“Who are you and where the hell am I?”
Lana’s hand rested on Marissa’s shoulder when she tried to sit up, pushing her back to the pillow. “Stay where you are. You’re still weak . . .”
Marissa’s head turned around, her skin puckering as she frowned. “I’m not weak, never have been and never will be. Just answer my questions. Where the heck am I?”
Lana’s hand shot away, palms outward. “Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you.”
Shade fought to keep from chuckling as he gazed at Marissa’s outraged face, he tugged on her hand and her eyes whirled to their joined hands then up to his face. He raised an eyebrow, daring her to pull away but she didn’t attempt to, instead she asked again. “Where am I?”
“You’re in my bed, in my home, and in my camp. I’m . . .”
“Shade,” she interrupted. “You’re Shade Shawcross, I remember, I think. You saved me from my father. Didn’t you?”
“Yes.” Shade nodded, relieved that her memory didn’t appear to be affected from her collapse. “You passed out and you’ve been here since we brought you back. Lana has been helping me take care of you.”
Marissa looked over at Lana. “Sorry, didn’t mean to snap. Well, I sort of did, but that’s ‘cause I didn’t know where I was or who you were. Thank you for looking after me.”
“That’s okay, sweetie,” Lana laughed. “I’ve heard a lot worse while taking care of a patient. Here, let me get that IV out and then I’ll go get you something to eat and drink. Then we can discuss your recovery with the Alpha.”
Marissa waited until Lana left them alone before saying anything else, and what she did say surprised Shade. Her face flushing as her free hand covered her face. “Shit! You’re an Alpha and I fainted at your feet! How embarrassing! And please don’t tell me your Wolf is dark brown with a silver streak on its chest, because I just had a very weird dream before I woke up, but it wasn’t really a dream. It was telling me I had to wake and that I was safe but it was . . . damn, it was weird. It was a dream, wasn’t it?”
Shade couldn’t stop his chuckle this time. She was adorable but wild, just what he needed in a mate. “Sorry but that wasn’t a dream. I used my beast to connect with you. You didn’t look as if you were going to come out of that sleep anytime soon and I was worried. My Wolf used our link to find you.”
He added the last bit, sat back, and waited.
Shade didn’t have long to wait. He observed Marissa intently as his words sank in. Her body reacted first, her muscles stiffening, the hand over her face moving so her fingers opened so she could peek out at him. Her eyes wide as saucers and a blush making its way up her throat and finally covering her cheeks. Marissa’s chest rose and fell quickly as her breathing increased, the palm encased in his suddenly grew moist and she tried to tug it free. Shade refused to relinquish his hold and kept it firmly encased in his as he watched her process everything.
Her voice was a high-pitched squeak, when she dropped the hand covering her face, and looked up at him. “Our what?”
Shade tilted his head, losing himself in sheer beauty of her eyes. “Our link. You must feel it, Marissa.”
He could see that she did but she seemed reluctant to accept it. Why? He was about to ask just that question when Lana arrived back with a tray of chicken broth and fresh baked bread.
“I sent one of the guards to mine to pick this up,” Lana said as she nodded to Shade. “Could you help Marissa to sit up and use pillows to support her, please, Alpha?”
Marissa struggled to sit up, her face full of indignation as she argued. “I’m fine. Really, I am. I feel better than I have in ages. That sleep did me the world of good.”
Shade ignored her, reaching behind her and pulling her up with one of his arms at the same time as stuffing pillows behind her back. Her closeness to him as he held her was intoxicating, her scent billowing around him as she swatted at him to release her. Shade chuckled down at her red-faced indignation, going so far as to place a quick peck on her forehead before laying her against the pillows. “There,” he said, grinning.
“Here you go.” Lana handed over the tray, Marissa grabbing it before Lana had the chance to place it on her lap.
“I said I’m fine. Stop fussing.”
“You weren’t fine yesterday,” Shade pointed out.
“Indeed,” Lana agreed before addressing Shade. “I need to go and check on that other patient. Make sure she eats plenty and she can have a shower, a short one, then back to bed for rest.”
“Excuse me,” Marissa broke in. “I’m right here and I’ll decide what I do and when I do it, thank you very much.”
Lana merely shook her head before reclaiming her satchel. “You know where I am if you need me, Alpha.”
“Thank you.” Shade nodded as she left, turning his full attention back to his mate who studiously ignored him. He’d never seen anyone focus on a bowl of soup so intensely as Marissa was at that moment.
She made some appreciative sounds as she gobbled the broth and bread, drinking the fresh juice that Lana had added to the tray in one go. When she’d finished, Marissa continued to play
