Page 57 of Hawke

“What do you mean? How do you know?”

The male rounded the bar once again, pulling out keys from his pocket and dangling them in front of me. “There is an apartment above this store. You can bring her here and make your nest.” He reached for my hand when I didn’t take them and forced them into my palm. “You need to mark her or, at the very least, do not leave each other’s side.”

“I won’t force her,” I yelled. “I would never, I can’t believe–” I tugged at my hair. “I can’t believe this is happening,” I choked out a growl.

“Please don’t cry here. I find it very uncomfortable.” The male took me by the arm and led me out the door.

“How do I know you won’t report us to the council? How do I know you’re helping us?” Because my damn wolf was all out of sorts. I could pick up a lie, an inkling of betrayal. But right now, my body was out of sorts with sickness. I came up with nothing but static when I tried to read this male.

The male sighed. “You don’t, but know I hate the council as much as you.” He rolled his lips between his teeth. “I’ve also been rejected, and if a blubbering idiot wolf can have a second chance, I better damn well get one, too.” He pushed me out the door, following me to my bike.

“I’ll be here until you return. I’ll go out and retrieve unscented blankets and pillows for preparation.” He fiddled with the door handle until we both found the sidewalk.

I looked at him in disbelief.Why the hell was he helping me?

“I have little time left, and let’s just say this warlock doesn’t need his soul darkened any further.” He glanced around us, his nervousness now radiating to my wolf more clearly. He weakened his cloaking spell, which enabled me to detect his objectives more readily by smell and feel.

He wasn’t lying, and I suddenly felt more at ease. He needed me. That’s why he was helping. But if he found out I’d prayed to the Goddess for guidance and answers, would he leave Delilah and I high and dry?

Not having the ability to argue back, I threw my leg over the bike. “We’ll return once we’re both stable,” I said.

“She will be once you return to her,” he added. “If she is affecting you from this far away, she is suffering more than you are. I’ve got herbs to help her. Just go,” he said urgently.

I wanted to take Delilah back to the Iron Fang, but if she truly had bonding sickness, then it was imperative we stayed close together. She would be weak for several days afterward, not just in the physical sense but the emotional one, too.

What I could not understand was why we both came down with the sickness so fast.

“You prayed, the goddess answered,”my wolf snipped. “We have been around her so long, and once you asked forhelp,the bond snapped. Of course, we would both get sick so quickly. You’ve held off taking her for years.”

Shit.

“Stubborn ass human.” My wolf rolled his eyes.

And instead of beating the shit out of the warlock and interrogating him further, I revved the engine, leaving black marks on the concrete in my wake. Because if I could feel the pain, my mate must be feeling it more. And as much as I wanted to know who this warlock was, Delilah needed me more.

****

I sprinted up the stairs. My mind raced a mile a minute, trying to figure out what the hell to say to her.

“I’m a wolf. You’re my soul mate. Since I’ve waited so long to claim you, you are sick. But if I claim you, you may shift and not survive. All this pain you are going through is because of my indecisiveness.”Great, that sounded absolutely fucking fantastic for a wolf trying to regain a second chance with hissecond chance.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“I’m a wolf, a shifter. That’s why I haven’t been completely honest with you,”I said over and over until I reached the door. With my hand clutching the handle, I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears as my breath came in short, shallow pants.

What if she rejected it? Rejected what I was telling her? What then? Was she going to feel trapped? Because the only way for us to survive now was by mating with each other or staying with each other, always.

Not unless she mated with another. Could a human do that?

“NO!”my wolf howled.“She will not reject us!”

I shook my head, my chest throbbing with pain. My heart pushed me to the direction to the door and as it fell open, I tripped, falling onto the dirty carpet. “Delilah?” I scoured the room, but I could not find any traces of a heartbeat or her fresh sunshine smell.

The bed was torn to pieces. Pillows and blankets were scattered across the floor. The roses I bought her were smashed to pieces, possibly even stepped on in anger.

“Told you not to leave her.” My wolf scowled.“She has ruined our nest, she has destroyed it!”His body had gone stiff, his hair stood up on his neck. His maw leaked venom, and his eyes glowed red.

Delilah didn’t know that destroying a nest could be hurtful. I couldn’t blame her, but damn it hurt like hell to see the first nest I’d ever created torn to shreds. My wolf was deeply wounded. Hell, I felt disappointed myself that it wasn’t good enough for her to want to stay. She could have wrapped herself up in the nest, our smell dulling the pain enough until our return.

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