Mate and Deception (Gifted Werewolf Series: Book 3)

29

Whisper slept two whole days after Truent's work to help her heal quickly. At first, Zane was worried, but the doctor said it is fine, that the body is just healing itself and gathering strength. Whisper was hooked up to a drip because she was dehydrated as well as starved. Zane noticed after sleeping with her, that she looked a lot better, but needed more time. The bruise had faded for the most part, and the whippings and claw marks have scabbed over. Her breathing was finally even and rhythmic, not shallow and slow.

After a long restless night beside her, falling in and out of sleep, Zane decided to go check on Reed's mate, Simone. He left Nico with Whisper in case anything happened. Simone was in the pack house cooking something that smelled like lasagna when Zane found her. She heard him knock on the door and turned around, smiling. "Alpha Zane, what a nice surprise!"

Her eyes held a hint of sadness and fear, but that was to be expected. She was just in jail for a crime she didn't commit and probably tortured there, Zane thought. "How are you?"

She shrugged. "Not huddling in a corner in a ball," she said with a joking tone, but he saw the truth in her eyes.

"You don't have to hide, Simone. I'm not going to judge you."

"I know, but I thought I was over all that," she whispered. "I just became Luna and mated to Reed when I was taken. I was stronger."

Zane didn't know her story, but could sense it was a little dark. "Build yourself up again," he said. "This time, make yourself stronger."

"Thank you."

He walked closer to her and crossed his arms, not daring to touch her when he knew Reed would go off, not that Zane could blame him. "Whisper hid from me when we met. She was convinced that if we touched, I'd get hurt because of something she would do. It wasn't until she was in my arms, screaming for help while her mind played re-runs of her past, that she opened up to me. It might have been a few minutes, but she opened up and told me everything about her nightmares or panic attacks.

"You need to open up to Reed if something like that happens. Tell him what you're going through. He may not be able to erase it from your mind, but at least he'll stop you from doing something you might regret, at least you won't have to burden it alone. Let him feel your pain. Goddess knows we all have it. Maybe it'll help the flashbacks. It did for Whisper."

"And if I can't?" she asked softly.

"Tell someone else. Have them tell Reed. Either way, let your mate shoulder your pain. Don't tear yourself up about it," he advised.

Simone looked up at him with blurry eyes. "I will if you mate her."

Zane chuckled. "This wasn't a deal of some sort."

Simone smirked. "No, but you continuously wait to mark her. You got lucky this time. The next time, how will you find her? Reed wasn't able to find me because I had silver caging me in on all sides. You'd have been able to find Whisper if you mated her. Don't wait for another attack. You might not get another chance."

Zane nodded as his phone buzzed. "Hello?"

"You're being summoned," Nico said with amusement.

"By whom?"

"Do you have to ask?" Zane chuckled again and winked at Simone. "She says to hurry your ass up!" Nico said, holding in his laughter.

"I'm on my way," Zane said and hung up. To Simone he said, "Deal, but after I mark her, I expect you to have opened up."

"Should we have a set date?"

"A week." At the shake of her head he explained, "She needs a few days to settle. I don't want to scare her."