Reluctant Mate by Diana Persaud

Author:Diana Persaud
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Diana Persaud
Published: 2017-01-26T13:47:03+00:00

***

Serena held her aching wrist with her hand, trying to keep it immobile.

“Put your wrist over your heart. Like this,” Robert said, showing her with his own hand.

“You need to keep it elevated,” he insisted.

Wincing, she moved her wrist and placed it over her heart.

Robert went to the kitchen. He hunted around and found a small plastic bag. He put some ice in it and wrapped the bag in a thin kitchen towel. He returned to the couch and knelt on the floor in front of her.

His large hand wrapped around her throbbing wrist.

“It feels warm,” he said. “Can you move it at all?”

Gently she moved her hand, gasping at the sharp spike of pain that radiated from her wrist.

Robert opened his mouth to say something then clamped it shut again. Worry lined his brow.

He held up the bag of ice.

“This will keep the swelling down.” He placed the bag gently on top of her wrist. “I fucked up, Serena. I’m no good as a wolf, either.”

“You’re learning, Robert.”

“You could have been killed.”

“Then learn how to control your wolf,” she replied.

He returned to the kitchen and tumbled through the cabinets. He returned with a glass of water and two pills.

“Take this. It will help with the pain.”

She took the pills and swallowed the water.

“Your feet.”

He left bloody footprints all over the cabin floor.

“Fuck.”

He went to the bathroom. When he returned, his feet were bandaged and he used a wet rag to wipe up his bloody footprints.

When he finished cleaning the floors, he returned to her and propped her feet up on the small couch. He covered her with a throw then went into the kitchen.

Her lids grew heavy as she watched him prepare dinner.

“Serena?”

His voice woke her before his gentle shake.

“Dinner’s ready. Not much of a cook but—”

She took a deep breath and smiled.

“Smells delicious.”

After dinner, he carried her to the large bed and gently placed her there. Then he got up and went to the window.

His anxiety was palpable. She could almost taste it.

He toyed with his beard, stroking it absentmindedly.

A knot formed in her stomach.

“You don’t need me, Serena. Nor do you need a pack. If you live in a city, the police will protect—”

She laughed bitterly.

“I was living in a large city when the Trapper kidnapped me.”

He shook his head.

“That was an anomaly. It won’t happen again.”

She wrapped her uninjured arm around her body, hugging herself.

“You don’t understand the dangers out there for single wolves, Robert. Especially for females.”

He stiffened.

“I thought wolves were honorable.”

Gooseflesh appeared on her arms.

“Rogues aren’t.”

“What’s a rogue?” he asked.

She rubbed her arms.

Her stomach roiled.

“Alpha males who have no pack to lead. They roam alone, searching for their mates.”

She glanced away from him, unable to meet his gaze.

He walked over to the bed and sat next to her.

“Maybe the loneliness is too much for them and they become bitter. Violent.”

He stroked her cheek.

“Tell me what happened.”

Her mouth felt dry.

She picked at a loose thread on the quilt.

“It was the summer I turned seven. My parents took me camping like they did every year.

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