Page 10 of Blood So Brutal

He splashed water on his face and hunched over the sink. His long, broad muscles flexed against the movement, the wound of his absent wings on full display.

“You really know how to make a man feel better. Thank you.” He splashed more water.

“I’m serious.” I stepped forward, reaching out but pulling my hand back before I touched him. “Not that I care, but I think it’s infected. Weren’t these supposed to heal by now? I figured your angel blood would have taken care of it.”

“I’m afallenangel, remember?” His words held more anger than I heard in some time, but I knew it wasn’t anger toward me. “Though I’m not even sure I would call myselfthatanymore.”

The wounds on his back looked fresh, like they were inflicted just yesterday. They certainly did not look like the wounds of a healing magical creature.

“Do you have healers here?” I asked. “If you can’t heal yourself, maybe you should see one.”

He spun around to face me, quicker than I was prepared for. His brows were drawn together, and the light in his eyes sparkled with emotion. “Does my father strike you as the type of person to keep healers in his kingdom?” He smiled to himself. “He would love to know I was suffering even more than he originally intended.”

“He is that cruel?”

“Have you learned nothing?”

I froze, staring at him. Wolf had told me stories of his father, but now that I knew he was an archangel, everything changed.

Angels were supposed to be good—keepers of the goddesses, protectors of peace.

But this? How he treated his own son?

“Well, all I’m saying is that it looks bad. Why won’t your own magic heal it like it healed me at Moira?”

He shook his head like this was all humorous to him. “I don’t need anyone else knowing about that little gift of mine. If I heal my own wounds, they’ll start to ask questions.”

“You’d rather walk around in pain than tell them of your healing magic?” When he healed me, he ensured we were the only two who knew about it. But why would he be keeping his abilities a secret from his own father?

Okay, maybe I could understand why he didn’t want his father knowing. But there had to be more to it.

Wolf’s eyes searched mine. His face was fierce, no smirk, no smile, no flirty comeback. It was just Wolf, just the male I fought with in Moira, the male who saved my life, the male who?—

No.I stopped my thoughts before they could continue any further.

He betrayed me.

But just when I thought Wolf had finally dropped the arrogant asshole persona, he cocked his head to the side. “Caring about me, Huntress? I thought you hated me now.”

“Idohate you.”

He stepped closer, his bare chest almost touching me. “Good. I can live with hate, just as long as you feelsomethingfor me.” He reached out and pulled on a loose piece of hair from my braid. A thick sadness washed over his eyes, threatening our bond. It was hard to keep my shields up when he stood this close, when he touched me. “As long as you still feel something.”

My heart raced at the closeness of him. I wanted nothing more than to shove him away, to forget about all this and go back to sleep.

But I was wide awake now and so was he. As much as I wanted to forget everything between us, it was impossible.

“Loving you was the biggest mistake of my life,” I said carefully. “I hate you because you made me forget what was at stake. I hate you because, after everything, you betrayed my trust, the trust you practically forced out of me. So, yes, I do hate you. But rest assured, Wolf—the hate may fade as I slowly forget you, but I willneverlove you again.”

The muscles in his jaw tightened.

And then he smiled.

“Never say never, Huntress.” He turned around, grabbing a shirt from his wardrobe and throwing it on. “Take a walk with me. We both need some air, and I want to show you something.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. You’re more than welcome to stay in here and rot until my father decides he’s done entertaining you.”

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