Page 86 of Tangled Fates

I cushioned her fall onto my back by bristling my fur for a soft landing. The healers can take it from here for now. But you need rest.

She groaned. “They don’t know how to heal the venom. I don’t think anyone knows how to.”

I started off toward her house. We’ve got it from here. All you need is a bit of rest and some food. Give me one hour of your time, and then I’ll let you loose again.

When she didn’t fight me, that told me how tired she had become. I walked gingerly back to her place, watching as wolves and humans alike turned in our direction to watch us pass by. Everyone stopped to watch. Some of them held their balled-up fists into the air in solidarity with our Alpha. And as I processed her through the entire neighborhood, the show of strength and unity as everyone’s fists flew into the air almost brought tears to my eyes.

Almost, anyway.

“Hudson?” she asked softly.

I gingerly slid her down onto the porch floor before quickly morphing back into my human state. “Yes, beautiful?”

I scooped her into my arms and her body almost felt limp.

“Do you think it would be possible for me to eat in a bath?” she asked.

I chuckled as I walked through the threshold of her home. “I can definitely make that happen.”

I kicked the door closed behind me before traipsing up the stairs with her curled into my chest. She nuzzled against me, almost as if she wanted to bury herself away from the world and only exist with me in the moment. It felt good, knowing that I was such a safe place for her. It’s all I ever wanted to be with my mate. I carried her into the bathroom and perched her on the countertop long enough for me to draw her a hot, steaming bubble bath.

Then, I turned to face her before helping her slid off the bathroom counter.

“Thanks,” she said breathlessly.

“Can you stand?” I asked.

She released my grip and nodded. “Yeah, I’m stable, if tired.”

“All right. You get yourself into that bath and get comfortable. I’ll bring up some drinks and a small plate of food for you to snack on.”

“I don’t know if a plate of snack food will fill me up.”

I chuckled. “I don’t want you to eat so quickly and make yourself sick. I can always go back downstairs for more food.”

She nodded and still didn’t put up a fight. “Sounds good. Thank you.”

I walked out of the bathroom before I turned to face her. “Hey, Raven?”

She pulled her shirt over her head. “Yeah?”

It took me a second to focus with her beauty staring me in the face like that. “I love you. You know that, right?”

She blinked. “You do?”

It broke my heart that she even had to ask. “I do. And I want you to know that I accept our mating bond.”

Her jaw hit the floor. “You do? Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Her eyes lined with tears. “So, I’m not going to lose you in all of this?”

I shook my head. “Never. I accept our bond and anything that comes with it. I’m not leaving your side. Ever. Unless that’s what you wish of me.”

Her lower lip quivered. “Will you take a bath with me?”

Electricity shot up my spine. “I’d love nothing more. Let me fetch our food and drinks, and then I’ll climb in with you.”

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