Page 163 of Wolf Blood

"One of us is a canine, and it isn't me."

He didn't smile or laugh at my joke.His eyes were still dark. "I'm not kidding, Harp."

"Alright. I'll stay here."

I would for a few seconds, at least.While I figured out what was going on.

He let out a breath and nodded before walking to the nearest sink. Leaning over it, he started scrubbing his skin, splashing water over his face and neck. What he was doing was obvious, so I grabbed a few paper towels and strode over there.

He gave me a narrow-eyed look as I got the paper towels wet, but when I slid between him and the sink, he let me clean the dried blood off his throat a lot more gently than he'd been doing it.

"I can handle this," he said harshly.

"I know you can. You can handle anything."

His shoulders visibly relaxed.

"It's not the end of the world if you let me help you sometimes," I said. "We're mates. That makes us a team, even if you don't like it."

He didn't reply.

Not immediately.

I set down the paper towel I'd been using and lifted a clean one to his neck. He really needed a shower, but if we could get him clean enough, he clearly wanted me to bite him.

After I did, I was pretty sure he was going to let me stay and participate in the pack stuff.

Questioning the turned vampires.

Talking to them about what their new reality was.

Warning them.

Maybe even helping them.

I wanted to be there for that. Rhone had been there for me, and Bloom had too. I wanted to pass it forward, and just... see them. Other people like me. People who were struggling, and learning how to cope.

"I'm not myself right now," he finally said, as I pumped some hand soap onto my fingers and lifted it to his neck to help clean his skin. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry for protecting me and everyone else here. Holly's dead, right?"

"Yes."

"Then you did your job perfectly. Thank you."

Rhone's gorgeous blue eyes were on my face for a moment before he gently moved me aside and rinsed his skin off, using more soap to scrub everything a little harder again.

His skin was slightly red when he dried himself off with some paper towels. As soon as he was done, he picked me up by the waist and set my ass on the edge of the sink. I had to grab his shoulders to stay upright, but I knew he didn't mind.

Instead of dragging my face to his throat, he kissed me.

Hard.

I kissed him back just as roughly, pulling his face closer and hooking a leg around his ass. He grabbed my other leg, pulling it behind him too, and lifted me off the edge of the sink. His tongue worked mine brutally, one of his hands cupping my ass and the other buried in my hair.

Eventually, he released my lips and dragged my mouth to his throat. I sank my teeth in, and took the three swallows that were all I'd allowed myself for so long. It was the only way to avoid getting horny when I fed from him.

He growled at me when I pulled away, but his expression was a little clearer.