She nodded and let Ellie guide her to her bedroom. More voices sounded from inside her house. She knew them all. Mason, Jake, and Nathan were there.
In a trance, she showered and allowed Ellie to dress her wounds.
“I’m sorry, Jordan. I’ll get one of the guys to bring you something more powerful. That arm is going to start throbbing really bad soon. At least these painkillers have something to help you rest for a little while.” She gave her some pills and winced. “These wounds will take more time to heal on you now than they will once you and Aric mate.”
Her mind was a mess. Pain radiated outward from her wounds to her muscles. She wouldn’t try to figure out what Ellie was talking about. Though she hated to admit it, even to herself, she’d been scared that the animal would best her. That added a whole new level of reality to her situation with Aric. What the hell was she doing with someone who had been promised to someone else?
“Did you find out what the white wolf wanted?” Ellie asked.
She nodded. “Aric.”
“When we arrived there were a handful of them outside. They attacked, and we were forced to fight. None retreated so we have some cleaning up to do in front of the house. I wonder why she said she wanted Aric.”
Sand dunes formed in her throat, making her inability to swallow past the dryness even more difficult. She licked her lips, but it did little to help. “She said she was invited here to mate with him and I wasn’t going to stand in the way.”
“I highly doubt that. I know we’ve seen that woman at the scenting ceremony, but I never saw her in her wolf form. You heard Aric. He recognized her human body, but he didn’t talk to her. And I’m sure none of the others had either. It’s probably why we didn’t know what white wolf you were talking about.”
Jordan winced at the pain growing by the second. The throbbing sharpened like steel blades cutting into her flesh. “Was she telling the truth? She came here with the sole intent to be his mate.”
Ellie turned her face away from Jordan “I…I don’t know that part. I know my parents invited women for the guys to meet, but I wasn’t told any of them were already chosen as mates.”
Had Aric lied to her? They’d started this tenuous relationship out of nowhere and she wasn’t sure she wanted to see where things went if this was what awaited her.
“You should wait and speak with him. I’m sure it’s not what you’re thinking.”
She sat back on the bed, the pain in her arm increased. Tears filled her eyes. “I don’t think I want to talk to him right now. Some woman came into my house to kill me. She said I got in the way of what she was promised. How many others are going come with the same claim?”
Fear for her heart and her already deep and muddled emotions made her bite her lip against the sob working up her throat. Who was she kidding? Aric had told her to try, but she already worried it would all go down hill.
“Jordan calm down. I know my brother. If he says he wants to be with you, then he doesn’t want anyone else.” Ellie patted her hand. “Relax a little while I go check on the guys.”
Her mind ran too fast for her to keep up. All she knew was that she’d given a lot of thought to being with Aric. The past few weeks with him had opened doors to feelings that scared her. And she didn’t like being scared.
Chapter Eight
Aric helped his brothers clean up the mess Jordan’s fight with the daughter to an Alpha had left behind.
“This is going to bring repercussions,” Jake said, lugging the body of the naked woman out of the house.
Maybe. Maybe not. Aric’s father was a powerful Alpha. That woman had made her bed the moment she’d attacked their pack. Jordan was part of the Wolfe pack.
“The Alpha that female belonged to is friends with Rocco. Your mate murdered his first born.”
“If he decides to bring us a war, we’ll handle it. But they know the rules when they come into our land. We don’t allow anyone to hurt our family. Jordan is mine. She’s a Wolfe and as such, she had the right to defend herself when attacked.”
Nathan started cleaning up the blood on the floor. “That’s true.”
“They should know better than to wage war. Their people were the ones to break our rules. Alpha’s daughter or not. Our family comes first for us.”
Ellie strolled into the room. He scented pain coming from her.
“What’s wrong?” Nathan asked.
She glanced up. Concern filled her gaze. “She has a lot of deep cuts. I need one of you to go get her something stronger. Go to our clinic. Bring a sedative and something to fight infection.”
“I’ll go.” Mason volunteered and followed Jake out of the house. A moment later one of their trucks left with the two brothers and two dead wolves.
Alarm rushed through his body. “Is there anything I can do to make her better, more comfortable?”
“You heard her, Aric. She’s afraid you already promised yourself to a shifter.”
“I haven’t. I told her she’s the only one for me.”