Page 16 of Unbelievable Faith
Chapter 8
Luna feltit before she even opened her eyes. She felt him. Not just his presence beside her, the heat from his body or the delicious scent of musk and power that radiated off of him. She felt him. She felt the bond. The link between them was there, having formed whether she was conscious or not. Her body had undergone a huge strain, shifting to accommodate this man, this wolf, in her heart, and she couldn’t help but wonder how long she’d beenout.
How much time had she lost? How many hours or days or weeks this time? All she remembered was the darkness, the way it had swallowed up the light that seemed to glow from her mate when he’d walked down those stairs and found her. He’d saved her. He’d saved them all. Her whole family,even…
“Leo.” She jerked awake at the memory of hearing her brother’s voice, of finding out he was alive andfree.
“Easy, baby. Easy.” A big hand caught her by the shoulder, keeping her in place, keeping her from leaping up and running to find her twin, to be sure that what she’d heard hadn’t been a dream. “Your brother is safe. Your sisters are safe. You’re safe. Nobody’s ever going to hurt you again,Luna.”
She became instantly aware of the man when he touched her. Aware of him in every sense of the word. Her heart thumped too hard in her chest. Her body warmed and her breasts swelled and with one sweet, knowing, dimpled smile, that place between her legs ached in a way it never had before. Ached for him. Only him. Hermate.
“Michael.” His name came out as barely a whisper, the reverence and longing in her own voice surprising evenher.
Intense, hazel eyes studied her face for a moment and then he smiled again as he moved his hand from her shoulder to her cheek, softly holding her in place as wonder filled his own voice, “Youremembered.”
“How could I forget?You’re…”
“Yours.” He confirmed with a nod, “I’myours.”
Oh God, her heart thumped again and the pulse vibrated between her legs. Attraction and magic and safety. He was everything she’d ever needed all rolled into one gorgeous, sweet, protective Alpha. And he washers.
She squeezed her eyes shut tight because looking at him made her desire turn painfully sharp. He was beautiful. Short, spiky dark hair and those intense hazel eyes that she’d have sworn were brown in the basement but now looked green and flecked with gold. He had a chiseled appearance to him, as if he’d been carved from stone, granite, but then he touched her with the softest caress and smiled and everything about him lit up like thesun.
A tear squeezed between her lids and slid down her cheek but he caught it quickly and swiped itaway.
“Luna? Baby, what’swrong?”
She forced her eyes open and tried not to melt when she saw the concern in his gaze. He was worried, about her. He was looking at her like she was something beautiful and fragile that he was scared would shatter and she couldn’t remember anyone looking at her that way and not seeing it tinged in pity. But there was no pity in Michael’s gorgeous eyes, only worry and bond or no bond, she felt her heart slip a little out of her reach when she realized her mate was a good, kind man on top of everythingelse.
How? How was it possible he was actually hers? He was perfect and shewas…
Luna cringed away from him when she remembered how nasty she was. Dirty and unshowered for God only knew how long. She was caked in her own blood. She could smell herself and every bit of heat that had begun to sizzle inside of her turned to embarrassment and she was certain she was blushing right through her darkskin.
“Luna.” Michael refused to be deterred when she turned her head and he captured her chin between strong fingers and turned her back towards him, “Tell me what’s wrong. I can’t fix it if you don’t tellme.”
“It’snothing.”
“No. Don’t do that.” He pinched her chin to get her to look him in the eye, “Don’t lie to me. We’re mates and I can feel your discomfort. You’re mine and I want to take care of you. Talk to me.” His lips pursed and he sighed, “Please?”
Her heart squeezed in her chest at the request. He could have ordered. He could have made her answer him by using his Alpha voice. But he didn’t. He asked. Nicely. He all but begged her with his eyes, which only confirmed what she was alreadythinking.
He was too good forher.
He was gorgeous and sexy. Kind and gentle. Sweet and patient. He was the kind of man that she’d always dreamed of having as a mate. But on top of all that he was also an Alpha, a Pack Alpha, and shewasn’t.
She wasn’t good enough for him. Even before Maddox had tainted her with his nastiness. She wasn’t the kind of mate a wolf like Michael Hudsonneeded.
“Luna?” He prodded again and she gave him the only answer she could rightnow.
“I need ashower.”
“Oh…” The furrow between Michael’s brows instantly eased, “Well that’s an easy fix. There’s a bathroom right through that door.I’ll…”
Luna hissed when she tried to turn towards the edge of the bed to get up. Michael instantly caught her as she crumpled forward. Oh God it hurt. She tried to suck in a steadying breath but that only made her ribs hurtworse.
“Easy, now.” Michael soothed gently, “You’re healing but it’s slowgoing.”
“But I need to shower.” She tried to keep the whine out of her voice but didn’t think she’d managed it when Michael’s lipstwitched.
