Page 39 of Hunted (Haven Realm Chronicles 1)

Chapter 12

“Well,”I began as I leaned over Dagen, who remained unconscious, “so many things have happened since we last chatted. Like insane things that might make you laugh out loud. Can you believe I slept with both your friends, and now they’ve claimed me as their own?” I shook my head. “Told you it was crazy stuff.” Though based on what Nero had told me about shifters having multiple partners, Dagen most likely have a harem of hisown.

While in a coma he couldn’t hear me, and a sense of relief flooded me at voicing that out loud and not having anyone judge me. Though part of me felt as if I ought to be judged. Damn, anyone in Terra would think I’d grown devil horns if they got wind of what I’d been upto.

“And the strange thing is that I can’t stop thinking about them both.” I combed Dagen’s hair with my fingers, pushing the longer strands off his face. “It’s as if they’ve hypnotized me, yet my eyes are wide open, and I can’t bring myself to walk away. That’s weird, right?” I sighed and glanced down at the wolf shifter with pale cheeks, yet his stubble had thickened and his stubble had thickened. He was incrediblyhandsome.

“Just between us, if you were awake, I’d love to taste your lips.” I blushed the moment the words left my mouth, and I crashed down on the seat next to the bed. Goddess, what had become of me? Was any wolf shifter safe around mylibido?

Control—I hadzilch.

His bandages were crisp and white where before blood had stained them. Nero must have changed them. I zigzagged my thumb down his arm between two bandages, and a faint charge sparked across hisflesh.

That had never happened before, and excitement had me jolting to my feet. Was this a sign that my power could awaken him? I ripped off the damn fabrics across his chest and arms, then placed both palms flat across his perfect pecs. Every molecule in my body buzzed as I concentrated on driving the strength within me down my arms, picturing the flow of power racing intoDagen.

A spider web of blue static laced outward from my fingertips, crawling up and over his collarbone, up his neck and across hisjawline.

“Please wake up,Dagen.”

My fleshtingled.

Sparks crackled across his torso, except he didn’t stir. When I had touched Oryn in his wolf form, he’d shuddered right away. So why not Dagen? Perhaps it was the whole mate thing the men had mentioned. They responded because we were meant to be together apparently. Not that I was looking to add another guy to my growing harem. Geez, I sounded crazy. But what if he never wokeup?

Guilt wormed through my chest as he lay there, yet I’d seen how quick Oryn had recovered after his wolffights.

“Why aren’t you waking up or healing?” Wolfsbane had definitely affected him through my contaminated citrus spray. The fact that he hadn’t died meant only a small portion of the toxin had gotten into his system. But still, I’d done everything I could for him. I wasn’t sure herbs would help,either.

I paced to the door and back. Grandma had once explained charcoal was her go-to solution for poisoning if nothing else worked. I could dribble some down his throat, but I didn’t want him choking todeath.

“What am I going to do?” I chewed on my cheek, remembering how my fingers had sparked when I’d traced his bicep while having hot and heavy thoughts about him. Maybe the reason Oryn responded to my touch the same as Nero was because my intent had been sexual innature.

Staring at Dagen, the blanket covering his hips, I had no intention of groping him again, but my gaze lingered on his lips. “I’ll try something, but don’t freak out.” I laughed at myself and how insane Isounded.

But I pushed those thoughts aside and refocused instead on the perfect curves of his cheekbones, the honey-colored stubble over a strong jaw. His neck had layers of muscles to rivalOryn.

I leaned closer. “Please, Dagen. If you can hear me, wake up. I’m sorry for hurtingyou.”

With my lips brushing his dried ones, I exhaled, letting myselfsoften.

Static snapped between us and thrust me backward. I gasped, but strong hands grasped my wrists, drawing me forward once again. My legs tangled beneath me and I fell across thebed.

Dagen’s fingers dug into my flesh and his eyes flipped open, revealing the most incredible clear emeraldirises.

I stumbled back on my feet, the blanket unraveling from around me and cascading down my nakedbody.

A growl rolled through his chest, and while I should have been ecstatic he was conscious, the hunger in his gaze terrified me. It reminded me of the wolves outside, the ones that wanted to killme.

“Dagen, let me go!” I pulled against him, reaching down for the blanket, but he only tightened his grasp, and dread slithered up myspine.

“Who are you?” His darkened baritone carried a gravelly tinge and he snatched the blanket from my grip, tossing it across theroom.

“I’m Scarlet.” I twisted toward the door and called out, “Nero, Oryn, I could use some help. Dagen’sawake!”

But he was on his feet in two seconds, bandages falling off his strong legs. His clutch never eased. He drove me backward, his height towering overme.

“Why is a human in ourhome?”

“Please.” I trembled, convinced Dagen would tear me apart in under asecond.

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