Outliers

Thirty

"I am yours;

with every inch of flesh and bone in my body; and every ounce of love instilled in me, I belong to you.

with every subtle thought that slips my mind; and every void space in my empty soul, I belong to you.

my heart is yours; yours to keep, yours to love, yours to hold; but please don't break my heart when I have relinquished it to you so freely because I am yours; and only yours, so please be mine, and only mine?"

Julie Martinez

Thane winced as I dabbed gently at the wounds on his chest. He lay in bed, propped up by some pillows as I cleaned him up using a first aid kit I'd found in the bathroom. Thankfully he'd showered first, now free from the blood and grime of the fight, and the claw marks across his torso had finally stopped bleeding. They weren't as deep as they had first appeared, now that I could examine them closer.

"How long will this take to heal, then?"

"A while."

"As slow as a human?"

He shrugged a shoulder, grimacing as the movement pulled at his injuries. "A little faster perhaps, and less prone to infections, but still slower than you would heal."

I frowned, not liking the sound of that at all. Never before had I suspected Thane was more vulnerable than me. It had taken me nearly three days to heal completely from the mountain lion. Granted, my injuries had been far more severe but if Thane healed slower that meant it could also be days for Thane to fully heal. Would he be in pain the entire time? Would he be able to travel back to Colorado or would we be forced to stay in Idaho for even longer?

I pressed the soaked cloth harder than intended against one of his wounds.

"Shit, sorry." I snatched back my trembling hands, dropping the cloth onto the bed.

Thane reached for me, fingers curving around my wrist. "Emily, I'm okay. I'm not going to break. I'm okay."

Indeed, he didn't look as if he were about to break. Not when he was looking at me like that, with nothing but affection in his gaze.

He tried to tug me closer but I pulled back, shaking my head. I didn't want to hurt him.

"Emily, please," he sighed. "It's been a long day, I'm tired, I'm frustrated, and I just want to lay with my mate."

My mate.

It still baffled me to hear those words, knowing of the bond we shared. And how could I deny him such a request when I too ached to be so close to him? It had been pure terror that struck my heart today, watching Thane battle against Jack. Terror for the oncoming death of a childhood friend I was sure would come. And terror for the male I cared so much for, whom I wished to spend every waking moment with from here on out. The thought of him so vulnerable to injuries frightened me more than I cared to admit.

"For such an intimidating Alpha, you're nothing more than an affectionate pup at times," I teased, forcing a smile as I packed away the medical supplies.

Thane shot me a wolfish grin, and when he'd decided I was taking took long to clear the bed, he swiped the medical bag and all the bandages onto the floor.

"What can I say? You make me feel young." He tugged me closer again, and this time I allowed myself to be pulled into his side.

"Yes, I nearly forgot you were so old." I laughed, resting my head against his shoulder and allowed myself to breath him in. His scent filled my senses, succeeding in calming me. He was here; he was alive and safe.