Page 17 of Unbroken Magic

“On three,” I said. I grasped the pole in both hands. Just that tiny movement made Nathaniel stiffen, fresh blood dripping down his back. The edges of my vision darkened, and I blinked a few times until I’d gotten a hold of myself.

If this didn’t work, I was using my power, and fuck the consequences. I wasn’t going to torture Nathaniel needlessly.

“Think about how angry you are with me,” he gasped out. “Maybe that’ll help.”

“Not funny. One. Two.” I grabbed the pole and hauled with all my might.

The pole slid out, and Nathaniel collapsed to the floor.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I chanted. I dragged the backpack off my shoulders and rummaged until I found the pixie dust.

Nathaniel was in no state to argue as I ripped his shirt open over his head. I had to get the dust deep into the wound, or it would only be healing his skin and the outer edges of the wound instead of theholein his chest.

I raised my head. Nathaniel’s wolf stared at me. “I need you to let him pass out.”

“We will not leave you alone,” the wolf said. This was the first time I’d had an actual conversation with his wolf. I’d deal with how weird it was later.

“I can’t do this to you unless you’re unconscious. Please. Just for a little bit.”

“No. Do it, mate, so we can heal.”

“Please,” I begged. “Please don’t make me hurt you like this.”

His wolf just closed his eyes. I knew he wasn’t unconscious. I clenched my teeth. “You’re just as stubborn as Nathaniel.”

His lips twitched.

Hesitating would only draw this out longer. At least wolves didn’t need to worry about infection. I pulled the knife from my ankle sheath and pressed it into Nathaniel’s wound, widening it enough that I could pour the pixie dust right into the worst of it.

The bolt had gone through a lung. How the fuck had he stayed standing?

“I leaned on our pack,” he said, doing that weird anticipatory mind-reading thing he sometimes did. Our eyes met, and Nathaniel was back in charge. “Speeds healing.”

Ignoring theour packpart, I returned my attention to the wound and began slowly pouring the pixie dust into it. I knew just how badly this hurt, but Nathaniel didn’t make a sound. Each time I looked at his face, his eyes were on me, a strange kind of tenderness in them.

“Why won’t your wolf make you pass out?”

“My wolf adores you. He’d do anything you asked. But he will never leave you alone and in danger.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I just kept working on his wound. Nathaniel shifted, clearly in pain, then forced himself to be still once more. “I would be shot by those bolts a thousand times if that’s what it took for you to talk to me,” he said softly. “To feel your hands on me.”

“I’m torturing you,” I snapped. “This isn’tromantic.”

He gave me a faint smile. “I’m sorry, you know.”

I poured more pixie dust, my head spinning with relief as his healing accelerated. I could no longer see parts of his lung.

“Are you?” I attempted to keep my voice cold, disinterested, but it cracked. I swallowed around the lump in my throat, but the burning behind my eyes told me if we continued this conversation, I’d turn into a blubbering mess.

Because it wasn’t just rage I felt. The rage was easiest to lean into. But beneath all the fury and frustration, all I felt was betrayal andhurt.

And yet the sight of him in pain… Knowing he’d hurt himself so badly to keep me safe… Itkilledme. Deep inside, I knew it wasn’t just because I was his mate either. It wasn’t just his wolf that needed to protect me. It was Nathaniel.

My eyes filled. Nathaniel grabbed my arm, stilling my hand, which had been trickling the dust.

“Enough.”

I lifted my gaze. He cursed, raising his other hand to my cheek. I flinched. He hesitated, but he kept his hand where it was. “I’m sorry for lying to you, Evie.”

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