Page 56 of The Wolf's Mate
And now…
Rip changed it all.
As much as I want to stay in this blissful bubble for longer, a small, nagging voice tells me we are going to have to face reality. The real reason why I’m here.
“Now that we are mated fully, does this mean we can defeat Michael and the Nephilim he’s working with?”
Rip takes a deep breath. The mood switches, reality creeping back into our sex-crazed cabin. “I’m not sure how this works. Ender isn’t forthcoming with his information, but he seems to believe a strong bond between us will help change the tides of war.”
Strong bond between us. Not love, but also not not love. We are both in unfamiliar territory here, and for as much as Rip claims to have his emotions under lock and key, I know there’s a part of him that’s scared for things to end badly.
The bond creates no secrets between us. It’s both overwhelming and refreshing. It makes me feel stronger, but more vulnerable too, because I now have a massive weakness. If anyone wanted to hurt me, they’d simply have to hurt Rip. And with the threat of the looming war, we don’t have time to truly explore these new feelings. Not yet, at least.
“We have to get back to the real world soon, don’t we?” I sigh, knowing the answer before he responds.
“We do. Our pack is still in danger and…” he trails off.
“We just spent the last few days fucking our brains out?”
“Yeah, something like that.” He chuckles, though there is no real humor behind it.
Were we selfish in spending the last few days together and leaving the pack to fend for themselves? I refuse to feel bad for mating with my husband; I don’t regret it at all. But I can admit the timing isn’t great.
Wolves lie in their hospital beds, counting on us to find a cure.
Suddenly, the room feels all too cold.
“I need to find more wolfsbane,” I say. “Like I did with Tallie and Thorne. It called me once; it can call me again.”
Leaning my head back, I take in Rip, who seems to wrestle with this. “Yes, finding wolfsbane not locked up by Michael is important, but the woods are too dangerous right now with the wolves and Nephilim closing in. Promise me you won’t go into the woods without me. Even if you hear the call, find me first.”
“What if I’m with Thorne or Tallie?” Surely he would allow his best friend to escort me again.
But Rip shakes his head. “Not even them. Just me. I need your promise, Hettie.”
I don’t like it. It feels too much like control, but a part of me understands his concern. It’s the only reason I nod, agreeing to his terms.
For now.
“Thank you, Dove.” Rip leans down to kiss me, the final seal on our time together.
Because the moment we walk out of this cabin, the blissful oasis we created will disappear, and the true war will begin.
I’m not sure I’m ready.
Chapter 25
Hettie
“This is the last of the wolfsbane you located, Luna. This last dose will cure a child. Perhaps even a small female wolf.” Lucielle inspects the vial of lavender-colored liquid. The last medicine we have.
“How many cursed wolves do we have?” I probably should know this answer, but I haven’t been able to stomach going back into the infirmary. It’s fucked up on my part because I’m not the one dying, but seeing my packmates suffer brings an unexpected sadness that sits heavily on my chest.
It’s been a week since Rip and I made our appearance back into pack life. A week of harmless jests and teases from Tallie about surviving my first rut. It’s also been a week of constant work, pulling me one way and Rip another. The time spent at the cabin feels like so long ago.
“Upwards of thirty. Maybe forty.” Lucielle sighs, placing the medicine back into the holder. “We would have had more, but with the wolfsbane you found, we were able to heal close to ten wolves.”
“Forty?” Tallie speaks up from her perch in the corner, ignoring what Lucielle said about healed wolves. Grass lies over her legs as she strokes his head. He’s all but ditched me for Tallie, but I can’t say I blame him. “That’s the most we’ve had in a long time.”