Page 21 of Broken-Hearted

As I debate whether I want to lie or pretend this is a big joke, there’s still that echo of pain in him I can’t shake loose. I don’t want to lie or laugh this off. I want to stop him from hurting.

“Martha nearly died because of me,” I say quietly.

A flicker of understanding passes across his face. “And you think you’re to blame for that?”

I twist my fingers together, looking down. “Iwasto blame for it. Adrian sent his enforcers to Dawley to get me.” I swallow hard as the back of my eyelids burn. “Martha shoved me away, told me to run, and they grabbed her instead. They were holding her hostage and they could have tortured her to get me.”

And it would have worked. They wouldn’t have needed to do a thing to Martha. I’d have taken her place in a heartbeat. But I know Martha. She’s overprotective as hell. She would die before she let anyone hurt me, which is why I ran away.

I can’t let her keep putting herself in danger.

Nathan says nothing for the longest time. Then he smooshes my face against his chest.

Well, maybe notexactlysmooshes, but you try thinking straight when a hot guy presses your face to his rock hard abs. It isn’t easy.

“What are you doing?” I ask around a mouthful of cotton.

“Holding you.”

I successfully peel my face away and peer up at him. “Why?”

He winks. “I just thought you might need a hug.”

“You suffocated me with your shirt.” I say nothing about the hard muscle I tried not to notice. And I failed.Miserably. “I nearly died.”

He chuckles. “Died. Right. It’s okay if you want to say you appreciated my hug.”

“I did not appreciate being suffocated by your shirt, Nathan.” I narrow my eyes and sniff, channeling outraged woman. “Don’t do it again.”

His eyes dart to my lips and his gaze turns hungry. “Are you sure? Any thoughts yet on this kiss we’re going to have?”

“We’re not going to have any such kiss.”

“We will.”

“We will—” A wet snarl silences me.

I freeze at the faint sound of claws scraping along stone.

I’m not sure I even breathe.

Wolf.

Nathan is unnaturally still as he sniffs, then angles his head slightly to the left.

I smell them too. Shifters creeping toward us.

“Stay behind me, Clara.” Nathan speaks out of the side of his mouth, his lips barely moving.

My back stiffens. “I will not?—”

I grunt as he nudges me back and whirls around. His hand flashes out, a wolf howls, and the copper tang of blood fills the air.

Four wolves circle us. Two are brown, one is a blond with reddish highlights, and the last is gray. The dark gray wolf with gold eyes that smells bloodied, drops back farther than the rest. Probably to give himself a chance to heal before another attack. They weave a tight, slow circle around my tree.

Nathan is standing directly in front of me. His head doesn’t move, but I imagine he’s tracking the shifters' movements. None of them can get to me. They would have to go through Nathan first.

“Nathan.Move. I can help,” I hiss.

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