Chapter 17 Warren AsmuchasIdidntwanttoleaveYara,IknewIneededtopacktosee me.HaynesandGaelarenttheonlywarriorswhowilltest me .However,ratherthatpushingmetoshowmystrength,thepacksurprisesme.EveryoneisinterestedinYara Isshereallyyourmate.Alpha ? Yes ,shesmyfatedmate,Isay,sittingatacentrallylocatedtable,makingsureeveryonecanseemeeatingandfunctioning.Fornow,myfatigueispushedaside. Wheredidyoufindher? Ichuckle.Shefoundme.Iwascaughtinthebeartrap,someofyoufoundmetherewithBetaCharlie.SheheardArricrustlingaround,tryingtofindawayoutofthetrap.OrmaybeAnnika,herwolf,smelledus.Imnotsure,butshecameand got meout. Shesadoctor? Sheis.Aresident,butshesmajoringinhumanmedicine,veterinarymedicine,andzoology Whyzoology IexplainwhatYaratoldmeandImhappythatIknowenoughaboutmymatetobeabletoanswerthepacksquestions. IsshereallytakingDr.Stevensplace?someone asks. Yes.Ivealreadyfoundhertobeamuchbetterdoctorthan heItspasttimeheretired,butweallknowthatdoctorsarehardtocomeby,TheMoonGoddesshasseenfittoblessmeamatewhoisalsoadoctor. IanswersomemorequestionswhileIcat,gettinganupdatefromCharlieaboutjusthowbadHaynesis.ThankthegoddessthatYarasmelledthatinfection.AccordingtoCharlie,Iwasdaysawayfromlosinganotherwarrior. Afterdinner,Iheadbackupstairs,onlytogetanotherlinkfromCharliethatmorewarriorshavecometothehospitaltobelookedat Howmany?Iaskhim Imsurprisedbutpleasedthatmymatesaddresstothepack wasasimpactfulasitwas.Ifshesabletomakeanimpactfastwithsomeofthesewarriors,thewordwillspreadaroundthepacklikewildfire.Maybethenwecanstarttakingoutsomeoftheseassholeswhokeepattackingme. HethentellsmeaboutYarasconcernsregardingDr.Stevens. Illtalktoher,getaclearerunderstandingofwhyshesthinkshesbeingnegligent,ItellCharlie. Ishoweragain,feeinglikeIdidntquitegetcleansinceIgotdistractedbyYarasscentandthenhermouth.Justthinkingofourfirstkiss hasmegoinghard.EventhoughImstillinpain,ImabletofindmyreleasethinkingofhersweettasteandthesoftsoundsshemadewhileIkissedher.Iknowshesnotreadyformetomarkandmateheryetandhonestly,whenthetimecomes,Iwanttotake mytime,soitsbetterifIdonthave ahardonallnightlongsinceIintendtohaveherpressedupagainstme. BythetimeIgetinbedandbegingoingthroughnormalpackwork,Imexhaustedagain,butI refusetogotosleep untilYara arrives .IknowshelltrytogetCharlietoputhersomewhereelsetonight,soIlethimknowthatImstayingawakewaitingforher. 20:01 Sat,Nov30 Chapter17 ItisntlongbeforeIhemhingsayinggoodnighttoherandthennothing. Charlie?Whereisshe? Standingoutsideyourdoor,lookinglikeshesgoingtorun! Hesnotleavinguntilyoumein.Yara,Isay,watchingthedoor.I hearhertakeadeepbreathbeforeshestepsinandclosesthedoorbeforefinallylookingatme.Whenshedoeshereyesgowide.Isleepinthenude.IhaveforaslongasIcanremember.SinceImnotembarrassedaboutnudity,Ididntthinktocovermyself.Andsincemylegwasthrobbing,Ihaveitelevatedonapillow,socoveringmyselfdidntevencrossmymind. However,asmymateseyeslookovermybody,Icanseeherassessingme.Ivebecomesousedtothescarsonmybody.thatIforgetthat Ihavethem.However,YaraseyesonmesuddenlyremindmeofjusthowscarredIam. Ileftatshirtoutforyou,incaseyouprefertosleepwithsomethingon.Idont,andIwouldbehappyifyoudidnteither,butIknowyoumaybemorecomfortablebeingcoveredtonight,Itellher. Thatjoltsheroutofwhateverthoughtsshewashavingaboutmybody. Imnotsleepingwithyou! bedOfcourseyouare.Youremymate.Whereelsewouldyousleep?Rememberthatconversationabouthavingyouinmycarlier?Itapthebed.Thisisthatbed.So,gogetready,theshirtisthereifyouwant itandthencomejoinme.ImtiredandIneedsomesleep.You dotoo.Youvehadalongcoupleofdays,Itellher. Whodoeshethinkheis,ordering mearoundlikethis?LikeImjustsomefangirlfawningoveranAlpha,shemuttersasshegrabsthe shirtandheadstothebathroom, Oh,mylittlemate,Ihavenodoubtthatyouveneverfawnedoveranyoneinyourlife.Becauseofthat,whenyoudofinallygivemeyoursubmission,itsgoingtotastesoverysweet.Unlikemymate,Ikeepthosethoughtstomyself. Whatifhesarowdysleeper?Whatifheaccidentallybackhandsmeinthemiddleofthe night?What ifheOhhebetternotdothat,shecontinuesmutteringfromthebathroom.Isetmyworkaside, smilingasIlistentotherunningcommentaryofmymatesthoughts. Ihearherrunthewater,probablybrushing herteeth,thenpullonthetshirtbeforesteppingoutofthebathroom.Whathad Ibetternotdo?I askher.ImprettysureIalreadyknow,butseeingtheblushonhercheeksissoworthit. Shepointsherfingeratme.Iam NOThavingsexwithyou. Inarrow myeyesather.Itstrue,thatsometimessayingthat youresleepingwithsomeonemeansthatyourehavingsex.However,intonightscontext,Itrulyamexhausted,andIneedsleep.Ineedtohealso Icanbebackontopandreadyforthenextattack.AndbelievemewhenItellyou,whenItouchyou,tasteyou ,andslideinsideyouforthefirsttime,Iwanttobecompletelyhealed.BecauseIwilltakemytime,IwillenjoyeveryoneofyourwhimpersandmoansandIwillhaveyouscreamingmynameinpleasurebeforeImdonewithyou,Isay,myvoicegettingdeeperwithmydesireto haveher. Iwatchherpupilsdilate,andhercheeksflushashermouthdropsopen.DamnIcantwaittohaveher.Shesalreadyso responsivetome. 755 Itapthebed.Buttonight,weresleeping.Comeon.Iknowyoureexhaustedandtomorrow,I wanttotalkaboutyourimpressionsofDr.StevensCharliesaidyouhaveconcerns. Alotofthem,she says,walkingtothebed.Heisnt fittoprovidemedicalcareanylonger,inmyopinion. Sinceyourmy ourmyleaddoctor,your opinionistheonlyonethatmatterstome,Isay,pullingbackthecovers.Comeon.Letsgetsomesleep. Shegetsintothebed,layingasclosetotheedgeandtakingupaslittlespace aspossiblewithherbackfacingme.Ismileas1 Chapter17 laydown,thenwrapmyarmaroundherwaistandtugheragainstmybody. Sheyelps,butIholdher steady.Muchbetter,I say,breathinginhercinnamonandnutmegscent. Imnotarowdysleeper,Isay,herscentalreadylullingmetosleep.AndIllneverlayahandonyou,noteveninmysleepItsthelastthoughtI havebeforeIfallintoadeep sleep. IhavenoideahowlongIvebeenasleepwhenthehowlsofalarmgoupthatwereunderattack.Imupandoutofbedinaninstant,runningforthedoor. WARREN!Youcantshift !Yourlegisnthealed !Yara yells. Ihavenochoice,Yara.MypackisunderattackandImtheirAlpha.Ihaveto fight.Gettoa saferoom,Isaybeforeleapingoverthebanisterand shifting,bitingoffthescream ofpain when mylegdoesntshiftexactlyright. Arric?Iaskmywolf. Itsgoodenoughfornow,hegrowlsasweraceintobattle. After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...