Page 8 of Unforgivable

The harsh sound of male breathing makes me quiver. I can feel the anger in the room rising like a stormcloud. Tears seep out of my closed eyelids, the warmth a stark contrast to how cold my skin feels.

"All done," Thjis says quietly. He pulls the blankets over me, giving me back my cocoon.

"Sit her up," Rhet says in a raspy voice. "I'll dry her hair."

Thjis pauses and his dark eyes meet mine. I wonder what he sees in them. Setting his jaw, he nods and rearranges me. "I'll be back in a minute," he states.

I watch him leave, preferring Thjis' back more than looking into Rhet's blue-eyes. What is it about this male that terrifies me so much?

He sits next to me, the bed dipping under his weight. I try desperately to distract myself.

What would it be like to be unafraid of a male's weight next to me?

No, think of something else. Not his warmth, his strength, his hands taking my hair and gently pulling it from behind me to dry the ends. Think of the sun, of that warmth, of that strength. A giant fireball in the sky that we forget about until it's blocked by the clouds. A force that could destroy us all but instead protects and feeds us energy. Like the ultimate alpha, fierce and nourishing. Nothing like the Moon, closer to us than the sun, but so cold and remote.

"All done," Rhet says softly. "Sleep, little Lyri."

I squeeze my eyes shut obediently, but I don't fall asleep for a long, long time.

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Rhet

Thjis is leaning against the wall outside her door, his pants and shirt still soaking wet. Head bowed, he looks defeated.

"I didn't know it was that bad," I mutter to him. He just nods his head once, letting his chin fall to chest again. "Sorry. I know you've been doing everything for her. I'm sorry to heap this one on you."

I've been letting Ezra and Thjis take care of the little female because, damnit, I don't trust myself. Thjis didn't even want to bring her here. He wanted nothing to do with a rankwhore, and yet he's the one stitching her back together.

"It's alright," he mumbles. "She's a tough one."

She didn't look tough. She was terrified, her heart racing so fast I was afraid it would burst. Her eyes... haunted and absent of anything but fear. My wolf presses against my skull; he wants to Mark her, mate her. He doesn't give a damn if she's terrified of males. He's wanted her since we first spotted the young female just over a year ago. Such a proud, strong female, a good mate. In his eyes, she will give him healthy pups.

She's the first female that he's looked at since Sara died. I kept away from Lyri for a year until I heard about her Shaming. It was an opportunity, a chance to grab a female for myself and my brothers.

I didn't realize how terrible her Shaming would be. That night was a living nightmare. Something evil happened in the glade in the woods, and I participated in it.

I don't deserve to touch her and I seriously doubt she will ever want me to.

I slip back into the room hours later. She's sleeping. She sleeps silently, this female. No snoring, no noise, a deep sleeper. It's good for her, good for her healing.

I collapse onto the cot, shoving the blankets to the floor. This little guest suite has its own heating unit. Before Lyri, we only used it when someone from my former pack came to visit. We jacked the heat up higher for her than the rest of the house.

I'm asleep when the nightmare begins. I leap to my feet. We all know the drill. Lyri is thrashing, her body twisting in the blankets she has wrapped around her. Sobs and pleas that break my fucking heart echo in the room.

"Please stop," she cries out. Then, "why her? Why is this happening?"

"Shush, pretty, Lyri, it's alright," I soothe her from a distance. We learned the hard way that we make her panic worse, even in her sleep. When she doesn't settle down, I get closer. Carefully, without touching her skin, I unwrap her tangled blankets.

"Lyri, quiet down, it's alright. You're not hurt, pretty."

She quiets down, still whimpering. Her hair is plastered to her face from sweat. I'm glad to see that Thjis remembered to re-splint her legs. I can see her bruised face in the dawn light. She seems to always have nightmares as her body starts to wake at the beginning of the day.

I hear the door creak open behind me. I swear under my breath. I assume it's Ezra. It's my night, but Ez always tries to creep up on my time with Lyri. Apparently, it's not enough that he sees her more during the day while I ride the ranch.

"Rhet?" the youthful voice makes me swear harder.

"Inuit, I told you to steer clear of this room," I scold him quietly.

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