He frowned. “When you got here, they had stripped most of your clothes from you. They needed to see the extent of your wounds.”
My phone was gone, which meant that Damian could get to my parents. Before I could mentally prepare myself, I launched myself from the bed and about face-planted. Rafe had his arms braced around me carefully, keeping me from hitting the floor. “Where are you going?”
“My parents,” I gasped out against the pain in my middle. “They’re going to be targeted by Damian next if I don’t protect them.”
His smile about broke my heart. “You aren’t going to be protecting anyone in this state. Gabriel is posted at their home and we have some reinforced magic helping, as well. Good thing they moved so close to our property.”
My hands clenched his biceps against my better judgment. His gaze darted down to my lips and somehow I managed to scramble from his grip without hitting the floor. I crossed my feet beneath me and scowled up at him. “I need to do this on my own.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Of course.”
Lucas came bounding through the door a few minutes later, right on time to rescue me.
Lucas and I were sitting beneath the trees outside when I finally brought it up. “You have to tell them who you are.”
He didn’t say anything and instead tucked his head into my lap. I ran my fingers through the fur at the base of his skull and felt a wave of contentment wash through me. If only every day could feel like that. He had helped me down the stairs and out the house that I had later discovered was Rafe’s home. For whatever reason, I had thought he lived at the main house. His home sat beautiful and bright in the distance from where we sat with our picnic. The basket was full of fruits and vegetables. I was thankful for the array. I didn’t know if I could stomach meat anytime soon.
“I know you’re scared, but you have to know that they miss and love you so much. I know my family would want me back no matter what.”
He picked his head up and I could practically read his expression.Then you tell your parents what you are.
I rolled my eyes. “It isn’t as easy. Your family is supernatural already. Plus Tracey is a witch now. Weirder things have probably happened.”
This time he rolled his brown eyes.
“I’ll be with you every step of the way but they aren’t going to continue to let you stay here if they don’t know who you are. They’re going to think you’re a threat. I would rather them know you.”
He sighed and laid his head back down. My eyes sought out the windows on Rafe’s home and for a moment, I swore I saw the curtains flutter and a man disappearing from sight.
