Chapter 23 - Healed by His Accidental Mate

Arric whines at me and I can almost see the war in his eyes as Warren tries to get his wolf under control.

“I need you focused, Arric. I’m going to have you heal a couple of these bones, then I’m going to have you shift. It’s going to hurt, there’s no way around that, but I need to be able to talk to Warren and know what’s going on with you two since you refuse to accept any sedative.

He chuffs softly, watching me intently. Where the man terrifies me as a mate and a woman, the wolf is utterly charming. I lean forward and kiss his nose. “Behave. Are you ready?”

He chuffs again and I take the snapped bone and hold it to the intact bone, just like I did before. Arric watches intently as he heals the bone, just enough that it’s set.

“Nice. One more, big guy,” I tell him. I pull the other shattered bone out of his leg and show it to him. “Ready?” I ask.

He chuffs again, and then watches as I hold the bone, and he begins healing it. He chuffs again, leaning forward to lick my face.

“Yeah, we do make a good team. Okay, you ready to shift? I’m going to hold your leg so that you don’t jerk it and snap more bones during your shift.”

I set my hands on his leg and foot, above and below the injury, and then look at Arric. “Whenever you’re ready.”

He begins to shift and I feel his body jerk with the pain of it. He clenches his teeth together as Warren pulls the shift, a low moan of pain the only sound that he makes. It’s soft enough that I don’t think the warriors in the main room can hear it.

When he’s done, Warren is laying on his side, panting heavily. I walk up to his face. Once again, he’s covered in grime and guts. I ignore it, putting my hands on his cheeks. “Are you okay?”

He looks up at me and I can see the pain in his eyes. “Do I get a kiss, Since I behaved?” he asks.

I shake my head. I can’t believe the man is thinking about kissing me while he’s in so much pain. Maybe it’s because he is, or maybe it’s because I like the way he kisses me, but I lean down and touch my lips to his.

Before I even know what’s happening, he sits up, pulling me across his lap as he deepens the kiss, growling possessively in way that has my body and my wolf humming with pleasure.

Warren—

Once again, I can’t resist this woman. She’s incredible. I knew my instincts were right to trust that the Moon Goddess would one day send me the woman that was meant for me, but I had no idea that I would be worthy of such a woman as Yara. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a mate and so much more.

I know I’m covered in blood and guts, but in truth, so is she. I don’t love that she smells like nearly every warrior in my pack, but I also know why she does. One day, hopefully very,very soon, my scent will be stronger than any of theirs because it will be my mark on her neck.

Tasting her, having her in my arms, smelling her sweet cinnamon and nutmeg scent is relaxing me, calming me, and healing me in ways that nothing else in this world has ever done. When I pull her into my arms, it wasn’t conscious. Well, maybe it was for Arric. My wolf is nearly as desperate for our mate as I am. I felt her body tense and then relax as her arms slide around my neck. I let myself get lost in the kiss, knowing that as soon as she regains her thoughts, she’ll pull away since my leg is still open and broken on the table behind her.

The kiss doesn’t last nearly long enough before reality slams into her, and she quickly pulls away, moving to sit back.

“Careful. You don’t want to undo all that hard work I say softly. I’d suffer the pain for the kiss, but I know she’ll be upset with herself if She does hurt me.

“You are incorrigible!” she says.

“Arrogant, insufferable, unbelievable, leonine, incorrigible; what other interesting adjectives do you have for me, my mate?”

I see her glance up at me as she leans back over my leg. I was pretty sure she hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud about me looking like a lion surveying my kingdom. Arric had nearly barked his laugh out Ioud like some of my warriors did. The woman isn’t just healing my pack’s bodies, although that is something incredible to see. But she’s also healing their minds, giving them something they haven’t had in a long time. Hope.

“Stubborn, there’s an apt description of you,” she says, tugging a bone back into place. “Arric,” she says more quietly. I narrow my eyes at her. It hadn’t escaped me that she was much more inclined to love up on my wolf than she is with me.

‘That’s because I’m better looking. Arric says, proudly watching our mate put us back together.

I snort and Yara looks up at me, raising an eyebrow.

“Arric says you like him better than me because he’s better looking.””Well, he is magnificent,” she says without hesitation and Arric, the bastard, begins purring loudly, making Yara smile.

“So you do like him better than me?” I ask, feeing almost jealous of my wolf.

“Wolves are easier, simpler than humans. They love, they mate, they eat, they fight for their families, they die for their families. They don’t waver, they don’t judge based on stupid things. They set up a hierarchy in their packs so everyone knows their place and can feel comfortable with their role within that pack. They don’t look down on their omegas, they accept their role within the pack and the stronger wolves protect them as they should. Arric accepts Annika for the wolf she is, not just his mate, but as a strong wolf that can help strengthen his pack,” she says.

“And you don’t think that I accept you as the woman you are?” I ask as she quietly says Arric’s name again and he begin healing another bone.

She glances up at me. “I think you want more than a mate.”

“What do you think I want?” I ask, curious about what’s going on in her head. The woman is incredibly intelligent when it comes to the hospital, but I’m beginning to realize that she’s ignorant when it comes to relationships, which makes me happy.

“You want someone to come home to after you’ve been fighting. someone to warm your bed and give you pups,” she says and then stops, as if all she would be to me is a baby-making machine.

“That’s part of it, but that’s not all of it,” I say to her, making her look up at me again.

“Why don’t you tell me what you want from me,” she says, and it’s almost a challenge, as if she doesn’t think that I’d be honest with her about what I want. I may not tell others, but she’s my mate, and I want to share everything with her.

“I told you before that I want love. Yes, I want you in my bed every night. EVERY night. Yes, I would love nothing more than to bury myself inside your sweet heat every night. And yes, I want pups, with you, just so we’re clear. But I also want a woman who challenges me, someone who can make me laugh, someone who can calm the fury and torment inside me after a battle. Someone I can be completely open and honest with in a way that I can’t with anyone else in the pack, not even Charlie. I want someone who leads this pack beside me, someone who earns the respect of the pack and their allegiance, not just because she’s their Luna but because she deserves it. I want a woman who loves me as much as I love her, who wants me as much as I want her. I want everything. I want it all. I want your love, your passion, your tears, your children, your ire, your intelligence… everything, Yara. I want every darmn thing you have to give me.”

She’s stopped, staring at me while I’m talking.

“The fact that you’re a damn fantastic doctor is just the cherry on top for me.”

“I think I’ll add dermanding to the list of adjectives for you,” she says, getting back to her work.

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