Page 33 of Guardians

“You’re going to recover,” Malik said from the doorway. “I don’t allow my patients to die.”

“Lexie isn’t going to face these changes all by herself,” Bianca continued. “When I’m better, I’ll allow a coalition to claim me too.”

“You concentrate on feeling better,” Lexie insisted. “That’s your only job right now.”

After lightly squeezing Lexie’s hand, Bianca closed her eyes.

Malik motioned Lexie from the room.

Bianca was still propped up by the stack of pillows and the position looked uncomfortable for sleeping. “Shouldn’t we lay her down?” she whispered as she reached him.

“With the congestion in her lungs, this is better.” He closed the door behind Lexie before adding, “I don’t think she would havesurvived the night if you hadn’t accepted Kane’s offer. I honestly believe that you saved her life.”

“So do I,” Tara said firmly, drawing Lexie’s attention. “That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I couldn’t allow you to be so nauseatingly selfless. It might give the hybrids the wrong idea.”

Lexie laughed, needing Tara’s sense of humor more than she realized. “Did someone feed you? We need to fatten you up if you’re going to attract a coalition.”

That crack made the men laugh. “At the moment she doesn’t have any competition,” Kane pointed out. “She’ll have men lining up outside this door by morning.”

“Bianca volunteered as well,” Malik told him.

“Bianca isn’t healthy enough to make decisions right now,” Lexie insisted. “We’ll revisit the issue when she’s stronger.”

Malik nodded, looking embarrassed. “You’re right, and I should have been the one to insist on it. I’m her doctor.”

Tara shooed them toward the door. “You two need to go home, so we can gossip about you.”

“Lexie doesn’t have boots or a coat,” Kane told her. “I need to carry her back to our cabin.”

“I’ll come get you when she’s ready for a ride,” Tara countered as she opened the door. “Out.”

Malik laughed. “Your mates will have their work cut out for them.”

“I’ll return in one hour,” Kane said gruffly, refusing to step through the doorway.

“An hour and a half,” Tara negotiated with a stubborn lift of her chin.

He glared at her. “Ninety minutes and not one second more.”

“Agreed.” She blew him a kiss and then shoved him out the door.

Lexie was laughing so hard that tears escaped her eyes by the time the exchange had ended. “Only you, Tara. Only you.”

Tara’s expression grew serious and her voice softened. “It’s easy to push them around because I know they don’t have the right to discipline me. I know damn well that things will be different with my mates. I saw firsthand how they deal with rebellion.”

Lexie blushed at the memory of her first spanking. It had been so humiliating to stand there naked in front of the other guardians. And Kane’s belt… she refused to think about the searing pain and all the unwanted sensations that had been triggered as a result.

Forcing the memories to the back of her mind, Lexie focused on happier things. “I’m so glad you’re here. You have no idea what a relief this is.”

“For me too.” Tara shook her head. “I couldn’t face staying in that camp without you and Bianca there.”

They paused for another hug then sat down on the sofa. Lexie snagged the quilt off the floor and spread it over their legs. Someone had lit a fire, but the room was still chilly. “Was this cabin vacant? If not, where are the occupants?”

“It belongs to Flynn and Levi. They agreed to sleep in one of the barracks until Bianca recovers. And to answer your earlier question, they made me a sandwich before they left. Which begs the questions, where the hell did they get bread?”

“I’m not sure where they’re getting a lot of these things. Kane’s cabin has electricity, heated water, a refrigerator, and a recycler. They’ve been here over three years. The shampoo I used to wash my hair couldn’t have come from their original supplies.”

“Shampoo?” Tara whined. “I’d kill someone if it meant I could wash my hair.”

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