with a blank expression. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
She didn’t either. All she knew was that she’d nearly died tonight, again, and she was apparently connected forever to a werewolf she barely knew. And according to him, leaving him would break both their hearts. That was if leaving was even an option, now that she had an entire forest full of werewolves out to get her. She dropped her head into her hands and exhaled. “I guess…I want you to say this is all a bad dream.”
“I wish it were.”
Katie sniffled, knowing she must seem pathetic but too overwhelmed to care. She wanted to scream at Rafe, maybe even hit him, but that required energy she didn’t have. At least her legs didn’t hurt anymore. Which seemed…odd. She peeked through her spread fingers at her calves, still cradled in Rafe’s large hands. “The pain is gone.”
“Good.” Rafe released her and stood. “Let me know if it starts to bother you again.”
She touched the area next to the more severe bite mark, confused by the lack of sensation. Just minutes ago she’d been in agony. All Rafe had done was flush her wounds and cover them with antibiotic lotion. He’d given her nothing for the discomfort. At least nothing she could see. “Why? What did you do?”
His shoulders tensed as he washed his hands. “I sent you some healing energy. Or at least I tried. I’m hoping it helped.”
Healing energy. Wasn’t that what had caused their predicament in the first place? “Don’t do that again. What if you make it worse?”
“Your wounds? I won’t.”
“No, the…bond.” Katie didn’t want to admit how nice it was not to hurt anymore—not when the price was eternal devotion to a man she knew nothing about. A man whose friends wanted her dead. “You say we can’t undo it, but maybe there’s a way. And if there is, I’m pretty sure it starts with you keeping your damn hands off me.”
Rafe flinched. “I apologize. I was only trying to help.”
“Well, I’ve had enough of your help.” She struggled to her feet, then shot out a hand to brace herself against the wall. She was so tired she could barely stand. “What was the deal before? I stay in the guest room, shut the door, and you won’t bother me?”
Jaw tight, Rafe stared straight ahead. “Yup. That was the deal.”
“Great.” Katie moved to leave, then froze when Rafe caught her by the wrist. She jerked away from him, glaring. “I said don’t touch me.”
He stepped into her personal space but stopped short of making contact. “The other part of the deal is that you pull the curtains closed as soon as you get in there, you go straight to bed, and you let me know if you need to leave the room for any reason—even if it’s only because you have to pee.”
Katie deflated as the power of suggestion awakened her bladder. “Actually, I do. Need to pee.”
Rafe edged past her and out the bathroom door. “I’ll put Shilah in your room. He stays with you from now on. Always.”
“Fine.” Her problem wasn’t with Shilah—and she didn’t want to be alone, anyway.
“Good night.” He didn’t even look at her as he shut the door. When he left the room, it was as though all the air left with him.
Katie felt the loss.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Lying in bed after washing up, Katie mused that the worst part about being mad at Rafe was how hard it was to stay mad. Once again warm beneath his comforter, surrounded by his masculine scent and protected by his faithful dog, she struggled not to succumb to the urge to go to him. The seductive pull of his comforting presence only a room away kept her from tumbling into much-needed sleep. Her body hummed with desire, a buzzing awareness that true peace and satisfaction was hers for the taking. All she had to do to find it was seek out her bond-mate and let him fill up all the emptiness inside her. Here, she was scared and lonely. With Rafe, she would be whole.
“Damn him,” Katie whispered. She didn’t want to need him. It wasn’t fair that she did. Based on his dark good looks alone, she would date Rafe in a heartbeat. But love him? A werewolf? One who lived in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by other, murderous werewolves? He wasn’t exactly her dream guy.
And yet she had to will herself not to crawl into bed with him.