Giles

It takes all my strength to stay awake. Darkness pulls at my consciousness. And I know how easy it would be to fall into the cocoon of sleep. But I force my eyes open - for Tia.

“I love you,” she says again, gripping my hands. Her eyes desperate, fear pulling at her lips. “You’re going to be okay.”

I nod and squeeze her hand.

“I’ve had worse than this,” I lie.

My body feels like it’s been shredded, and I try not to look at my leg, see the way the skin hangs from the bone.

Fuck.

The pain has steadied, which isn’t a good sign. I’m in shock. I can feel the iciness of it straight to my core. Only felt it once before. When I found out that Caroline was dead.

Now it’s me, fighting for my life. And the unfairness of it hits me hard in my gut. I just found Tia. Our life together is just beginning. And while I know she’ll be safe with the others, I don’t want to leave her. Ever.

“Giles,” Tia says sternly. “Keep your eyes open. We’re almost home.”

Home.

It’s been a long time since I had one. Spent most of my youth in the facility, training with other boys my age. But with Tia, we were just beginning to make a home.

“I like that,” I say, my words slurring like I’ve had too much to drink.

“What?” Her brows drop.

“Home.” I close my eyes. “Our home.”

“Giles, please stay awake.”

I try to open my eyes, but they’re so damn heavy.

“We’re almost at the gate,” I hear Fallon say. “Can you get his ID?”

Tia leans over the seat and reaches into my pockets, searching for the card. “Got it.”

“And make sure the blanket covers his injuries. The less the guards see the better.”

My eyes flutter open as Tia pulls the blanket over me. “Thank you.”

Her lips brush against mine lightly. “No, thank you. You were incredible out there. So brave.”

I try to smile, but I’m pretty sure it comes out more like a grimace.

“Giles,” Fallon says. “We’re pulling up to the guards. I need you to be alert.”

“I’m good.” I try to sit up, but the pain is too much, and cold sweat beads across my forehead.

Tia turns back around in her seat, and we pull up to the guards. Thankfully, they don’t give us any trouble. Just a quick glance back at me. I salute them with my good arm, and they let us through.

As we pull up to our gated house, the last of my strength slips away.

Shadows dance behind my closed lids, and I can hear people talking, but it sounds metallic and far away.

“Get Emerson and Banks out here to help me,” Fallon shouts. “He’s lost consciousness.”

I try to murmur that I’m still here, but I feel paralyzed.  “Shit, what happened?’

“Wolves.”

“Get him inside.”

Words twist around me, and I feel like I’m floating.

“Giles.” It’s Banks voice that breaks through the fog. “I’m going to give you something for the pain.”

“No. Need. To. Stay. Awake,” I manage to say. I’m in the house. The living room, I think. On one of the couches.

“You need to rest.” Banks leans over me. “Do you trust me?”

I nod. The man is a doctor, and he’s sworn an oath to protect me.

“Your wounds are deep. And I need to work on your leg now if I’m going to save it.”

“Do it,” I rasp out.

I feel something sharp in my shoulder, then a warmth spreads through my body, and the darkness that swallows me isn’t as cold as it had been. It’s peaceful. And quiet. And the last thing I feel as I’m pulled under is a small, soft hand on my forehead, and Tia’s voice begging me to be all right.

* * *

When I was a kid, I fell through the ice while we were ice fishing. I remember the initial shock as the cold water enveloped me, pulling me down. When cold hits you, and not just regular cold, but the bitterest cold, it surprises you, because it’s like flames licking against your skin.

But it’s when I came out of the water when they tried to warm me up, that’s when the real pain began. As blood rushed to areas that had been frozen.

Every time consciousness calls to me, the pain is so excruciating that a howl sounds in the deepest part of my soul. Maybe I release it audibly, because I feel hands on me, trying to hold me down. See Banks’ dark eyes filled with concern, speaking words I can’t understand.

And then I’m floating back into the cold waters again.

I don’t know how long I remain unconscious. Hours, days, weeks, for all I know. There’s no sense of time, only the people who never leave my side.

Tia, with her soft, pleading voice. Banks constantly giving orders. Fallon demanding gruffly that I hold on. The others are there too. Emerson, Salinger, and Huxley.

I don’t see them, but I hear their voices, sense their presence.

This time, as my mind climbs through the dense fog of the drugs Banks gave me, the pain is somewhat bearable. And despite the weight that seems to be pressing down on me, I’m able to open my eyes.

I’m in my bedroom, the only light is from the bathroom, and I feel a weight beside me. Tia is there, curled in a ball, one hand on mine, her eyes closed. The bruise on her cheek is still visible and the small cut on her lip is now scabbed over, which means I haven’t been out for that long.

With all my strength, I reach over with my good arm and brush my knuckles across her jaw. She stirs, then her eyelashes flutter open.

“You’re awake.” She sits up a little too quickly, making the mattress move and causing a slice of pain to shoot down my leg.

I hiss in a breath.

“Sorry,” she says, removing a cloth from my head, then grabbing a fresh one from a bowl on the table beside her.

“How…” I wince at the scratchiness in my throat. “How long have I been out?”

“Since yesterday.”

“And my leg?”

“Banks says you’re lucky. He doesn’t think you’ll have any nerve damage. But you’re going to need some time to heal. Fallon called your supervisor.”

“And the truck?”

“Fallon and Emerson replaced the tires and brought it back. They said we were lucky that they got to it before a patrol car found it.”

That gives me a sliver of hope.

“Are you thirsty?” She reaches for the glass of water on the table.

“No.” I take her hand. “Would you get Fallon for me?”

She frowns but nods, and I squeeze her hand when she starts to stand.

“Thank you for staying with me. But you should get some sleep.”

Her bottom lip pulls between her teeth, and she chews on it for a moment, before saying, “I’m not going to leave you. I’d rather stay in here.”

A small smile tugs at my lips. “I’d like that. But why don’t you go eat something before you come back? You need to take care of yourself too.”

“Okay.” She starts to walk away, but then turns back to me, and leans over, kissing me softly, her hand on my beard. “I know I keep saying it, but I want you to know how much I love you.”

“You can never say it enough.” I place my hand on hers. “And I love you too.”

She kisses me one more time, then disappears from the room.

Fallon comes in a few minutes later. “The drugs are finally wearing off, I see.”

“Don’t let Banks give me anything else,” I say sternly. “I need to be clear-headed if anyone comes.”

“Let me worry about that.”

“Fallon-”

“I’ve got it taken care of.” His nostrils flare and he gives me one of his don’t-argue-with-me looks.

“How’s Tia doing?” I ask, knowing it’s no use arguing with him.

“She hasn’t left your side.” His lips twist up slightly. “She really cares about you.”

“And you,” I add.

“Yet, she still ran.” He shakes his head, then drags his fingers through his short, dark blonde hair.

“Did you ask her why?”

“Not yet. We’ve all been too worried...” He rubs his neck. “You scared the shit out of us. There were a few times we thought we might lose you.”

“I don’t give up that easy.”

“No. You don’t.” He steps towards me, his expression filled with emotion. “I’m just glad you’re going to be okay.”

“You’re not going all soft on me now, are you?”

He chuckles. “Give me a second and I’m sure I can find my inner asshole.”

“Doubt it’ll take much looking,” I tease.

He grunts, then says, “Banks wanted to know when you were awake. I’ll send him up.”

I stop him when he’s near the door. “Fallon.”

“Yeah?”

“Tell the guys not to be too hard on her. Whatever her reason was, I think she was trying to protect us.”

“From what?”

“I don’t know. But there’s something she’s not telling us. I think there might be people after her.”

“There are always people after the women who come here. That’s why we have our laws and our security systems in place.”

“I know. Just be patient with her. I don’t think she’ll run again.”

He grunts, and I can see the doubt in his eyes before he turns and leaves the room. And I know he has no plans to go easy on her, Fallon never does.

But I know I’m right. Tia doesn’t need his wrath.

I may have the body that is wrapped in bandages, but Tia has been through the wringer herself. She killed a man.

And that’s going to haunt her a hell of a lot longer than it’ll take for my wounds to heal.