“Eli.” A tear rolled down her temple. She couldn’t begin to imagine what he’d been through. “You couldn’t have known what Duke would do.”

  “I should have.”

  God, they were a pair, both beating themselves up over what had happened. She cupped his face between her hands. Eli was stern and forbidding and so dear that her heart swelled with love. “Listen to me. It’s not your fault.” He pressed his lips together and turned away. “Blaming yourself makes no sense.”

  “You’re mine.”

  A thrill rushed through her at his possessiveness, but she tamped it down. “I get that you feel a sense of responsibility toward me.”

  “Is that what you think?”

  It was hard to think at all with exhaustion pulling at her and his gorgeous body in front of her. “You’re a good man, Eli. A born protector.”

  “You’re the only one who thinks that. I am wrath. I am vengeance.”

  Did he think she didn’t see him as he was? “You use that wrath, that sense of justice for good. You could have left me to fend for myself but didn’t. I’d be dead if you had.” The shivers started up again.

  Swearing, he removed the towel from her hair and tossed it aside before climbing into bed beside her. She gravitated toward his heat. Her neck protested when she turned onto her side, but it was worth the pain to be close to him. Life had forced her to be a realist. When the dust settled, he’d want to get his life back to normal.

  Hers would never be the same. Eli had changed everything, and she wasn’t only talking about him freeing her from the past. No, he’d shown her what it was like to be wanted, to be cherished, if only for a short time. She’d be forever grateful for that.

  Who was she kidding? She loved him but didn’t deserve him. His brothers certainly wouldn’t want her around after today. The last thing she ever wanted to do was to come between them.

  “You’re in pain.” He rubbed frown lines from her forehead.

  “Little bit.” It was actually a lot, but she didn’t want to stop cuddling.

  “You need to lie flat. You’re straining the muscles in your neck.”

  Giving in to the inevitable, she eased onto her back. The relief was instantaneous.

  Eli rolled onto his side and carefully draped his arm over her. “Does this hurt?”

  She started to shake her head but thought better of it. “It feels nice.” And it did. Better than nice. Having him beside her filled her with a sense of peace, of belonging.

  Her time on Sin Mountain could be counted in days, but it was truly the first time a place had felt like home. Alabama was where she was born and had grown up, where her parents had lived. It had never been a happy, secure place. She wanted to soak up every second of their closeness to horde against the years of loneliness to come. Another yawn hit her, and she closed her eyes.

  “Sleep. You’re safe.” His breath tickled her ear. “We’ll talk when you’re healed.”

  That sounded vaguely like a threat. Too tired to worry, she put her hand over his and slept.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Eli sat in the chair in the corner of his room and stared at the still figure in the bed. It had been almost twenty-four hours and Kinley hadn’t stirred.

  There’d been nonstop activity downstairs and outside all day. His brothers had poked their heads in to check on them periodically but had otherwise left them alone. He’d never been on his own in the house. At least one of them had been here at all times. They were worried about him, but he couldn’t reassure them. He wouldn’t be okay until she opened her eyes.

  Noah had brought several meals. Eli didn’t have an appetite but had eaten because his body needed the fuel, and he didn’t want to hurt Noah’s feelings.

  He’d been tempted to wake her several times but had checked himself. Rest would help her heal faster than anything. Her body had been through one hell of a trauma. Then there was the emotional fallout. She wasn’t the only one dealing with that. Every time he had to go to the bathroom, he rushed, afraid she might stop breathing in the few minutes he was gone.

  If only she’d open her eyes.

  Tension gripped his shoulders. He took a deep breath and rolled them several times to loosen the knotted muscles. Once she was awake, he’d have an entirely new battle on his hands. Kinley was planning on leaving. She’d gotten it into her head that beyond the physical attraction he viewed her as little more than a responsibility. Maybe it had started that way. Now it was something else entirely.

  It would be smarter and easier to let her go. There was no longer anyone hunting her. She could go wherever she wanted, do whatever she wanted. He could file the entire event away and move on except for one important thing—Kinley was his mate.

  He’d wrestled with the idea for hours. Being packless and living on a rural mountain in Kentucky, a mate was the last thing he’d ever expected to find. Because he and his brothers hadn’t spent any time around other wolves, he hadn’t recognized the signs. His wolf had. The creature had been taken with her from the first. He certainly hadn’t been looking for a mate when he’d run into her in Chicago. Sometimes the Fates smiled; sometimes they laughed their asses off at you.

  His future was in the hands of a woman coming out of a horrific situation. The last thing on her mind would be tying herself to a male wolf. Hers had been an isolated, controlled existence. This was her time to spread her wings and explore. How could he stand in her way if he loved her? How would he survive if she left? There had to be a way. He stared blindly out the window as the light of the day faded.

  He loved his brothers. They had his loyalty and always would, but Kinley owned his heart. He absently rubbed his chest. As difficult as it would be, if she wanted to leave, he’d have to let her go. Keeping her against her will wasn’t an option. That would make him no better than Duke Wright, or Nash or Holden or Ridge or any of the others whose lives had ended on the mountain.

  There was only one solution—he’d have to follow her. Not in a stalkerish way, but to ensure she was protected. As an unattached, packless female wolf, she’d be in danger from any male wolf she crossed paths with. Most wouldn’t give her any trouble, but there were always those who would see her as fair game. His fingers curled into fists.

  “You’re thinking awfully hard about something.” Kinley’s eyes were open and she was watching him.

  His heart leapt and began to pound in his chest as relief flooded him. For the first time since she’d lain lifeless at his feet, he was confident she was going to make a full recovery. He wanted to howl, to drag her into his arms and kiss her senseless. He resisted the urge and slowly got to his feet. “How are you feeling?”

  Covers clutched to her chest, she sat up and cautiously rotated her neck. “Stiff and sore but much better.” Her stomach let out a loud growl. She pressed her hand against it. “Hungry, too.” She glanced toward the window. “What time is it?”

  Time had been measured not in minutes but by every breath she’d taken. “Early evening.”

  Her eyes widened. “I slept an entire day? I’ve never done that before.”

  “You’re recovering from a significant injury.” It didn’t get more serious than dying. It was killing him not to reach out to her. He wanted to pull back the covers and inspect every inch of her to ensure she was healing, but he didn’t have that right. They’d made love but weren’t mates. Last night didn’t count. That had been a matter of life and death.

  “Thank you for taking care of me.” She rubbed her forehead. “My memories are fuzzy. I don’t remember all of it.”

  He prayed she never did. There was no need for her to relive Duke’s attack and the bloody aftermath. “It’s over. That’s all that matters.”

  “You’re right.” When the covers slipped, he caught a tantalizing glimpse of smooth skin and the upper curves of her breasts. She caught the comforter and dragged it back up around her shoulders.

  Realizing she was likely cold, he went to the closet and pulled out one of his long-sleeved t-shirts. The material was soft from many washings and wouldn’t chafe her tender skin, and the wider band wouldn’t irritate her neck injury. “Here.” He helped her pull it over her head and get her arms into the proper holes.

  “That feels wonderful.” She rubbed her hands over the fabric. “I can’t seem to get warm. So, what’s been happening while I’ve been out?” She licked her lips, drawing his attention to them.

  His dick sprang to life at the unintentional sensual gesture causing his jeans to become uncomfortably tight. He hoped she wouldn’t notice. “I have no idea.”

  “What do you mean, you have no idea?”

  “I haven’t left the room.” Her jaw dropped and snapped closed again. Let her make of it what she would.

  She shook her head. “I get that you feel responsible for me, but you didn’t have to do that. What must your brothers think?”

  “Who the fuck cares?” He reigned in his anger, clenching his jaw until it ached. Better that than yelling at her. Kinley was the only one besides his brothers who could make him lose his cool. “If they need me, they know where to find me. And you’re more than a responsibility.” If she had any idea of how much he wanted from her, she’d bolt.

  A light bush bloomed on her cheeks, and she glanced down at her lap. “Well, yes. There is the sexual attraction too.”

  Kinley was a contradiction, bold one moment, shy the next. He rubbed his thumb along the curve of her jaw. Her eyes were clear but she was pale and far too thin, her body burning resources it didn’t have to speed her healing. This wasn’t the time to push his agenda or press her to make any decisions. “You up for going downstairs to eat or do you want me to bring a tray upstairs?” He wasn’t going to force her to leave the room if she wasn’t ready.

  The change in subject had her frowning, but she nodded. “I want to know what’s going on.” The blush deepened. “First, I need to use the bathroom.”

  It was likely critical after all these hours. He picked her up, cover and all, carried her into the bathroom, and set her down beside the toilet. “I’ll be right outside when you’re done.” It was harder than it should have been to close the door between them. He leaned against the wall and kept an ear out for her in case she needed him. She’d likely deny it, but she was weak. Regaining her strength would take time, good food, and plenty of rest.

  The toilet flushing was followed by water running at the sink. He straightened when the door opened. “You didn’t have to wait. I can manage.” She took a step and swayed on her feet before righting herself. The comforter was wrapped around her, one end dragging across the floor like the train of a dress.

  As tempting as it was to carry her, he resisted the urge. Asserting her independence was important to her. She was a female wolf, after all. But since he was a possessive male wolf, he was right behind her the entire way.

  Sweat beaded on her forehead. She released a sigh when she sat. “Made it without face-planting. Go me. I won’t be running a marathon anytime soon, but I can get around.” Her ability to poke fun at herself surprised a quick smile from him. She never ceased to amaze him.

  He grabbed the bag with her belongings and set it next to her. Levi had washed and returned the clothes she’d abandoned outside when she’d shifted. Rather than ask what she wanted to wear, he pulled out a clean pair of underwear and those ridiculous purple leggings with the unicorns that she seemed to like for some inexplicable reason. He added socks to the small pile.

  “What are you doing?” She seemed bemused rather than upset.

  “I assumed you wouldn’t want to go downstairs wearing only my shirt.”

  “I can dress myself.” She reached for the underwear.

  “Let me help.” He knelt in front of her, worked her feet through the holes, and tugged them up to her knees before stopping. He was doing it again, taking over.

  Her hand stroked the top of his head. “Eli?” Once again, she was concerned about him when she had every right to be annoyed by his heavy-handedness.

  He wrapped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her lap. Wolves were tactile creatures by nature. It wasn’t that he wanted to touch her as much as he needed to.

  “I was afraid to sleep. Afraid I’d wake to find you’d stopped breathing. Do you have any idea what that’s like?” Shit, he hadn’t intended to open up like that. She was dealing with enough without him dumping his issues on her.

  She made a small sound of distress. “No, I don’t know what that’s like, but I know how I felt when Duke told me you were dead.”

  He raised his head and gave a low growl. “He said what?”

  “He told me you were dead.” Her fingertips lightly skated over his face. “My entire life stopped.” She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Then I told myself I’d know here”—she touched her hand to her heart area—“if something had happened to you. I told myself Duke was a lying manipulative son of a bitch.”

  “He was that and more. He’ll never hurt you again.”

  “Thanks to you and your family.”

  He wanted more than her gratitude. He wanted her love and loyalty, but this wasn’t about him. It was about what she needed, which was time to recover and know she had choices. “Let’s get you dressed.”

  He moved back to give her room. She deftly pulled the underwear up before dumping the comforter. She didn’t question him when he helped her with the leggings and slipped the socks over her feet.

  “Eli?”

  He shook his head, not ready to have this conversation. She cared about him, but was it enough to commit to a life with him? Then there were his brothers. If they weren’t all in agreement, he’d have to leave the mountain. Otherwise, the resentment would build and cause friction. He’d do whatever he had to. Any sacrifice was worth it if it meant they could be together.

  ****

  Do you have any idea what it’s like?

  The question echoed in her mind, his raw pain resonating inside her. The bleakness in his black eyes had rocked her to her core.

  Pay attention to what you’re doing. After insisting she could handle walking on her own, the last thing she wanted was to take a header down the stairs. Good thing it wasn’t far. She’d never been this weak. Her legs were like wet noodles. The room spun slightly. She concentrated on breathing normally and putting one foot in front of the other.

  Eli hovered alongside her the entire way down, ready to catch her if she faltered. The shadow of a beard along his chin, and the dark circles beneath his eyes gave testament to his long vigil. He watched her like a hawk. Or more aptly like a wolf. A muscle flexed in his jaw, and his lips were pressed together in a thin line. He’d wanted to carry her downstairs, but she’d vetoed that. She couldn’t afford to appear weak in front of his brothers. Call it pride, call it foolish, it made no difference. She was doing this under her own steam.

  All of them were seated around the big dining table, and every head swiveled in her direction. It was her bad luck that all of them were present. She’d hoped to only have to deal with a couple of them. Maybe this was better. Get it over with all at once. Her heart skipped a beat and sped up. They were an intimidating lot.

  Chin up, she shuffled across the hardwood and sank down onto an empty chair, never so grateful to be sitting as she was at this moment. Before she could congratulate herself on making it without incident, Cyrus turned his black gaze on her, looking her over.

  “You survived.”

  “Disappointed?” It was out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Antagonizing him wasn’t going to help anyone. She huffed out a breath. “That was uncalled for. I apologize.”

  Eli detoured to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of orange juice that he set in front of her. Parched, she drank deeply, the citrusy flavor bursting in her mouth. Nothing had ever tasted so good.

  A half smile curved Cyrus’s mouth and a gleam of what might be respect glinted in his eyes. “You weren’t in great shape last time I saw you. You still look like a strong wind would knock you over, but you’re on your feet. That’s impressive.”

  It sounded as though he actually meant it. “Thank you.” She then peered at every brother in turn, thanking each one individually, needing to acknowledge all they’d done for her. They all nodded except Zach, whose lips twitched. She knew he was thinking about her claim she needed to get those two words printed on a t-shirt. It was the briefest of seconds, but it lifted some of the weight off her shoulders.

  Beside her, Eli rested his hand on her back and rubbed his thumb just below the puncture marks on her neck. They’d healed, but the scars would remain. As if she needed the reminder.

  “I’ve been out of the loop. What’s been happening?” Eli asked.

  “You had other priorities.” Cyrus leaned back and rested his hands on his stomach. While they didn’t operate like a regular pack, and would probably deny it, there was no doubt in her mind who was alpha.

  Noah slid out of his seat, opened the refrigerator, and brought back a platter loaded with sandwiches. “You must be starving.” He returned and brought back another filled with a selection of pastries and muffins and a handful of napkins. When Silas reached for one, Noah knocked his hand away. “Let Kinley get what she wants first.”

  “What about me?” Eli asked.

  “You’re on your own, bro. You’re used to fighting this horde for food, she isn’t.”

  Curling her lips inward to keep from smiling at the banter, she chose an apple Danish and placed it on a napkin. “Thank you.”

  “That’s not enough.” Eli piled a sandwich and two different kinds of muffins in front of her. His brothers laughed before helping themselves. All she could do was shake her head.

  “While you’re all stuffing your faces, do you think we can get down to business?”