Page 132 of Unforgivable

Rhet

She puts on a brave front, my Lyri. Liam's attack put her in the clinic, but she seems determined to ignore it all, even the injuries that make her move slowly today.

This fucked-up male who somehow landed on our doorstep is the perfect distraction, I guess. But, I'm not convinced that allowing him to be here is smart.

"Who the fuck is this? I feel like I know this fucker," I say to Carmichael as we watch Ezra and Thjis unroll bandages, gauze, and prep the area.

“No lo sé,” he mutters. "He is fucking familiar, though."

My spine stiffens, my wolf growling lowly under his breath at the stranger in his den. "Put some pants on," I tell Carmichael absently. I don't want Lyri to have to deal with his junk flopping around considering everything she's been through.

He smirks but leaves, hopefully, to find pants.

"Why don't you put him in my room?" Lyri says, fidgeting with the need to do something.

"He's not going in your room," I say calmly. Well, not entirely calmly if Lyri's startled expression is anything to go by. "Unless you want my wolf to eat him," I add.

Her nose wrinkles at me. "You need to pull that back a little, Blue-eyes. He's dying on your couch. He needs help." Her eyes widen. "He's her mate, Rhet. I won't let that bitch kill him." She wipes more tears away.

I reach out to pull her into my arms, only to find my eyes riveted to a small, purplish bruise on her arm. A mark that fits my thumbprint perfectly.

"Rhet?" she calls my name, stepping towards me.

"What is that?" I ask hoarsely.

"What?" she looks at me, confusion in those perfect eyes. She follows my line of sight to her arm. Lifting her arm, she grabs her skin and twists it to see. "Where? Do I have a bug on me?"

I take her arm from her, so she stops pulling at her skin. She looks at me, bewildered, as I gently turn it so she can see the bruise.

"That?" she asks me. She pokes it, and I hiss in pain for her. Big hazel eyes meet mine. "Rhet, it's a tiny bruise."

"That I made on your skin. I grabbed you too hard one fucking day after-"

Her soft fingertips on my lips stop my word vomit. "Shh, Blue-eyes. You're being silly. Where did my cold alpha-male go?"

I kiss her fingertips, "he fell in love."

"You're both disgusting," Ezra says cheerfully. "It's like watching your parents make-out. Gross."

"Shut up and hold this together so I can sew this dumbass up," Thjis says to Ezra gruffly.

"Ezra, stop interrupting your brother's avowals of love," Lyri scolds. "I like it when they tell me they love me."

Ezra looks up, eyes glowing with hurt and anger. Just the hint of sideburns and fangs are showing. My stomach flips. I shift my body, ready to leap to control my brother. This rapid shift of his mood is something I haven't seen in months... since Lyri woke up, actually.

"I'm jealous," he rasps out.

Lyri squeezes my hand before walking over to Ezra. "I love you, Sunshine. I love your brothers."

"Not more than me?" he whispers.

"Not more. I have plenty of love. It's all been stored up for a long time," she says sadly.

Ezra wraps his arms around her and picks her up, carrying her out of the living room and into her bedroom.

Thjis sighs, "Rhet, hold this mother-fucker down for me. Goddess, he's the pain-in-ass little brother I never wanted."

I let out a laugh, but I'm not amused. "We need to take care of Daan. He's why Ez is so pissy lately."