Fated Magic (Claimed by Wolves #1) - Callie Rose Page 0,35

of people still milling about outside, Ridge offers me his hand. I’m too distracted to decline, and I slide my smaller hand into his. His palm is warm and calloused, and the feel of his skin against mine sends little tingles all the way up my arm to my heart. Without a word, he leads me through the back door into the house.

“Will you be all right on your own for a few minutes?” he asks. “I’ve got to pack up.”

“Yeah.”

The word comes out with more strength than I expected, but it still takes great force of will to make myself let go of his hand. My skin feels too cold immediately, and I clasp my own hands together to try to combat the feeling of emptiness.

Maybe Ridge notices my reaction, or maybe it’s because he feels something similar. But he seems reluctant to leave, hesitating for a long moment before nodding and moving across the room.

I sit on the edge of the couch as Ridge disappears into the bedroom. I can hear him rifling through drawers and shoving hangers around in his closet. When he returns a few minutes later, he’s hauling two large satchels and a smaller one, and he tosses them down by the front door. I remain where I am, out of his way and feeling as if I don’t belong here. He gathers more supplies—flashlights, tools, and some nonperishable items from the kitchen, depositing them in the bags.

What the hell am I doing? The mantra repeats over and over in my head.

The situation seems too real now as I watch him pack basic necessities for the group of us. I’ve agreed to go to a cabin in a remote location with three men I don’t know. On what planet is that a safe or smart idea?

Maybe the planet where men can be wolves and witches exist? The small voice in my head sounds almost amused, and I bite my lip to stifle the slightly crazed smile that threatens.

As he zips up the two large packs, Ridge remarks, “This smaller bag is yours. My friend Amora donated some clothes and necessities for you. She’s probably a bit bigger than you, but they should work.”

I nod, wondering who Amora is. Is “friend” just a euphemism? Is Amora his girlfriend?

The idea that he might belong to someone else makes me crazy with an unreasonable sort of jealousy, and I bite back any desire to question him about her. I’m fragile enough without adding excess fuel to the fire.

Leaving the bags by the door, Ridge leaves the room one more time. When he comes back, he’s got a small bottle and a few white pieces of gauze in his hands. He approaches me with smooth, even steps, as if wanting to make sure he doesn’t scare me.

He doesn’t though.

He’s broad and imposing, but for some reason I’m not afraid of him, even if his presence always seems to take up the whole room.

When he reaches me, he kneels on the hardwood floor in front of me, grimacing slightly as he takes in the sight of my scraped and dirty knees. His gaze flicks up to meet mine. “I’ll clean and disinfect these, okay?”

I nod, unable to look away from the sight of this massive man kneeling before me.

Working quickly, he dabs some disinfectant on one of the gauze pads before brushing the pad over my knee. I hiss at the sting, and he freezes immediately, clenching his jaw as if it hurts him too.

He looks up at me again. “You all right?”

“Yeah.” I swallow. “It just stings a little. I’ve felt worse.”

I shouldn’t have said that. His gaze drops to the scars crisscrossing my bare legs beneath the oversized shorts, and he clenches the gauze pad so tightly that little drops of disinfectant drip from the bottom of his closed fist.

His tension makes my skin prickle, so to distract him, I ask, “Is he really your brother? Lawson?”

The anger in his expression doesn’t go away, but it morphs into a new kind as he shakes his head with a grunt. “Yes. Really. Unfortunately.”

“He’s kind of an asshole.”

I feel safe saying this, considering I’m pretty sure Ridge already knows it. And he proves me right when he laughs humorlessly.

“Yes. That he is.” His features soften a little as he starts swiping gently at my skin with the wet pad again. “I’m sorry for what he did. He’ll pay for it, I promise you that. And I won’t let him touch