I didn’t want to, but I had to admit that Grammy was right. Just thinking about it though…
“Oh, God. I don’t want to think about this!”
And yet, I did. What I wanted most, I admitted, was a chance to win his love. We could have children, little miniature replicas of a scowling Caleb, and maybe one of me who’d be a princess and so spoilt, she’d be rotten. And cute.
Was I willing to lose the chance at it just because I was hurt and afraid Caleb wouldn’t ever love me? The answer was a resounding no, and I turned to glare at Grammy when I figured that out.
“You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?” I grumbled, smiling reluctantly when she hugged me and giggled, her familiar scent filling me with longing.
And happiness.
“This pain in the ass is right, though. I gotta go now. I got a, erm, bingo game to get to with grampa, and I can’t miss it.” Grammy said with a wink as she rose and patted my cheek. “It’s time to go back down. Be a good girl and do what’s right. Love is nothing more than two hearts meeting, sugar. It takes a lot of work, and sometimes it isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it.”
And then she was gone. Poof! Sighing when I beheld nothing but empty air, I closed my eyes and fell again. On the bright side, even if Caleb was an ass and a terrible mate? The man was sick hot.
So there was always, always a silver lining.
Caleb
I hadn’t moved from Ren’s bedside, and I didn’t plan to either as I watched my mate fight for her life. When we got here, I expected things to go fast. As shifters, we healed easily and quickly, but I hadn’t considered a few things.
Ren hadn’t shifted in a long time. She was small, she wasn’t as strong as most shifters, and most importantly, she must not think she had much to live for.
Desperate, I stepped closer to the bed and felt my eyes burn as I took her in and saw just how small and defenseless she was. And I'd hurt her. Maybe not physically, but I'd hurt her in ways so deep and irrevocable I hated myself.
“Baby? Please. Please wake up?” I begged, a sob escaping when the machine keeping her alive kept going, but Ren didn’t stir.
Near to insanity because it had been hours now, I leaned close to her and sniffed, hating the fact that her shifter scent was so faint. She smelled nearly human. Had her wolf let go, I wondered, a shudder wracking me thinking about it. If it had, Ren would die, and then nothing I did would fix it.
Bite her, a voice grumbled, the sound of my wolf so unexpected I flinched and frowned, shaking my head.
I couldn’t have heard—
Bite her.
It snarled again, this time clearer, and when my bear grumbled its agreement, I didn’t fight it. Leaning in, I sank my teeth into her shoulder, being as gentle as I could be. Ren was so fragile, broken, and weak it brought tears to my eyes.
It was my last hope, the mating bite, and though I'd given it to her before, this one was all me. It wasn’t about my animals or mating but about how much I needed her back, and I poured every ounce of love I had into it before licking her and pulling back.
She didn’t stir, not even when I kissed her lips softly, and then I fell back into my seat, praying.
Because if Ren didn’t make it, I didn’t want to live.
And this time, I wouldn’t fail.
Chapter 29 Ren
Iwoke up fast, my eyes blinking open in an instant. With a clarity that startled me because I saw nothing but darkness for a minute, I turned my head and saw Caleb. He was fast asleep in a chair beside my bed and looked so haggard I felt a smile curve my lips.
Served him right.
Yeah, but look how adorable he is sitting there all sad and pathetic. I sighed, holding in a snicker before I took stock of my body. I hurt, but not in an ‘I just fell off a cliff and hit bottom’ way. No, this was more like stiffness, as if I’d been immobile for a long time and my muscles hadn’t woken yet.
I didn’t want to be awake.
It wasn't upsetting to be alive, but I was also not yet ready to face the next steps in whatever was to become of my life. Things hadn't exactly been peachy keen between us before this happened, and I was still angry.
Oh, Lord, you’re finally down to my level.