Page 87 of Can't Be Love

“Psych her out?” Austin asked. “No way. She’s ready to kick ass tomorrow! If you can do that to Wyatt, Wanda Larken doesn’t stand a chance against you.”

“Thank you,” I said. “That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everyone.”

Training was over. My next opponent would be Wanda. The crowd partly dispersed and partly followed us as James and Emmett carried Wyatt to the truck, then climbed in back with him as Clay and Kate jumped in the front and drove him to the clinic. Lizzy and Austin rode with me as we followed behind.

“I could have warned them and saved him this pain, but they came in so cocky I couldn’t resist letting you have at them,” Lizzy said with a gleeful smirk.

Austin rolled his eyes. “We’ve been watching you. There’s no way you knew she was capable of this off the drills y’all were running.”

Lizzy and I looked at each other and laughed. While the area was still “secret.” before everyone caught wind of me training with Lizzy, she had sparred me full on. She was a tough opponent, but I had defeated her in the end and earned her utmost respect. It had given us a new bond and she had confessed she hadn’t been too sure about the idea of me bonding with her brother, though she also admitted that Thomas was her baby boy and always would be. She was like his little mother growing up and they had a uniquely close relationship because of it.

Austin just shook his head at us. “Well, you’re definitely ready for the challenge tomorrow,” he grumbled.

Thomas had gotten word of an accident at my training and was seeing red and sprouting fur on his hands when I arrived. Several people were trying to talk him down and explain it was Wyatt that was injured, not me, but his wolf wasn’t hearing it.

With hands on my hips, I walked right up to him. “Thomas Collier, I told you to have some faith in me. I’m more capable than you realize and I’m perfectly fine.”

Through glossy eyes he stared at me, then reached out and pulled me to him, crushing me against his chest.

“Can’t breathe,” I grumbled as he loosened his hold.

He was on the verge of hyperventilating, but he placed his nose in the crook of my neck and sniffed deeply, then breathed his scent on me, and kissed his mark on my neck. Still a little shaky, his wolf finally began to calm.

“Shit, Thomas, you have got to keep that in check tomorrow. She wasn’t even hurt. Kicked Austin and Emmett’s asses, and then broke Wyatt’s leg. That’s why we’re here numb-nuts. She doesn’t even have a scratch on her,” James told him.

“I can’t say the same.” Emmett chuckled, pulling up his sleeve and showing off the deep scratch I’d left on his shoulder.

“Sorry Emmett,” I finally said.

“No big deal, mama. You got this tomorrow. Let Thomas take you home and just relax tonight. Wanda has no idea what she’s getting herself into,” Emmett said, grinning proudly.

I turned to Thomas. “That sounds perfect to me, but I really need to make sure Wyatt’s okay first.”

Turned out he needed to be rushed in for a fracture reduction. The doctor explained it would take a couple of hours because they had to sedate him in order to properly set the break. I must have apologized a hundred times to Kate, but I never left her side through it all, and Thomas never left mine.

Thomas

Chapter 30

It had been a long night, but I’d gotten a glimpse of Lily in a new light. She wasn’t “Lily. my sister’s best friend.” She wasn’t “Lily, my mate.” Last night, she’d been Lily, Pack Mother of Collier Pack. She didn’t have to sit there, holding Kate’s hand for half the night. Wyatt was going to be fine, maybe a little annoyed that he got beat so badly by a girl, but fine.

The guys had passed the time recounting over and over how they’d gotten their asses kicked by Lily. She had continued to remain humble and say it was nothing instead of joining in with the smack talk.

People came and went all evening, checking in on Kate and Wyatt. Lily had been the cornerstone of it all, filtering inquiries, assuring people he was fine, comforting his poor mother, and of course Kate. I knew that in times of crisis, this is who she’d always be. The Pack responded positively to it, too. Those that returned didn’t try to speak with Kate, or even the nurses, they went straight to Lily. Somehow, she had earned her position in the Pack and I was lucky enough to have a front row seat as it all unfolded. The most amazing part to me was that she had no clue it was happening. As always, she was simply being Lily.

It was late into the night when she finally agreed to go home. Wyatt had been out of the operating room for hours by then, but she had stayed, continuing to be the pillar and comfort needed by everyone who stopped by.

“You’re amazing. Do you even know that?” I asked her in awe.

She snorted, undressing for bed. “For breaking Wyatt’s leg and leaving claw marks on Emmett? I don’t think so.”

“No, for just being you. I was worried about pressuring you into Pack Mother too soon, but I shouldn’t have, because you are a natural. I don’t even think you realize it.”

She shrugged. “In times of crisis I always ask myself,What would Mom do?She was a pretty awesome Pack Mother, so I figure I can’t go wrong with that thinking.”

Lily was restless all night long, despite an exhausting day. I lay awake worrying about her challenge, until finally, in the wee hours of morning, I drifted off to sleep.

For the first time since our bonding, Lily was up and ready before I woke. I frowned when I saw the bed beside me empty. A few minutes later Lily came out of the bathroom, her hair dripping wet from a shower.

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