Page 5 of Claimed By the Feral Wolf

She studied him for a moment and then nodded.

“Good. I’ll go get you some food. Just rest.”

He could feel the heat of her gaze as he walked away from her. She was staring at the ceiling when he returned with a bowl of soup.

“Hey, let’s get you to sit up.” He put the bowl on the side and effortlessly lifted her. He pushed some pillows behind her, so she was comfortable.

The bowl was hot, so he didn’t let her hold it. “Let me feed you.”

“I can do it.”

“I know, mate. Just not right now. Look at your hands.”

The hand she held out trembled. She sighed, nodded, and relaxed.

“Good girl.”

He spoon-fed her, and she got most of the bowl of food down.

She held up a hand. “I’ve had enough. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He stood. “I’ll be right back.”

After washing the dishes, he returned to the bedroom to see her sitting up.

“How about we lay down for a while?”

She turned to look at him. “I don’t think I can sleep. I need to know what’s going on.”

He sighed, sat down on the mattress by her hip, and faced her. “It’s a lot to take in right now. But I’ll try to simplify it. You and I are mates.”

“What does that mean?”

“Have you ever heard of shifters?” he asked.

“Yeah. I read about them in fantasy books when I was a child. Why?”

“Because I am one.”

He hated the way she stiffened and the fear he saw in her eyes.

“There is nothing to fear.”

“You know you sound crazy, right?” Sage asked.

Jacob sighed. “I know you probably think so. Did you see the wolf in the forest? The one that helped you?”

She nodded.

“That was me.”

She shied away from him when he reached out to touch her face.

He growled. “I won’t be able to handle it if you flinch or run from me.” Fuck, he needed to stay in control, or he’d never get her to trust him.

“How is this possible?” she asked.

“We’ve been around for as long or longer than humans. Our population dwindled when people started to fear us, and we were forced into the forests, small towns, and mountains. We’re starting to branch out a bit, and our numbers are rising. It helps that several of the pack have mated with humans.”

---