Page 22 of Bound

She has the most beautiful blue eyes I’ve ever seen. I could get lost in her gaze if I’m not careful.

I realize how calm she is right now, and frown at her strange behavior. Before we came to the pond, she wouldn’t let anyonetouch her or even sleep near her. Now here she is, letting the biggest guy here hold her and clean her, and yet she hasn’t so much as tried to get away. I wonder why? Is it because she knows we’ll keep her safe?

A strange urge presses me to reassure her that she’s doing well, so I whisper, “You’re being such a good girl for us, angel,” as I brush my fingers and the soap through her fur. Maddox’s eyes flash to mine, and I catch him frowning at me out of the corner of my eye.

My body tenses, realizing what I just said, but thankfully, he doesn’t comment on it and I ignore his stare.

“I bet you’ll feel so good after you’re all cleaned up,” Maddox tells her. “Bain, let’s take her to the waterfall to wash her face, so she doesn’t have to go under.” I nod as I reach out and take her back from him.

I know he can carry her, but my protective instincts are pushing me hard, knowing she can’t swim. The best way to protect her is for me to hold her myself. I don’t doubt Maddox or the others, but my wolf won’t let it go.

Besides, I have a feeling she’ll go back to shying away from our touch after her bath, and my wolf will become whiny again. So,for him,I soak in as much of her as I can right now.

I shift her so her front paws rest against my chest while my arms form a solid bar under her ass to sit on.

She leans forward, resting her chin on my shoulder, against my neck, and I freeze. My entire body is tingling from her close proximity. I feel her nose twitch and wonder if she’s sniffing me. What do I smell like to her? Is she drawn to me like my wolf is to her?

She must feel…something.

Again, I’m surprised by how easily she lets me handle her. I really hope I’ll get to do it again when she’s dry.For my wolf’s sake.

As we approach the waterfall, the other three watch us, surprise covering their faces.

“She’s so…” Chase trails off.

“Red,” Hunter finishes.

“I knew she was red, but now that she’s clean, you can see the depth of the coloration. That rich red with those darker undertones. It’s actually a striking genetic trait. Very unique,” Gage says in his form of a compliment.

He’s right, though. Now that the dirt is gone from her, the red is much more vibrant than I thought, making her beautiful coat even more unusual.

I stride toward the waterfall and shift my arms, one still holding her up, the other moving to the back of her head and neck.

“Hold still, angel. We’re going under the waterfall. Hold your breath and don’t panic. Only a few seconds at a time.” I feel no resistance, so I hope she understands me.

“Can I?” Hunter asks, reaching for the soap. Maddox nods and hands it over.

“Ready,” Hunter says, standing right beside the falling water.

“Okay, hold your breath now,” I tell her, right before stepping under the stream. I quickly rub the top of her head as Hunter runs his hands through the fur along her face. After five seconds, I turn us away.

“Okay, breathe now.” I feel her exhale and then inhale a few times.

“All right, hold your breath again,” I say, and we repeat the process a couple more times until the dirt is gone. Then Hunter starts massaging in the soap.

“I think she likes that,” Chase comments with a smirk.

I can’t see her face, so I glance at Hunter in question.

“Her eyes are closed. It’s the first time I’ve seen her looking relaxed.”

“Girls do love the spa,” Chase quips with a smile.

I take a deep breath as tension eases from my chest. If she’s relaxed, then she’s letting her walls down around us. I’m sure it won’t be long until she shifts.

And when that finally happens, we’ll lock eyes and confirm we’re not fated mates. But even as I try to convince myself that’s what will be revealed, I can still feel the ball of hope in the center of my chest, praying that it isn’t true.

Chapter 11