by Tasha Black
A commotion roused him and he saw Grace Kwan-Cortez slamming her small body through the crowd and skidding to the ground next to Ainsley.
“She’s not healing.” Grace’s clear voice cut through the din of the gathered crowd. “ It must be silver. Give me your knife.”
He stared at her in confusion.
“Don’t tell me you don’t have a knife, Erik Jensen! Someone give me a knife!”
In a second his mind bounced back and he grabbed the multi-tool from his pocket and handed it to her.
Immediately, she began probing inside Ainsley’s shoulder.
“What do you have here that I can use to pull this thing out?”
“Needle nose pliers. Josh!” Erik called.
One of his workers shouted back.
“I’m here! You want your tool bag?”
“Yes.”
“I found it.” Grace said, she held her finger inside Ainsley so as not to lose the bullet’s location.
Josh ran back and the crowd parted for him. He was carrying Erik’s familiar brown tool bag.
Erik grabbed it and rifled through. He handed the pliers to Grace.
“Hold her still. If she wakes up we still need to get it out,” Grace said.
Erik wasn’t sure it would be possible for Ainsley to wake up with the bullet still in her. Or wake up at all, if she lost any more blood.
No, no, no…
He suspected Grace was giving him something to do to keep him busy. He wasn’t scared of the blood, but he was grateful to have some role in helping.
He rested his hands against Ainsley’s lifeless torso, ready to hold her down hard if he had to.
Grace was already easing the pliers into the hole in Ainsley’s shoulder.
Thoughts of a life without Ainsley flashed through his mind and he tried to block them out. He could wake up without her tomorrow. Right now she was still warm under his hands. He’d better savor each heartbeat.
Grace pulled and slipped. She pulled and slipped again.
She cursed under her breath.
“Erik, push her shoulder away from her back. I need it opened up.”
Erik drew in a breath and was glad Ainsley wasn’t awake for this. Then he leaned his weight against her shoulder with one hand and her back with the other.
The wound gaped open a little and Grace tried a third time to catch the bullet in the pliers. This time he could tell she had locked onto it.
Grace pulled slowly. Her face was set in an expression of fierce concentration. Her hands began to shake.
Suddenly something gave way. The bullet slipped the rest of the way out of the wound with a wet and sinister sound.
Grace fell back on her heels, holding the clotted pliers in front of her. In them, the silver bullet was dotted in blood and bone – but the exposed bits glittered in the moonlight.
Erik ripped his shirt off and used it to apply pressure to Ainsley’s shoulder.
“When will we know if she’s going to…?”
“I don’t know,” Grace said. “It was in there too long. Some of it is bound to have gotten into her blood. And if I didn’t get the whole thing out…”
Erik felt the blood drain from his face.
“If you’re not a praying man, Erik, this might be a good time to start.”
Chapter 17
Ainsley awoke from a deep sleep.
Her body ached and she was too warm. Something important had happened. But she couldn’t think what.
She opened her eyes.
She was in Erik’s bed. Erik was wrapped around her tightly, one muscular arm across her chest, one leg thrown possessively over her hip.
She moved to slip out of his embrace and turn to him.
He clenched around her with a piteous moan.
“Erik?”
She could hear his breath let out. His limbs loosened and she turned to face him.
His molten brown eyes were filled with love and pain.
“Ainsley.”
In that one word Ainsley heard all she needed to know. He loved her. Erik loved her and she was the luckiest woman in the world.
She reached up to caress his face softly.
It reminded her of something.
Her mother.
The memory of the whole night descended on her at once. Ainsley gasped and reached for her shoulder.
“Easy,” Erik said.
She pulled her hand back.
“Want to risk a trip to the bathroom?” he asked.
She smiled and nodded gratefully.
He eased himself out of bed and lifted her in his strong arms. When they reached the bathroom he kissed the top of her head and set her down.
“I’ll give you a minute,” he told her.
Ainsley stared into the mirror. She was naked and dirty in stark contrast to the clean white bandage that curled over her shoulder. But her ribs felt completely healed. She was sure she would be feeling that for a while.
Odd if she’d only been asleep a few hours. Maybe it was a wolf thing?
Though she wanted to see what was underneath the bandage, she decided to wait for Erik’s help.
After she had enjoyed a few minutes of privacy and was stepping into a steaming bath, there was a gentle knock.
“Come in!”
She was surprised at how glad she was for him to be near. All the colors in the room seemed brighter.
Erik’s smile told her that he felt the same.
“Sorry, I guess after not knowing what was going to happen to you, I’ve got a little separation anxiety. Are you okay with me in here?”
Ainsley laughed.
“I think I have it too. Don’t go.”
He sat on the fluffy rug next to the tub.
“Do you think we can take the bandage off?” she asked.
He frowned, but nodded.
“Would you please do it?” she said.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
She held her breath as he eased a tickly finger under the edge of the tape. He peeled it off slowly, leaving her skin prickling. First one one side, then slowly the other. Then the bottom was peeling away and the bandage was off. She felt the cool air on her skin.
“Wow,” he said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s just a little scar. You’ve healed already.”
“Is that normal for a wolf?”
“Nothing about you is normal, Ainsley Connor.”
She laughed and sloshed a little water on him.
“Okay, okay. I’ll tell you everything!”
“That’s better!”
“Yes, wolves heal fast. Faster if they shift. But that’s not just a gunshot wound. It was a silver bullet.”
“Like in the tv shows?”
“Yes,” he said, wincing, “like that. That’s probably why it left a scar. Silver is very toxic to a wolf.”
“So I should have died?”
“Well, it hit your shoulder. Your friend Grace was there. She dug it out of your bone after you passed out.”
“She saved my life.”
“Yes. But the silver made it into your bloodstream. Your skin was so pale…”
Ainsley looked up at him. He was holding her hand, tracing the lines on her palm.
“Ainsley, I thought I was losing you.”
His voice was husky.
She squeezed his hand in her own.
“I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for. You were fantastic!”
She grinned.
He looked back at her with serious eyes.
“Did you know all this time about your parents? Why didn’t you tell anyone?”
“It’s a long story, but no, I only found out tonight.”
Erik looked confused. Then he shook his head.
“Last night, Ainsley. You’ve been asleep for over twenty-four hours.”
Oh. Wow.
“Want to know what you missed?”
She nod
ded.
“Once Grace got the bullet out we took you to Thad Volker’s house.”
“Isn’t he a vet?”
“Well, we couldn’t exactly take you to the emergency room. How would we explain that there was silver in your bloodstream? Thad’s our go-to in wolf medical. He’s very good.”
“Clearly,” Ainsley said, indicating herself.
Erik smiled and went on.
“MacGregor informed the Federation that we had an undisputed alpha via both kinship and blood rite. They agreed to send a liaison soon.”
“They weren’t worried that I was practically dead?”
“MacGregor may have left that part out.”
“I see.”
“There’s been no sign of Clive, though we sent trackers immediately.”
“Wait! What do you mean? I saw him take three bullets to the chest!”
“Grace’s gun wasn’t loaded with silver bullets. In the commotion trying to save you, he slipped away.”
Ainsley fought the panic that was closing in on her.
“He wouldn’t dare show his face here again, Ainsley. He’d be killed on sight.”
“Erik, he hates me so much.”
“You have a pack to protect you now.”
Erik stroked her hair.
“It’s not me I’m worried about.”
He sighed.
“Why did you do that?” he asked.
“Do what?”
“Why did you push me out of the way?”
Because I love you. She couldn’t say it first. That wasn’t very alpha-like. Instead, she looked down in silence.
“You have a pack to lead. You can’t do anything so foolish again,” he said.
“I have no interest in leading this pack if you’re not in it, Erik,” she said, meeting his eye.
“I love you,” he said simply.
She smiled and curled her soapy fingers around his darling face.
“I love you too, Erik Jensen. I always will.”
Just then there was a knock at the front door.
Ainsley looked at Erik, he shrugged.
There was a second knock, this one louder than the first.
“Hold that thought,” he said.
“Please be careful!”
“There’s a patrol Ainsley. Everything’s fine.”
Chapter 18
Erik bounded down the stairs with his heart in his mouth. There was a patrol all right, but after yesterday he was not going to be taking Ainsley’s safety for granted anytime soon.
He stepped onto the front porch to find Cressida standing on the top step and banging on the frame of the screen door for a third time.
“Cressida!” he sighed, more relieved than annoyed.
“She wants me to knock, I knock. How is Her Highness?”
Cressida’s bravado didn’t fool Erik a bit. He’d known her too long. But he wasn’t going to torture her. His own happiness made him benevolent.
“She’s fine.”
“I know. I could feel it.”
An awkward silence settled over them.
“Do you want to see her?” Erik asked.
“Hell yes, I want to see her.”
They headed up the stairs. Cressida barged right into the bathroom.
Well, knocking on one out of two doors wasn’t bad. Erik cringed a little, wondering what Ainsley would say. She surprised him by smiling.
“Cressida.”
“Hi,” Cressida said shyly. “I knocked.”
“Thank you for saving me.”
“Don’t mention it. Did this guy feed you yet?”
“Um, no.”
“I didn’t think so,” she said, turning to Erik. “Feed her. I have to work but I’ll be back with steak in the morning.”
Erik raised an eyebrow at Ainsley.
She smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, okay. Thanks, Cressida,” he replied.
“I know you’re glad to see her but don’t wear her out too much!” Cressida’s voice trailed down the stairs.
Ainsley giggled. It was such a nice sound – familiar and yet new.
“Let’s get you taken care of,” he said, stepping out of his boxers.
Her eyes got big.
“No, not that. I’m going to bathe you, baby.”
The water was warm and bubbly. He eased himself in, then pulled Ainsley’s head back against his chest.
She was practically purring in contentment.
He grabbed the shampoo bottle. It was his own - mint scented and a little on the masculine side. He liked that Ainsley would smell like him when he was finished. He poured out a dollop and worked it into Ainsley’s scalp.
Her hair was soft and smooth. He eased her head back into the water. She swirled her hair like a mermaid until all the shampoo was gone.
“Let me help you up so we can get the rest of you clean.”
Erik helped Ainsley stand. Water slid off her perfect skin in rivulets. Her hair was dark and saturated and hung down her back in satiny ribbons. She was exquisitely beautiful and she was his.
Erik poured liquid soap into his hands. He worked the soapy lather gently down Ainsley’s arms. Her skin was so soft under his hands. He was especially gentle around the puckered scar where Clive’s bullet had gone.
Next, he reached his hands under Ainsley’s arms and soaped her collarbone. In slow circles he worked his way to Ainsley’s glorious breasts, giving her plenty of time to stop him.
She didn’t. Instead, she went still as if she were spellbound as Erik’s hands smoothed the soap around each ripe globe, palming her nipples.
He worked his hands lower, soaping Ainsley’s belly and the curve and swell of her hips. He knelt and soaped her round buttocks.
He ran his hands around Ainsley’s right calf and smoothed up to her thigh.
Then he repeated on the other leg.
Ainsley was as still as a statue and covered in frothy soap. She looked like she’d just stepped out of a birthday cake.
Erik’s own heart nearly stopped in their shared anticipation.
When he finally worked his fingers into the warm, wet place they had both been waiting for him to explore, Ainsley began to tremble lightly.
“Good girl,” Erik whispered, removing his hand. “All done.”
Ainsley’s eyes opened.
Erik guided Ainsley back into the water where he rinsed the soap from her body with long, soothing strokes of his hands.
As soon as Ainsley was perfectly clean and rinsed, Erik stepped out of the tub and wrapped himself in a towel.
“What do you want now?”
“You,” she said. “Please.”
She reached her arms up to him and his heart thundered.
He lifted her out of the water and set her on the fluffy rug.
She let him dry her slowly with a towel.
Then he swept her up in his arms and carried her back to bed.
For some reason Erik felt nervous. They had mated many, many times that first night. But this felt different. They weren’t compelled. This was Ainsley’s choice.
She loved him. And, oh, how he loved her too.
Tonight Erik needed to show her how important she was to him. Not because she was his alpha, but because he was her man. They had always belonged to each other.
He laid her gently on the mattress and then lowered himself down next to her.
Her wet hair was spread across the pillow. She looked up at him with her startling hazel eyes. She seemed so relaxed.
Erik, on the other hand, felt like his heart would explode. He wanted to kiss her and whisper to her gently. And he wanted to take her quickly, leaving his marks all over her.
He caressed her cheek with a trembling hand as he tried to decide where to begin.
She turned her head to kiss his palm and everything fell into place.
“I love you,” he whispered into her neck as he nuzzled her warm, damp skin.
“I love you.”
“I have n
ever loved another woman. Not in all these years. It’s always been you.”
Chapter 19
Ainsley’s heart was filled to bursting.
Erik surrounded her. The mint of his shampoo was in her hair. His scent was in the sheets and pillows she lay on. His arms were planted on either side of her face and his body pinned hers to the bed.
She looked up into his eyes. He often had a shy way of looking down, leaving her to admire his inky lashes.
Tonight he met her eyes. They told her a story of trust and love so powerful she wanted to look away.
Instead she closed her eyes and raised herself for a kiss.
He responded immediately. He had been treating her like she was so delicate all night. But this kiss spoke of barely restrained hunger.
One of his hands fisted in the sheets above her head. The other thumbed her jaw, opening her mouth wider so that he could devour her mouth.
She wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing him harder against herself. It felt as if she could actually melt into him if she could just get close enough.
He responded with a growl and ground his hips into her. She could feel the length of him, hard and hot against her thigh.
Why was he not inside her already? She would die if he didn’t make love to her now. Ainsley whimpered and tried to work herself into a position to receive him.
“Slow, baby, slow,” he whispered, “I’ll take care of you, don’t worry.”
But he pulled out of her hold.
As she moved to protest, he slid down on the bed. Leaning on his side, he wrapped one hand in her hair and used the other to stroke her breasts.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said dreamily.
He dipped his head down to cover her breasts with tender kisses.
Her nipples stiffened immediately but he took his time, cuddling and cooing over each breast before taking her aching nipples in his mouth - soothing and teasing her all at once.
Too soon, he pulled away again and ran his fingertips down to her belly.
Ainsley instinctively sucked in her tummy.
“No,” he said firmly, moving his hand to her chin and forcing her to look him in the eye.
Ainsley cringed.
“Is there something about you that you don’t want me to see?” he asked.
“I…I…”
“I adore you, Ainsley, and I worship every inch of that hot body of yours. I’m going to fill this gorgeous belly with my babies one day. You can be buttoned up tight with everyone else in the world if you want to. But not with me. You will let me in.”
