Page 37 of Cursed Touch
“Georgia was forced into taking an oath promise,” he said, ignoring her. “If she broke this promise, she would be shunned from the pack and forced out.”
“And what was this promise about?” she asked, shifting in her seat as her nerves wound her tighter.
Peter shrugged. “She was forbidden from ever telling you she was a werewolf.”
Vanessa’s face blanched, and her heart skipped a beat. The words swirled around her mixing with everything else from the last two days. “Georgia… a werewolf?”
Peter nodded but said no more. Unable to sit still, Vanessa pushed to her feet and slipped by the large man. She paced her small living room as she considered the new information bomb dropped on her lap. Carter’s previous words came to mind, mixing with the revelation until she stopped in front of him.
“Georgia’s a werewolf, and you knew but you didn’t think to tell me?” Her words fell flat, hurt filling her.
Pain filled his eyes. “Sweetheart, it wasn’t my secret to tell.”
She narrowed her eyes on Peter. “And apparently it wasn’t Georgia’s secret to tell either,” she hissed. “Does Georgia really work as a ranger, or is it some ruse for werewolf secret squirrel shit?”
Peter chuckled at her heated words. “No, she’s really a ranger, but sometimes she has to go because of an order I’ve given.”
Vanessa paused, thinking on her friend, their friendship, and their ups and downs. “Was Reni a werewolf too?” she asked of Georgia’s deceased brother.
“Her whole family is full of werewolves. This is hereditary. Our bite doesn’t turn anyone, but rather it kills,” Peter said. “Reni was a hero who died in battle. His loss has been painful for the entire pack.”
“What battle?” she asked. “Reni wasn’t in the military.”
“A few months back, my brother’s mate was found. She escaped an awful man’s grasp, but we had to go in and save other women held hostage. Reni died in the process of us trying to free those women. His death was quick, so I wasn’t able to heal him,” Carter stated in an even tone.
She cocked her head. “Heal him? Because you said you’re a healer?”
Carter nodded and rose to his feet. He moved to her kitchen and returned with a small paring knife she used on fruit.
As he moved the blade to his forearm, Vanessa hurried to his side and pulled it back. “What the hell are you doing?”
He smiled, his face going soft and his gaze penetrating hers. “It’s okay, trust me,” he whispered.
Letting him go, she watched in horror as he slid the blade across the smooth skin. A thin red line formed at the shallow cut. He shifted the knife to his other hand and laid his free hand over the wound. When she wiped the blood away, she noticed no cut remained.
“Holy shit!”
Chapter 18
Anxiety filled Carter as warm water sprayed his back. He scrubbed his arms and chest, his mind on Vanessa.
The rest of their meeting with her had gone better than he could have hoped, especially after demonstrating his healing powers. After Peter left, they talked and even cuddled on the couch.
Vanessa was a strong woman, like his sister, and she did not appreciate being kept in the dark. He could not blame her either.
Carter walked her to her shop when it was time and set up wards as she prepared the store for opening. He managed to stick around for a couple hours before she kicked him out. Thankfully, Peter had sent someone to keep watch over the boutique, so Carter could go home and rest.
He tossed and turned but slept for a few hours. His time long ago in the ER had trained him for nights with little sleep. After giving up on more shuteye, he cleaned up and picked her up for dinner after the shop closed.
The woman was funny, smart, and unbelievably kind. Their dinner went smoother with no secrets between them. Not wanting to add any more attention to her, they agreed not to discuss anything magical in public.
Carter shut off the water and ran a towel over his body before grabbing his phone.
Carter: You’ve got eyes on her?
Peter: Man, like I told you twenty minutes ago, I put Xander on this. He’s pissed about it, but he will keep her safe today. Go to work!
He set his phone on the counter and sighed. Ignoring the tightness in his stomach, he dressed for a day of patient appointments and reviewing test results. Once his outward appearance fully contradicted his mental appearance, he went to the kitchen and poured himself a to-go cup of coffee.
