Page 24 of Wild Claim

“God.” Her eyes fluttered closed. “What a night.”

I clucked softly, nudging her leg with my beak. She needed first aid, but I was useless like this. The night crawled by. Every time Mina shifted or made a sound, I was at her side in an instant.

The eastern sky lightened. I felt the familiar tingle in my feathers, the ache in my bones. The transformation hit like afreight train. I gritted my teeth, stifling a groan as my body twisted and reshaped. Feathers melted away, replaced by skin. In moments, I was human again, standing buck naked on the cabin floor.

I scrambled to grab a threadbare blanket to wrap around my waist. Mina stirred on the couch, her eyes fluttering open.

“Rory?” she mumbled, still half-asleep.

“I’m here.” I kneeled beside her, brushing the hair from her face. “How are you feeling?”

She tried to sit up and winced. “Like I went ten rounds with a grizzly.”

“Stay still. Let me take care of you.”

I found the first aid kit under the sink, covered in dust but intact. While I cleaned and bandaged her wounds, Mina watched me with those doe eyes that saw right through me.

“You’re you again.”

“Barely. Grit your teeth, sweetheart. This might sting,” I said, cleaning the wound on her thigh.

Mina hissed but didn’t pull away. Her eyes never left my face as I worked.

“Why’d you follow me?” I said.

“You know why.”

I knew. And it scared the shit out of me. “You could’ve been killed,” I growled.

“Yeah, well, so could you, grumpy.” She took my face in her hands, forcing me to meet her gaze. “I wasn’t about to sit around knitting while you got yourself eaten.” She paused, her expression softening slightly. “Now it’s my turn. Why’d you run?”

I focused on the gash, wrapping it methodically. “Take your pick,” I muttered. “Idiot, bastard, asshole. All the above.”

Mina’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not an answer. Why did you leave?”

I exhaled sharply, meeting her gaze. “Because this?” I gestured between us. “It’s a disaster waiting to happen. I turn into a fucking turkey. You deserve better than... whatever the hell I am.”

“Oh, for God’s sake. I’m a big girl. I can decide what I deserve.”

“Yeah? And what happens when you realize you’ve tied yourself to a man who spends half his time gobbling and strutting around?”

“Well, at least I’ll always have fresh eggs for breakfast.”

I snorted despite myself. “You know for a fact Tom’s don’t lay eggs and this isn’t a joke.”

“No,” she said softly. “It’s not. But what we have isn’t as scary as you think, either.”

“Sweetheart,” I started, my voice rough. “I’m not—”

“If you say you’re not good enough one more time, I swear I’ll whackyouwith a branch.”

A choked laugh escaped me. “You’re something else, you know that?”

She grinned, then winced as she shifted position. “So, I’ve been told.”

I reached out, my hand hovering over her shoulder, unsure if I should pull her into an embrace or just let her rest. She decided for me, leaning into my chest with a soft sigh. I wrapped my arms around her, careful not to aggravate her injuries. The warmth of her body against mine felt like coming home.

“You’re an idiot,” she mumbled into my chest.

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