death, but he’s awake and blushing from all the fussing Ren is doing over him. I’ve never been one for being dramatic, but I climb onto the bed and throw myself at my sorcerer, hugging him fiercely and peppering his face with kisses. I can’t even talk because I’m sobbing with relief. “Shh, Nora, it’s okay. I’m okay,” Oliver whispers.
His voice is feeble, and the embrace he gives me is even weaker. He’s so fragile. I ease up on him, but I can’t let him go. When I climb off him, I lift his arm around me and snuggle into his side. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
“I feel like you almost did. What happened?”
I get my emotions under control and say, “We were attacked by another sorcerer. How much do you remember?”
“It was Dev—” His voice cracks and he starts coughing. Ren helps him drink a sip of water before he continues. “It was Devon Mitchell. I had him contained and then…nothing. It’s all black from there.”
I close my eyes, trying to push out the memory. “I lost control of my power again, and while you were dealing with me, Devon stabbed you in the back with a spelled blade. Some kind of magical poison. You’ve been out for a day and a half.”
“Nora saved you,” Charlie says, probably for my benefit. I’m sure he can sense my guilt, because I can feel his reassurances.
“Enzo saved you,” I argue.
“But you stopped the sorcerer, and got help,” Charlie insists.
Stopped. That’s a nice way of saying I sucked the soul out of him and ate it. I shudder. Oliver hugs me, and my heart aches with how weak it is. “Thank you,” he says.
I don’t want him to thank me for what happened, but I’m not going to say that. I don’t want to upset him right now, because I can hear in his thoughts how awful he feels right now. His whole body aches, and he’s exhausted. But he doesn’t want to fall back to sleep. He’ll never admit it out loud, but he can feel how close to death he came this time, and he’s afraid he won’t wake up if he falls back to sleep.
I run my fingers through his hair and kiss his cheek. “Sleep, Oliver. We’re here. We’ll watch over you.”
“I just woke up,” he argues.
“You still need rest,” Enzo says. “I’ll be able to help you heal faster now that the magic is out of your system, but you’ll still be tired and weak for a while.”
“Sleep,” I insist again. “Enzo will watch over you, and I’ll stay with you.” I turn his face to mine and press a kiss to his lips. “I won’t let you leave me.”
Enzo nods and presses his hand to Oliver’s aching head. Oliver lets out a sigh, and his body sags as he gives up his fight. “Maybe just for a little while,” he says, already drifting off.
I don’t like seeing him asleep again, but his body is relaxed, and his skin is cool this time. There’s more color in his cheeks now, too. “He’ll be all right, Miss Nora,” Enzo says, sensing my distress. “He is out of the woods now. With the magic burned out of his system, I’ll have him back to normal in no time.”
I swallow back a lump in my throat and reach for Enzo’s hand. “Don’t work too hard,” I insist, looking at the dark circles under his eyes. “If he’s really safe now, then you need a break. Get some rest and something to eat.”
She’s so compassionate, his thoughts say.They all are. If only Rook was serious. What I wouldn’t give to be a part of this clan.
I swallow hard again. I definitely need to talk to Terrance. But maybe another time. He looks dead on his feet right now. “T-man, have you slept at all since Oliver got hurt?”
He looks as though he’s about to deny his fatigue, but then he yawns. “Not much,” he admits with a grimace.
I point to the door. “Go sleep. That’s an order.”
He must really be tired, because he doesn’t argue at all. He simply shuffles out the door, covering another yawn with his hand. “Wake me if you need anything.”
