Chapter 11

ELEVEN

A lex led Lena into his home, the door closing behind them with a quiet thud that seemed to echo the sudden shift from chaos to calm. His hands were steady as he guided her to the couch, but his heart thundered in his chest, a tumultuous storm of worry and rage. The sight of the blood staining her clothes and the unmistakable scent of her pain ignited a primal fury within him. The Hillside wolves had dared to harm her, to breach the peace of their evening with violence and malice.

Carefully, he helped her sit on his bed, his eyes scanning the injury with a clinical precision that belied the turmoil inside him. "Let me see," he murmured, gently peeling back the fabric to assess the wound. The claw marks were deep, angry slashes that spoke of the close call they'd had. The blood flow wasn't severe but the wounds were. A growl rumbled in his chest, the sound more animal than man, as he fought the urge to shift and hunt down those responsible.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Lena said, a tremor in her voice that she tried to mask with bravado. "I've survived worse scrapes falling off my bike."

Alex shot her a look, the edge of his worry softening at her attempt to lighten the mood. "I doubt your bike had claws," he replied, managing a strained chuckle as he reached for the first aid kit. He had nothing for pain. He was a shifter. They healed in their animal forms.

As he cleaned the wounds, his touch was gentle, a contrast to the strength and ferocity he'd displayed moments ago. "I'm sorry," he said, the words heavy with unspoken promises of protection and retribution. "I should have kept you safer."

Lena reached out, her hand finding his. "Alex, this isn't your fault. We both knew there could be risks being with you. But there's no one I'd rather face them with."

Her words were a balm to the raw edges of his anger, soothing the beast within him with a potency he hadn't anticipated. He met her gaze, seeing not just the pain but the trust, the unwavering courage that had drawn him to her from the start.

"Still, I wish it were me instead of you," he confessed, tying off the bandage with more care than he'd ever taken with his own wounds.

"Well, I don't," Lena quipped, wincing slightly as she adjusted her position. "You wouldn't look nearly as good in my jeans as I do."

The humor, unexpected and perfectly timed, cracked the tension between them. Alex laughed some of the tightness leaving his shoulders. "You're right. I don't think anybody looks as good as you do in your jeans, love."

The temperature shifted in the room. A lightness pushed back the shadows of the night's events. Alex watched her, the fierceness of his emotions melding into something deeper, a profound connection that was both terrifying and exhilarating. Fuck. How was he supposed to go on with his life as if everything was fine when his mate was a human who could easily be killed? He needed to mate her. He had to bind them together in blood and allow his alpha shifter power to strengthen her lifeline.

"I'll make it up to you," he vowed, not just for the injury but for every shadow the world might cast their way. "Dessert, round two? I hear chocolate has healing properties."

Lena smiled, her eyes bright with a mixture of pain and happiness. "Only if it's served by a handsome wolf who knows how to make a girl feel safe, even in the wildest of nights."

"Lie down, love. Let me see about getting you something to help this wound heal." Alex leaned in, his lips brushing her soft lips with a kiss that held all the promises he couldn't yet voice. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket.

"Thank you, Alex. Thank you for protecting me."

Something squeezed at his heart. "I will always protect you. You have my word, Lena. Always."

He wasn't one to speak romantic words. But for Lena, he'd learn to. He'd learn to open himself to the deep, unshakable mating bond they'd share soon.

He dialed his mom and watched Lena lean back into the pillows on his bed.

"Alex, hi," his mom sounded happy to hear from him. "What are you up to? I was sure you'd be out on a date with a certain someone tonight."

"Mom, Lena's been injured by some of the Hillside Pack."

"What-? How? What did they do?" she asked, the humor gone from her voice, her words tripping over each other in a severe tone.

"She's got some deep scratches on her side. I need something to help her heal."

There was a few seconds of silence. "I'll have someone from the clinic bring you some grey moss salve. It'll hurt going on, but it'll numb the pain and by tomorrow the scratches should be mostly gone."

"Thank you."

"Of course, son. And please, give her our love."

They ended the call and he returned to his bedroom and glanced at Lena lying on his bed. "How are you doing, love?"

She was sweating and he saw tears in her eyes. A small smile played on her lips. "Still not the worst date I've ever had."

"I'm glad I won't be remembered for that," he said, sitting by her side and holding her hand. In five minutes, a doctor from the clinic arrived with the salve.

Lena held her side but he nodded for her to allow the doctor to remove the bandage. He knew the salve would hurt and braced himself for her pain. He watched her clench her teeth and suck in a hard breath, the tears in her eyes finally falling. His mate's strength astounded him. She gripped his bedding in her fists and let out a breath slowly before sucking another in.

"This will help shortly," the doctor told her. "I know it hurts but it'll be numb soon."

After what felt like an eternity later but must have been one to two minutes he watched her grip on the bedding loosen and her eyes drift shut.

The salve dried over the injury into a thick protective patch.

"She'll sleep for a while. The salve has a relaxing effect on humans. She's not hurting any longer, Alpha." The doctor met Alex's gaze. "I would watch her for a while. Some humans can't handle the powerful drugging effect of the salve. If she has any strange reactions, call me."

He nodded and watched the doctor leave. He removed Lena's torn top and jeans. He left her in her underwear and readied to spend the night watching her to ensure her safety.