Page 44 of Eclipsed Heart

“Please. We’re all fine, and Samuel is being healed.” Jack huffed. “And after your sister got hurt, let’s just say I need to do something other than be stressed.”

My heart ached in sympathy. Sometimes, after a horrible situation was over, you needed a distraction, and unfortunately, Bodey and I were on the receiving end of Jack’s recovering humor.

Your Majesty,one of the wolf shifters I’d asked to watch over our prisoner linked to me.The wolf is stirring.

We needed to get the wolf into the basement before they woke up completely. I exhaled. “How’s Samuel doing?” I glanced at my brother, who was now standing. The blood was drying on his snout and the fur around his sides.

“Healed, Your Majesty.” Chelsea turned toward me, the breeze catching her long navy skirt.

Clearing my throat, I tangled my hands in Bodey’s fur. “Let’s head back to the house. We have a prisoner to detain before she wakes up. Stevie can recover in our house, and the girl can stay in the basement.”

Stevie’s attack could’ve been for show,Samuel linked just with Bodey and me.

My chest constricted because he was right. Though I didn’t want to believe it, this could be a ploy.We play along until we learn the truth.

Bodey replied,I agree. It’ll be easier for us to watch her close by anyway. And she’ll think we might somewhat trust her.

Knowing that I wasn’t going to walk back to the house naked, I linked to Bodey,I’m going to shift.

Relief flooded him, and he linked with everyone,Turn your back so my mate can shift without people seeing her naked, including you, perv.His indigo eyes focused on Jack.

“Don’t worry.” Jack rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to see her like that.”

Everyone turned, and Dina’s brows furrowed. She could hear only one side of the conversation, but when I stood, understanding seemed to dawn on her face.

I called my wolf, and she rushed forward. Within seconds, I was back on all fours with fur all over my body. Once I settled, I linked with the three wolves who’d gone to hunt down the others,Are you okay?

Yeah, we’re heading back,the man replied.We didn’t find anything, and they’re definitely gone.

That was both good and bad news, but I’d take it.

Jack strolled to the foreign wolf and lifted her, purposely knocking her head into the tree once again. He threw her over his shoulder.

My head tilted, and he turned toward me.

“What?” he asked. “I don’t want her waking up on our way there and clawing the shit out of my back.”

Good point. Bodey and I trotted toward the house, leading everyone to our home. The entire way back, Bodey’s emotions were all over the place. He was tired, angry, and relieved, in that order.

Are you okay?I asked.

Birds fluttered in the distance, indicating that animals were returning to the area. That was a good sign.

Bodey replied curtly,I’ve been better.

His curt answer stung, but I tried to push the hurt aside. We had just gone through a terrible ordeal.

Before I could push the matter, we stepped back into our yard. Stevie, my parents, Stella, and Janet stood huddled together on the deck, watching us return. Janet opened the sliding glass door for us.

We bounded up the stairs to our bedroom, and once again, Bodey tossed me a shirt and a pair of his boxers since my clothes were still in the trunk of his car. That could be fixed later.

Noises came from downstairs, and I slipped the shirt over my head. Before it completely covered my waist, Bodey’s arms slid around me.

The jolt of our bond eased some of the hurt I’d felt from his curtness. My heart thundered, and I turned so I could look into his eyes, expecting to find warmth.

Instead, they were narrowed, and he wore a scowl on his face. He growled,We need to talk before we go downstairs.

CHAPTERTWELVE

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