New Age Werewolf Series Book 1: Taming A She Wolf

Part 16: Two Words

When I saw Zuri, I felt nothing but sorry for her, and I caught on to the same thing that Ian had: she'd been bitten by a vampire, and also by a wolf.

I called my doctor to have her looked over. I didn't know what she had gone through or could possibly have, and I didn't want the pack to panic about something they didn't know.  She was put in a guest room and was sedated afterward, when the doctors told her she might be also pregnant. Never had I seen such a reaction. The screaming, the crying, the shaking--all too much. Had she been taken against her will-bitten? Was she just some poor victim of both?

I sat next to her bed as she slept. It's not like I had anyplace else to be, really. I just watched her.

I heard Ian come in. "I don't like this." I whispered, not looking at him.

"Join the club," Ian exhaled. "Look at her wounds. Those are silver or wolfsbane wounds. She was tortured or experimented on. I'm not even sure they can heal."

I looked at Ian's face. His eyes were glazed with tears. He truly had a compassionate heart. "We will find out, that's for sure. She has asylum here."

"But she is bitten--"

"And we don't know if she was marked willingly or not," I shook my head. "We don't know enough, period. She came here looking for help, she said it herself. I will give her that, whatever it is." 

"What if her mate comes looking for her?"

I felt the heat of my anger light my eyes, making Ian's expression change from concern to worry.  "Then let the bastard contend with me."

We left the room, quietly closing the door behind us.

"Her mate will come looking for her," Ian said softly as we walked down the hall. "It's a matter of time. The only question is if he is coming before or during the full moon."

"We will deal with it then," I said as evenly as I could. This whole full moon thing had a different meaning now that I had a mate. Hearing about and even seeing wolves in the throes of it was one thing, but being a part of it was another. I was nervous about Ian. I remembered how he acted when he realized who I was to him. What would the full moon do to him? What would it do to me? I'd heard various reactions. I myself slipped with someone years ago, which is why I locked myself away during that time.

"What about me?"

Damn, I was hoping he wouldn't bring this up. He stopped walking, forcing me to stop, turn and face him. "What about you?" I asked, and watched his jaw tighten.

"When the full moon comes, I will crave you," he said softly, licking his bottom lip almost nervously. "Are you going to lock me away?"

My throat tightened. Ian didn't deserve that, but I also didn't know what to do. I wasn't ready to mate with him. I was truly terrified. I'd seen what that does, to mates and to those who weren't.  "I haven't really thought about it."

"You need to."

"Can you control yourself?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can I trust you not to--overpower me--"

Ian's eyes widened in outrage and then he sneered. "I would never do that to anyone, especially you!"

I swallowed hard. I felt like I was swallowing a pool ball. His hazel eyes glistened. He wasn't just offended. He was hurt. "Ian, let me put this another way--"

"I may be younger than you, but I'm no idiot--"

"I know, I just--"

"It will be difficult, but I can, and at the moment I am more than happy not to sleep next to you!" He turned on his heel.