Page 84 of The Weakest Wolf

One corner of his mouth curves into a half-smile, and I form fists.

I turn my head away and stare at the wall.

He lifts his hand from my hair. “Sierra?”

“Go away.” My voice is a whisper. It’s hoarse enough that I know it must’ve been days since I last spoke.

That or it’s from all the screaming.

“I have to get you out of here. I think Bowen—”

I squeeze my eyes shut. “Don’t say his name,” I whisper, but already it’s too late.

I’m awash in memories. Of Mom. Of words that I’ll never get out of my head. Of pain and agony. I squeeze my eyes tighter as tremors shake my body hard enough to rattle all the teeth in my head. “Oh, God.”

The tears start, and I know they’ll never stop again.

Arms wrap around me, holding me against a naked chest that smells of blood and sweat. I’m too weak to push them away. I’m too weak to do anything, so I don’t bother. I close my eyes even tighter and go looking for my wolf. It’s the only safe place to hide.

* * *

I blink, and the room is full of light. Morning. It must be morning.

Although he’s not moving, I know Galen is lying in the bed behind me. As I lay on my front, one hand buried under the pillow and the other in front of my face, I feel his gaze on the back of my head.

“I wasn’t just here for Eden,” he says in a low voice.

I don’t care why you were here. Just leave.

“Melody was my fated mate. I came here to find out what happened to her.”

“Am I supposed to forgive you because your mate is dead?” My voice is toneless. Flat. There’s no warmth in me, so there’s none in my voice.

“No,” he says, “no, that isn’t what I’m saying.”

I turn my attention from the wall to my bruised hand. Although it hurts to move, more in my chest than anywhere else, I turn so I’m facing Galen.

There’s a space large enough to fit two pillows between us. It should be enough, but it isn’t. He could be on the other side of the world and it would still be too close to me. His face looks worn, tired. As if he hasn’t slept. “I hate you.”

He meets my gaze steadily. “And you should. I shouldn’t have said what I did, and I shouldn’t have left you here.”

“No,” I agree, “you should have killed me before you walked away.”

He flinches. “Sierra—” A door slams open in the hallway and Galen leaps to his feet. Before he’s torn the bedroom door open all the way, he’s a wolf.

A second later, a furious growl erupts and then more blood fills the air. This time it doesn’t smell like Galen.

I go back to staring at the wall as I think about what he told me. Melody was his mate. If she was, then why did he let her come here? Why hadn’t he bitten her?

“Sierra, I have to get you out of here,” Galen says from the doorway. “It’s not safe here anymore.”

“So go if it’s not safe,” I say.

The door snicks shut and I feel his approach the moment before he crouches in front of me, blocking my view of the wall. Blood flecks his face and naked body, reminding me of that first day in the dining room.

“I’m not leaving you here. I’ve been able to beat back the attacks for the last few days, but soon B—he will convince enough of the pack to attack at once.”

Days? I’ve been here for days?

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