AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She rolled her eyes. “It’s just a liquid bandage. It’ll stop the bleeding and hold the edges of the wound together as she heals. It’s a deep cut, but it should heal without scarring after she’s able to shift back into her human form.”
Row stroked Kammie’s head. Her bright amber eyes stayed on his as Tessa closed the wound. When Kammie was taken care of, Row let Tessa examine him. His ankle ached and he was pretty sure he’d broken a couple of ribs, but aside from several claw marks, he hadn’t been badly hurt. Considering that the three males had advanced on him at once, he knew he could’ve easily died on the ground outside the chamber, leaving Kammie at their mercy.
When Row was bandaged up, Tessa said, “When Kammie shifts back, the wound should be healed. If it starts to bleed again or if it doesn’t heal, give me a call. She looks exhausted, so let her sleep and stay in her shift as long as she can.”
“Wolves heal better in their shifts, right?”
She nodded. “Particularly bad injuries sometimes require shifting back and forth over the course of a day or two, but Kammie’s wound isn’t that serious.”
“She bled so much.”
“But she’s going to be fine.” Tessa put her hand on Row’s shoulder, and Kammie growled. Tessa lifted her hand quickly and smiled. “Sorry, Kammie. Be well, and call if you need me.”
Tessa, who was his mother’s age, walked with her to the front door and they spoke quietly for a moment. Row tweaked Kammie’s ear. “Is my little wolf jealous?”
Her lip curled and she huffed.
“There’s nothing to be jealous of. She’s like an aunt to me. Her and my mom have been friends for a long time, and her son and I were good friends in school. The sleuth is like a big family, and we all watch out for each other. One time, Tessa came to school to pick me up when my mom wasn’t able to come get me. I’d been in a fight and gotten sent home. Tessa dragged me from the principal’s office by my ear and gave me a good talking-to before she took me home. Then my mom did the same thing.” He grinned.
Kammie’s lip lowered and she whimpered. He kissed her muzzle and stood. “I’m going to clean up. Mom?”
She turned around after waving at Tessa and shutting the door. “Yes, honey?”
“Would you grill up a few steaks for us? I’m sure Kammie would like to eat something, if she doesn’t fall asleep first.”
“Will do. Are you okay?”
He glanced at the couch where Kammie was watching him intently. “I am now.”
His mom nodded and he headed to the shower to clean the blood and dirt from his skin, careful to avoid the bandages Tessa had put on. By the time he came out into the family room, Kammie was chewing on a thick steak while his mom watched. She gestured to the coffee table and Row’s stomach growled as he picked up a plate with a steak on it.
“Feel better?” his mom asked.
“Definitely.”
“Good. It’s not the best way to start off your mating, but I’m actually thankful that it happened.”
His mouth fell open. “What?”
“Oh, no! I mean, I’m not happy you and Kammie were hurt, I’m just glad that Hector is dead, and his cronies with him. I always wondered if he might come back for retribution.”
Row nodded. “I expected to see him again at a battle at some point. It never occurred to me that he’d come after me this way. I feel like I let Kammie down because I wasn’t prepared for this. We were entirely vulnerable in the mating cave, and I trusted I could keep her safe.”
“The mating cave is sacred; there was no reason for you to anticipate that someone would attack you there. And only a coward attacks in a group like that.”
Row agreed. Hector was a good fighter, but he wasn’t a good person. Row had no regrets for ending his life, or the lives of the three males who’d come with him.
His mom sat with him until he finished eating, and then she left, promising to stop by later. He lifted a sleeping Kammie into his arms and carried her to the bedroom. The liquid bandage had done the trick and sealed the wound. He couldn’t scent any more fresh blood on her. He stroked her fur. She was beautiful—gray and brown mottled fur, with a white belly and paws. Settling around her, he rested one hand on her stomach and closed his eyes, willing himself to stop thinking about how close he’d come to losing her. He didn’t want to envision a life without his sweetheart in it.
CHAPTERTEN
Kammie woke up and found herself back in her human form. She’d shifted while she was asleep. She wasn’t sure how long she’d been out of it, but her wound had healed completely without leaving a scar. She sat up and rubbed her fingers over the place where Hector had struck with the blade.
Row touched her back and she looked down at him.
“Are you okay,Adara?”
“Yeah. No scar.” She twisted to show him her skin.
