Page 12 of Rescued

I nudge Gabe’s leg with my muzzle, trying to rouse him, to snap him out of the dream before I lose all control. My mate stirs but doesn’t wake. His hand keeps moving, the friction of denim making my ears twitch.

Damn it.

I nudge him harder, a little less gently this time, my nose pressing into his thigh. He lets out a soft groan, shifting slightly, and then, finally, his eyes flutter open.

The dream hasn’t completely left him; I can see it in the heat lingering in his gaze and the flush on his cheeks. But at least he’s awake.

As Gabe stumbles out of the room, I let out a sigh of relief, my body sagging against the floor. Relief doesn’t last long.

The sound of his moan carries through the quiet house, followed by the faint but unmistakable rhythm of skin on skin. My imagination fills in the rest, painting a picture so vivid it’s almost painful. Gabe, standing under the spray of the shower, his brown hair damp and clinging to his forehead. His green eyes closed tight, his lips parted as his long, sinewy muscles tense with the buildup of pleasure.

Fuck.

The thought of him stroking himself off, his release hitting him hard enough to make him yell—it’s almost too much. I feel the shift beginning, the heat racing through my veins as my body teeters on the edge of transformation.

No.

I lock every joint in place, digging deep to stay in wolf form. The need to go to him, to touch him, to claim him, is overwhelming, but I know I can’t give in. Not yet.

By the time I hear his final groan of release, my body is trembling with effort. My claws dig into the floor as I focus every ounce of my strength on staying in this form.

My gaze drifts to the IV bag still hooked up to my leg. The fluids are helping, and my shifter healing is kicking in, speeding my recovery. I can already feel the strength returning to my limbs, the pain fading to a dull ache.

Soon, I won’t need this. Soon, I’ll be strong enough to shift and stay that way.

The thought of staying away from Gabe if this happens again is laughable. My cock throbs, hard and insistent, as my mind replays the vision of my mate in the shower. Once this bag is empty, I’ll shift. Then, I’ll figure out how to bring him closer without scaring him off.

Gabe stirs, his lashes fluttering as his eyes open. I feel him stiffen almost immediately, his muscles going rigid as he pushes against me.

I let him go.

The sharp pinch in my chest as he scrambles off my lap is unexpected, but I force myself to stay still, my hands clenching at my sides as he stands unsteadily at the edge of the bed.

Our gazes meet.

There’s fear in his green eyes, wariness that makes me ache to reach for him, to pull him close and tell him everything will be okay. But I don’t. I can’t.

Instead, I wait, my hands trembling as the silence stretches between us. My body feels like it’s on fire, every nerve screaming at me to claim him, but I fight it. I can’t screw this up.

“Let me see your back,” Gabe says suddenly, his voice firm and steady despite the uncertainty in his posture. His arms are crossed over his chest, and his jaw is set, but I can feel the hesitation beneath his resolve.

I nod, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. Meeting his gaze, I lean forward and reach for the hem of my borrowed shirt.

The fabric slips over my head, and I toss it aside before lowering myself further, my stomach brushing my thighs as I turn slightly to give him a clear view.

His sharp intake of breath is immediate.

“Oh fuck,” he whispers, and I glance back just in time to see his mouth fall open in a perfect little ’o.’

His hand rises slowly, hovering over the puckered scar at my back—the place where the bullet had torn through flesh and tissue.

Theheat of his touch sends a jolt through me, and I can’t stop the low moan that slips from my mouth.

I brace myself, expecting him to jerk away, but he doesn’t.

Instead, his palm settles over the top of the wound, his fingers tracing the edges of the scar with a gentleness that makes my throat feel like it’s closing.

I close my eyes, savoring the sensation even as my heart pounds in my chest. Gabe’s touch feels like everything I’ve ever wanted, everything I’ve been missing.

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