Page 24 of Bonded By Christmas
“I’m okay,” I whisper. “Are you?”
Grim grunts and bends, wrapping his forearm around my thighs just under my butt. He lifts, and my hands fly to his shoulders to give myself something to hold on to.
“Mine,” he growls, and his eyes are so hazy that I worry he’s still completely lost to the fog. “My omega.”
I squint as he licks the scrape on my nose. Alpha saliva can heal bites caused during bonding, but I have no idea if that extends to wounds like the scratches I got from the brick wall.
“Got you.” He runs his tongue over my temple. First of all, I didn’t know there were more scrapes there, but now all I can think about is that he must have accidentally licked some of that asshole’s blood. He’s so tender that I can hardly believe he’s the same guy who just demolished those three men. “Safe with me.”
“I know.” My words are the truth, but I’m just now having the chance to recognize how bad all of this looks. “We have to make a plan and get our stories straight.”
Grim was medically declared feral. It was in his paperwork when he first came in, and I’m terrified they’ll try to blame his actions on him crossing the line into rabid.
It was clearly self-defense or justifiable because he was protecting me, but what if the police officers don’t see it that way?
What if they try to institutionalize him or even worse?
If they deem him too dangerous to be in society, they could put him down. There’s no way I can let that happen. I’m just not sure what I can do to prevent it.
Fuck.
Maybe I do have one thing I could try.
I only know one person who works closely with criminals—Wilder. The thought of calling him to help clean up this mess or, at the very least, get Grim the best lawyer money can buy sends an uncomfortable pang to my stomach.
I’ll still do it, though.
Anything to keep Grim from being unfairly punished for saving me from whatever those men had planned.
“Okay, I’m going to grab my phone. I need to call?—”
“No!” Grim barks, cutting me off. “Mine.” His nose lands on my cheek, and he drags it down to my throat. His warmbreath puffs against my skin, and before I can process what’s happening, his canines dig into my neck just under my ear.
My eyes widen as the pain hits my system. I was under the impression most omegas barely even registered discomfort when being bitten. Granted, most omegas are bonded during a heat.
Shock gives way to an understanding that I can deny or accept the bond. My head is still hazy, and my hands tremble as they dig into Grim’s strong shoulders.
A denied bite would cause him agony and only be more proof to the police that he’s past the line of being salvageable.
Then again, bonding is for life.
There are no take-backs.
It doesn’t matter.
No part of me wants to deny that connection with Grim. I’ve had a hell of a crush on him since we met, and he just seriously injured three men to save me. He’s a protector through and through, and once we’re bonded, his mind will start to heal itself from the decay.
I focus my intent, my soul accepting the connection.
Grim growls, plunging his teeth in even deeper before he retracts them and licks over the bite to clean and seal it.
The bond slams into place, and his smoke and leather scent permeates my mind. It’s not like smelling his scent in the air. It’s more like a tinge of him filters through my consciousness, followed quickly by his possessiveness.
He wanted me, he claimed me, and he’s happy about it.
Chapter Eleven
Callum
