Page 57 of The Return
“What the hell is this crap about you running into a burning building without protective gear?”
Corey, and from the way his voice rose, he was frantic.
“One of our wolves was in danger.”
“You stupid son of a bitch! You going in there like that puttwolives at risk.”
He wasn’t wrong, and I had gone in without thinking.
“It was instinct. I admit, I should have thought it through better.”
“Yes, you should have.” Silence. “Is he okay?”
“He pulled a lot of smoke into his lungs. The paramedic says he’ll be okay, but he’s older, and it’s harder for them to bounce back from something like this. He’ll heal, but it could take months, if not longer.”
“And what about you?”
“I’m waiting for them to see me.” I hurried to finish my sentence before he freaked. “They have me on oxygen, and the visit is simply a precaution. I’m feeling much better now. We wolves are usually strong enough to handle things, but I sucked in a lot of smoke when getting Sawyer out.”
He was far too quiet.
“I’m okay, Core.” He sniffled, and I regretted what I’d done. “I know you’re mad at me for having Kinsey take you away.”
“You’re goddamn right,” he whispered. “My place is with you. Always.”
“No,” I corrected him. “Your place is where you’re safe.”
“I’d rather be with you, even if I end up dying, you stupid bastard! I lived without you for six years, and I can’t do that again. Not when we haven’t had the chance to actually have a life together.”
It made sense, and I couldn’t argue his point. “I’ll do my best to be careful,” I promised. “But I’m the Alpha, and sometimes that’s not going to be an easy job.”
“Which is why you need me,” he said, a bitter tone in his voice. “Everyone says I keep you on an even keel.”
He did that. I hadn’t had a single episode of blind anger since I’d come back. Sleeping in his arms at night, waking up with him sprawled across me, that all calmed me and my wolf. When I was living at the pack house, I woke up every morning and Corey was the first thing on my mind. When I remembered I couldn’t see him, I was beyond angry. Dad always took me out for a run in the deep forests to work off the energy. It didn’t always work, and I ended up chopping wood until I fell from exhaustion. Even then, the rage still simmered. It took me a long time to get it in my head that I was a danger and this was for the good of the pack as well as me.
“I do need you,” I said. “You are my mate, and you’re the best part of me. That’s why I can’t have you running into danger. You’re not gifted with our healing, and it’s possible you might not survive. What would I do then? You say you can’t live without me—don’t you think I feel the same?”
The silence stretched out so long, I had to check to be sure he was still on the line.
“Kinsey said this was deliberate.”
“Yeah. That’s the other reason I wanted you gone. I don’t know why anyone would want to hurt you, but—”
“What if it was DD they wanted to hurt?” he threw out.
“A possibility,” I admitted. “But it’s not likely. You’re the Alpha Mate of our pack, so it seems more probable it was you they were after.”
“But who? Why? I haven’t pissed anyone off recently that I’m aware of. And no one made a complaint about the choux buns.”
I knew he was using humor to deflect his panic. I had no words, because I didn’t know anything. I’d always trusted my pack, but after this, I wasn’t sure anymore.
“After they check me over, I’m coming there, okay? For now, stay with Matt and Kinsey. Don’t leave the house. We need to keep you safe, and it’s going to piss you off, but it can’t be helped.”
“If you’re here, I’ll be fine. I… I need a hug. Matt keeps offering, but he isn’t the one I need to hold me.”
Corey’s words broke my heart. “I love you. I’ll get there as soon as I humanly can.”
“I love you too.”
