Leeza sat in a room at Lance’s home, her eyes not leaving Cole’s wolf. After he was shot, Gemma called Lance. The bullet needed to come out, and Lance had a full-time veterinarian on his staff. Once the bullet had been removed, Eric and Kile were able to get Cole to shift.

For two weeks she had sat in this room watching him breathe. Praying for him to jump up totally healed, but so far, nothing. When he'd become restless, she would shift and lie next to him, hoping her wolf could calm him, and usually, it worked, but today was the worst. Nothing seemed to soothe him.

Her eyes were bloodshot from tears and lack of sleep. She was exhausted, but she would never give up on him. He would survive this. Lying down next to him, she ran her hand through his soft fur.

“Come on, Cole,” she whispered, as she had every day for two weeks, for hours upon hours. “Please come back to me. I swear I’ll stop being a pain in your ass. I’ll even move in with you. I’ll be the perfect little mate, and you can boss me around. Just please live.” Tears leaked from her eyes.

His wolf moved only slightly, but that was it. “Dammit!” She cried harder. “Why did you jump in front of me? Why did you do that, Cole?”

Sitting up, she stood and paced the room, but stopped when the door opened. Lance stood there, his eyes going from her to Cole, then back to her.

“You look like shit.” Lance frowned, then looked at the plate of untouched food. “You need sleep and food, Leeza. You’re not helping him by not taking care of yourself, and when he does get better, he’s not going to be happy to see you like this.”

She rolled her eyes at him. The movement made her dizzy. She weaved and stumbled sideways. When he reached for her, she held up her hands, stopping him. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not fine.” Lance’s voice turned angry. “I’ve called Eric. He’s on his way over here.”

“I’m not leaving him,” she growled, suddenly afraid that Eric would do just that and make her leave. “I’ll fight whoever tries to make me. Just leave me alone.”

“Calm down.” Lance reached for her and took her by the arms, forcefully sitting her down. He knelt in front of her. “No one is going to make you leave. I won’t let them, but, Leeza, you need to take care of yourself because once he comes through this, he’s going to need you.”

She knew he was right, but her world that she hadn’t realized would stop without Cole Jackson had done just that. Stopped. Tears came in earnest, flowing hard and fast. Lance took her in his arms, and she let him.

“If you don’t let go of her, Cutter, you’re a dead man.” Cole’s voice, weak yet strong, broke them apart.

Leeza stood so fast the chair flew out from under her, hitting the floor. She prayed she wasn’t hearing things, but when she looked to see Cole lying naked on the makeshift bed on the floor, she hurried toward him and fell to her knees. Tears of joy filled her throat, so all she could do was stare and cry, afraid to touch him in case she hurt him.

Cole reached out, touching her cheek. “As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right. You need to take care of yourself. I’m going to be fine.”

A hysterical laugh finally escaped her closed-off throat. She reached for the sheet that lay next to him and covered him up. “Please tell me this is real. You’re really going to be okay?”

“Never better.” Cringing, he shifted his weight, but finally sat up. “Just took me a little longer to heal from that one.”

“That one?” Leeza frowned. “You’ve been shot before?”

“A few times,” he said as he glanced down at his chest. “That one is going to leave a mark.”

“Can I please hug you?” Leeza asked, her chin trembling. She needed to touch him to make sure she wasn’t imagining this conversation.

He opened his arms, and she carefully went into them. Never had anything felt so good. He really was going to be okay.

* * *

As Cole held her, he looked at Lance, who stood there trying not to pry, but he didn’t leave. “Thank you, Cutter.” Cole gave the man a nod of respect. “I wouldn’t have made it without you and your doctor.”

“Actually, he’s a vet.” Lance smirked but nodded. “You need anything at all, let me know.”

“Well, it’s about fucking time.” Kile smiled as he barged in the door with Eric following, looking at his brother who still held Leeza in his arms. “Remind me to kick your ass for scaring the shit out of us.”

“How you feeling?” Eric stared at him, his eyes missing nothing.

“Like I’ve been hit by a truck, but I’ll live.” Cole knew that both Eric and Kile were aware of how close to death he’d been. The longer it took a shifter to heal, the more danger they were in. “Where is she?”

“We took her to McKallen. She will be tried and sentenced,” Eric said, his voice stern with an edge of hardness.

McKallen was judge and jury in situations like these. He knew for a fact that his brothers would not kill a woman. If it would have been a man who’d shot him, he’d be dead already. Sometimes death was the better way instead of standing trial in front of McKallen. If you weren’t sentenced to death, you were sentenced to a life of hell on earth. But that was the price you paid for the attempted murder of a shifter. Their laws were much different than human laws, with many gray areas. He also knew by the look on Eric’s face, there was more. He had heard a lot while he was in wolf form while healing, but not everything.

“I’ve told Eric that she came here asking for Foster.” Lance broke into the conversation. “I wasn’t here, but she talked to my foreman, Charlie. He didn’t mention it to me until this happened. He told her that there had been an accident, but didn’t want to give too many details. He said she left clearly upset and a little unhinged, but he took it as grief. Obviously she knew more about your involvement.”

“Did he tell her any other information?” Cole frowned, his eyes narrowing.

“No.” Lance shook his head. “Charlie’s a good man. He gave her no information whatsoever.”

“Foster definitely lied about any family connections.” Eric frowned. “But after I killed the bastard, I did make calls to see if anyone knew of any relations who would be out for revenge. I got nothing, but it’s clear that news travels fast.”

“Well, my men will be informed to keep their eyes out for anything out of the ordinary,” Lance added. “As a matter of fact, once Cole is back on his feet, I’d like to host something here so everyone can meet.”

“I think that will be a good idea. Because extra eyes are what we are going to need since his sister has informed us that Foster has two sons.” Eric’s eyes narrowed.

“They out for revenge?” Cole would have been surprised if they weren’t. His arms tightened around Leeza, who still held onto him as if afraid to let him go. He liked it, liked it a lot.

“So she says, but why weren’t they with her? I’ve got people looking for them,” Eric responded, his seriousness but vague responses told Cole more than a full-blown explanation ever could. He didn’t want to upset Leeza anymore than she had been, but they’d all better be vigilant, because it meant more trouble could be on its way. It was their life. Shifter life was dangerous, and when you let your guard down, you got hunted down, beat down, chewed up, spat out, or shot. He was a prime example of that.

“Well, I’m ready to get out of this room and off this damn floor,” Cole replied, then glanced at Lance. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Lance chuckled. “You’re welcome for as long as you need.”

“Take your time, but we’re ready to have you back.” Eric nodded, then looked down at Leeza, who was listening but staying quiet. “Make her eat. She’s practically starved herself since this happened.”

Kile reached over and gave Cole a knuckle bump. “Glad you’re good, bro. I’ve missed your ugly mug.” He leaned down and ruffled Leeza’s hair. “Thanks for taking care of him, but get some sleep for God’s sake. You look like shit.”

“Kile!” Cole warned, then grinned when Kile laughed, closing the door behind him.

“Asshole,” Leeza hissed, then looked up at Cole.

“Yes, he is,” Cole agreed, but then he frowned down at her. “Or were you talking to me?”

Leeza sat up, kneeling in front of him. “Don’t you ever do that to me again,” she ordered, her lips and chin quivering. “I mean it, Cole Jackson, never again!”

“Then don’t you ever put yourself in danger like that again,” Cole shot back, his eyes narrowing. “As soon as I get a bit more strength, I’m going to bust your ass good for doing what you did.”

“Well, Eric and Kile weren’t going to get to Sherry in time, and I was trying to distract the bitch,” Leeza said as a tear fell from her eye. “I didn’t think she was a good shot.”

Cole touched his chest. “She was a good shot.”

“I hope McKallen’s punishment is the maximum.” Leeza’s voice turned fierce, anger and tears coloring her words.

“Where’re my clothes?” Cole didn’t want to go into any of that. He needed to get himself to a hundred percent, just in case Foster Manning’s sons were stupid enough to show up one day. They had been lax after killing Foster Manning, but they had been in the right when killing the bastard. Rape was a killing offense.

“Cole, you aren’t going anywhere.” Leeza put her hand on his shoulder when he tried to stand up.

“Yeah, I am,” he argued. “I have a trailer to pick up, a perfect little mate to boss around, and —”

Leeza gasped. “You heard that?”

“I heard a lot.” Cole grinned at her, then kissed her so softly she melted against him. “And did you hear me?”

“What?” Leeza touched his cheek, her thumb rubbing against his skin.

“That I love you?” Cole asked, his eyes staring into hers.

Leeza bowed her head, her body shaking as she cried. “Yes, and I thought that would be the last words I ever heard you speak.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Leeza.” Cole lifted her face up to his. “You’re stuck with me.”

“I love you,” she whispered, before smiling. Then her eyes narrowed. “Did you get shot just to hear me pledge to be the perfect little mate?”

Cole laughed as he stood. “If I felt that would work, I’d have done that a long time ago.”

“You’re crazy.” Leeza reached over to get his clothes and then helped him dress.

“About you.” He slowly tested his feet, then grabbed her hand and headed for the door. “Come on. We need to get that trailer, and I mean today before you change your mind.”

He stopped at the door, then pulled her close. “I love you.” He felt his eyes water. “Thank you for giving me a reason to live. I don’t think I would have made it without you.”

“You’re my life, Cole.” Leeza held on to him tightly. “I wasn’t letting go without a fight. And I’m sorry I was such a dick.”

Cole’s laughter rang out, filling the room. “Trust me, you’ll pay for giving me hell about being my mate.”

“I can’t wait.” She winked at him.

With each step Cole took, the better he felt. He was walking toward his future with his life by his side, and he dared anyone to get in their way.