Page 17 of Unbelievable Faith
“I’ll carry you and hold you up in the shower.” He met her eyes, “If you don’t mind, thatis.”
Michael. In the shower. With her. Luna swallowed hard as heat flared back into her bloodstream just that fast and easily. Nakedness was something shifters learned to ignore early in life. Having a man see her naked wasn’t a big deal. Only this wasn’t just some man. This was her man. Her mate.Michael.
She nodded slowly and knew it was the right answer when Michael’s eyesglittered.
“Okay then, let me helpyou.”
Michael stood from the bed and then gently leaned over her. Without so much as a wince, he lifted her into his arms and started for the door on the other side of the bedroom. A bedroom, she realized belatedly, that must behis.
She smiled a little. He’d saved her. He’d gotten her out of that basement and away from Maddox and his goons. He’d brought her here, to his home and he’d put her on his bed while he waited for her to heal enough to wakeup.
She liked that. She liked that a lot. Whether it was the possessiveness of a newly formed bond making him keep an eye on her and keep her close or not, she didn’t care. She just knew that she wouldn’t have wanted to wake up anywhere else, with anyone buthim.
Luna snuggled closer to him despite her worries about how filthy she was. It felt good there, nestled against his chest. Michael brushed his lips across the top of her head and she felt his answering smile in thetouch.
God, had anything in her life ever felt so right? So easy and natural? It was like she was exactly where she was meant to be. Right where shebelonged.
Michael nuzzled her hair again and she knew that he felt it too when he sighed, “I don’t want to put you down but I need to start theshower.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” She reassured when he sat her on top of the bathroom counter and began to untangle himself fromher.
It was only a few steps over to the shower but Michael make quick work of them, his long strides eating up the distance. When he bent to turn the knobs she bit her lip and watched him. His muscles flexed with the movement and she could see the ripple beneath his tight t-shirt. The jeans he was wearing camouflaged his ass but she assumed it was as fit and hard as the rest ofhim.
She forced her eyes away from him when that heat began to ache inside of her again. He was going to help her shower. She needed to get cleaned up. Assess the damage and the scars that she would always bear from this ordeal. She shouldn’t be thinking of jumping Michael when he was only trying to take care of her so she pushed that thought down to the back of her mind and took in the large master bathroom that surroundedher.
It was nice. More than nice really. With its stone floor and huge glass encased shower, it was modern and masculine but the earth tones kept it warm and comfortable. There was a claw foot tub on the other side of the room and she imagined slipping into a bath there, relaxing until the bubbles faded and the water chilled. But that would have to wait for another time because right now, she knew what Michael must have known too. If she sank into that tub, she wouldn’t be strong enough to pull herself backout.
Luna dropped her eyes to her hands in her lap. The cuts she’d sustained while trying to break free were thin red lines now. She was healing but Michael was right. She was weak. She hated it. Hated that he was seeing her like this. She’d never liked anyone seeing her as weak or fragile because she hadn’t been a born Alpha but this wasMichael.
Her mate. The Moirae Pack Alpha. She needed to heal. She needed to be strong. If not for herself, then forhim.
She cleared her throat as steam began to rise from the shower and Michael turned back to face her, “Thankyou.”
His head tilted curiously, “Forwhat?”
“Rescuing me. Getting my family to safety. Bringing me here to your home and taking care of me. Name it.” She shrugged with a lightness she wasn’t feeling, ignoring the way her midsection burned, “I owe youeverything.”
Michael’s lips thinned again and that line formed between his brows as he moved back towards her, “You owe me nothing, Luna. You’re mine. Mine to protect and keep safe and cherish. That means your family is my family now too. I only wish I could have been there earlier to stop any of this from happening toyou.”
“You came just intime.”
He stepped between her legs and cupped her cheek again, that furrow deepening, “I should’ve known sooner. If I’d only met yousooner…”
“Don’t do that.” She reached up and cupped her hand over his, “Fate sent you to me when I needed you most. That’s all that matters. I’m here now. I’m with you and I’mhome.”
Michael made a small sound in his throat that she thought might be a hum of pleasure. He dropped his forehead to hers. They were so close. As close as they’d been since all of this started. Their eyelashes almost brushing. Their mouths sharing the same breath. And the heat between them sparked again, flaring hot, begging formore.
“God, you have no idea what it does to me to hear you say that.” His voice was low, deep andthroaty.
“Saywhat?”
“That being with me is home.” Michael nuzzled their noses together in a sweet gesture and then pulled back slowly, “But we’re not home. Notyet.”
“What do youmean?”
“We’re at the pack lodge. I thought with your brother and sisters in tow that you’d want to stay close to them. My home, our home, is a few blocks away. I’ll take you there soon, once we have a chance to figure everything out and settle in a little. For now, you’re right though, this will be home because its our territory and you’re going to be Moiraenow.”
The pack lodge, Luna nodded as it sank in. That explained the noises she’d been hearing. Footsteps and voices. They weren’t at home alone yet. She appreciated that he’d kept her here more than she could put into words. Because he was right. She wanted to be close to herfamily.
