Page 99 of Shifters' Fated Summer
One of those heavy-duty cardboard gift boxes sat on the front step, the lid beside it.
Dark crimson soaked it and oozed onto the concrete pad. Inside, skin a translucent blue and freckles pale, sat Harper. Or more accurately, just Harper’s head.
I gagged, gripping Cade’s arm. “What the hell?”
He turned, wrapping his arms around me. I was grateful for the comfort and didn’t protest when he lifted me up with his hands under my thighs and walked away.
Behind us, I heard Luca instructing our packmates on how to clean it up. But Cade didn’t stop as he carried me to the sofa and sat down with me straddling his lap.
“That is so messed up,” I said.
Cade’s shoulders rose and fell, and his grip tightened on me. He buried his face in my neck. I realized he wasn’t shielding me, he was the one who needed comfort. Softening, I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him tightly.
He took deep breaths of my scent. Slowly, his grip loosened. His hands traveled to my neck, and he rubbed his wrists over the spots where Luca had scent-marked me so long ago. My fingers curled into his hair and pressed down the line of muscles in his neck, soothing him.
His voice was gravel. “I was so scared this is what they’d do to you, or worse.”
“That didn’t happen.”
He tipped his head back to look into my eyes.
“I’m safe. We’re good,” I whispered, trailing my hands below his ears until I held his jaw. Stubble rubbed at the pads of my fingers. I gently urged his face to mine and kissed him soundly. His hold on me tightened again, squeezing my waist.
He broke it off, chest rising and falling rapidly as he sucked in quick breaths. “Promise you won’t ever leave me,” he said. “I don’t deserve you, but I can’t live without you.”
“I won’t. I’m your fated mate, remember?”
His brows furrowed. “I want you to mark me too. We are partners.”
“Me too,” Luca said, sliding onto the cushion beside us. He squeezed Cade’s shoulder, and the two exchanged a meaningful look.
Releasing Cade, my hands went to both sides of my neck where I wore their scars. “Okay. Soon.”
He nodded, kissing me again. Luca leaned in, and Cade turned. Heat swirled in my stomach as they kissed, Luca’s hand at the back of Cade’s neck.
“You three have a room for that,” Lana said, walking past the sofa. “And the head is disposed of, by the way.”
“Thank you,” Luca said. “She’s right, we have a room. With a bed.”
We stumbled up the stairs, hands wandering. We stopped on the landing to kiss before finally making it into our private room.
After the stress of the vampire’s disgusting gift, weneeded comfort more than anything else. We stretched out in the bed, kissing until I started to nod off. Then my two mates discussed securityas I drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 38
Pamper
A few days later, Cade woke me up early. “Time for training, baby.”
I tensed at his gruff words, but meeting his gaze, I saw the same kindness I had grown used to since they brought me home.
“Really, why?” I asked, pulling my blanket tighter.
Cade’s throat worked. “We need you stronger so you can defend yourself. And I thought you might want to join us on missions eventually, even if the thought makes me break out in hives.”
I laughed, climbing out of bed and reaching for workout clothes. New clothes had appeared in my drawers every day, and I had a feeling Luca was the source, if the beautiful full moon dress was any indication.
Cade led me outside, across the deck to the clearing we used for training.
