Page 36 of Samuel
I’d assumed he was a lone dragon, but finding out he was part of a pack changed things.
My mind whirled with questions, but I knew that I’d have to wait. He’d promised we’d talk today.
I forced myself out of bed and into the bathroom to take a shower.
The warmth washed over me, easing some of the tension in my muscles.
When I unwrapped the bandage, I was surprised to see the wound looked nearly a week old.
There was no logical way it could have healed this fast. I’d have to ask Samuel about that, too.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, I caught a whiff of something delicious.
My stomach growled, and I followed the scent down the hallway and into the kitchen.
Samuel stood by the stove, stirring a pot, and the sight of him there, casual and comfortable, brought an unexpected warmth to my chest.
“Good afternoon, sleepyhead,” he teased, not looking up from his cooking. He grinned. “Come on, give your mate a kiss.”
I flushed, a wave of embarrassment and something else, something unfamiliar, rushing through me.
Without even thinking, I moved toward him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“Didn’t realize I’d slept this late,” I mumbled, feeling awkward.
He turned to me, his eyes warm as they took me in. “How’s your arm?”
There was genuine concern in his voice, and it took me by surprise.
“Actually, it’s…better. It looks like it’s been healing for days,” I replied, glancing down at it. “Is that because of the, uh, mate mark?”
Samuel nodded, still stirring the pot.
“I transferred some of my life force to help speed up the healing,” he explained.
We moved to the table, and Samuel brought over two bowls of stew, setting one in front of me.
The rich smell made my mouth water, and I dug in without hesitation.
“This is delicious,” I said between bites.
But when I glanced up, I noticed Samuel hadn’t touched his own bowl. He was watching me with a faint smile.
“What?” I demanded.
“I like watching someone enjoy my cooking,” he said, amusement and satisfaction clear in his voice.
My face heated, and I looked down, focusing on the stew.
We fell into a comfortable silence, and for a moment, everything felt almost normal.
But eventually, the questions simmering in my mind grew too loud to ignore.
“So…this pack of yours,” I ventured, looking up at him. “Can you tell me more about them?”
Samuel leaned back, considering my question.
“For a long time, I’d roamed alone, no ties, no connections,” Samuel began. “Then I met Zane, my lead alpha, a few years back. He brought me into his pack. I told him I might leave but he reassured me that it’s fine, that I’ll be always welcome in Sky Stead.”
