Page 16 of Claimed By the Feral Wolf

“No.”

He heard her tone tighten and wanted to hear more, but she was already shaking. “You’ll tell me later.”

She hesitated for a brief moment and then nodded.

Jacob wrapped the towel around his waist and then dried her off with another towel. He put the towel around her upper chest and sat her on the counter.

“Can we blow-dry your hair?”

She looked at the bottles on the counter. “They thought of everything.” She handed him a bottle. “Spray this on my hair, and then I’ll comb it. After that, I’ll be able to dry it.”

He pointed farther down the counter. “There’s one there.”

As he learned how to care for her with all the little womanly things she does to herself, he decided he could easily do this for the rest of his life.

Chapter Nine

Sage’s eyes slid closed as he worked through her hair. His hands on her made her feel complete, but her emotions grew for him when he did things like this. The fact that she’d never had anyone care for her to this level made it even more profound.

As much as she could have stayed there for hours, her hunger was starting to give her a stomachache. She reached back and touched it. “I think it’s good enough.”

“Okay. Stay there, and I’ll get you a shirt.”

She nodded and leaned back against the mirror.

Jacob returned, lifted her off the counter, and pulled one of his shirts over her head. Her eyes slid down his body. He was wearing gym shorts and nothing else, making saliva pool in her mouth.

He picked her up again. “Come on, Mate.”

She looked around the kitchen after he set her on top of the counter and was surprised and pleased. A small table before a low window looked out into the backyard. There was also a window in the door and over the sink in the kitchen, letting in light. The walls were painted a soft gray color that went well with the white cabinets.

“Jesus,” he said, making her turn his way.

She looked at the open refrigerator to see it stocked with food. There were also a few pans of something covered in wrap. In the corner of the counter, there was food stacked. She hadn’t noticed because there was so much else to see.

“Oh, my…”

He smiled at her and pulled out one of the pans. He lifted a corner of the wrap.

“Lasagna. Do you want a piece?” he asked.

She sniffed the air. “Yes. It smells wonderful.”

She jumped down from the counter, earning a scowl from him, and started opening the cupboards and drawers, looking for a spatula, forks, and plates.

They cut a few pieces and warmed them in the microwave before sitting at the table. The sun was going down, making the shadows in the backyard grow, and she felt a shiver race down her spine.

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“No.”

He set his fork down. “I smell your fear. Tell me what’s wrong?”

“I’m not used to being this close to a forest, and the shadows seemed menacing to me for a second.”

He reached for her hand. “Promise me you’ll not go into the trees without me. There are normal animals and other shifters that don’t belong to the pack in the hundreds of acres of woodland. There’s a strong possibility one or both might hurt you.”

She nodded. It was an easy promise to make. “Absolutely.”

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