it would completely fade. Maybe he would sleep on the couch for a while.

His breath caught as she pulled off her shirt, revealing her relatively muscular back and a purple bra. He was pretty sure she noticed his reaction, but she just lay face down on the bed, leaving enough space for him to sit on the edge next to her.

"I think it may have stayed dry." Her voice was muffled by the comforter.

"Good." He tore his attention away from her lying there and decided Ed was right, he really didn't want to give her up. He would have to talk to her when Ed and Allan went out for a run tonight. The thought of losing her wrenched at him, but better to get it over with now, then to get more attached than the three of them already were.

He gently pulled the bandages away. The wound had stayed dry. However, none of them had been careful enough with her, and she had torn it open. The fresh blood made him very aware that he hadn't actually eaten in a while. That thought distracted him a little from the idea of Sofia lying in his bed, but not enough. He really was in trouble. If she couldn't accept him...

"Doc, what's wrong?" She twisted around to look up at him, and her gray eyes flashed lavender for a moment.

He shook his head. "Nothing, Sofia. We just should have been more careful with you. I'm going to rebandage this, and then we're going to not toss you around until it heals."

"I didn't mind."

"I don't want you to have a scar, either." He smiled.

"You've got a few."

"Yeah. A few people have tried to kill me over the years."

She tilted her head inviting explanation.

He shook his head and went to cleaning and rebandaging her back. "I'm going to put gauze on it this time. It needs to get oxygen to heal. Try not to get it wet."

"Well, if I can keep a couple of big old werewolves from throwing me in a lake, I'll probably be able to manage." She laughed.

"I'll give them a stern talking to if they try." He marveled that she really didn't seem bothered by knowing Ed and Allan were werewolves. He hadn't even been that comfortable with the idea when he'd first met them. Maybe being raised outside the magical community had some benefits.

"So, what are we going to do?"

He finished bandaging her and rested his hand on the small of her back. That set her heart to racing, and he was about to move when she rolled over, carefully enough that she didn't dislodge his hand, simply moved underneath it until his hand rested on her stomach. Her skin shivered, and he shut his eyes for a moment, trying to compose himself.

He didn't really manage. He did find his voice. "About the black market?"

She smiled. "About them, but maybe we should also talk about us."

He ached an eyebrow, not sure how to respond.

"All of us."

His heart clenched, and he nodded. "Yeah, we probably should." He stood and offered her a hand, trying not to let any of his fears show in his voice or on his face.

Sofia took it and let him help her to her feet.

He kept a hold of her hand. She stood so close. Smelled so good.

Without thinking, he brought his other hand up and cupped her cheek. She leaned into his touch, and he almost kissed her. She almost looked like she expected him to.

Instead he brushed her hair back and ran his hand down her neck.

She shivered, smiling up at him.

"Let's go talk to the others," he said softly.

Sofia nodded then grinned at him. "You're kind of blocking the way."

Doc cleared his throat and headed for the door. "Sorry."

"I'm not." She grabbed her shirt off the end of the bed and followed.

He really didn't want to lose her, and he was kicking himself for not kissing her just then. It might be his only chance.

Chapter 16

Sofia

"Where did Ed and Allan go?" I sat down on the couch, and Doc joined me, sitting on the other end, leaving space between us.

"They're in their rooms. I'm not sure why," Doc replied.

"Oh."

I heard a door shut.

Doc glanced over at the hallway to the boys' rooms, and his eyebrows went up.

I followed his gaze, yelped, and was halfway across the couch before I realized that the giant wolf standing in the hallway had to be either Ed or Allan. Probably Ed, it matched his hair.

I let out a breath and laughed. The wolf stared at me, head tilted slightly. "I'm sorry. You startled me. Ed, right?"

He dropped his jaw and then smiled, padding across the rug. He jumped up on the couch, and I moved closer to Doc to give him space.

"It's a little early, don't you think?" Doc sounded resigned.

Ed shoved into me, and I moved until I was almost sitting on Doc's lap. He didn't seem to mind, just put his arm around me. Ed stepped across me and laid down, his chest pressing into my legs, his chin on Doc's thigh, effectively trapping me.

"If you hadn't noticed, Ed has zero sense of personal space," Doc said in amusement. "He'll move if you want him to."

"I, uh, no, he's fine." I wasn't sure what to do with my hands, though. He wasn't a dog, or I would have just pet him, so I held them up in front of me, trying to figure out what to do.

Doc laughed. "If he's going to act like a lap dog, you can pet him."

Ed growled, the sound vibrating through me.

I laughed, too. Maybe him growling should have made me nervous, but it didn't. I rested my hands in his thick blond fur and rubbed behind his shoulder blades. Ed sighed in pleasure and shut his eyes.

"Okay, now I'm jealous," Allan declared from the doorway.

Ed opened one eye and huffed, as if to say 'deal with it.'

"Um, there might be room for everyone?" I looked

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