able to do nothing. A sense of failure pricked at both him and his anxious wolf, who lay down, resting his chin on his legs.
Evander quickly drove them to Mila’s apartment building, but Dominic didn’t take her inside. He walked to his SUV, settled her into the passenger seat, and hopped into the driver’s side. He needed to know she was safe, needed her to have privacy and peace while she rested. As such, he drove out of the lot and onto the road, heading toward his territory.
Oh, he knew her parents and pride mates wouldn’t like it. Understood they’d want to be there when she woke. But he couldn’t indulge them in that. Just couldn’t. As he’d told Valentina, Mila was his priority. He’d do what was best for his mate, not her parents. And Dominic knew Mila wouldn’t like it if she woke to find an apartment full of people anyway.
As he drove, he occasionally laid a hand on her thigh or reached out to stroke her hair. She never stirred. Not once. Not even when he finally arrived at his territory and took her out of the SUV to carry her up the stairs of the cliff face.
Walking through the tunnels, he heard chatter and laughter coming from the living area. He didn’t head there. He went straight to his room, kicking the door shut behind them. Only then did his wolf lose some of his tension. Dominic’s remained.
Not wanting her to wake to the sight and smell of her own blood, Dominic shed their clothes and stepped under the hot spray of the shower. Even the water didn’t rouse her—hell, she didn’t even so much as pucker her brow. He quickly and carefully soaped her body, washing every flake of dried blood from her skin.
Having patted her dry, he slipped her into one of his shirts and settled her into his bed. He was just about to join her when knuckles rapped hard on the door. A pulse of adrenaline shot into his system, because right then—while his mate was weak and unable to defend herself—any presence felt like a threat.
“Dom? I got a call from Vinnie.” Trey.
Forcing his fists to relax, Dominic crossed to the door and opened it to find both his Alphas standing there. Stepping into the hall, he pulled the door shut behind him.
“How’s Mila?” Taryn asked.
“Sleeping,” Dominic replied simply, not in the mood for conversation. He wanted to be with Mila. Alone.
Trey looked him up and down. “You good?”
“Yep.”
“From what Vinnie said, Mila’s family wasn’t happy to find her apartment empty, but I think they’ll understand why you brought her here.”
“Why don’t I check on her?” Taryn suggested.
Dominic stilled. “She’s fine.”
Trey sighed. “I get that your protective instincts are doing the mambo right now, but you know she’s not in danger from us. You know that, or you would never have brought her here.”
“When she’s at full strength, you can see her. Until then, no one comes inside.”
Her face soft with sympathy, Taryn looked like she might step forward and hug him. Instead she nodded. “All right. I’ll send Grace with food. She doesn’t have to come inside. She can leave the tray on the floor out here. Mila will be hungry when she wakes.”
Dominic gave a curt nod and returned to his room, locking the door behind him. Maybe it was irrational, but he just didn’t trust anyone to be around her while she was so vulnerable. Not a single soul.
Sliding onto the bed, he pulled her flush against him and dragged the covers over them, not wanting her to catch a chill. His wolf snuggled up to her, still anxious. The beast hadn’t yet fought his way completely through the raw shock that had gripped him earlier. Hell, Dominic’s brain was still scrambling to process what had happened, trying to make some sense of it. One second she’d been fine; the next she was bleeding on the fucking floor.
He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her wrist, needing to feel her pulse beating against his mouth. “I’m sorry I left you,” he said, his voice like gravel. If he hadn’t gone to the break room, if he’d stayed with her, he could have pushed her out of harm’s way. Could have wrestled the gun from Rosemary’s hand before she had the chance to fire.
Intending to be the first thing Mila saw when she opened her eyes, Dominic didn’t move from her side as she slept. Not even