Chapter 208
Lynette's POV
The boat was still cutting through black water when I noticed it.
Blood.
Dark. Wet. Spreading across Kael's left sleeve.
My stomach dropped.
"You're bleeding."
The words came out sharper than I intended. I was already moving toward him. Crossing the deck in three strides.
Kael glanced down at his arm. Like he'd just noticed. "It's nothing."
"Bullshit." I grabbed his wrist. Pulled his arm toward me so I could see better under the boat's running lights.
He didn't resist. Just let me turn his arm. His muscles were tense under my grip but he didn't pull away.
I pushed his torn sleeve up. The fabric was soaked through. Stuck to his skin.
Fuck.
The cut was deep. Maybe four inches long. Jagged edges. A piece of shrapnel from the explosion must have caught him.
But it wasn't healing.
Alpha wolves healed fast. Cuts like this should already be closing. But the edges of the wound were angry. Red. Blistered.
I leaned closer. Caught the metallic scent.
Silver.
Tiny flecks of it embedded in the torn flesh. Burning. Preventing regeneration.
"Silver shrapnel," I said flatly. "It's blocking your healing."
Kael glanced at the wound. "I know."
"This needs to be cleaned out. Then stitches." I looked up at him. "Sit down."
His eyes met mine. Dark. Unreadable. For a second I thought he might argue.
Then he sat.
I turned to Drake. "First aid kit. Now."
Drake didn't ask questions. Just moved to the storage compartment and pulled out a metal box.
Cole was slumped against the far railing. Eyes half-closed. Exhausted. He glanced at Kael's arm. Then at me. Then deliberately turned away. Stared out at the dark water.
Smart man.
I knelt in front of Kael. Took the kit from Drake. My hands were steady as I opened it.
Years of field medicine. Stitching up wounds in the middle of nowhere. This should be routine.
But my heart was hammering.
I pulled out antiseptic. Gauze. Sutures.
"This is going to hurt," I said.
"I know."
I poured antiseptic over the wound. He didn't flinch. Didn't make a sound. Just watched me with those dark eyes.
I started cleaning the cut. My fingers brushed his skin. Warm. Solid. His forearm was all hard muscle under my touch.
Focus. Just focus on the wound.
But I couldn't stop thinking about it. About what he'd done.
He'd killed Rezar. For me.
I still couldn't wrap my head around it. He really killed Rezar for me.
No one had ever done that before. In my first life. Twenty years as the most powerful Alpha in Canada. People followed me because they feared me. Because I was useful. Because I could protect them.
My throat felt tight.
I threaded the needle. Started stitching. Small. Even stitches. The way I'd been taught.
Kael's breathing was steady. Controlled. But I could feel the tension in his arm. The way his muscles flexed every time the needle went through.
"Wild Hunt won't let this go." The words came out quiet. "Killing one of their top hunters... you've painted a target on your back."
"I know."
I tied off a stitch. Started another one.
"You shouldn't have done it yourself," I said. "Should've let your guards finish him. Now they'll come after you specifically."
"Let them come."
His voice was flat. Final.
My hands stilled. Just for a second.
"Kael—"
"You think I don't know what killing him means?" He leaned forward slightly. His voice dropped lower. "I know exactly what I did. And I'd do it again."
I looked up. His eyes were on me. Intense. Burning.
"He threatened you," Kael said quietly. "Your family. That was enough."
Something twisted in my chest. Hot. Tight. Painful.
I looked back down at his arm. Finished the last stitch. Tied it off. Cut the thread.
My fingers were shaking.
Fuck. Get it together.
I wrapped gauze around his forearm. Secured it with medical tape. My movements were mechanical. Automatic.
"Done," I said.
I started to pull back. Put distance between us.
His hand caught my wrist.
I froze.
His grip was gentle. Warm. His thumb brushed across my pulse point. Could he feel how fast my heart was racing?
"Thank you," he said.
I looked at him. Our faces were close. Too close. I could see the gold flecks in his dark eyes. The way his jaw was tight. The small scar near his temple.
I could smell him. Cedar. Cold wind. Blood. Sweat. Something darker underneath. Something that made my wolf stir restlessly.
My mouth felt dry.
"You're welcome," I managed.
We stayed like that. His hand around my wrist. My fingers still resting on his bandaged arm. The boat rocking beneath us. The wind cold against my face.
I should pull away. Put distance between us. This was dangerous. Getting close to him was dangerous.
But I didn't want to.
That was the problem.
"Alpha!" Drake's voice cut through the moment. "Five minutes to dock!"
Kael's hand loosened. Slowly. His fingers slid away from my wrist.
I stood up. Fast. Stepped back. Put three feet between us.
My wrist still felt warm where he'd touched me.
I turned away. Looked toward the approaching shore. Lights glittered in the darkness. The private dock. Safety.
Behind us the cruise ship was still burning. Orange flames reflected on black water. Smoke rising into the night sky.
Rezar was dead. Wild Hunt would come eventually. But tonight... tonight we'd won.
I felt Kael move beside me. Close but not touching. His presence was solid. Steady.
"You should rest when we get back," he said quietly. "You've been running on adrenaline for hours."
"So have you."
"I have some things to handle first. Debrief with Drake. Contact the pack. Make sure no one followed us."
I nodded. Practical. Necessary.
But I didn't want him to leave.
The thought came unbidden. Unwelcome.
Fuck.
The boat slowed as we approached the dock. Drake maneuvered us alongside carefully. Two Pinehollow guards were waiting. They threw down ropes. Secured the boat.
Cole jumped out first. Then the guards. Then me.
I turned back. Kael was still on the boat. Looking at me.
"Be careful," I said.
The words felt inadequate. There was so much more I wanted to say. But I couldn't. Didn't know how.
Something shifted in his expression. Softened. Just slightly.
"Always," he said.
Then Drake was pulling the boat away from the dock. Taking Kael back toward the city. Toward whatever cleanup needed to happen.
I watched until the boat disappeared into the darkness.
Then I turned toward the waiting car.
---
The Pinehollow estate was quiet when I arrived. Most of the pack was probably asleep. It was past three in the morning.
I went straight to my room. Locked the door. Stripped off my blood-stained clothes.
The shower was hot. Almost scalding. I stood under the spray and let it wash away the blood. The smoke. The smell of explosives and death.
But it couldn't wash away the memory of Kael's hand around my wrist. His voice saying mine to protect.
I closed my eyes. Pressed my forehead against the cold tile.
This was getting out of control.
I'd come here to protect my family. To deal with Wild Hunt. To survive.
Not to feel... whatever this was.
But standing there in the shower. Alone. Finally safe.
I couldn't lie to myself anymore.
I wanted him.
Not just physically. Though fuck, that was definitely part of it.
I wanted his steadiness. His strength. The way he looked at me like I mattered. Like I was more than just a weapon. More than just a tool.
I wanted to trust him.
And that terrified me.
I turned off the water. Dried off. Pulled on clean clothes.
My body was screaming for rest. Adrenaline had kept me going for hours but now it was crashing. Hard.
I collapsed onto the bed. Didn't even pull back the covers.
Sleep hit me like a hammer.
---
I woke to darkness.
For a second I didn't know where I was. My body was tense. Ready to fight.
Then I remembered. Pinehollow estate. Safe. Kael's territory.
I checked my phone. 6:47 PM.
Fuck. I'd slept for almost fifteen hours.
The screen lit up. Notifications everywhere.
Most of them were from Elara.
Lynette are you okay???
I saw the news about the cruise ship
Please answer me
I'm freaking out
Guilt twisted in my stomach. I'd been so focused on surviving. On Kael. I hadn't even thought to message her.
I typed quickly.
I'm fine. Safe. Sorry I didn't message sooner. Everything happened so fast.
The reply came within seconds.
OH THANK GOD