Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack) (21 page)

She didn’t have strength enough to fight him for possession of the pillow and gave it up. “What about you?” He was still sporting a massive hard-on that had to hurt.

“Let me see your back.” He crawled up alongside her and helped her sit upright. “You tore one of your stitches.”

She didn’t like the concern in his voice. She wanted him hot and bothered and inside her. Because in spite of the amazing orgasm she’d just had, it wasn’t enough. “I hurt,” she told him.

“Where?” He caressed her face and upper arms. “What can I do? Should I get Gator?”

Rina shook her head. “No, only you can take care of this problem.” His concern turned to confusion. She pointed between her legs. “Not done here.”

He grinned and then chuckled. “No, I thought I did a pretty good job?”

“You did,” she agreed. She ran her finger over the tip of his cock. He sucked in a breath as she gathered the wetness seeping from the tip and rubbed it all over the head. “But you’re not done.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

And that was the crux of it for him. She knew if he thought he might hurt her, he wouldn’t make love to her. And, damn it, she wanted to make love.

She thought about it and came up with a solution. “Sit with your back against the headboard.” He didn’t look convinced but did as she asked. She threw one leg over his thighs. He automatically wrapped his hands around her waist to keep her steady.

She shuffled upward and gripped his cock in her hand. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Rina fitted his cock head to her opening and slowly lowered herself onto his erection. “Positively.” They weren’t human. They were werewolves. They both needed this closeness, this reconnection. “You can lift me up and down and do all the work and it won’t hurt my shoulder at all.” She leaned forward and kissed him.

Sage canted his head to one side and deepened their kiss. He slid his tongue over hers, tasting and then challenging. He swallowed her moans of pleasure, and she did the same with his groans.

His cock swelled inside her, pulsating against the sensitive walls of her core. He hadn’t even moved yet and they were both on the edge.

Rina lifted herself slightly and dropped back down. His big body shuddered from head to toe. She knew he was fighting the need to roll her to her back and fuck her senseless.

She buried her face in his neck and was shocked when her fangs dropped. Oh damn. She wanted to bite him, to mark him as hers. That was what male werewolves did to mark their mates. She’d never heard of it happening the other way around.

She gently scraped her teeth over his skin. He growled and lifted her higher before pulling her downward. He pushed his hips up and ground his pelvis against hers.

The base of his cock swelled. He was close. She felt his teeth graze the sensitive area where her shoulder and neck met. It pushed her over the edge. Her entire body convulsed and her pussy squeezed his cock in a death grip.

He called her name and came hard. She felt the hot jets of his release inside her, the ripple and swell of his shaft. He slid his arms around her lower back and held her close. Her fangs retreated and she rested against him.

She’d wanted to bite him. Even more astounding, she’d wanted him to bite her, which was impossible because he couldn’t shift. She threw her arms around his shoulders and hugged him tight. She didn’t care that he couldn’t shift. Her wolf didn’t care either.

“I’ve got you.” He rocked her gently in his arms, the tender gesture at odds with the hard, pulsing shaft still buried deep inside her. “Everything will work out,” he promised.

And for the first time since she’d been banished from her pack all those months ago, she was beginning to believe he might be right.

Chapter Twenty-One

After catching their breath and cleaning up, they dressed—him in his usual jeans and tank top, and Rina in a pair of capri pants and a top that had been in the duffle bag her brother had brought with him. Sage kept his arm banded around Rina as they entered the kitchen. He wanted to carry her, but she insisted on walking.

Reece looked up from the stove where he had a pan going on every burner. “Hey.” He waved the spatula in the air and went back to work.

“Where’s Mikhail?” Rina asked.

“Who?” Reece flipped pancakes in one pan and went back to scrambling eggs in another.

“My brother. He was asleep on the sofa.”

Reece nodded. “I smelled a strange wolf, but he was gone. Maybe out for a run. He wasn’t here when I finished in the shower.” Sage knew his brother had used the outside entrance to his room. They both had patio doors leading to their rooms for a reason. It made it easier to come and go without disturbing their uncle, aunt, and Billy.

Rina looked concerned. “He’s not supposed to be in wolf form. Not until this is settled.”

She peered up at him, and Sage shrugged. “He’s a big boy. He knows the rules. Maybe he went out for a walk to clear his head.” What went unsaid was maybe her brother might have heard them making love and left because of that. “He’ll be back in time for breakfast.”

Rina didn’t look convinced, but there was nothing either of them could do about it. He held out a chair at the table for her, and she gave a sigh as she sat. He knew she was still weak from her ordeal even if she’d never admit it. Rina needed food and rest. Looked like Reece had a handle on the first part.

“Anything I can do to help?” he asked his twin.

Reece shook his head. “Got it under control.”

“Hey, Reece.” His blond hair standing on end and his eyes still half closed, Billy stumbled into the kitchen.

Reece reached out and tousled the teenager’s hair. “Hey, Billy. How’s it going?”

“Good.” He sniffed the air. “I’m starving. How much longer?”

“Not long. Have some coffee.”

Billy started to the coffeepot and then noticed Rina at the table. “Hey.” He gave her a small wave. “Should you be up?” He turned to Sage. “Should she be up?”

Rina smiled at Billy. “I’m really doing much better.”

Billy nodded. “You two want coffee?”

Sage pulled out the chair next to Rina and sat. “Yeah, thanks.” These moments were rare these days. It was nice to have all his family around him. And that included Rina. He wanted to share his family with her, to make her understand she never had to be alone again unless she chose to.

The back door opened and Mikhail walked in. He was dressed in a faded pair of khaki shorts and a brown T-shirt. He stopped when he saw the crowd in the kitchen and then his gaze zoomed right in on his sister. “Should you be up?”

Rina lowered her head to the table and gently thumped it once against the wood. “I’ve already had this conversation.” She raised her head and smiled at her brother. “I’m starving. I need breakfast.”

“You could have eaten it in bed.” Mikhail closed the door and walked toward her. Sage sat straighter and fought the urge to growl at him as he reached down and touched Rina’s face. “You’re pale.”

She covered Mikhail’s hand with her own. “Food is the best thing for me.”

Her brother sighed and dropped his hand back by his side. He nodded at Sage and then turned to Reece. “I take it you’re the brother?”

Reece calmly added more pancake batter to the pan and studied Mikhail. “I take it you’re the brother?” Sage barely kept from laughing when Reece tossed Mikhail’s question right back at him.

Mikhail shook his head and started toward the coffeepot. “Yeah, I’m the brother.”

Reece set his spatula down and stuck out his hand. “Reece Gallagher. The smart and handsome twin.”

Mikhail’s lips twitched but he didn’t quite smile. He shook Reece’s hand and then poured himself a coffee. “Smells good,” he offered.

“Bacon, ham, eggs, and pancakes. I’ll have it done in about five minutes.”

“Not a moment too soon,” Billy groused.

Sage reached out and played with Rina’s hair, content in a way he’d never been before. He had everything he’d ever wanted in his life right here in this room—family, friends, and the woman he loved. Life was good.

The trick would be to keep it this way.

Mikhail took the chair on the other side of his sister. “I ran into Jacque while I was out for a walk.”

“What did he say?” Sage was out of the loop with what was happening with the shooter.

“He said the local sheriff is coming out today to speak with Rina.” He studied his sister. “It wouldn’t hurt for you to look pale and hurt until after he’s spoken with you.”

“I’ll do my best,” she assured him.

“You should put a large bandage on her shoulder too,” Mikhail ordered Sage.

He just nodded at her brother. It wasn’t actually a bad idea. “Once he’s taken your statement, this will be over.”

Rina chewed on her bottom lip and Sage’s jeans grew uncomfortably tight. “Will I have to testify against him in court?”

Sage knew that was the last thing she wanted to have to do. “Probably not.” He looked at his brother for confirmation.

“Depends on what he’s said and what’s he’s confessed to.” Reece began pulling plates out of the oven. Billy jumped up and helped by bringing several platters to the table. “If he’s admitted to stalking and shooting her, it might just be a sentencing hearing in front of a judge. If he’s proven mentally unstable because of some of the stuff he’s spouting about her being a wolf and all, he may end up in a mental facility instead.”

Sage didn’t like the idea of the man getting out of jail time, but as long as he was locked away from Rina for what he’d done, he’d have to be happy with that.

“If it goes to trial,” Reece continued, “Rina will need to testify.” He put the big platter of pancakes in front of her. “But don’t worry about that yet,” he told her. “Eat.”

Rina nodded and helped herself to several pancakes. Sage hefted the large plate of bacon and held it out to her. She took four slices. He bit his tongue to keep from telling her to take more. He had to trust she knew what was best for her.

She leaned in and whispered to him. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“What?”

“Not ordering me to take more.”

Reece snorted, and even Billy smiled. Mikhail just piled eggs on his plate. “It was harder than you think,” Sage told her.

Rina patted his leg. “Then I appreciate the effort even more.”

“Reece.” Sue dashed into the room and hugged his brother. Didn’t matter they were bigger than she was, never did. She treated them like they were still kids, her kids.

“Hey, Sue.” Reece hugged her back, lifting her right off her feet.

“When did you get home?”

“Early this morning. I’ve only been here a couple of hours.”

Sue nodded and patted his face. Before Reece could put her down, Uncle Elias walked into the room and took her right out of his twin’s arms. They looked at one another and grinned. Even after all these years, their uncle was still very territorial over his wife.

Elias reached out and wrapped his hand around the back of Reece’s neck and pulled him close. “It’s good to have you home.” His voice was gruff with emotion.

“Good to be here.”

“Put me down,” Sue ordered. Once Sage’s uncle had complied, Sue came around the table and gently touched Rina’s arm. “How are you feeling this morning?” She put her hand on Rina’s forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever.”

Sage watched Rina swallow hard. He knew she was overwhelmed with emotion. This human woman was showing her more caring and love than her own mother probably had. That had to be hard.

“I’m feeling much better, thank you.”

“You make sure you rest today.” She pinned Sage with a fierce look. “You make sure she doesn’t do too much.” He didn’t even have a chance to reply before Sue was off again. “Oh, I know you all heal fast, but she was still only shot yesterday.”

Uncle Elias caught his wife by the shoulders and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll take care of her. Promise.”

Sue nodded and slipped into her seat. “Thank you for cooking breakfast, Reece. It all looks delicious.”

“My pleasure.” His twin kissed Sue’s cheek and then dumped a pile of pancakes and bacon on her plate.

Sue laughed, and they all began to eat. While his aunt grilled Reece about his job and life in Chicago, Sage watched Rina carefully without trying to be obvious about it. As if she felt his eyes on her, she turned and smiled at him. He could tell it was somewhat forced and knew she was worried about what was to come.

There was nothing he could say or do to change that. All he could do was offer her his support. He reached out and took her hand. She glanced down at their joined fingers and then back at his face.

“Together.” He mouthed the word but she understood and nodded.

* * * * *

An hour later, Rina found herself ensconced on the sofa in the living room with Sage on one side of her and her brother on the other. Her shoulder was itchy again, but there was nothing she could do about it at the moment, not with the local sheriff sitting across from her.

A large white bandage now covered her shoulder—not because she needed it, but because there was no way to explain how quickly she was healing—and a blanket was thrown over her legs. She didn’t have to act tired. Showering and eating breakfast had depleted her energy. She was more than ready for a short nap. As much as she hated to give in to the exhaustion pulling at her, she knew the more she rested and fed her body, the stronger she’d get.

The sheriff glanced around at the other family members. “You think we could have some privacy?”

Elias glanced at Sage and waited until he’d nodded. “We’ll be outside if you need us.” Which meant his uncle would still hear everything. Sue rubbed Sage’s shoulder on the way along and gave her an encouraging smile. Billy had left right after breakfast to go to work on a project in the workshop.

That left Reece and Mikhail, and she didn’t think her brother or Sage’s twin were going anywhere.

The sheriff looked pointedly at the other two men, but they both ignored him. Finally, he sighed and spoke. “I’m Sheriff Dohner, Miss Matheson.”

She nodded and pulled the blanket a little higher, more for comfort than anything, because she certainly wasn’t cold. Sage rested his hand on her leg while her brother crowded her on her other side. Reece leaned against the wall off to the side.

“Can you tell me what happened? From the beginning?”

Rina took her time and explained about how Johnny Bellamy had first threatened her at the diner where she’d been working. She left out the part where he’d accused her of being a werewolf.

The sheriff consulted his file. “You ran?”

She nodded. “Yes, I did.”

“Why didn’t you go to the law?”

She didn’t like the man’s insinuation that she’d done something wrong. “Because he was local, and I wasn’t. The law isn’t always fair in these situations, Sheriff Dohner, especially to the women involved.”

He sighed and rubbed his hand over his graying beard. “Unfortunately, I can’t say you’re wrong there. So you ran away.”

“I was afraid of what he might do. He told me he’d been watching me, following me, and I had no idea who he was, other than a regular at the diner.” She glanced at Sage and the anger in his eyes strengthened her because she knew it wasn’t aimed at her but was on her behalf. “I took to the woods figuring I could lose him. He must have called his brothers like he’d threatened, because suddenly I had three men after me.”

She shivered. Sage swore under his breath and then lifted her into his lap.

“I was camping,” Sage told the sheriff. “All the rangers know me at the park.”

The sheriff nodded, and Sage continued. “I heard something or someone in the woods. It was late, so I figured if it was a person, they had to be lost. I went to check out the situation and found Rina.” He rubbed his hand over her back. “After she explained the situation, I decided it was best we packed up and left. I know those woods like the back of my hand and knew I could get us out safely.”

“But you were followed?”

“Oh, yeah, they were right on our trail the whole way. I figured we lost them when we left. I’m still not sure how he found her.”

The sheriff sat back in his chair. He was a tall man and solid. He looked to be in his early sixties but moved like a much younger man. Rina was curious about what he could tell them.

“According to Mr. Bellamy, he asked a ranger at the park. Apparently, one of them saw you leaving. He told the ranger he was your boyfriend, Miss Matheson.” She made a small sound of distress. “Oh, I know that’s not the case,” he assured her, “but the ranger didn’t know the situation. He bought the story that you two had had a fight and you’d caught a ride with a stranger.”

He turned to Sage. “The ranger reassured him that you were a good guy and told him your name. Bellamy used that information to find out where you lived.”

Sheriff Dohner closed his file and set it aside. “He was by himself at that point. I’ve talked to the ranger and to some folks in town. Seems like Mr. Bellamy was asking about Sage at the local diner. One of the waitresses told him where to find you.”

That explained everything. Rina was glad to know and doubly glad that her stalker was currently sitting in a jail cell.

“Now that leads me to my next question.”

Rina straightened, or tried to. Sage had a firm hold on her and wasn’t letting her move. She sighed but settled back, resting her head on his shoulder. “What is it, Sheriff?”

The older man looked slightly uncomfortable. “He’s spouting all kinds of nonsense about you being a werewolf. I know.” He held up his hands. “It’s nonsense, but do you have any idea where it came from?”

She’d thought about this and had come up with what she hoped was a believable explanation. “I’d sometimes walk in the woods behind my apartment at night. I grew up camping and hiking, and it was a way to relax after a hard day of waitressing. I never ran into anyone and always believed I was alone.”