Fergus had wanted to date her, to bring her into Savage, to see where their relationship could go in real-time, but Mary had refused repeatedly. She’d never gotten past the differences between them and how he was an alpha wolf in need of a pack-mate and she was a Revel fae who enjoyed her solitary life. She couldn’t see herself in a place as violent as Savage, and he couldn’t leave his pack.
As his thoughts circled back to his wolves, he hated that he was in Revel. With the sun still up, his pack might as well be hundreds of miles away, instead of just a couple. He wouldn’t be able to leave until full dark and in the middle of June, the sun didn’t completely set until after eight in the evening.
He returned to the kitchen and finished his third glass of milk. He was cleaning up when he heard Mary’s voice. “I see you’re alive and kicking.”
The sweet, gentle cadence to her words almost caused him to lose control of the empty glass. But he caught himself in time, setting it on the counter.
He turned in her direction, ready to thank her again for saving him, but all he could see was the woman he’d made love to in the dreamglide. His desire for her and what felt like a mountain of affection made him catch his breath. His rough voice came out on a whisper. “Mary.”
She was across the room, her hair tousled. She wore her jeans and purple silk top. She looked weary yet so beautiful his heart ached.
She came toward him. “How are you feeling? Are you okay? I mean, are you really alive?”
He knew he smelled like ripe wolf and didn’t want her near him until he showered. But the expression of concern and fatigue had him opening his arms.
The moment he did, she ran to him and landed hard against his chest. She slung her arms around his waist and held on tight. “I was so worried, Fergus. You couldn’t have stepped closer to the cliff’s edge if you’d tried.”
He wrapped his arms around her and held on. Maybe she was finally remembering. “Thank you for saving me, Sweetheart.” The word rolled easily off his tongue since that’s what he called her in the dreamglide.
She drew back, staring at him from her light brown eyes. “Is that what you call me when we’re together?” She pulled away from him in slow stages.
He looked at her, the arch of her brows and her beautiful high cheekbones. The wolf in him craved her, but he couldn’t act on it; he didn’t want to scare her. He nodded. “I do, but tell me you’re okay after what I put you through. It must have been hell.”
She frowned slightly, her eyes narrowing. “I’ve never been so scared. If I hadn’t been able to sense you through my faeness, I would have believed you were already dead when I found you in the Graveyard.” Her gaze dropped to his chest and she patted him above his sternum. “How’s your heart?”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Achy.”
Her brows drew together. “In what way? Are you experiencing pain? What does it feel like?”
He chuckled. “Sorry, I forgot you were a vet. I was teasing you because I feel achy just looking at you. I’m in a constant state of need because of my annual alpha cycle.”
Mary’s brows drew together. “I’m at a real disadvantage because I’m only recalling bits and pieces of our time together in the dreamglide. But I know we’ve been close, haven’t we? I mean that much I can feel as though you’ve become precious to me.”
He drew a deep breath. “Yes, Sweetheart, we’ve been very close.”
She tilted her head. “I’ll be honest, I don’t know what to do with all of this and you know about my sister, what happened to her, right?”
“Yes, I do. We’ve talked about it.”
She chewed on her lower lip. “I’m drawn to you and there seems to be some part of me wanting to be a wolf, if that makes any sense at all. But Fergus, Savage?”
“I know. Listen, I have no expectations here. I respected the blocks you put in place. There’s a lot against any real kind of relationship between us.”
“Yes, there is.” She frowned and glanced at the satchel on the floor. She waved at it. “Feel free to use the master bath to get cleaned up.”
“The guest bath will be fine.”
She met his gaze and for a moment looked confused, then said, “Oh, right. You’ve probably been through my home in the dreamglide.”
He couldn’t say the words but the truth was they’d made love in every room in her house. Even a couple of times in her surgery.
He moved past her and picked up the satchel. He felt he needed to say something about what she’d done for him. “Thanks for getting me out of the Graveyard.”
Her frown dissipated. “You’re welcome. I was happy to do it. I’ve heard terrible things about Sydon.”
“He’s the devil’s own.” He lifted the bag. “Thanks again and please don’t worry about any of this.”
He headed down the hall and made his way to the front bedroom. Opening the bag that Warren had brought over for him, he pulled out an oversized zipper-bag that held a pair of boots. They looked big enough to fit him. He laid out a pair of black leathers and a black tank, the basic uniform of the Savage Border Patrol.