Ruthless (Wolf Ranch #6) - Renee Rose Page 0,64

worry.

That was not the way to claim a woman.

I looked to Natalie, who nodded.

“Fine, but I want to heal at home.”

No one argued, probably knowing that once I was better, nothing was going to keep me from my mate.

Rob nodded. “I’ll drive you to your cabin.” He said nothing more, just narrowed his eyes. Waited.

I met Red’s green gaze, leaned in and kissed her, then whispered in her ear. “I’ll heal in my bed, then I’m claiming you. Yes?”

She pulled back, studied my face. “Yes.”

My wolf soothed. I exhaled. Fuck, I did hurt. I nodded, then shifted back to my wolf. Let shifter biology work as Rob drove me and Natalie back to my cabin. I hopped onto the bed, circled, then settled, but didn’t close my eyes until she climbed beneath the covers. Her scent surrounded me, in a way healing me as much as time, and I slept.

I had no idea what time it was, but just after dawn. The sky was soft, the sun not having risen over the mountain. The air was cool coming through the open windows, the scent of smoke was redolent. I shifted back to human form and carefully sat up, not wanting to wake Natalie. She was asleep on her side, her hand tucked beneath her cheek.

Fuck, just seeing her here made me smile. I shrugged my shoulders, looked myself over. Besides being filthy, I was mostly healed. The minor burns were completely gone, no sign of them on my skin. The spots where there had been blisters had hints of pinkness, but I didn’t hurt anywhere.

I ran my hand over my head, felt a spot where my hair had singed. On my chest, there were some bare spots, but that would all grow back.

I crawled toward Natalie, loomed over her and nuzzled her neck. She stirred, a smile on her face. Her eyes popped open, and she sat up so abruptly, she almost popped me in the nose with her shoulder.

“Easy, Red.”

Her gaze roamed over me, eyes widening in obvious shock. “You’re healed.”

She reached out to touch me but pulled her fingers back. I grabbed her hand, set it on my chest.

“You’ve known about shifters but didn’t know how we heal?”

“No.” Her hand began to slide over my skin, gently. Almost reverently. “Well, no one told me specifically, but the tipped tractor. You… healed as I watched you run off in your wolf form.”

I closed my eyes to the feel of her fingers. Fuck, just that little brush of her skin on mine lit me up. My wolf practically rolled over and offered her his belly. “I remember that happening. Scared the shit out of myself because I was stuck, but I shifted and scrambled out. I had no idea you’d seen any of it.”

“Scared the shit out of me, too. Then surprised me. I mean, you turned into a wolf. It was a lot for a little girl.”

I slowly shook my head and opened my eyes. “No, Red. You were brave even then. Braver now.”

We looked at each other, just stared as her fingers traced over my torso. “Red,” I whispered. I was hard for her. My wolf was eager. Ready.

This was the moment. Our entire lives brought us here. Me working on the Sheffield land. Natalie being there with her uncle. The secret she’d carried. Her scent that made her mine. The fire.

Everything.

Fate had put us together, and it was time to make it official. Before, I’d wanted it so everyone else knew who she belonged to, that she was mine. Now, I didn’t give a shit what anyone else thought. I wanted to claim Natalie because she was mine.

No, I wanted to claim her because I was hers.

“Rand,” she whispered right back.

“If you’re better, then—”

“—then I want to be yours. Forever. Will you let me claim you because you’ve already claimed my heart. My soul. My wolf.”

Tears filled her eyes and slipped over. Her chin wobbled, and she threw her arms around me, kissed my face. “Yes. Yes!”

I climbed from the bed with her still wrapped around me, carried her to the bathroom and set her on the vanity. Going to the shower, I turned the water on to warm, then helped her from her clothes. I dropped the sooty items onto the floor, then picked her up once more and climbed beneath the hot spray.

“I’m not claiming you covered in dirt and soot.”

“We smell like the biggest campfire in the world.”

She wasn’t wrong.

I grabbed the bar of