Page 40 of Howl You Doin'

"It's fine."

"Oh really? Then why are you moving like my grandmother after hip surgery?"

He shot her an irritated look. "I don't move like?—"

"If you finish that sentence, I'm calling Wade right now."

"You wouldn't."

She pulled out her phone. "Try me. I have him on speed dial now."

"Since when?"

"Since I realized I needed backup dealing with your stubborn alpha nonsense." She stepped closer, noting the slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. "Inside. Now."

He grumbled under his breath but followed her through the door.

Fiona flicked her fingers,lighting the various candles scattered around her living room. "Shirt off."

His eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me?"

"Oh please, don't act scandalized. I need to see the wound fully." She headed for her kitchen where she kept her medical supplies. "And don't even think about sneaking out while I'm in here."

When she returned with her first aid kit, Caleb had removed his dress shirt, revealing exactly why he'd been trying to hide the injury. The gash along his side looked angrier and redder than before, definitely not healing at the accelerated rate it should have been.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Had more important things to worry about."

"Right, because infection is totally less important than—" The words died in her throat as she finally registered the rest of him. She'd known he was fit but seeing it was something else entirely. His chest and abs looked like they'd been carved from marble, and she had to physically stop herself from tracking the dark hair that disappeared beneath his waistband.

Focus on the wound, she told herself firmly. The extremely serious wound. On this extremely attractive man. In her living room. Shirtless.

"You're staring," he said, amusement coloring his voice.

"I'm assessing the injury," she replied primly, reaching for the antiseptic. "Now shut up and let me work."

Fiona packed away the last of her medical supplies, trying desperately to ignore how the candlelight played across Caleb's bare chest.

"Thank you,"Caleb said softly. "Not just for this." He gestured to his bandaged side. "But for everything tonight. The way you helped protect the pack..."

Her hands stilled on the first aid kit. "Of course I helped. Those people matter to me now too."

"Even enough to mouth off to Victor?" His lips quirked up in that half-smile that made her stomach do backflips.

"Someone had to deflate his ego." She shrugged, hoping the dim lighting hid her blush. "Though I suppose calling him a 'common, unrefined bully' might have been a bit much."

"A bit much? Fiona, I thought his head was going to explode." Caleb chuckled, then winced at the movement. "Worth it just to see his face though."

"You're not mad then?"

"Mad? It was impressive. Stupid and reckless, but impressive." He caught her eye. "No one's ever stood up to him like that, especially not someone outside the packs."

Heat crept up her neck that had nothing to do with her fire magic. "Yes, well, I couldn't let him hurt..." The words 'you' died on her tongue. "The pack. That's why I insisted on coming. I was worried he might try something."

"Just the pack?"

Her heart hammered against her ribs. "And maybe I was a little concerned about a certain stubborn alpha rushing into danger with an untreated wound."

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