Page 10 of Loki's Enemy Mate

I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off before I could get a word out.

“Is your arm better?”

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to bite back my irritation. “I can feel it again. So, it seems to be a little better.”

“Can you help me out of here?” Loki asked, gesturing toward his leg wedged between the stones. “I can’t get it out.”

For one brief moment I thought of just walking away. With Loki stuck there, I wouldn’t have to worry about taking care of him myself once we were free of the cave. He’d just lay there and starve to death. It might take days or even a week, but eventually he’d be nothing but a desiccated pile of bones. All because I chose to go back on our bargain. He’d do the same to me if our positions were reversed. I was sure of it.

With a sigh, I pushed myself to my feet. I wouldn’t stoop to his level. I was a man of my word, even if that meant helping this asshole out of a deathtrap of his own making.

“If you can shift that rock,” Loki said, pointing to the smaller boulder on the left. “Then I can get my foot out I think.”

I nodded, walking over to it. I took a second to stretch, making sure all my bones were where they should be and that they were no longer completely fucked. My ribs were the most sore and my arm didn’t feel like it was back to full strength yet. But my legs worked and so did my other arm. That would be enough to move the boulder a couple of inches.

“Ready?” I asked, placing my back against the rock and planting my feet firmly on the floor.

“Yeah.”

“Move fast,” I added. “I wouldn’t want you to have to gnaw your own leg off if I drop it.”

“Then just don’t fucking drop it,Hamball.”

“Do you want my fucking help or not?!”

Loki sighed. “Yes. Stop being so sensitive.”

“Stop being such a dickhead.”

We glared at one another for a long moment.

“Heimdall,” Loki said, gritting his teeth. “Move the fucking rock.”

That was the best I could hope for. Taking a deep breath, I pushed my feet into the stone, legs straining as my back pressed against the boulder. With a grunting cry, the boulder began to shift. I felt my muscles go taut, the veins and tendons bulging in my neck as I pushed. Finally, the stone shifted a few inches, coming off the floor just enough for Loki to turn his ankle and pull his leg free. A second later the boulder crashed back to the floor, the stone cracking beneath it.

I sank down, my chest heaving from the exertion. Despite my werewolf healing, every piece of my body that hurt the night before began to hurt again. The strain caused all my old bruises and fractures to flare up, the pain seeping into my systemonce more. I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the boulder as I tried to breathe through it.

“Thanks,” Loki said, his voice barely above a whisper.

So, the assholedidhave some manners.

“Is your leg alright?” I asked through clenched teeth, forcing myself not to make some smartass remark. “Can you walk on it?”

“I… I think so.”

Loki flexed his foot a few times before leaning forward and grabbing hold of one of the boulders. With no small amount of effort, he got himself up on his good leg before gingerly testing the other. He winced as he put his full weight on the freshly healed one, but it held before he backed off it completely. Clearly it was still very painful. Thank the gods for werewolf healing though. Without it, both of us would’ve already been dead.

“I can limp along,” he said, leaning against the stone. He looked down at me. “Does your cellphone have service?”

“I… I don’t have one.”

Loki just stared at me like I’d said something insane.

“You… don’t have a phone? Who doesn’t have a phone these days?”

“Nobody in the Skoll pack has one. Alpha’s orders.”

He scrubbed his hands against his face in frustration. “Another one of your father’sstupidrules.”

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