Page 19 of A Luna's Dynasty
As Lita reached for the kit, she noticed Kristen's face pale suddenly. The woman's eyes had locked onto Caden's arm, where blood still trickled from the wound, staining the dish towel crimson.
"Oh, I ... I think I'd better go," Kristen stammered, backing away slightly. Her lips twitched into an apologetic grin, though her complexion remained ashen. "Blood and I don't exactly get along. I'll leave you to it, Lita. We can chat properly tomorrow, yeah?"
Lita nodded, understanding dawning. "Of course, no worries. It was nice meeting you, Kristen."
Lita took a deep breath, steeling herself as she opened the dusty first aid kit. Her hands moved with practiced efficiency, laying out gauze, antiseptic, and tweezers. The familiar routine grounded her, pushing away the lingering anxiety of her new surroundings.
"Alright, Caden," she said, her voice calm and reassuring. "This might sting a bit, but I'll be as gentle as possible."
Caden's eyes met hers, a mix of stubbornness and trust in his gaze. "I've had worse, Leetle Beetle. Do your worst."
Garrett, hovering nearby, piped up with a mischievous grin. "Hey, if you want, I could give him a quick slash. You know, distract him with a different pain. What do you say, Cade?"
A low growl rumbled from Caden's chest. "Touch me and you'll be the one needing stitches."
Lita bit back a smile, shaking her head at their antics. "Garrett, could you hold Caden's hand, please? Sometimes instincts cankick in, and I'd rather not have him jerk away while I'm working."
"I'm not a child," Caden protested, his pride clearly wounded.
Garrett snorted, reaching for Caden's uninjured hand. "Oh yeah? Who told you that lie?"
"Both of you, hush," Lita commanded. Listening to their banter was nice. It reminded her of her brother and Teo. However, it was not the time for their chaos.
Lita's fingers moved with practiced precision, her touch gentle yet firm as she plucked the last shard of glass from Caden's skin. She held his hand steady, her eyes scanning the wound meticulously. A small furrow formed between her brows as she concentrated, her blonde hair falling forward to frame her face.
"There," she murmured, more to herself than to the others. "That should be all of it. Does it hurt?" she asked, glancing up at Caden.
He shook his head, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Nah, it's just a scratch. With all this healing, you’re going to make me soft.”
Garrett snorted. "As if that were possible. Our Caden here is as soft as a cactus."
Lita giggled as she wrapped Caden’s hand, a precaution more than anything. It would be fully healed in a matter of minutes, but it just felt good to finally be able to use her skills. For the first time in a long time … she felt useful.
A few minutes later, Lita lifted the bandage to check the healing process. Werewolves could heal quickly, and it was already closing up nicely. She held his hand in hers as a quiet growl rumbled from the second floor. They snapped their heads up to see Asher making his way down the stairs.
“What’s everyone doing up at this hour?” he asked, moving right behind Lita possessively.
Before Lita could formulate a response, Garrett waved his half-eaten sandwich clutched in his hand. “I was hungry.” He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Well, I’m still hungry, but,” he drawled, taking another bite. “Some appetites just can’t wait till morning. Time to wake my beauty so I can be fed.” With a suggestive wink and a nod toward the stairs, Garrett slipped out of the kitchen.
Lita flushed. She couldn’t believe how open the man was with a complete stranger. She glanced back at Asher, his silver eyes locked onto hers expectantly, waiting for her excuse.
Asher’s gaze shifted to Caden, a silent question passing between the two men.
“It’s nothing serious,” he said, gesturing to his bandaged hand. “Just a moment of carelessness with some hot water. Lita here,” he nodded toward her with a grateful smile, “patched me up good as new. I told her it wasn’t necessary, but now that it is patched up, I’m glad she insisted. You’ve found yourself quite the mate, Alpha,” he said, his tone light but sincere. “Not only beautiful, but skilled with her hands, too.”
Asher’s eyes flashed, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Caden merely chuckled, seemingly unfazed by Asher’s possessive display.
“Well, I’d better take my shift for patrol,” Caden said, rising from his seat. “Can’t have our borders unguarded.”
“But your hand.” Lita listened as he laughed.
“It’s all healed up. You should know how quickly we heal. I’m sure you’ve healed plenty of our kind’s wounds before. See you all in the morning!” He didn’t realize it, but he’d just opened up a wound. The door to the outside closed, leaving Asher and Lita alone.
Asher moved closer, his large hand coming to rest on Lita’s shoulder.
“Are you alright? It’s pretty late.”
“I ... I couldn’t sleep,” she admitted finally, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought some tea might help, but now ...” She trailed off, shrugging helplessly.
