72. Anna

72

Anna

The door opened, and I smelled his blood before he stumbled in. With a gasp, I jumped up from the chair. Jax was covered in blood. "What? What happened? Are you okay? Do you need Saul? Have you shifted?"

"I'm fine," he growled and limped to the bathroom. I was right behind him. He wasn't fine. When he removed his shirt, I could see the blood seeping out of his wound.

"Jax! What the hell happened! Why haven't you shifted?" Frantic, I opened the bathroom cabinets, but there was nothing in there to close up a wound. Maybe because we were self-healing. And had an infirmary. Grabbing a towel, I pressed it against his wound.

He stared down at me with an unreadable expression. "Finn tried to leave the territory."

"What?"

"Is this an idea that you gave him?"

Jerking my head, I frowned at him. "Of course not. I know you're not allowing anyone in or out of the pack. Why did he leave?"

"Why do you think? He wants to be proactive. Sound familiar?"

I pressed harder on the wound, and he hissed. "Sorry. Did that hurt? I'll try to go easier."

"You are my mate, Anna. I need you to support me."

"I need you to shift into a wolf so you don't bleed out in our bathroom." When he just stared at me, I dropped the towel and slapped my hand over the wound. He grunted, and I focused as I funneled my magic into him. I'd been working on my magic, in my human form, on things that didn't involve pulling on pack magic, but I still couldn't close it all the way. Still, at least he wasn't bleeding out anymore.

"Your magic is so hot," he whispered hoarsely. "Everything about you is magnificent. Why won't you let me protect you?"

"We're partners, Jax. We're supposed to be partners." I pulled his shirt up the rest of the way and turned to inspect his back. There were more scratch marks, one of them deep, but it would heal on its own. Turning him back around, I undid his pants.

"Need something?" he asked huskily.

My eyes flitted up to his, and I ignored the flip-flop of my stomach. "You're still bleeding. Weren't you the one who yelled at me when I didn't shift when injured?"

"It's different."

"It really isn't." I yanked his pants down and ignored his hiss of pain. Good. I hoped it hurt because he was being an idiot. "Is there something wrong with your wolf?"

He didn't say anything, and the flirtation died. "Jax? What's wrong with your wolf?"

"Nothing. My wolf is fine."

The tick in his jaw told me differently. "So, you're just not going to talk to me anymore. You can't discuss your plan for defeating Maeve. You won't talk about our kid that I'm carrying. Now you're having some kind of issue with your wolf, but it's none of my business. I just need to stay in the house and be protected."

"Anna…"

Ripping open the shower curtain, I turned on the water and pushed him in. It hadn't even had a chance to heat up, and he grunted as the water hit him. Before I could storm away, he grabbed my shirt and pulled me in. "Damn it, Jax, I'm still dressed."

"We weren't done."

"Oh, so you'd like to hear me yelling at you more while you just stare at me in stony silence and grunt like a caveman? Can we schedule some time for tomorrow? I'm pretty tired. It's late, and I'm sure you have something else to do to avoid me."

The cold water had me shivering, and I turned around and adjusted the temperature. Immediately, Jax's hands stripped off my shirt, and I turned around and slapped at his hands. "I'm so not in the mood."

He captured my hands. "I can put you in the mood."

"Jax…"

"It's all I can do to keep my hands off you, Anna. When I was in that cult, all I could think about was you. When, for a split second, I didn't think I was going to get out, I was grateful that I'd experienced your love."

I hated that tears pricked my eyes. "I'm here right now, Jax. Just talk to me."

Instead, he dipped his head and kissed me. As I slid my arms around his neck, his hands went to my pants. His lips went down my neck, and even lower, as he knelt down in front of me and pulled my pants down the rest of the way.

"No panties," he murmured as he kissed the inside of my thighs. "That's my girl."

His blood mixed with the water in the shower and swirled down the drain, but he didn't even seem to feel it as he nudged my legs open wider. "I miss you, baby."

"I'm right here, Jax. I haven't left you."

He was the one who seemed to be leaving me.

Closing my eyes, I leaned against the wall as his kisses move higher up my legs, and when he slipped a finger inside me, he found me sopping wet.

Fuck him.

"I knew I could put you in the mood," he groaned.

Fuck him twice.

When his tongue slid over my clit, I let it go. I embraced what we could do right now, and right now, I could give myself over to the orgasm that was building inside me.

"Jax. Shit," I gasped as he sucked hard, and I ripped open inside. As he stood, he slid me up the wall. "Your wounds," I protested weakly.

"I would have to be dead not to fuck you. I'll bleed out for you, Anna. You know that, right?" His cock nestled between my thighs as he kissed me hard.

"And what if I want to protect you?"

"I'm not the one in danger."

Reaching up, I gently pushed my fingers through his wet hair. "When are you going to tell me what happened at the compound?"

There was a flash of something in his eyes. "I've told you everything important."

"You're lying."

His cock slid inside of me, and we both groaned. When he kissed me again, there was something so desperate in it that my heart ached. I matched him with everything that I had, giving myself into the way he made my body feel.

"That's it. Take my cock, sweetheart," he groaned. "Fuck, Anna. You're mine. Mine."

"I'm right here," I cried out and dug my fingers into his shoulder. "Right here."

His cock pounded in me so hard the damn tile cracked on my back. I came hard, screaming his name. Pulling out, he pressed his head to mine. "Did I hurt you?"

"I'm probably going to have some bruises, but I'll live." My hands skimmed down his abdomen. "You're still bleeding."

Slowly, he lowered me down to the floor and caged my waist with his hands. "The baby?"

My heart twisted. It was the first time he'd even mentioned it. "Just a few months old. I think it can handle a little rough playtime in the shower."

"Anna…" he stared down at me, his expression unreadable before he pulled his hands away. "I'm going to see Saul about my wounds."

I didn't even try to protest as he walked away. A few minutes later, I heard the door to the bedroom close, and I slid down to the floor and wrapped my hands around my knees. Water still pounded down on me.

Whatever the hell happened had scared Jax, and I couldn't penetrate the wall that surrounded him.

I placed my hand on my belly. I'd had mixed feelings about being pregnant, but I didn't think Jax would be. To see him pulling back hurt me desperately.

It was just Maeve. Once the darkness was no longer hanging over our heads, this would be fine. We'd be able to relax and talk about it.

Whatever Jax knew was important. He might not want to tell me, but he wasn't the only one there.

Tomorrow, Lunessa and I were going to have a serious chat. I wasn't going another day not knowing what happened.