Pain, that was the first thing that Lina expected when she woke. Well, in all honesty, she was surprised that she was still alive and capable of waking up. After that pleasant surprise, she moved on to expecting the pain. A frown creased her brow. An analysis of her body resulted in her noticing a pleasant numbness.

“I’m paralyzed,” she whispered in horror.

That had to be the reason she didn’t feel any discomfort. She blinked, trying to clear the fog from her brain. Focusing, she imagined her fingers moving.

The feeling of horror changed to puzzlement when she realized she could feel the cloth covering of her bed. She also realized that she could feel the material against her bare skin, including her legs.

“Okay, maybe semi-paralyzed,” she murmured, concentrating on wiggling her toes. “Or, not.”

“You are awake,” a voice grunted, sitting up beside her bed.

Lina turned her head to the side and blinked. Edge was sitting on her makeshift pallet on the floor. She gave him a critical look.

“You look like shit. Are you feeling okay?” she asked in a voice that felt surprisingly weak. “What happened? How long have I been out?”

Edge’s expression darkened. Lina wondered if she should close her eyes and pretend that she had fallen back asleep. From the fire burning in Edge’s eyes, she had a feeling she was about to receive an ass-chewing.

“I’ll tell you what happened,” he growled. “You almost died! You have been unconscious for two days! I told you not to leave, but you refused to listen to me. You are the most hard-headed, irritating….”

Lina grinned when his voice faded, and she could see him trying to think of other names to call her. She relaxed against the pillow and raised an eyebrow. It was nice not to be in pain.

“How about lovable, smart, witty, cute, kick-ass, and a good kisser?” she suggested.

Edge glared at her with a frown. “No, those are not what I was thinking at all,” he replied before his expression changed, “but, I do agree with the last one.”

Lina chuckled, then moaned. Her hand slid up to her side. Okay, it did hurt when she laughed.

Mark off laughing from the list for a few days, she thought, closing her eyes.

“I cannot give you more medication for the pain yet. There is not much left,” he said, rising from the floor and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Lina hissed when he pulled away the covers enough that he could gently grasp her hand in his. She fumbled to cover herself. Without the covers, half of her right side, including her breast, was exposed.

He surprised her again when he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed her fingers against his mouth. His eyes darkened with emotion. Lina felt that familiar flutter in her stomach whenever they touched. Hell, whenever she thought of him.

This isn’t good. Not good at all, she thought.

“Water,” she whispered.

Edge nodded. “It is a good thing that Bailey and Mirela kept several containers in reserve,” he commented as he reached over and picked up a container of water on the table beside the bed.

Lina winced when she tried to sit up. A shiver ran through her. She clutched the bedsheet to her chest when he slid his arm underneath her back and helped her sit up to drink some water.

“Thank you,” she muttered.

She raised her hand to hold the container, but he kept one hand on it and the other wrapped around her shoulders. The cool liquid felt good going down her dry throat. She drank nearly a third of the container before the effort became too much and she needed to lie back down again.

Edge tenderly lowered her back to the bed. He brushed a hand along her cheek. His fingers warm against her cool flesh.

“Edge…,” she started to say with an uneasy tremble in her voice.

He slid his hand down and laid his thumb against her slightly parted lips. His eyes flashed with a warning and a determined look came into his eyes. Lina was too tired to fight—at the moment, but she had to let him know that there could never be anything between them. Well, at least nothing serious.

“You are mine, Lina. Mine to care for, mine to protect. You are my Amate,” he stated with a mutinous glare.

Lina shook her head. Her eyes closed despite her desire to stay awake. It was as if her body knew that she needed the rest even if her mind fought it.

“I can’t be yours, big guy,” she whispered.

She couldn’t be his—ever. It was hard to belong to someone when you didn’t have a heart. She had given hers away years ago to someone else.

* * *

Edge tenderly tucked Lina’s arm back under the covers and bowed his head. He looked at his hands. They were trembling. The chaotic thoughts and trembling were slowly diminishing, but he still had issues with them. Both issues became noticeably worse when he wasn’t near Lina.

The sound of the curtain moving drew his attention. He turned and saw Gail silently standing in the opening. She looked tired.

“How is she? I thought I heard her voice,” she asked.

Edge felt an unfamiliar smile lift the corner of his mouth. “Hard-headed, stubborn… but also cute and lovable. The last two were her words, not mine. I used a few others,” he admitted.

Gail chuckled and looked relieved. “I’ll let the others know that she is going to be okay,” she said.

Edge saw her turn, then pause and look back at him. Gail had kept her distance from him since the beginning. She had always looked at him with an expression of suspicion. He couldn’t blame her. He remembered what had happened to her world after the Trivators were sent there.

“I won’t hurt you or any of the other women,” he said.

Gail glanced at Lina’s peaceful face before looking back at him. “It isn’t us that I’m worried about you hurting. Lina can be tough as nails, but under that tough exterior is a warm and loving heart. She would give her life for those she loves. She’s come pretty damn close to doing that more times than I can count in just the few years I’ve known her. I see the way you look at her. Don’t confuse being grateful that she saved your ass for something deeper. In the end, you are still one of the aliens who changed our world forever and someone we can’t trust,” she said.

Edge rose to his feet. Gail didn’t move. She straightened and stared back at him.

“Lina is mine. I have claimed her as my Amate. It is my responsibility to protect and care for her. This is not about gratitude,” he replied.

Gail shook her head. “You can’t just claim her, Edge. Lina isn’t a pet. You say you won’t hurt any of us, and part of me believes that you mean it. I don’t think you would intentionally hurt any of us, especially Lina, but….” She shook her head and was silent a moment before she spoke again. “Just a word of caution, Trivator. You might want to protect your own heart,” she quietly said before she stepped out of the room.

He stood there as the curtain swung closed behind her. Returning to his position on the bed, he picked up Lina’s hand and studied her pale, slender fingers. Lifting them to his mouth, he pressed them against his warm lips.

“You are mine, little goddess,” he murmured, rubbing her hand against his cheek. “You keep the insanity away, giving me peace, and warming my soul. We will find a way out of here, and I will keep you safe.”