Wild Magic One: By the Light of the Moon-- A Wolf Shifter M/M Romance

17- Taking Hits

EDON

The first thing I noticed was the slight pressure on my side and the warmth in my hand. Someone clutched my hand gently but almost desperately, as if afraid they would hurt me. My eyes were heavy, and it took me what felt like an hour to open them. When I did, I was forced to close them again immediately, because the light was blinding and a shot of pain burst just behind my eyes.

I groaned, and the pressure in my side immediately jerked, the hand in mine squeezing.

"Edon?" Lhiam whispered huskily. I could hear the sleep in his voice and I tried to smile.

"Lhiam...?" I answered, my tongue as heavy as my eyelids seemed to be.

"Don't try to move, sweetheart," Lhiam's gruff voice sounded from just above my head. I turned towards it, my only thought to get closer to his warmth. I could hear footsteps, but Lhiam didn't move, so I wondered who else was there. Then, "Gerard is on his way back. Can you open your eyes for me?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, I forced my eyes open, blinking rapidly to filter the light.

Lhiam stood above me, staring down at me with so much emotion in his eyes it made my heart immediately jerk against my ribs. I inhaled rapidly, studying him. There were dark shadows under his eyes, like he hadn't slept in a week. His hair stuck up haphazardly around his head, as if he had run his hands through it and hadn't bothered to fix it. I could smell that his clothes were new, and not covered in blood as I assumed they would be since he had carried me here, but despite that his shirt was ruffled, untucked, and his pants were wrinkled. As if he hadn't left my side and had been sleeping in them.

But that was a crazy thought. He had better things to do than to watch over me.

I tried to remember what had brought us here. I could remember traveling down to the group home, spending a few hours there, then the trip back. I had been distracted by Tay's cries when I heard the soft sounds of two arrows being released and felt the shift in the air as the arrows dragged towards Lhiam.

Towards Lhiam's heart.

I jumped without thought, slamming into Lhiam at the same time that two distinct jolts of pain exploded in my back. I could feel the tip of one of the arrows break off against my ribs, and my breath left me as I toppled onto Lhiam.

Then all was chaos as I felt Lhiam's arms around me, his panic, and his voice drifting over me. I let myself go, knowing he was safe, and that was all that mattered.

Now, I stared up at him, grateful he was safe, but worried about how exhausted he looked.

"Lhiam," I muttered as I felt the air behind him shift. Gerard came up behind him, immediately reaching towards my back. I lay on my belly on a soft cot. I knew I was in the doctor's offices from the sterile, too-clean smell mixed with blood around me. "Are you alright?" I managed to finish, flinching as the doctor lifted the bandages on my back, tugging at tender skin.

Lhiam glared at me, his mouth pursed as I felt a wave of disbelief and rage waft off of him. "Of course I'm alright. You jumped in front of two fucking arrows for me, Edon."

I felt my body curling away from his anger, but I fought it. I hoped it wasn't directed at me. Not really. Because how could he be angry at me doing my job? He couldn't be mad that I had done the only thing I was really good at— taking hits.

And even if his ire was directed at me, I knew he wouldn't hurt me. I tried to convince myself, and my mind understood that, but my body was far too used to that sort of rage precluding pain, so it shrank back reflexively.