“I know what you’re thinking, and you’re wrong,” he said, his voice lower. He inched toward me.
He couldn’t possibly know what I was thinking.
“There were two of them and one of me, and you saw who won.”
That was true. Of course, Korban was an Alpha. It was no surprise he was stronger than other shifters.
“And yesterday there were three of them.” He took another step. “I didn’t let them get what they wanted then, either.” He was a hair’s distance from me, and he scrunched his eyebrows together in concern. “You look tired, Samuel.” He slowly raised his hand and gently placed it on my back, as if I was the one afraid of touch. Well, I supposed I always had been sensitive about my personal space, but his touch was different. His touch had always been different. “When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep?”
I shrugged, both because I didn’t know the answer to his question and because I couldn’t breathe with him so close to me. I didn’t want to hurt him again, but I had no idea if I could keep myself from doing it.
“You need to go to bed,” he said.
“You’re not safe here,” I repeated.
“Then I’ll come inside with you.” He kept his hand on my back and started walking toward the open doorway.
“I can’t….” I shook my head and gulped. “You shouldn’t be with me. I’m dangerous.”
He didn’t slow down; he just kept walking, leading us out of the workshop and toward the house.
“No, you’re not.”
“How can you say that after….” I closed my eyes in shame. “How can you say that?”
“You’re a strong shifter, Samuel. Definitely stronger than those two pack members of yours.” We reached the back door and Korban opened it. He waited for me to walk inside, and then he followed me, closed the door, and locked it. “But at the risk of ruffling up that pride I remember from when we were kids, I have to ask: Do you actually think you’re stronger than me?”
Chapter 11
SOMEQUESTIONSsound simple, but they’re hard to answer. I had always prided myself on my strength, knowing it would be valuable for my role as Alpha of my pack. And I was quick to get defensive if I felt that strength was questioned, including by Korban. But with him standing naked in front of me, firm muscles on display, power rolling off him, I couldn’t deny his strength. I even admired it. Was I stronger than him? Did I want to be?
“You look like you’re about to fall over,” he said. He sounded concerned, not like he was mocking or judging me, so I didn’t argue. “You haven’t slept in days, have you?”
I shook my head and focused on keeping myself upright.
“Well, that explains why all that tightly held control finally snapped.”
Wincing at the reminder of what I’d done to him when I lost my control, I lowered my gaze and started stepping away so I wouldn’t crowd him.
“No.” He grasped my shoulder and then eased his hand onto my back. “That wasn’t a complaint.” He sighed. “We need to talk, but first we need to get you operating on all cylinders, which means sleep. Where’s your room?”
Pride should have kept me from letting him decide what I needed and when. Instinct should have prevented me from leading him to the place where I slept and was most vulnerable. Self-respect should have stopped me from giving in to my exhaustion by slumping my shoulders and shuffling my feet as I neared the bedroom. And yet I did all of those things without a second thought or a hint of hesitation.
When we got to the bed, he dropped his hand from my back and waited for me to get in. I shivered, suddenly cold in my core. I looked at him, not sure what I wanted, but certain he could provide it.
“I’m filthy,” he said, gesturing to his blood- and dirt-covered body. “You lie down and I’ll go wash up.”
He was right. I could only imagine how he felt, coated in filth and grime. “I’m sorry. I should have thought to… I shouldn’t have put you… I—”
“Shhh.” He cupped the back of my head and massaged my scalp. “You need sleep. You can’t complete a thought or think straight.” He tilted his chin toward the door at the end of my room. “That’s the bathroom, right?”
I nodded.
“Take your clothes off and get in bed. I’ll be right back.”
It wasn’t until my shoes and pants were pooled around my ankles and I was stripping my shirt off that I realized what I was doing. Why on earth was I listening to what he said? Why was I putting myself in an exposed and vulnerable position? Why was I letting him bathe in my shower when I normally couldn’t stand anyone in my personal space?
“You know why, Samuel.”
