she was taken. He doubted his jealousy or possessiveness would now ease, however. He still wouldn’t like other males around her. Would always be jealous, just as he’d been jealous of . . . “I’m sorry about Colton. I know he was your friend.”
She bit her bottom lip before it had the chance to tremor. “Me too.” He’d been a good friend to her, and he hadn’t deserved what had happened to him. None of them had deserved the trouble Remy had brought into their lives. “I take it we won the battle.”
“Yes.” He wasn’t good at telling stories. “Only the Mercury wolves had arrived by the time the attack began. Reinforcements turned up no more than a minute later, which spooked the enemies. Most of them retreated, others died. Taryn’s father lost some of his wolves. Trick and Dominic almost died.”
Makenna was relieved to hear their pack was alive. As for someone else . . . “Deanne’s dead, right?”
He grunted. “Roni gutted her.” He was a little jealous he hadn’t been able to deliver that killing move himself. Then again, that would have required him to release Makenna. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to do that until they were in the infirmary, where Grace had given her a transfusion. Grace had tried to usher him out, but he’d just stared at her until she gave up with a humph.
Makenna rubbed her nose against his. “You look tired. You fed me a lot of energy.”
According to Ally, who had earlier called to check on Makenna, his mate would have died long before Ally had arrived if he hadn’t lent her his strength. “You said you love me.” Again with the blurting things out.
She smiled. “That’s because I do.”
He closed his eyes, letting that soothe him. “No one’s ever said that to me before.” He slid his hand up to span her throat, wanting to feel her pulse beating beneath his thumb.
Her brows flew up. “Never?” God, his parents were assholes. “Come inside me, Ryan. I know you want to.”
He did want to. He wanted to assure himself in the most basic way that she was alive. “You’ve been unconscious for nine hours. You need food and—”
“You. Just you.” She writhed beneath him, tempting him. “Come inside me.”
He shouldn’t. He should have some food brought in and—
“Ryan, please. I need this too.”
Fuck it. He used his fingers to ready her to take him. Then he hiked up her leg and slid inside her, groaning as her pussy contracted around him. He took her with slow, deep, deliberate thrusts. The whole time, he kissed her—sharing breaths, groans, and gasps. And when he shoved himself deep and exploded, he buried his face in the crook of her neck and growled her name. “I love you, Kenna.”
She smiled. “I know. I feel it.” It was like a glow inside her.
Without leaving her body, he rolled onto his back, taking her with him.
She propped her chin on his chest as he grabbed his cell phone from the cabinet. “Who are you texting?”
“Grace. You need food. You lost a lot of blood.” He put down his phone. “Be warned, the room is going to fill up. There are a lot of people waiting to see you.” He’d been chasing them off, insisting she needed her rest. “Let’s get you showered.”
As they were dressing a short while later, a knock came at the door. “Open up!” called Grace.
Makenna held up her arms so Ryan could slip on her T-shirt. “I can go eat in the kitchen, you know.”
He shook his head. “You’re not at one hundred percent yet.”
She couldn’t deny that. But she’d be damned if she’d voice aloud just how weak she truly felt. “Okay.” She sighed as she sat, lotus style, in the middle of the bed.
“I’ll be back soon.”
She frowned. “Where are you going?”
Hand on the doorknob, he glanced over his shoulder. “To live up to a promise.”
With that mysterious answer, he left. Grace entered with a tray of food. Zac, Dawn, and Madisyn trailed behind her. Eyes teary, Zac gave her a tight hug that belied his typical teenage cool act and chatted with her for a short while. Then, complaining he had something in his eye, he left with Dawn. Madisyn stayed while Makenna ate, lecturing her for getting shot.
Each of the Phoenix wolves came to see Makenna, a few at a time. They all expressed their relief that she was fine. Rhett wanted to hear about what it was