Fang winced at the sound of her hanging up the phone. He closed his clamshell and wanted to cry from the pain inside him. But he wasn't that kind of wolf. Tougher than steel, he refused to let anyone know just how much Aimee meant to him.
His heart heavy, he went downstairs to relay her message to Vane, who wasn't thrilled by it. He left immediately to warn Wren while Fang stayed to watch over Bride.
"Is that blood?"
He glanced down at his shoulder. "A little. I'll go clean it."
"Sit."
The sharp command of her tone made him raise a single eyebrow.
Bride smiled. "Sorry. I'm bossy, I know. My father's a vet who works with Carson and I grew up in my dad's clinic. Sit down and let me see what I can do."
He did as ordered while she went to the bathroom to pull out a small medicine kit. He started to pull the shirt off, but the pain was such that he simply dissolved it.
Bride sucked her breath in as soon as she saw the nasty wound. "Did you get bitten?"
"Yeah. By one pissed-off bear."
"Papa Bear?"
He nodded.
Bride pulled out a piece of gauze and soaked it in peroxide. "You're probably lucky he didn't aim lower."
Fang didn't speak as his gaze fell down to the mark on her hand. He looked at his own that was empty. "Is it hard for you living with animals?"
She pulled back. "I don't consider any of you an animal, Fang."
"We're certainly not human."
She took his chin in her hand and forced him to look up at her. "I was raised to respect all life-forms. Hairless, furred, finned, and feathered."
"Yeah, but it has to be hard to live here without your kind around."
"Hardly. You're all my family. My kind fills this house."
Fang pulled away as he considered her words. Most of all, he wondered if Aimee would ever really feel that way about him. Love was one thing, but she'd already chosen her family. Apparently his love wasn't good enough.
And that made him sick. Besides, even if she did, he was still in service to Thorn and he had no soul. He had no real freedom.
What could he ever really offer her?
Aimee knocked lightly on her mother's office door. At her welcome, she pushed the door open to see her mother at her computer.
Nicolette leaned back slightly in her chair. An impeccable pose that was sophisticated and authoritative. "Is there something you need?"
Fang.
But she bit her tongue as fear rushed through her. Her mother had been understanding earlier. Would that continue?
"I wanted to talk to you about Fang."
A shield fell down over her mother's face. "There is nothing to discuss."
"You had me warn him."
"As a favor and to right a wrong. You know, daughter, exactly why you and he can never speak again."