Page 188 of Crystal Luna

“We’re not going to bleed out.”

“Shut up and do as you’re told.” Her tone was clipped, but they could hear the undertone of worry—and that made them smile.

“Yes, Luna,” Ash laughed and walked over to where Detlef waited for them.

Isaiah, however, took her hand in his and gently lifted it to his lips, brushing them over her knuckles. “Have you eaten?”

“I have.”

“And had enough to drink?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like to go see our prisoner together once we’re cleared?”

“Okay.”

‘You did well.’

‘You too.’

As Detlef tended to their wounds, they both kept their eyes locked on their mate. Vel’s muscles were tense, but her smile was soft and genuine. She held Mary’s hand, consoling her before she took the children aside to give Mary and her mate a few minutes of privacy. Though Kelly was stable for the moment, things were dodgy—no one was sure if he would pull through.

When Detlef declared them safe to leave, they gave Vel a few more moments with Mary. As she approached them, her eyes blanked while she linked with someone.

“I wanted someone to watch the kids,” she explained. “Gemma is coming to get them.” She then looked around, confused as to why they were walking in a different direction than she expected. “Where are we going?”

“Home,” Isaiah stated.

Vel stopped in her tracks, staring at him as if he’d sprouted a second head. “Why?”

“Because we say so.” He kept his tone calm, yet straightforward.

“No,” she protested.

“Yes, moonlight,” Ash countered, taking her hand. “Just for a little while so you can change into clean clothes and have something to eat.”

“I’m fine,” she snapped, eyes darkening as she wrenched out of Ash’s grip.

“We know you are.”

“Just a few minutes,” Ash pleaded, reaching for her hand again.

“Everyone is taken care of for the moment and that prisoner isn’t going anywhere.”

“Fine,” she pressed out between gritted teeth.

Ash gently tugged her to follow before she could change her mind.

Once inside, Ash practically had to drag her to the couch as she still blatantly fought them. With both hands on her shoulders, Ash all but shoved her to sit on the couch before he went to the kitchen, returning with a soda and a snack. Isaiah grabbed her some clean clothes from upstairs. She was covered in blood that didn’t belong to her and hadn’t even realised it.

He squeezed behind her on the couch, grabbing her hips and pulling her down onto his lap as she tried to wiggle away from him. “Stay.”

“Isaiah!”

“That would be me.”

Ash snickered as he knelt to untie her boots.