Chapter twenty-eight Back to the ranch

Chapter twenty-eight Back to the ranch


JASMINE’S POV

The ride back to the ranch felt longer than it should have.

Not because of distance, but more because of the fear I felt on the inside. 

I suppose it was the lingering after effect of almost having everything that you care about being taken away from you.  

So, I caught myself looking at Damien over and over again,  just to make sure he was still breathing beside me.  

I'm pretty sure I must have looked in Damien’s direction at least ten times already.

“Stop staring at me like that,” he muttered the last time I looked at him, and I tried to play it off.

“I’m not staring.”

“Yes, you are. You’ve done it a couple of times now.”

“Well, I guess you could say I’m just monitoring you.”

He cracked one eye open from where he leaned against Liam behind me on Gracie.

“Monitoring,” he repeated dryly. “So what am I now? A kind of hospital equipment?”

“No.” I said quietly, “You look like someone who literally stopped breathing today.”

I hated that the memory of that ordeal still made me grow cold with fear.

He sighed. “I thought we’d moved past that. I’m fine now”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re still a little pale. So no, we haven’t moved past it.”

Liam snorted behind him. “She’s got you there, Alpha.”

“You’re nothing but a traitor, Liam.” Damien said dryly

“Self-preservation. You should try it too, she might get off your neck.”

“Whatever.” Damien said and shifted. I immediately twisted around when I heard him wince.

“What’s the matter? Are you hurt?”

“It’s nothing.” He said, and waved me off. But he didn’t know how stubborn I could be.

“Damien.”

“It’s nothing, Jasmine.” He repeated, this time his voice was a bit more firm.

“Don’t lie to me.”

He hesitated and then just sighed in surrender.

“ I think it’s my ribs. Maybe.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, “That’s anything but fine.”

“It was only a momentary sharp pain. It’s passed.”

“You’re bruised, dehydrated, and you passed out for twenty minutes. That ‘momentary sharp pain’ might actually be serious”

“You’re being dramatic. Liam, tell her she’s being dramatic.”

“No thank you, keep me out of that.” Liam said, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

“Do you want me to sedate you?” I asked, my nurse demeanor in full mode.

He merely raised a brow.

“You wouldn’t.”

Oh, he had no idea what I could do.  “Just try me.”

Laughter escaped Liam’s lips so hard, he nearly lost the reins.

“Care to share what’s funny?” Damien muttered.

“Seeing you get bossed around, Alpha. It’s both funny and rare.”

I rolled my eyes and ignored them both, but my hands were still clenched tight in Gracie’s mane.

Every sound made me jump. Every rustle in the trees made my heart race.

Because now I knew something  I couldn’t unknow.

There were things beneath this land.

Things older than wolves.

And one of them had touched my mate. A mate I had only just realised that I was deeply in love with.

One I wanted to protect from the curse that had been hounding me for years.

My stomach twisted.

Without thinking, I reached back and grabbed Damien’s hand.

Just to make sure he was still there. And he was.

Still warm and solid

He went quiet immediately and rather than pull away, his thumb brushed against my knuckles.

Gentle.

Comforting.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly, his browser nature from earlier had simmered down.

He wasn’t teasing anymore and although the other wolves might have found this serious nature of his intimidating, I found it quite endearing. 

“I almost lost you,” I whispered.

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Silence stretched between us.

Even Liam didn’t utter his usual jokes.

“I know,” Damien said quietly.

“I hate that I know what that feels like now,” I added.

I heard a soft sigh leave his lips and his grip tightened.

“But I’m here… you didn’t lose me,” he said.

“No, I guess I didn’t. ”

“You came and dragged me back like an angry wife.”

I actually laughed. “I am not your wife.”

“Not yet. But soon.”

My heart tripped.

“Don’t start.”

I’m just saying. Best of you get used to the idea as well.” He said good naturedly.

There was something different in his voice.

It was Softer. Much more hopeful.

And somewhat dangerous. Because it made my chest flutter stupidly.

And I looked away before he noticed what he was doing to me on the inside.

We reached the ranch just as the sun dipped low, painting everything orange and gold.

The moment we rode through the gates, members of the pack started running toward us.

I suppose Word travelled fast when your Alpha was on the brink of kicking the bucket.

“Alpha!”

“Is he alright?”

“What happened?”

“Move!  give them some room!”

Hands reached out to help steady him. Some

Simply wanted to touch him like they needed proof he was alive.

Damien waved weakly. “Relax. I’m not dying today.”

“You literally almost did,” Liam murmured.

“Don’t say that out here, Liam.” Damien grumbled as I slid off Gracie. Then helped Damien down carefully.

He tried to step on his own, but he immediately swayed.

Thankfully, I was there to catch him.

“Told you so,” I muttered.

“Please don’t start,” he whispered.

I slung his arm over my shoulders and realised that he was heavier than he looked.

“I’ve got him,” I told Liam, adrenaline strengthening me.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Damien leaned closer, his breath warm near my ear.

“You smell nice,” he murmured sleepily.

I blinked in surprise and turned to face him. “What did you say ?”

“Like lavender.”

“I think you might have a concussion.”

“Probably.”

“Just be quiet for a second.”

“So bossy.” He cut out but fell quiet after 

I tried not to smile. But his cuteness.

We got him inside and onto the couch in the main house.

And I immediately switched into nurse mode.

Focused.

Practical.

Safe.

“Liam, you need to get water. And some electrolytes if we have any.”

“Got it.”

“Someone bring clean towels.”

A girl rushed off.

“Damien, stay awake.”

“I am awake.”

“Then look at me.

He obeyed instantly and locked golden eyes on mine.

The trust I saw in them made my chest hurt.

“You scared me today,” I said quietly.

He studied my face.

“I scared myself as well,” he admitted.

That stopped me.

Damien didn’t ever admit fear.

“I couldn’t move,” he continued softly. “I could hear things. Feel things. But I couldn’t wake up.”

My stomach twisted.

“I felt like I was  drowning,” he added.

I swallowed.

“I heard you though.”

My heart skipped.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You sounded pissed.”

“I was pissed. Thoroughly ”

He smiled faintly and slowly closed his eyes.

“Hey, you need to keep your eyes open. I said softly and he adhered

“I like that you were pissed . Means you care.”

I stared at him.

He was stubborn, reckless, stupidly brave and that mix made something warm settle deep in my bones.

How terrifyingly beautiful.

Behind us, the front door creaked.

I glanced up and for just a second, I thought I saw something move near the treeline.

A shadow.

It was still as though watching. Then it was gone.

Like it had never been there.

A chill slid down my spine.

Maybe the mines weren’t done with us after all and perhaps something had followed us home.