“Bear, I was about to come get you.” I winced, turning my head away and back into Bear’s chest.
Bear put his overly large hand over my ear and kept me glued to his body.
“Lower your voice. She can’t handle loud noises,” Bear grumbled, pushed the gentleman to the side, and barged in.
The soft voice Bear used on me earlier was gone, and now I felt more guilty for causing problems. But maybe it was all because he was trying to get me on the plane and be compliant anyway.
I didn’t know what they wanted with me yet.
Bear sat me on the medical bed; it was stark white and sterile. I frowned knowing I would just stain it with my dirty clothes as Bear sat me down with a blanket wrapped around me. I swayed, unable to sit up, so I lay on the bed, not looking at either one of them.
I could feel the heated stare from Bear and saw his fists at his sides. He was angry, that much was for sure.
I swallowed, trying not to look at him. Even if he felt warm and safe while he held me, I couldn’t expect him to continue to do it.
“Hi there, I’m Bones. I’m a trained medical professional.” He did his best to smile, but it looked like he didn’t do it much. “I’m going to check you over. See if we need to get some antibiotics in you or anything else to get you healthy, okay? We are also going to start an IV with some fluids to get some food in you too.”
I nodded a few times, wrapping the blanket tighter. “Can you tell me your name?” Bones sat down on a stool, so I was looking down at him. It made me feel taller, like I was on the same level as him, but I was still uncomfortable. I had two men in the room and then me, a girl, with no way to communicate.
I shook my head and fiddled with the blanket.
Bones’s brow furrowed.
“She hasn’t spoken since we rescued her,” Bear interrupted, crossing his arms.
“Do you want to tell me your name?” Bones reworded the question.
I nodded.
Bones pulled out a clipboard, flipped over a piece of paper, and handed me a pen. I held the pen as best I could with my hand, but it shook so badly I could hardly keep it steady. I bit my lip, trying to concentrate, but my bony fingers were unable to grip. I dropped it several times until Bear came to my aid and sat me up before pulling me into his lap.
His big, burly body engulfed me. A rush of heat flooded through my body and gave me strength. Sitting up so fast, along with the heat and my starving body, I had no more energy to spend.
With the last bit of energy and with Bear’s help, he used his hand to steady my grip on the pen and I was able to write out my name.Nadia.
Chapter Six
Bear
Mine.
That was exactly what I thought when I took in her scent, lying there, helpless. When I saw Quillian try to step in front of me to get near her, it was a grave mistake. I had gripped his arm and threw him across the room. He laid in a crumpled heap. It was invigorating. I tried not to roar with triumph with my strength returning.
As soon as I realized she was mine, I felt a sudden surge of strength coursing through my body. I knew instantly that it was all because of her. I could smell the heady aroma of freshly picked wild blackberries dripping with sweet, sticky honey. The scent was so strong that it filled my nostrils and permeated every inch of my being. It was the most delicious smell I had ever experienced, and it brought back memories of my childhood. I could almost taste the sweet, juicy berries on my tongue and feel the sticky honey dripping down my chin. It was like being transported back in time to when I ate it as a cub, carefree of the world and the dangers that surrounded me. The sensation was overwhelming, and I knew I would never forget this moment for as long as I lived.
Unfortunately, my mate was being offered to me on a worthless, crumbling cot. She should be laying on an altar, ready for me to worship her for the goddess she is, but no, she was wasting away.
My bear reared his ugly head, shook whatever fur left of our emaciated body, and set off a deafening roar that alerted the guards. I knew Quillian and his men would deal with them quickly because Quillian ran out the door while I scooped my mate in my arms and paid them no mind.
I had her. I finally had her.
I cradled her, smelled her, buried my nose into her neck. She woke up once and showed me deep blue eyes, and I knew she had me wrapped around her finger. I’d do anything for her, and right now, I needed to get her to a safe place.
My bear let out his loud hum, one that was much louder than the wolf shifters. She didn’t shy away; instead, she curled up into my arms more, and damn, did my grizzly feel that much more prideful.
As we went to the plane and her grip on my shirt tightened, I hoped she would remain awake so she could answer my questions. I could know her name, know who she was, and finally hear her voice.
As we gathered on the plane, I knew I had to calm myself as well as my grizzly. He had to know we could not push her and claim her like any other type of bear. She was a human, scared and very weak from her time spent in that damn hell hole.
