Page 45 of Bound

Red starts to move in Bain’s arms, and we all press closer, watching with wide eyes.

“Is she waking up?” Chase asks, his voice tinged with hope.

Her head turns, and I watch as her beautiful blue eyes slowly blink open. When she finally seems to come to, noticing all of us staring at her, she pushes back against Bain, then tilts her head to see him staring down at her too.

She quickly starts to wiggle, and Bain gently places her on the floor as we all take a step back to give her some room.

She shakes out her fur as Maddox squats directly in front of her. “Hey there, little wolf. Are you feeling better?” She dips herhead, which I take to mean yes. “You’ve been out for two days. Is that normal for you?” he asks.

She looks around at us before nodding her head, then her attention catches on something in the kitchen, and she darts around Maddox, stopping at the patio door. She whines and scratches at it.

“Shit,” Chase hisses as he runs over and yanks the door open.

“Wait!” Maddox and I yell at the same time, not wanting her out there unprotected.

Suddenly, Bain, in wolf form, flies through the kitchen, practically running over Chase as he dashes outside after Red.

The rest of us move to join Chase, watching her move through the small clump of trees on the property as Bain surveys the area, giving her the smallest bit of privacy.

“The poor thing must have been desperate,” I say with a sigh. “I hope sleeping that long isn’t a habit. It can’t be good for her to go that long without food and water, either.”

“Food!” Chase practically shouts as he turns back into the kitchen and yanks open the refrigerator. “She’ll be starving.”

He pulls out a large plate filled with cooked chicken and beef as I refill the water bowl we’ve kept out for her with fresh water.

When she comes back inside, Bain herds her back to the living room, and the rest of us follow like lost puppies.

Chase sits on the large couch and pats the seat beside him. “Hungry, Red?”

She licks her lips and gingerly jumps up beside him, eyeing the plate of meat the entire time. He starts to hand-feed her small pieces, and I step in to hold the water bowl out to her, letting her drink as much as she wants before placing it nearby where she can reach it if she wants more.

I sit on her other side as Bain shifts back to human and pullshis clothes back on. He sits in one of the large armchairs, and Gage takes the other one while Maddox stays standing. Everyone watches with rapt fascination as Chase slowly feeds her, piece by piece.

When she finally seems full, he sets the plate down on the table, then leans back and pats his lap. “You want to lie down?” She glances around at us all, looking nervous, but doesn’t move otherwise.

Maddox moves to sit on the coffee table right in front of her, his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers pressed together as they stare at each other in silence.

After several minutes of the intense stare-off, Maddox finally speaks. “There are a few things we want to talk to you about. First is your name. Without you being able to speak, we needed to come up with something to call you. We’ve decided on Red. Is that okay with you?”

Her nose dips down, and he gives her a small smile. “Good. Okay, so,Red. First and foremost, I want you to know that you are safe with the five of us, the Silverstorm Pack.” He gestures around the room to encompass all of us as she tilts her head. “We are part of the Westgrove Pack, like a pack within a pack. We can’t speak for the rest of Westgrove, but for us, for Silverstorm, we promise to keep you safe.”

He takes a moment to let that information sink in before he continues. “I know trust isn’t easily given for most people, and I imagine it’s even harder for you.”

She gives another small nod. “I know it will take time, but I want to state here and now that you can trust us, Red. I know you can’t speak to us right now, but when you can communicate, know that no matter what you've been through, what you’ve done or has been done to you, your secrets and life are safe with us.”

He pauses to let that sink in before he asks, “Do youunderstand?” She nods, and he surprises me by asking. “Do you trust us?”

She hesitates, her eyes moving between us. When they meet mine, I give her a smile of reassurance. “It’s okay if you don’t yet.”

She looks back at Maddox and nods. “Yes?” he asks. “Yes, you trust us?” She nods again, and I can’t stop the huge smile and sigh of relief. That feels like a big step in the right direction.

“I’m happy to hear that,” he tells her. “I have a few more questions for you. Are you running from someone?”

She nods quickly, her eyes wide, as if she’s desperate for us to know that.

“Did they hurt you? Are they the ones who put the muzzle on you?” She dips her nose again as a tiny whine escapes her.

Unable to resist touching her anymore, I stretch my arms out and wrap them around her in a big hug, as Chase does the same on her other side.