Page 22 of The Monster's Desire

Nadia

The next several minutes are spent breathing in through my mouth and out through my nose. I have no idea why it helps me feel more stable, but I’ve learned over the years that it does.

The alpha goes over, talking to the two teenage boys.

I look at Jenny. She’s standing around, looking extremely uncomfortable.

“Can I talk to you?” I stagger a few feet away.

“What’s up?” she asks pensively. Her shoulders hunch, and she looks uncomfortable with me now for some reason.

Oh, I’m sorry... Did my shadows, which saved your fuck buddy’s life, disturb you? Too bad.

“Do I owe you some life debt now or something?” Her eyes dart over to her alpha, who is busy helping Brock off the ground.

“Hell, no.” I laugh. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” she murmurs. “Almost nineteen.”

I nod. Good for her. I hope she keeps living life to the fullest. I keep my voice low to keep the wolves from overhearing. “Human contraceptives are notoriously ineffective on shifters. Do you have a contraceptive spell?”

A shiver of discomfort slides through my system as her head shakes. She blinks at me with wide eyes. No one, especially at her age, should have to leave that up to chance.

Dipping a finger into the opposite wrist, I nod to her bare abdomen. “I can handle that for you, if you’d like?” I offer. “You need to decide quickly, before my blood dries...”

She nods. “Fuck, yes. Absolutely. I mean, please.”

I draw on her skin, placing the runes I know by heart.

“It’ll last for a year,” I say, feeling woozier by the second. “Be aware it’s a consensual spell. If you and your partner actively acknowledge that you wish it to dissolve, it could become ineffective.”

“You are a healer,” Jenny says with wide eyes. “There are a few other girls who would want this too.”

“Give me a couple of days to settle in, then come find me... I’ll see what I can do. It’s active as soon as the blood dries.”

“Thank you,” she squeals, tossing herself at me. I wobble, but eventually pat her awkwardly on the back.

Shifters are so strange.

“The three of you will take yourselves to your own homes. Now!” The alpha’s words ring out with the power of his command.

Jenny jogs toward her men and shifts mid-stride. The teens disappear back the way we came.I think.

“Why are they headed back toward the danger?” I ask with genuine confusion. “I don’t have enough blood left to heal them all again tonight.”

The alpha snorts a laugh. His long blond hair falls around his face as he shoots me a disapproving look.

“Ask your shadows which way your car is,” he suggests. “Go on.”

The massive wolf alpha prowls toward me, looking every bit the predator I know he is. He could rip out my throat, and I’d have no chance of stopping him in this state. Let’s hope he’s feeling generous after my good deed.

That would be such a bummer.

I’ve been pretty consistently reminded in my life that it’s dangerous to go out of my way to help people.

Huh, I guess I am too stupid to live, because somehow I always seem to be drawn to do the right thing, no matter the risk.

“Why did you help my wolves?” he asks, pouring all the strength of his alpha compulsion into his words.

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