Page 69 of Wolf Bitten

“It’s Slade.” Raffe’s jaw clenched. He removed his evergreen EEU sweatshirt, revealing his chiseled abs and the curves of his muscular chest.

Despite the pain, I think I started drooling. My mate was not only a caring and loving person but sexy as hell too. Everything inside me wanted to be back in human form so I could feel his body against mine the way nature had always intended.

That was until he leaned over and pressed the sweatshirt to the wounds on my back then lifted me and tied it under my stomach. I bared my teeth and snarled, the agony blinding me. Stars danced in my vision.

“You’re going tofreezeto death,” Slade said, pulling my attention from Raffe to him.

Slade stood ten feet away, his mouth pressed into a firm line of disapproval.

I wasn’t sure if he meant Raffe being shirtless in the cold or me being in wolf form. If it was the former, I could get behind that, especially with the sweatshirt putting so much pressure on the wound that I wanted to pass out.

“I’m fine.” Raffe ran a hand through his wet hair. He’d taken a shower before leaving the gym to meet us for dinner. “You know we wolf shifters have a high tolerance for the cold, and Sky’s bleeding way too much to let the blood loss continue.”

Flinching, Slade cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t believe it was her if it wasn’t for the magic radiating off her. It’s stronger than ever before.”

My mind flicked back to the animals and how they’d come to me.

“I can’t link with her, though.” Raffe removed one of his shoes and pulled off his sock. “Which doesn’t make sense. She’s a wolf right now and my mate.”

I could feel his worry.

Nothing could be easy when it came to me. Life was like a game of chess, and I had no clue how to play.

Branches rustled nearby, and Hecate stepped up beside Slade. Her eyes homed in on me, and her brows rose. “Can’t say I was expectingthis. How is that possible?”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” Slade slowly stepped toward me, watching me as if I were a science experiment. It was the exact expression he had in labs.

He licked his lips. “Don’t wolves who join a pack have to submit and acknowledge the leader as their alpha before they can pack-link?”

“Yeah, but as the prince, I can link with everyone in the United States. Every wolf pack is underneath us, so that shouldn’t be the problem.” He gently lifted my hind leg.

Pain exploded worse than before, and I gagged. I wanted to thrash, but I wouldn’t risk hurting Raffe. When he tied his sock around the injury on my leg, I snapped my teeth, though I made sure not to get too close to him.

“I know it hurts, but I need to stop the bleeding,” Raffe rasped and scratched behind my ear.

Even though my leg still hurt badly, I wanted to shake it at how amazing that felt. He must have noticed because he grinned.

“Is that your answer for everything?” Slade wrinkled his nose, ruining the moment. “You’re the prince, so my suggestion is irrelevant? After all, you know best, even though you’re clueless about what the issue is.”

At that moment, not being able to communicate was in my best interest because Slade had a point. They didn’t get along in general, but it was worse when it came to me.

“That’s what you want to talk aboutnow,with Skylar likethis?” Raffe slipped his shoe back on, sans sock, and glared daggers. “She’s a fucking wolf and injured, which means she shouldn’t shift back yet, and she can’t communicate with me. We should be focusing on how to heal her and get her back in human form.”

“You two,chill.” Hecate lifted her hands and stepped toward us.

Oh, hell no. She wasn’t getting close to my mate, especially while he was shirtless. He wasmine. I snarled, baring my teeth at her, ready to attack.

Raffe beamed, his eyes warming to the blue that showed only around me, and he waved me forward as if he approved of me attacking her.

The human part of me was slightly appalled, but the wolf in me was ready to tear the bitch apart if she got any closer.

“Get back here.” Slade grabbed Hecate, pulling her to his side. “And don’t look at him. I don’t know why she’s acting like that since she’s never bitten him, but she’s already acting like they’ve completed their bond.”

When Hecate averted her eyes, my reason returned. I wanted to ask how to submit to Raffe, but my wolf surged forward, taking control.

I leaned over and nudged his arm with my snout. His brows furrowed, but when our gazes locked, his brows rose as if in understanding.

We stared at one another, but this was different. This wasn’t just pure love; this held an undercurrent. My blood increased to a fizz as if it were preparing for a fight, but there was no way I’d fight Raffe.

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