Page 18 of Rescued

“Uh, yeah, so…” He glances away, his embarrassment clear, but his words keep coming. “And I feel that weird-ass connection with you…like, in this form too, is what I mean, I guess.”

My heartbeat stutters, then leaps at his admission.

The hope I’ve been trying so hard to suppress blooms in my chest, and I feel the faintest flicker of relief. Maybe—just maybe—he’ll accept me in time.

“I felt it, in both forms,” I admit, my voice wavering. “It’s very…ah, strong.”

Understatement of the century.

The bond between us isn’t just strong—it’s woven into my very soul. Every breath I take feels tied to his, every beat of my heart a reminder that he’s mine.

Gabe nods, his smile softening but never fading. He tugs at my hand, pulling me off the bed with an ease that surprises me.

“All right, then,” he says. “Let’s get ourselves clean—there are rescued dogs waiting for breakfast out there.”

His grin turns playful, but his tone remains firm. “Then we’ll talk. I have a shitload of questions, and you can explain to me what the hell just happened between us.”

I let him lead me to the bathroom, the warmth of his hand in mine a lifeline.

I can only hope that by the time the talking is done, he’ll still be smiling.

Gabe

I’mgiving myself an internal pep talk while Mika and I feed and exercise the dogs.Focus, Gabe. Just focus. Keep it together. Don’t think about how you tackled the man and practically dry-humped him into the bed earlier.

I’m not a prude—God knows that—but this unrelenting, primal need I feel for Mika is shaking me. It’s not just attraction. It’s something deeper, something that bypasses logic entirely and drills straight into me.

And then there’s what happened when Mika started to…change.

I still don’t fully understand what I saw. One moment he was standing there, looking like he was about to bolt, and the next, fur was sprouting from his arm. My brain short-circuited, and every thought I had was replaced by a wild mix of panic and possessiveness. Before I even realized what I was doing, I tackled him.

Maybe it wasn’t the smartest move, but it worked. He stayed.

NowI can’t stop thinking about him. The feel of him under me, the taste of him, the way he looked when he came—it’s burned into my mind, and no matter how hard I try to focus, my body keeps reminding me that I want more.

I toss a ball for Jojo, trying to shake off the thoughts. The heeler bolts after it, a blur of energy and enthusiasm that makes me grin. But when Jojo trots back with the ball, it isn’t to me.

It’s to Mika.

He’s sitting nearby, his hand outstretched as Jojo drops the slobbery toy into his palm.

Mika looks at me, his cheeks flushing as he shrugs apologetically. “Sorry, it’s an…alpha thing,” he says, his voice unsure.

An alpha thing?

Guilt and irritation twist together in my chest. If Mika’s the alpha, what does that make me? The beta? The…bitch?

“I don’t think so,” I mutter under my breath, the flicker of resentment surprising even me.

Jojo clearly doesn’t care who flung whom onto the bed earlier.

The thought is so ridiculous it makes me laugh out loud, the sound bursting from me before I can stop it. Mika glances up, startled, but I shake my head, grinning despite myself. Of course Jojo would see Mika as the alpha—the man is part wolf, for God’s sake. And no matter how crazy it sounds, I can’t deny the pull I feel toward him.

I fold my arms, arching a eyebrow at Mika. “You two about done?”

He kneels and gives Jojo a final round of praise, his hands gliding over the dog’s short fur with a gentleness that makes something in my chest tighten.

“Sure,” he says as he stands.

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