Wolf in his Heart (Salvation Pack)

by N. J. Walters

  He raised his head and the water cascaded over his face and chest. He grabbed his soap and quickly ran the thick bar over his body. He didn’t want to be away from her for long but had needed a few minutes to collect himself.

  As he rinsed the soap from his skin, his resolve settled. He needed Rina. He wanted her and he loved her. Sure, she was skittish. She hadn’t known him that long, and during that time she’d had a maniac searching for her, one who’d actually shot her.

  He twisted the taps and shut off the flow of water. He didn’t like the fact that she’d been vulnerable to attack because of him. If he hadn’t been such an ass, she wouldn’t have run off and been out there on her own. Vulnerable.

  Sage grabbed a towel and dragged it over his body. Just thinking about her being on her own for more than a year made him slightly savage. How could her pack, her family have done such a thing? It was no wonder she expected nothing but the worst.

  He tossed the damp towel over the towel rod to dry and walked naked back into his room. Mikhail glanced his way but said nothing as Sage went to his closet and pulled out a clean pair of jeans. He yanked them on, not bothering with underwear. Shirtless, he strode back to the bed.

  “She’ll be fine,” her brother assured him.

  “Will she?” He sat on the edge of the bed. “That was a panic attack.”

  “Yeah, it was.” Mikhail sighed and straightened the sheet covering Rina. “What did you say to her?”

  “Told her that I loved her.”

  One corner of Mikhail’s mouth kicked up in a smile. “Yeah, that’ll do it.”

  “So glad you’re enjoying yourself.” He wanted to hit the bastard in the face, but that wouldn’t help the situation.

  “You’re looking at it all wrong.” Mikhail stood and stretched. It wasn’t quite dawn yet, and Sage knew he’d been napping on the sofa in the living room.

  “How so?”

  “The fact she panicked means she cares. If she didn’t, it wouldn’t matter what you said to her.”

  It was his turn to smile. Mikhail was right. “Think you’re smart, don’t you?”

  Mikhail reached out and patted Sage on the back. “I know I am.”

  Sage laughed in spite of himself. You just had to like the guy.

  “Call me if you need me.” With that, Mikhail quietly left, leaving the two of them alone. And, he realized, conceding Sage’s right to be the one by Rina’s side. He knew that the older wolf was giving his silent approval of their union.

  Now if he could get Rina onside, he’d be a happy man.

  Sage settled on the bed next to her. She didn’t stir. He knew she was still weak. Hell, there hadn’t been enough time to build her strength back all the way from the months of hardship she’d endured before she’d been forced to run for her life. Now this had set her recovery back again.

  No matter. They had all the time in the world. Rina needed to understand she didn’t have to do it all on her own. Not anymore. He’d never turn from her, and neither would anyone in this pack.

  Sage sat beside her, resting his back against the headboard, and watched as the shadows were pushed back by the rising sun. He loved this time of day. It was quiet and filled with possibility. A new day just waited. Anything could happen.

  He loved that the rising sun filled his room with light. Best way in the world to wake, in his opinion. He never bothered to close the drapes over the large patio doors. Heck, he only had curtains because Sue had insisted they made the room look nicer. Personally, he didn’t care, but if it made Sue happy, he was okay with them. Luckily, she’d chosen a nice green color that reminded him of his garden.

  He wanted to share his mornings with Rina. All of them. Her eyes were closed, her thick eyelashes spread like a brown fan, a stark contrast from her pale skin. Her lips were partly open and she emitted a soft sound with each breath.

  Sage carefully pushed off the mattress, careful not to jostle her. He went to the door, opened it, and walked right into his brother’s open arms. He’d sensed Reece’s worry and concern since the shooting. He’d also felt him getting closer for the past few hours. He must have left Chicago almost immediately and driven like a bat out of hell to get here so quickly. It was usually a ten-hour drive.

  “I’m so glad you’re here.” He pulled back and studied his brother. Reece looked as tired as Sage felt.

  “Nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  That struck Sage to his core. It was the truth. “Then why are you still living and working in Chicago? You know there’s a place for you here.” Jacque had even given them both a piece of land. Sage had been considering building a home but had been unconsciously waiting to see where his twin finally settled.

  Now that Rina was here, it was time to build his own place.

  “It’s not time.” It was the same reply his brother always gave. Sage knew his brother felt he was in Chicago for a reason. He just didn’t know what it was.

  “How many speed limits did you break on your way here?” he asked.

  The corners of Reece’s mouth turned up in a small smile. “Let’s just say I used my badge twice to get out of a ticket. Thankfully, traffic was light since I drove through the night.” Reece jerked his head toward the open patio door. “She’s okay.” It wasn’t a question. His brother would have sensed Sage’s changing moods.

  “Yeah, she’ll heal.”

  “But?” Reece’s scowl grew fierce. “What?”

  “She had a panic attack when I told her I loved her.” That made Reece grin. The bastard was as bad as her brother. “Your time is coming,” he promised his twin. “When it does, I’m going to take great pleasure in reminding you of this moment.”

  “Relax.” Reece slapped him on the back. “That means she cares, right?”

  Why was he the only one who hadn’t been able to figure that out?

  “You’re too close to the situation.” Reece answered Sage’s question without him having voiced it out loud. Just like old times. Some things never changed and, for that, Sage was eternally grateful.

  “I want to see her.” Reece didn’t wait for an invitation and prowled into the room. Sage followed him and both of them stood by the side of the bed watching Rina sleep. She was lying on her side. The sheet covered her but dipped to mold slightly to her curves. Her brown and reddish hair flowed over the stark white pillowcase.

  “She’s pretty.”

  His brother was wrong. She wasn’t pretty, she was magnificent.

  Reece winced. “You want to tone it down. I’m getting a boner because you want to slide that sheet off and climb on top of her.”

  Sage felt heat climbing up his cheeks. He was blushing, for God’s sake. He’d forgotten just how much they shared, especially when they were in close proximity. “Can’t help it.” He sat on the edge of the bed and Reece stood behind him. “She’s everything.”

  “I know.” All teasing gone, his twin dropped his hand on Sage’s shoulder and squeezed. He didn’t have to ask if his brother would support him. Sage knew he would. There was never any doubt.

  Rina’s eyelids fluttered and then opened. She blinked and then frowned and blinked again. “Why are there two of you?”

  Reece threw back his head and laughed. The rich sound filled the room. Sage smiled at Rina and reached for her hand. “Rina, baby, I want you to meet my twin. This is Reece.”

  His brother sat on the bed beside him and reached for her other hand. “Hey, Rina. It’s great to finally meet you.”

  She looked from one to the other and back again. “Wow.”

  Sage grinned at her reaction. He and Reece were identical in all ways but one. His brother could shift into a wolf while he couldn’t.

  Reece frowned, and Sage knew he’d picked up on that moment of insecurity. It was the only discord between them. It was minor, but it still existed. Sage had accepted his li
mitations, but every now and then the ghost from the past would rise up and poke him.

  Rina looked at him and smiled. “He’s pretty, but you’re much better looking.”

  Reece laughed again. “I think I’m going to like her.”

  “She’s mine,” Sage growled. Then he ignored his laughing brother, leaned down, and kissed her.

  Chapter Twenty

  It was like looking at a mirror image. Sage had told her he had a twin brother, but seeing them together was an experience. They were both tall, well-built men with dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and strong features. But while Sage made every part of her tingle, his brother did nothing for her.

  It was strange but true. She’d never mistake one brother for the other. Not even without her enhanced sense of smell, which enabled her to distinguish between them.

  “We didn’t mean to wake you.” Sage shot his brother a glare. “How are you feeling?”

  That was the question, wasn’t it? Physically, she actually felt pretty good for someone who’d been shot not twenty-four hours ago. If she’d been human, she’d be in a hospital, probably in their ICU. But she was werewolf, and her left shoulder was already itching, which meant the stitches were probably working their way out.

  She tried to rub her back against the mattress to give herself a little relief. It didn’t work. “I’m good.” If Reece wasn’t here, she’d let the sheet drop to her waist and present her back to Sage to scratch. No way was she showing off her naked breasts to his brother.

  “No, you’re not.” Sage frowned. “What’s wrong?”

  She shrugged. “My back is itchy.”

  “Probably the stitches. Let me see.” Sage started to tug at the sheet but Rina grabbed it and held it tight.

  “Not happening.”

  His scowl deepened. “Why the hell not? I need to make sure everything is okay.”

  She rolled her eyes and jerked her head toward his brother. Far from seeming offended, Reece seemed to be enjoying himself, if his grin was any indication.

  “Bro, the lady doesn’t want to show off her assets.”

  Sage smacked his brother on the back of his head. “Idiot, I would have made sure to shield her from view.” The look he gave her was pitiful. “You don’t honestly think I’d let him see you that way, do you?”

  He melted her. There was no other way to put it. She’d gone from being irritated with him to wanting to soothe him. The man had a gift. “No, I don’t think you’d do it on purpose, but it could happen with him just sitting there.”

  Reece stood and stretched. “That’s my cue to leave. I’m going to hit my room, shower, and get changed. Then if no one else gets ahead of me, I’ll start breakfast when I’m done.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Nice to meet you, Rina.”

  “Nice to meet you too.” It was going to take some getting used to seeing the two of them side-by-side. Reece was wearing a plain white cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled back to expose strong forearms and dress pants. Sage, on the other hand, was wearing nothing but a pair of faded jeans and a lot of exposed skin.

  Reece leaned down and the two men touched foreheads. The gesture was automatic and one Rina knew they’d done hundreds if not thousands of times before. They didn’t speak, at least not out loud, but she had the sense they were communicating.

  It was a little intimidating, to tell the truth. Any woman who got involved with one of the brothers would have to contend with that close bond. Rina wasn’t the least bit threatened by it. If anything, she was glad Sage had someone he was so close to, someone he could depend on.

  Reece slipped out the bedroom door, closing it behind him.

  “You should have told him my brother is sleeping on the sofa.”

  Sage just smiled. “He’ll figure it out.” He tugged at the sheet once again, and this time she let him pull it away. “Now what can I do to help?”

  “My back.” She rolled so he could see the injury. “Are the stitches coming out?”

  He gently rubbed an area. It hurt a little, but nowhere near the way it had last night. “Some of them are working their way out. Do you want a shower? That might help.”

  “God, yes.” She felt grungy and dirty, even though she could smell soap on her skin. “Did you clean me up last night?” She didn’t like the idea of anyone else touching her when she’d been out of it.

  “I thought you’d be more comfortable.”

  “Thank you.” She shoved the covers back and started to sit. He was right there, lending her his strength but not taking over. He understood that she needed to feel some control over the situation. She didn’t know why it still surprised her that Sage seemed to know exactly what she needed and freely gave it to her. Any other male werewolf would simply take over and handle things however he felt was best. He wouldn’t take into consideration what she wanted.

  And that wasn’t being fair. Her brother was different, and from what she’d witnessed, so were the men of this pack. But Sage was in a league all his own.

  “Take your time. There’s no rush.” He stood beside the bed with one arm around her waist just holding her upright while she decided if her knees were going to hold.

  She took a deep breath and put all her weight on her legs. Shaky, but they should hold. “Let’s do this.” She really wanted to use the bathroom and then shower.

  She took one small step and then another. By the time they hit the bathroom door, she was gaining confidence. She was weak from the loss of blood and from the sheer energy it had taken for her body to heal the gunshot wound. Food and rest were needed to build her back up.

  She knew that but was impatient. Sage was seeing her at her worst, yet again. She was tired of appearing weak, even though it didn’t seem to matter to him.

  “I need a minute on my own.” No way was she letting him through the door while she was making use of the facilities.

  “I don’t want to leave you on your own.”

  She shook her head. “Not happening.” She decided to be blunt and pointed to the toilet. “You need to wait outside.”

  He looked away and his jaw tightened. The devil was trying to keep from laughing. “Yeah, okay. Call if you need me.”

  Like that was ever going to happen. She shut the door in his face. His laugher filtered under the door, and she found herself smiling. Shaking her head, she made her way to the toilet. When she was done, she turned so she could see her upper back in the mirror. Her left shoulder was heavily bruised, but the wound looked days old, not hours.

  Rina turned away and looked longingly at the shower stall. First, she had to remove her panties, and then she had to walk all the way to the shower, turn it on, and wash. A cold sweat broke out on her skin.

  She honestly wasn’t sure she could do it on her own.

  Turned out she didn’t have to. Before she could decide if she was going to ask for help, the door was pushed open. Sage went to the shower and started the water running before he turned to her. He went down on one knee in front of her and pulled her panties down to her ankles. “Step out.”

  Rina used his shoulders for support as she lifted one foot and then the other. With her panties gone, Sage carefully lifted her into his arms and carried her to the shower.

  “I can walk, you know.” She didn’t want him to think she was weak.

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “I know you can, but why would you when I can carry you?”

  When he put it like that, it made sense. She liked having his arms around her. He set her down and waited until she’d leaned against the tiled wall. Then he stepped back and shucked his jeans before joining her beneath the spray.

  “We’re being environmentally conscious by sharing the water.” His tone was serious, but his blue eyes twinkled with humor.

  “Not sure my brother would see it that way,” she pointed out.

 
Sage lathered up a cloth and rubbed it carefully around the edges of her wound. “He’s a big boy. He can deal with it.”

  She winced when one of the stitches caught on the cloth. Sage stilled. “I’m sorry if that hurt. Only about half the stitches are ready to come out.”

  “It didn’t hurt. Not really. It was more a surprise than anything.” Sage continued to work until the entire area was done, but he wasn’t finished with her. Not by a long shot.

  He turned her around so she was leaning against the wall. She put all the pressure on her right shoulder. God, he looked amazing with his hair slicked back from his face and water droplets rolling down his wide chest and taut abs. And lower still where his engorged cock was standing hard and wet.

  Rina licked her lips, and he groaned. “Stop that. I’m trying really hard to do the right thing.”

  “Oh, you’re hard, all right.” She suddenly wasn’t as tired as she’d been. Seeing Sage all wet and naked had her revved up. It was a sure sign she was feeling much better.

  She picked up the bar of soap and rubbed it between her hands until bubbles frothed between her fingers. She tossed the soap back on the ledge and placed her hands on his chest.

  “Rina.” There was warning and slight desperation in his voice.

  “What?” She let her hands slide over the hard planes of his chest and over his abs. She teased the line of hair arrowing downward and followed it to his erection. She bypassed his shaft, running her fingers alongside it but not touching.

  Sage groaned and rested his forehead against hers. It was the same gesture he’d used with his brother. It felt intimate and right. “You’re an evil woman, Rina.”

  She ran her index finger over his cock from the base all the way up to the bulbous tip. “Not so evil,” she protested.

  “Completely.” He sucked in a breath when she wrapped her hand around him. “But I’m not complaining.”

  “Hmm.” She loved the hard, slick feel of him. His shaft was hot and pulsing with life. He was broad and thick and her pussy clutched in response.