Lorenzo shook his head. If a Packmaster saw one of his own in such a condition, he wouldn’t think sensibly and would try to move her. Cole had no idea of the extent of her injuries, and Lorenzo needed more time to work his healing magic using remedies his grandmother had passed on to him.
“I can assure you she’s receiving excellent care. No one in my pack could ask for better treatment, and you have my word on this. But consider your situation for a moment. If you have a wolf whose goal is to claim her, maybe it’s better that she’s temporarily removed from your property. I can guarantee no rogue is going to tangle with the Church pack. Take your wolf brother home. Work things out with these outsiders. I’ll return the woman on the fourth night in better condition than when she arrived at my doorstep. If you still wish to pursue me for compensation, we can discuss it then.”
“And how do I know you’ll keep your word?”
Lorenzo considered this, pinching his chin. What would instill faith in this alpha? “Take my second-in-command. He’ll be a steadfast guard if you’re fighting off a rogue pack. There are no ulterior motives behind this. We both know I have no desire to claim your pathetic little shed.”
“You can kiss my ass for that remark. But I’ll accept your offer. If he’s under my roof, give him orders to follow my command.”
Lorenzo shrugged. “That goes without saying. You’re the alpha, and he’ll instinctively submit. Keep the rest of your pack away from my land. I don’t want to call the Council myself and give them my concerns about returning an injured woman to an unstable pack.”
Austin’s cheeks reddened and it almost filled Lorenzo with pride, except that he was beginning to feel more concern. Under normal circumstances, he might have gloated over Austin’s situation, but Ivy would be returning to his home, and Lorenzo considered her safety. His wolf paced, growing anxious. He needed to shift soon to maintain balance.
Lorenzo quickly stood up and lifted his chin. “William will return home with you. I’ll go tell him the situation while you two wait outside.”
Austin held up his fingers. “Four days, Church. That’s all.”
“As always, it’s been a treat, Cole. Give my regards to Alexia.”
Chapter 8
After Lorenzo’s packmate had summoned him from the bedroom, I ate as many of the ribs as I could stomach and tried to rest. My body needed to shift again, but I was afraid to do it alone. Afraid my wolf would hurt herself.
I shouldn’t have trusted Lorenzo as much as I did, but he hadn’t hurt me or my wolf. If he didn’t have compassion, he wouldn’t have brought me into his home. Then again, as an influential Packmaster, hiding a wolf in his bedroom without telling his pack seemed dubious. Perhaps I was nothing more than a liability, conveniently hidden away like a dirty secret.
Pain gripped my side like an iron claw when I tried to turn over. I could only imagine how battered I must have been when they brought me in. At the very least, I must have had broken bones and a shattered pelvis. I prayed it would heal enough for me to be normal again. What man would take a crippled Shifter as his mate?
Not that I was searching for a mate. I’d be perfectly content to live with the Cole family for the rest of my days, but I feared that if this didn’t heal, I would become a burden on the pack.
The fire dimmed and shadows flickered on the walls. The bright moon peered at me through the tall windows, and the treetops moved like dark clouds, swaying in the frigid wind. Regretfully, I had thrown the covers off earlier so I could eat without getting them messy, and now my legs were chilled from the cold air penetrating through the windows. All I had to cover me was Lorenzo’s silk robe.
And of all places, I was in the Packmaster’s den. I could only imagine how many times he’d had sex in this bed. Then the memory flashed in my head of his skilled hand on my bare thigh, the heat of his breath against my lips, and the way his expression softened when he spoke to me. No one had ever touched me so tenderly, and I felt a burning desire to know that sensation again.
The door swung open and startled me out of my thoughts.
“Your Packmaster is aware of your situation,” he said flatly, locking the door behind him.
I tried to scoot up using my elbows. “What did Austin say? Is he here?”
“Lie back down, nashoba.” The word he used was an affectionate term for a female wolf, one I’d heard before. He sat on the edge of the bed, pinning my shoulders against the pillow. “We agreed that you’ll stay here temporarily and heal. Cole left the property. I sent him my second-in-command as a show of trust.”
I furrowed my brow. “Why would you do that?”
He pursed his lips and never looked away from me. “Tell me about the wolf who is hunting you.”
“His name is Fox. He was my father’s second-in-command.”
“Was he disloyal to your father?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to my father in some time. Austin might know the reason—”