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“No, this was more like a memory. I think my birth mother was murdered at the vineyard, and my mother—or rather Martina—took me in. She must have had the medallion made for me. I was admonished never to take it off for any reason.”
“They didn’t want others to know.”
“They didn’t want you to know.”
“I don’t think that’s it. I took your father unawares.”
“He isn’t my father.”
“He is, for all intents and purposes. I didn’t give him much of a choice about substituting you for GiGi.”
“But he lied to you. I know how important it is to you that your bloodline is pure. I can’t give you that. You thought you were getting a mate with a pedigree to match your own…”
“Simone, listen to me. You are never to throw back at me all the terrible, arrogant, stupid things I said. There is nothing wrong with you. You are my fated mate; you are perfect just the way you are. No one has ever moved me the way you do. No one has ever made me almost lose my mind from wanting you. The only pure happiness I have ever known was being tied to you, knowing I had marked and claimed you as mine.”
“I have things I should be doing.”
He pressed her back in the bed, gently. “All you need to do is recover. Becoming a dire wolf is not for the faint of heart. Human DNA does not react well to being overrun by prehistoric DNA. I need you to take it easy.”
“I’m not weak…”
“I’m not suggesting you are, but you have been hit by the proverbial freight train, and you need to let yourself heal.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Almost a week. Doc wanted to keep you in his clinic. I wanted you at home. I won.”
She smiled. “You didn’t hurt him, did you?”
“No, but he had to admit, you seemed to rest easier here with me than at his clinic while I was arranging to transport you home. He came every day the first few days and told me knowing you were human made him less worried that the bite didn’t seem to be healing.”
“I’m sorry to be so much bother.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. You’ve made it through the worst part. You just need to let your body rest and come to terms with its new physiology.”
There was a quiet knock on the door as Valentin stuck his head inside. “Mischa. Colby Reynolds is here and says it is urgent he speak to you. He has Kitty with him.”
“How the hell did she end up in Mystic River?” asked Mischa. “It doesn’t matter. Thank him for his kindness, but whatever else it is he wants will have to wait. I won’t leave Simone.”
Simone brightened and called, “Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!”
She was answered by a yowl and then what sounded like a small cat fight before Kitty came galloping up the stairs, pushing the door wide open and jumping up on the bed to hiss at Mischa and prowl back and forth by her mistress’ side.
“Kitty, don’t,” Simone said, stroking her long, silky fur. “I missed you.”
The lynx rubbed her head against Simone’s cheek, jaw, and throat, sniffing at the prominent bite mark. Kitty grimaced and then gave Simone a good and thorough sniffing before finally settling down next to her.
Hearing someone coming down the hall, Valentin ducked back out the door pulling it closed. There were raised voices from the hallway and then the door was pushed open violently and a tall, leanly-muscled man with blond hair entered the room.
“Get out, Reynolds,” snarled Mischa, moving between the stranger and Simone.
“I need to talk with you. Although it might be better to speak with you both at the same time.”
“I’ll remove him, Mischa,” said Valentin, re-entering the room.
The man she assumed to be the famous or infamous, depending on who you spoke to, Colby Reynolds turned to face Valentin with cold, deadly eyes and a smile to match. “Better men than you have tried; none have succeeded.” He turned back to Mischa. “Bring your wolf to heel, Palmer. I mean you and your lady no harm. In fact, I am trying to help.”
“What could what passes for a gangster in these parts possibly do to help me?”
