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Obviously, there was more to the woman than we knew. I hated that our due diligence hadn’t been enough. Hated that my mate had almost been killed because of it.
Mate. My mate.That was the primary stunner that had my mind working overtime. Gazing down at this most beautiful creature had my heart doing the race and quake it had been doing since I first saw her. Now it was clear that this was the first sign I had met my mate and, I thought with a wry grin, my match.
Dread hit hard when I realized I’d almost lost my mate when I only just found her. If I hadn’t gotten to her in time, she’d be gone. My soul cried out at the thought of losing her, at those memories of her prone in her wolf form, a knife sticking out of her as blood pooled around her. It had been too fucking close.
All I could do was beat myself up. I should’ve followed directly after her when she stormed out of the house. Just because we’d argued didn’t mean she should have left me in such a huff. If we hadn’t fought, she wouldn’t have had that brush with death because she wouldn’t have stormed out. Again, if I’d followed her, she wouldn’t have been alone. I could’ve protected her.
Lifting her palm, I kissed her hand before laying it against my cheek. I inhaled deeply. Her scent calmed me like nothing else could. I was in full animal-instinct mode and figured this reaction was common, especially where Tori was concerned.
A couple of knocks came from the doorframe, and I lifted my head. Clawson stood there, his sheriff’s hat in his hands as he studied Tori.
“How’s she doing?” He stepped into the room when I nodded for him to come in. Never move toward a wounded mate without the mate’s permission. Not unless you wanted a fight on your hands.
“She’s a fighter. She’ll be up and around telling me what’s what soon enough.”
Clawson chuckled and walked slowly to the end of the bed. “Yeah, she’s a fighter. It turns out she was onto the real murderer.”
My head snapped to Clawson. “What?”
“Mrs. Marrow is a little roughed up, but as she was detained, she said enough to implicate herself as the one who killed Phil. She’s not outright confessing and is obviously tight-lipped about why she attacked Tori and her motives for killing my deputy, but we’ll get her to talk eventually. We’re going to get to the bottom of this. I promise you.”
Clawson eyed me with determination, and I believed him.
My mind was working in circles, but I couldn’t gather the strength to go anywhere with it. I glanced back at Tori and watched over her.
“I almost lost her today. Man, I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her. I’d go mad. I’d follow her.”
Clawson’s heavy exhale thundered in the room.
“Seeing her the way we found her, it’s burned into my skull. I won’t ever be able to unsee that. It’s the nightmare of all nightmares.”
“You got to her in time, and she is safe now. You’re watching over her. That’s your job right now. Don’t worry about the town’s rumor mill or any of the bullshit going down. We’ve got everything covered. Focus on being with your fiancée while she recovers. There’ll be plenty of time to work everything else out.”
I thanked him and returned to giving Tori my undivided attention. Right now, I couldn’t worry about the town or my mayoral or alpha duties. My mate was hurt, and I’d spend every second of my time, every ounce of my energy with her until she was well enough to kick me out of this room.
And let’s face it, she would kick me out once she was out of the woods. I adored that about her. She was a fiercely independent and strong individual. She was born to be a luna of the highest caliber.
A nurse came in an hour later and told me several visitors were here to check in on Tori.
I stroked her cheek. “You hear that, baby? I told you, you’re loved here.”
The nurse said that Diana and Margo, along with Lola Kipling, the Ashworths, the Magpies, and several other patrons from the Moonlight Café were in the waiting room. She added that they wouldn’t leave until they were assured she was okay, but the hospital couldn’t give out that information.
“It’s okay,” I said. “Please let them know she’s recovering, and as soon as she can see visitors, I’ll let them know.”
“Will do, Mayor.”
The nurse started to leave the room when I thought for a second about it. “Actually, Nurse, can you please bring Diana and Margo Bogford here? They’re the closest Tori has to family, and she’d appreciate hearing their voices.”
To be fair, I could use Diana as well. Her maternal manner would be nice and help settle Tori and me. She’d always been close to me, more so after my parents died, so she should also be a part of this. She was family to both of us.
The two women quietly entered the room, holding back their tears as they trailed their gazes over all the tubes and machines Tori was hooked up to.
Margo stepped closer to Tori on the other side of the bed, hesitating to reach out and touch her.
“It’s okay, Margo,” I said. “You can touch her.”
A tear dripped from her cheek as she grabbed Tori’s hand. Diana stood beside me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder, aware of the bandages. I slumped against her and let her take some of the heaviness I’d been holding.
