Page 4 of Fated to the Wolf Billionaire

“What name was on the bottle?” I asked, sinking to my knees on the other side of my mate.

“Fiona. Her name is Fiona Valentine, and it was filled at a pharmacy in Philadelphia, the United States.”

“Fiona.” The name was a caress, the simple syllables making me shudder as they rolled off my tongue. “It’s okay, Fiona. I’m here, and you’re safe.”

I murmured simple nonsense words and stroked her hair as we waited for her to regain consciousness. The minutes felt like hours, but eventually, her eyelids fluttered.

I stroked my thumb over her temple. “Fiona? Can you hear me? It’s Reed. Do you remember me, spitfire?”

Her eyes fixed on mine, and her tongue came out to tentatively swipe at her lower lip. She nodded recognition, and something in my chest loosened.

“Are you thirsty? Our nurse friend—” I looked at the woman blankly. It was rude of me not to have asked her name, but nobody in this situation except my spitfire mattered.

“Sabrina,” she supplied with a relieved grin.

“Sabrina here is going to go get you some water. And then I’m going to take you to a doctor,ifyou’re okay with that?” I held her eyes, begging her to say yes. Sabrina thought we were strangers. All I needed was a yes from Fiona to confirm she wanted to go with me, and then I was taking her.

I wasn’t a vampire. I couldn’t brainwash these people into forgetting the strangeness of this night if I took her against her will.

“M’kay,” she mumbled, clearly groggy.

“That good enough for you, Sabrina?” I asked, helping Fiona to sit up and lean against my chest so Sabrina could get the water.

“If you’re sure?” She directed the question to Fiona. Any other time, I would have admired her tenacity at being an ally for other women. But I would never hurt my mate. Everything in me felt exposed here, alone and packless with my mate weak and sick. Agreement or no, Fiona and I were leaving together.

“Yeah,” Fiona agreed, yawning and leaning heavily against me as she gripped my forearm.

Goddess, with everything that had happened, I was a dog for pulling her closer. But I couldn’t help it. Her scent was driving my wolf crazy. I dropped my nose to the top of her head and took a discreet sniff.

Pure heaven. Apricots, lilies, and a delicate feminine musk that made my mouth water and my canines try to descend.

Sabrina was back with a glass of water, and Fiona took a few halfhearted sips before I scooped her off the floor.

I walked out the door with her cradled against my chest and never looked back.

THREE

Reed

I’d no sooner buckled Fiona into the passenger seat of my SUV and leaned it back for her than she was back asleep, face smoothing into relaxed peace. She had to sense what I was to her. There was no other explanation for a human woman falling into a stranger’s arms and agreeing to leave with me.

It was probably for the best. I’d told her I was taking her to see a doctor, and that was true. Brielle was an excellent physician. But she would probably have a lot of questions about why the doctor was located inside an ancient fortress and not a modern hospital.

I had no idea how much or little she knew about the supernatural world. Her scent, while delicious, gave no hints as to why she might be my mate. I didn’t sense anything other about her, no distant wolf ancestress or even a sprinkling of fae, like Shailene.

But the mark on her left palm… I glanced down and ran my thumb over it, blowing out a shaky breath.

It meant I was going to have an omega daughter, just like Gael. I’d seen how torn up he was, and Leigh was only partway through the pregnancy. Apparently the Moon Goddess had decided it was time I was roped into the fray as well.

Somehow, as I stole glances at Fiona’s sleeping face, I couldn’t regret that. The drive back to the enclave went smoothly, with no sign of rampaging shifters or any other trouble. And when I parked outside the gates, she barely stirred when I scooped her back into my arms.

A woman I didn’t know was on gate duty. She had bright blue eyes and almost white-blonde hair cut off at her chin, but she wore the uniform that identified her as a maiden trainee.

“It’s Reed, from High Alpha Kane’s pack.”

“Dakota,” she introduced herself. Her nose wrinkled as I approached, but she still pulled open the gate. “You reek like you drank half a distillery.”

“Thank you,” I said sarcastically, carefully keeping Fiona’s head tucked against my neck.

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