Page 58 of The Alpha's Forced Rejected Mate
“Let me see,” she tugged at his jacket.
Dominic hissed as she helped him remove it. The bullet had struck him high in the shoulder, dangerously close to his neck.
“It’s silver,” he groaned. “That’s why it’s not healing.”
Luna’s heart raced. Silver bullets were designed specifically to kill shifters. If she didn’t get it out soon…
“I need to remove it,” she said, keeping her voice steady despite her fear. “It’s going to hurt.”
Dominic’s steel-gray eyes locked with hers. “Do it.”
Luna tore a strip from the bottom of her sweater and wadded it up. “Bite down on this.”
Once the fabric was between his teeth, Luna placed both hands over the wound.
She reached deep and closed her eyes. In the dark, magic glowed softly blue as it poured from her fingertips. She sensed the poisonous presence of the bullet in Dominic’s body. She drew it out slowly and carefully with her magic.
Dominic’s jaw clenched tightly around the fabric as his body went rigid. He struggled against the pain, sweat trickling down his face. Luna pulled the silver bullet slowly until it came out with a sickening pop, working as fast as she dared. She threw it into the dark and instantly put her hands back on the wound, directing healing energy into his injured tissue.
“That’s…new,” Dominic mumbled, spitting out the fabric.
“I’ve been practicing,” Luna replied, not taking her eyes from her work. “Hold still.”
Under her touch, his flesh began to knit back together. The bleeding slowed, then stopped. Color returned to his face as his supernatural healing abilities kicked in.
Luna sat back on her heels, suddenly exhausted.
That was a lot.
With a rough voice, Dominic said, “Thank you.” His fingers smeared her skin with blood as he reached out to touch her cheek. “You saved my life.” They were frozen for a moment, looking at one another in the tunnel’s semi-darkness.
The spell was broken by a splash coming from farther down the tunnel. In a flash, Dominic was standing and dragging Luna up next to him.
He muttered, “They’re coming. We must leave.”
They hurried through the network of tunnels and came out a few blocks from the warehouse. The rain had returned and washed the dirt and blood from their skin and clothing.
As they made their way toward their meeting spot through back alleys, Dominic remarked, “The safe house is too far. We’ll need to hide out until morning somewhere else.”
Then they saw the neon sign of a motel, flickering in the rain.
They checked in under false names, Dominic keeping his damaged jacket pulled tight despite the clerk’s curious stare.
The room had a single queen-sized bed, yellowing wallpaper. It was small and dingy, but it was safe and dry. After they entered, with the door locked and the curtains drawn, Luna remarked, “The others will be worried.”
Dominic dropped to the bed’s edge. “They’ll know we’re alive.”
Luna gave a nod. She looked down at her clothes, which were ripped, muddy, and soaked. “I have to take a quick shower.”
Luna stripped and stepped under the spray, hissing as the hot water hit her scraped skin. The shower was barely big enough to turn around in, but the water ran hot. She closed her eyes and let the water spray over her face.
They had the grimoire—now they could finally learn what they were up against.
When she came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a thin towel, she saw Dominic sitting shirtless on the bed with the grimoire open on his lap. His bare chest, muscular and scarred from innumerable battles, caused heat to build up in her thighs.
Although his wound was already healing, the surrounding skin appeared irritated and angry. Luna walked up to him and said, “You should clean that properly.” When Dominic saw her wearing only a towel, his eyes widened a little.
“It will get better,” she insisted. “You might still be poisoned by the silver. I’ll check.”
