Page 16 of Link with Me
“I’ll check in with you later,” Alex said to Wes.
As they walked away from the scene, Lena leaned on Alex, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotion. The night had revealed the depth of Alex’s commitment, the lengths to which he would go to protect her. She had seen Alex in all his terrifying strength, had witnessed the lengths he would go to protect her, and instead of running, she found herself drawn closer to him.
“Alex,” she began, her voice shaking not just from the cold but from the onslaught of emotions. “I?—”
He silenced her with a look, a tender but firm shake of his head. “Later. Let’s take care of this first.”
As they made their way to his place, Lena couldn’t help but marvel at the complexity of her feelings. Fear, yes, but also admiration, and a fierce sense of protectiveness toward Alex and his world.
Tonight had changed everything, and as the adrenaline began to wane, replaced by the throbbing pain of her wound, Lena realized she didn’t care that Alex was a shifter. She was already in over her head.
ELEVEN
Alex led Lena into his home, the door closing behind them with a quiet thud that seemed to echo the sudden shift from chaos to calm. His hands were steady as he guided her to the couch, but his heart thundered in his chest, a tumultuous storm of worry and rage. The sight of the blood staining her clothes and the unmistakable scent of her pain ignited a primal fury within him. The Hillside wolves had dared to harm her, to breach the peace of their evening with violence and malice.
Carefully, he helped her sit on his bed, his eyes scanning the injury with a clinical precision that belied the turmoil inside him. “Let me see,” he murmured, gently peeling back the fabric to assess the wound. The claw marks were deep, angry slashes that spoke of the close call they’d had. The blood flow wasn’t severe but the wounds were. A growl rumbled in his chest, the sound more animal than man, as he fought the urge to shift and hunt down those responsible.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Lena said, a tremor in her voice that she tried to mask with bravado. “I’ve survived worse scrapes falling off my bike.”
Alex shot her a look, the edge of his worry softening at her attempt to lighten the mood. “I doubt your bike had claws,” he replied, managing a strained chuckle as he reached for the first aid kit. He had nothing for pain. He was a shifter. They healed in their animal forms.
As he cleaned the wounds, his touch was gentle, a contrast to the strength and ferocity he’d displayed moments ago. “I’m sorry,” he said, the words heavy with unspoken promises of protection and retribution. “I should have kept you safer.”
Lena reached out, her hand finding his. “Alex, this isn’t your fault. We both knew there could be risks being with you. But there’s no one I’d rather face them with.”
Her words were a balm to the raw edges of his anger, soothing the beast within him with a potency he hadn’t anticipated. He met her gaze, seeing not just the pain but the trust, the unwavering courage that had drawn him to her from the start.
“Still, I wish it were me instead of you,” he confessed, tying off the bandage with more care than he’d ever taken with his own wounds.
“Well, I don’t,” Lena quipped, wincing slightly as she adjusted her position. “You wouldn’t look nearly as good in my jeans as I do.”
The humor, unexpected and perfectly timed, cracked the tension between them. Alex laughed some of the tightness leaving his shoulders. “You’re right. I don’t think anybody looks as good as you do in your jeans, love.”
The temperature shifted in the room. A lightness pushed back the shadows of the night’s events. Alex watched her, the fierceness of his emotions melding into something deeper, a profound connection that was both terrifying and exhilarating. Fuck. How was he supposed to go on with his life as if everything was fine when his mate was a human who could easily be killed? He needed to mate her. He had to bind them together in blood and allow his alpha shifter power to strengthen her lifeline.
“I’ll make it up to you,” he vowed, not just for the injury but for every shadow the world might cast their way. “Dessert, round two? I hear chocolate has healing properties.”
Lena smiled, her eyes bright with a mixture of pain and happiness. “Only if it’s served by a handsome wolf who knows how to make a girl feel safe, even in the wildest of nights.”
“Lie down, love. Let me see about getting you something to help this wound heal.” Alex leaned in, his lips brushing her soft lips with a kiss that held all the promises he couldn’t yet voice. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
“Thank you, Alex. Thank you for protecting me.”
Something squeezed at his heart. “I will always protect you. You have my word, Lena. Always.”
He wasn’t one to speak romantic words. But for Lena, he’d learn to. He’d learn to open himself to the deep, unshakable mating bond they’d share soon.
He dialed his mom and watched Lena lean back into the pillows on his bed.
“Alex, hi,” his mom sounded happy to hear from him. “What are you up to? I was sure you’d be out on a date with a certain someone tonight.”
“Mom, Lena’s been injured by some of the Hillside Pack.”
“What-? How? What did they do?” she asked, the humor gone from her voice, her words tripping over each other in a severe tone.
“She’s got some deep scratches on her side. I need something to help her heal.”
There was a few seconds of silence. “I’ll have someone from the clinic bring you some grey moss salve. It’ll hurt going on, but it’ll numb the pain and by tomorrow the scratches should be mostly gone.”