The clock in the kitchen said it was just past midnight. It felt like he'd slept forever and not at all. His muscles ached in weird places and a clawing hunger ignited in his stomach. Trying to regenerate all the blood he'd given her meant the bear needed to eat. He stood in front of the fridge, staring at the contents though all he saw was Zoe's face when he told her what he'd done.
Simon cursed under his breath and turned away from the fridge, then jumped as Ethan rose from the couch in front of the fireplace. Simon kept his voice low, in case the guests were still up. "What the hell are you doing out here?"
"Wanted to be close in case our patient woke up in trouble."Ethan yawned and rubbed sleep from his eyes. "How's she doing?"
"Confused." Simon braced his hands on the counter and stared at the floor. It hurt to admit. "Scared."
"Makes sense." Ethan shuffled to the fridge and got a couple of beers, handing one to Simon. "She just needs to rest and heal and figure things out. And you need to eat. Steak?"
He rubbed his shoulder and glanced back at the infirmary. "Nah. I'd rather go hunt. The bear needs to work through some things. Can you keep an eye on her? Get me if she wakes up again."
Ethan nodded and took back the beer. "Of course. Enjoy your run."
Simon poked his head into the infirmary just to make sure her chest rose and fell evenly and the beeping machine still worked, then stripped off his clothes and walked out the back door. His bear roared to the surface as soon as the chill night air hit him, and he lumbered down the sloping ground to the drive and the trees beyond. He moved through the dark, silent forest. He only felt truly free in bear form. His human senses felt dull and limited. Limiting. He could protect Zoe better in bear form, particularly if any of those humans hunting her managed to find their way to the lodge.
He grumbled and growled as he made his way to the river and splashed into the icy water. It wasn't the right time for salmon, but any fish would do. Anything warm and salty with life, wriggling in his claws, would dull the bear's hunger. It took longer than normal to tease a fish to where he could hook it, since his paws were unsteady and a little weak. He tore into the fish, then a second, then a third, and when his hunger finally retreated, he caught a few more to take back to the house for breakfast.
Maybe Zoe would want to eat some. From what he'd heard, newly-turned shifters were ravenous for the firstcouple of weeks as their metabolisms revved and adjusted to the increased requirements of shifter hearts and lungs and healing abilities. He liked her curves, didn't want her to lose them. She would need to eat a lot to maintain her figure until the shifter and human systems equilibrated.
He went back to the river for another couple of fish, then shifted back to human so he could carry the half dozen fish back to the house. The long walk gave him time to practice what he would say to her. Telling her she was his mate might be a bridge too far right away, when she still wasn't on board with being a shifter. Giving her time to adjust before springing the whole 'destined to be together' thing on her was only fair.
Simon inhaled deeply and let the crisp air clear his lungs. A narrow deer-track led up to the lodge from the river and he hesitated as the lighted windows came into view. Going back indoors after a shift always felt wrong. He scrunched bare toes in the dirt and took one last look around the dark wilderness around him, then headed for the lodge.
He shut the backdoor quietly behind himself and checked on Zoe before he carried the fish into the kitchen and pulled on the clothes he'd taken off before he left. Ethan dozed in a recliner facing the kitchen, and Simon fought back irritation that his friend hadn't kept a better watch on Zoe. She still slept, fine, but maybe she'd woken up alone and worried.
He dropped the fish on Ethan, who woke with a snort and a curse at the flopping, dripping trout covered him. Ethan lurched upright, nose wrinkled as he collected the fish, and staggered past Simon into the kitchen. "Thanks, a-hole. Fish tacos for breakfast, I'm guessing?"
Simon took a beer from the fridge and rubbed a kitchen towel over his damp hair. "Will Zoe be able to eat fish tacos?"
"Maybe." Ethan got out a cutting board and trash can to start gutting and scaling the fish. "Go sit with her. Rest is thebest medicine for her right now, but I don't want her freaking out and trying to get out of bed."
He didn't need to be told twice, and drained his beer before lumbering back towards the infirmary. When he opened the door and slid inside, she stirred in the bed and her eyes shone in the light of the monitors and machines. "Simon?"
"I'm here." He went immediately to her side and sat on the bed, needing to touch her. She sounded afraid. "I'm here, Zoe. Are you okay?"
Her legs moved uneasily under the sheets and lines stacked across her forehead. "I'm cold."
He hesitated. She was naked under the sheets, after all, and confused. Maybe in pain and certainly drugged on morphine and whatever cocktail Ethan mixed in the IV bags. He needed to be careful. But she shivered and huddled under the sheet and blanket he'd spread over her. He turned on the space heater and touched her cheek. "Baby, it'll take a sec for the heater to kick in. I'll get you another blanket."
"Wait." Her face crumpled and her hand fumbled through the sheet to reach for him. "Don't leave. Don't leave again."
"Never," he breathed. Simon couldn't move, pressing her hand between his. He touched her hip through the sheet and knew he played with fire. "Slide over a bit and I'll lay here with you."
It took a moment for her to maneuver, wincing with the pain of sore muscles, but then there was enough space for him to ease onto the bed on his side. He left her covered in the sheets and pulled the soft blankets over them both. He pulled the wires off her and shut off the heart monitor so they wouldn't end up tangled. Simon held her to his chest, rubbing her back in slow circles, and kissed her forehead. "Tell me if you're cold or you want to move."
She mumbled something and her hand tightened on his t-shirt, but her eyes stayed closed. The wrinkles across her forehead faded as she relaxed, and something in Simon's chest eased as well. Until she frowned again and pulled the sheet up to cover her nose. "You smell like fish."
The laugh that bounced out of him jostled her, and she smiled just a touch. Simon sat up enough to take off his t-shirt and lay back down, snuggling her closer to his bare chest. She patted his side, palm soft and smooth, and sighed. Simon's bear finally eased up on the constant worry about losing her and settled down to sleep. He had their mate protected, he would feed her in the morning when she felt better, and he would keep her warm all night. Perfect.
Zoe yawned and wiggled to get closer, draping her arm over his side, and she blinked up at him. "Do I still have to wake up early?"
He couldn't help it; he laughed again, and again she smiled. Simon bent to kiss her forehead and tucked the blanket more securely around her. "I'll make an exception. Two near-death experiences in a row before noon leads me to believe you're too dangerous in the morning."
"Good." Her eyes drifted shut and she yawned again. "I knew you'd see reason."
"Just sleep." Simon rested his chin on the top of her head and adjusted the pillow for them both. "I'll be right here if you need anything."
He barely slept a wink but it was the best night he'd had in months. Years, maybe.
