Chapter 14

Geneva

M y head snaps up when Sly opens the door and walks out of Wiley's room, casting a patient smile down at me. Bo is asleep on the sofa, the TV playing softly in the corner. Jimmy went back to the house to make us breakfast, not that I can think about eating food at this moment.

Tonight I killed my husband. My ex-husband. My abusive piece of shit tormentor who caught me creeping out of the trees to see what was going on. The surprise on his face followed by unfiltered evil glee caused the blood in my veins to freeze, as well as my limbs.

If Wiley hadn't arrived when he did, John would have surely had me bound and gagged in the back of that van.

"How is he?" I ask Sly.

"He's healing. Obviously you know something about us, so I'll explain what is going on. Right now he's resting in his wolf form because we heal faster that way. His body is pushing out the bullets, but he was hit with hollow points, and they expand upon impact. What's coming out is almost double the size it was when it went in. Add to that, there's always a possibility the bullets fragmented, so more than two things might push their way to the surface."

Tears slip out of my eyes and fall down my cheeks as my lip trembles.

"Shit." Sly kneels next to me. "Sorry, Geneva. I guess you don't need the nitty gritty clinical stuff. The point is, he's going to be fine. I suspect he'll be up and walking by this afternoon."

"This afternoon?"

"Yeah. We're incredibly resilient. How are you doing? Any bumps or scratches I need to doctor?"

"No. Miraculously, Wiley got to me before John could hurt me."

"About that." Sly grabs a chair and straddles it in front of me. "I don't know how far into the ‘Fated mate-slash-I'm a wolf shifter' conversation you and Wiley got before the trouble started, but there's something you should know about the mating mark."

I shake my head. "I told him no, and he said they would deal with it."

Sly casts his gaze to the ground. "Did he explain why he wants to mark you?"

"Kind of." I search my brain for his why, but I'm not coming up with anything. He didn't push the issue and accepted my refusal. "Something about it helping him watch over me?"

"That's right. When we find our Fated mate—of which we only get one—our animal wants to bite and inject our serum into their veins. It's like a biological marker that bonds us on an ethereal level. Tonight, if you wore your mate's mark, Wiley would have known you were in trouble the moment your adrenaline spiked. If he hadn't known where you were, your bond would have given him a rough heading and he would've found you. Without it, he can't protect you like he wants to, which will drive his wolf insane in a short amount of time."

"How is that different from a tracker in my car or app on my phone?"

He sighs. "It's not, except for the man and intention behind it. Since scenting you, Wiley's only purpose has been to protect you and those you care about. He'll die for you and Bo—no questions asked."

"He said he loves me," I whisper, more to myself than to him.

Sly nods. "I know he does."

"But wearing someone's mark feels wrong."

He sits back and grabs the hem of his shirt, pulling it up to his chin. On his chest is a giant brand consisting of a squiggly line that is ten times the size of the one on my hip. "I understand better than anyone what you're feeling. What I'm telling you is that, in this situation, it's different from the scars you and I wear. If you love him and want to save him, you'll think really hard about welcoming his bite."

"Save him?" I shake my head. "I don't understand."

Standing, Sly pulls his shirt down and puts the chair back against the wall where it was. "Whatever you decide, the pack will shelter and protect you."

"Why would you do that?" I twist the fabric of Wiley's T-shirt in my hands. I've been holding onto it like a security blanket since Sly brought it in with him an hour ago.

"We take care of our own."

The back door opens, letting the first slivers of daylight in. It's later than I realized and I'm bone tired after everything that has happened. Cricket walks in with Erick behind him, both of them staring at Sly, yet none of them speaking a word.

Two minutes later Kade and Dinah walk in. Kade joins their silent conversation that I've noticed they do from time to time while Dinah plops down next to me and throws her arms around my shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Something about this sweet woman's concern—someone I've only had lunch with twice—causes me to fall apart. I turn and sob on her shoulder, finding comfort and a sort of sisterhood in her embrace.

"It's okay, Geneva. Kade promises Wiley will be fine."

And then it hits me.

Dinah and Jimmy only arrived here two months ago, and she was introduced to me not only as Kade's fiancee, but also as his mate. Are they garden-variety humans like me? How does one tell? Did she accept Kade's mating mark? If so, would she talk to me about it? Is that even an appropriate topic to ask someone?

As if Sly has the same idea, he motions between the two of us. "You two should talk."

Kade nods his agreement. "I think that's a good idea."

Dinah stands and offers me her hand. "Come on. We can talk in the front room."

I glance at Bo sleeping on the couch.

Sly nods. "I've got eyes on him."

After ten minutes of talking to Dinah, I'm seriously considering letting Wiley embed his mating mark into my skin. No offense to Wiley or Sly, who explained it like wolf shifting males, but she explained it like only a woman could—listing many more desirable benefits, to include feeling Kade's love and devotion to her radiating off of him in waves.

"I'll be able to sense Wiley like he senses me?"

"In a way. I mean, it's not like these guys are really great at hiding their emotions." She blushes. "Happy, horny, or hangry, as I've heard Erick say."

I giggle. "What's your mate feeling now?"

She looks up at the ceiling as she reads him. "Concerned for his friend, annoyed at Erick for saying something like that in front of me, and maybe a little frustration with you."

"They're mad because I refused Wiley's mating mark?"

She flashes me a sympathetic smile. "He won't be able to function as a man and a wolf without it. He'll have to pick at some point, and neither will be happy without the other. Which means, he won't be the Wiley we all know and love anymore. At least that's how Kade explained it to me when we had the same conversation."

"You don't feel trapped by Kade because of it."

"No, it's the exact opposite. I feel more loved than I thought possible. And I don't question his feelings for me at all, because it's not just his words or actions. I literally feel an invisible thread between our hearts."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Plus," she blushes a bright red and leans forward, lowering her voice to a whisper. "I've never had a girlfriend to talk to about this, but the orgasms I have when he bites me…"

She pulls back, shaking her head and using her hands to demonstrate her mind blowing apart.

I laugh. "I've never had girlfriends to talk to either."

"Well, now you have me." She stands up and opens her arms wide.

"Thank you for talking to me about this." I also stand and accept her embrace.

"What are you going to do?"

I glance at the door, wondering if all the men assembled in the hallway overheard our conversation. Just in case, I clear my throat and announce, "I'm going to claim my mate."

"Fuck yeah," a deep voice says.

Sly responds with, "Go to the house. Jimmy's been baking for the last hour."

We enter the hallway as Cricket and Erick retreat through the back door. Kade stands by with his hand stretched out, waiting for Dinah. He and I make eye contact and he gives me the slightest nod while pulling his mate to his side, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders.

Sly smiles and opens the door to Wiley's room. "I'm going to carry Bo back to his room and let him sleep. You should grab some shut eye too. You can crawl into bed with Wiley."

Glancing into the room, I frown. "But he's a wolf."

"Have you never spooned a dog?" He chuckles. "Same concept, but don't call us dogs."

"Won't I hurt him?"

"Nope. As a matter of fact, it'll help him heal faster by having you close." He squeezes my upper arm before turning away. "I'll be back in a little while to check on you."

I stand in the doorway and watch him walk out the backdoor, calling after him. "Where's Nan?"

He stops in his tracks, his shoulders bunching as he looks back without meeting my eye. "She needed some time alone. She'll be back later."

"She's mad at me." I state without question.

"He's her baby brother, the only blood family she has left, and she's worried about him."

I nod. "I understand. Thanks, Sly."

Before crawling into bed with Wiley, I shed my dirty shirt and pants, and wash my arms and face. I grab a clean blanket off the cart in the corner and drape it over us, my hand resting carefully on his shoulder and away from his wounds. His coat is soft, my fingers gently combing through his thick fur to his skin underneath. I press my chest to his back and spoon him like he has me so many times in the last three weeks.

Nuzzling his neck, I settle my head on the pillow and place my mouth near his furry ear. "I love you too, Wiley. Please come back to me. I need your mark. I need you to make me yours."