Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Merrik

I kick the door shut behind me as I carry Piper into my house. My mate is now right where she is supposed to be. Something inside of me loosens at the thought. It did not escape my attention while I was fighting with Doyle that the moon was almost full.

I take her to the only room she is ever going to sleep in. Mine. Once there, I go straight for the bathroom. I'm covered in blood and mud, and she's got dirt in her hair and on her body. I make quick work of our clothes and turn the shower on. I can tell she's hurt. There is heat emanating from her wrist that my extra senses can pick up on, but I don't sense anything else other than superficial scratches and bruises.

Still, the water will help me make sure. When the water hits her body, she starts coming around. Finally.

"Merrik?" She tries to push my hands away as I rub a smudge of dirt off her cheek.

I am well aware that she is completely naked in my arms. My eyes have already feasted on the sight before me, the soft swell of her breasts tipped with raspberry nipples, the soft curve of her hips, the hairless mound leading down to the delicious-looking lips that are equally bare. My mouth is dry and my dick is hard but right now my mate needs me to make sure she is alright and cared for. Touching and tasting will come later.

We're on the bottom of the shower floor and I'm fighting with her to stay still so I can wipe the dirt off her.

"Merrik, there were wolves and people dead, and I thought…I think…I was dreaming?"

Now isn't the time to clear anything up for her. "Shh, let me make sure you're not hurt, sweetheart."

"Hurt?"

Her brows furrow and she's quiet for a long time, giving me time to clean her soft skin. If I was in my wolf form, I would simply use my tongue to clean her but this is the way that won't cause her so much panic…hopefully.

She holds her hand up in front of her face. "I…fell. I tripped over something in the clearing and landed on my wrist."

I wrap my hands around the wrist and start feeling around, bending it a little and checking on her. "I don't think it's broken, just sprained."

"I fell…oh my God! Merrik, I think there was a body out there. We have to…we have to do something…why am I naked? Oh shit! I'm naked!"

She tries to pull away from me but I wrap my arms around her waist and hold her tight. "Sweetheart, you need to sit still."

"No, I need to get out of here and find my clothes. What the hell? What the hell is Annie going to think?!"

She pushes against me so she can sit up and cover herself.

"Annie? What the hell does she have to do with any of this? Was she out there with you?"

"What? No, as far as I know, she was still at the campfire with the older kids."

"Then why the hell would Annie care that you're in my shower?"

She's scooted back from me some and drawn her legs up tight so she can cover more of herself. It doesn't make me happy that she's trying to put space between us. My wolf doesn't care for it either. He's just got her in his home, he doesn't want to wait or have distance put between us. He wants me to grab her by the ankle, pull her down, and put our mark on her. The look of confusion on her face is the only thing holding him back. We are in complete agreement that our mate comes first. No matter what. Even despite what we want most.

"Sweetheart, why don't you tell me what Annie has to do with this?"

She looks around her and up at the showerhead before her eyes come back to mine being very careful not to stare at anything below my neck.

"We…we're both, um, naked." She whispers the last word. "Together."

"Yes. When I brought you here, you were covered in mud. I wanted to clean you so I could make sure you weren't hurt anywhere else but your wrist."

"So…you…just did it to make sure I was alright?"

I nod carefully. "Sweetheart, what does Annie have to do with anything?"

"I just didn't want her to think…it doesn't matter. Forget I said anything."

I move closer to her until I can take her by the wrist, the one that isn't hurt, and pull her closer to me. The water around us makes it easier for me to slide her to me and turn her so her back is to my front and my arms are wrapped around her.

"What didn't you want Annie to think, sweet girl?" Somehow, I feel it will be easier for her to talk to me like this. "Everything you think is something I want to hear, so please tell me."

"I was just worried she might get the wrong idea if she found out we were both together in the shower."

"The wrong idea?"

"I know she's not really like that but if, um, I was in her position I wouldn't be happy to learn someone I was with was naked with a woman in the shower. Maybe she doesn't care because she's super understanding and so sweet, but I just didn't want her to think I was…that we were…."

"Wait," it comes out as a growl and I have to breathe through the yearning to show her the only person I will ever be with is her, "you think me and Annie are a couple?"

"Yes."

"No." Her head swivels around to look at me. "I've never even looked at Annie like that. She's…she's a baby."

She stiffens in my arms and then I realize what I said.

"Wait, that didn't…,"

"It's okay. You don't date young women. It's…it's really not my business. I was just worried I was…it doesn't matter. Annie is my friend, and I didn't want to…"

"It's not Annie's age that keeps me from dating her. I'm just not attracted to her."

"Like I said…it's not my business."

"I'm pretty sure it is your business to know if I am with someone." She looks at me like she doesn't understand what I am talking about. "I would never be in the shower with anyone else but you, Piper."