The Broken Wolf
Chapter 14

Sofia eventually comes back to the exam room and finishes stitching up my finger. Completely disregarding me she looks at Seth. “Don’t let her get it wet. Or bend it too much tonight. It will remain numb for a while but once it wears off she’ll need one of these every 4 hours.” she tells him, handing him an orange bottle of medicine that he accepts from her. “I’m concerned about the amount of b***d she seems to have lost” she adds, while looking at my chef’s coat with a pretty good amount of b***d now staining it. “Lots of red meat and leafy greens for dinner tonight and give her these after she eats. No alcohol tonight.” she adds the last part directly to me, sternly.

“Thanks Doc.” Seth tells her as he takes the vitamins from her. “What time should I have her back tomorrow?” He asks.

“Let’s say 1ish. Ice it tonight, but none in the morning.” She says and turns to me. “I mean it. Do not try to cook. Do not wash your hands. I had to use something different this time because it’s so deep. Please just do what you’re told this time.” She says to me, almost pleading.

“You told Seth everything. I doubt I could do anything to mess it up if I wanted to.” I say, a little irritated that they’re both treating me like a child.

“I’ll take care of her and have her back at 1 tomorrow. Thank you.” He says to her and he goes to help me stand. I realize I’m a little light headed, but I’m too afraid of the reaction of either of them to say anything. I hold on to Seth’s hand and he doesn’t seem to notice my unease as he leads me out.

As we go to leave, I trip a little going down the stairs. “What’s wrong?” Seth asks me quickly.

“I’m OK, just a little light-headed from the b***d loss. I’ll be OK after I eat and take the vitamins”, I tell him. He looks down at me then abruptly leans down to lift me again. “Honestly Seth, I’m fine. This is highly unnecessary.” I exclaim at being carried again.

“Maybe I just want to hold you” he says as he starts walking back to the packhouse and doesn’t even bother to glance at me. Realizing that it’s a lost cause, I lean my head on his chest. We reach the packhouse and an Omega opens the door for us to enter. We’re almost to the stairs when we hear someone calling “Seth, why are you ignoring my links?” and I realize it’s the King. Seth turns, still holding me in his arms, and when King Phillip sees me I can see his irritation quickly leave. My dad turns the corner and as soon as he sees me he comes running to us quickly.

“What happened?” he says, his voice dripping with concern.

“I’m OK Dad, I just cut my finger.” I try to reassure him.

“That’s a lot of b***d for a small cut on your finger,” he says suspiciously.

“I didn’t say it was small.” I return with a shrug. “Seth took me to Sofia, I’m all stitched up.”

“I’ve got her medicine and vitamins for her to take after dinner. Who do I speak with to make sure she has plenty of red meat and leafy greens for dinner?” He asks my dad.

“I’ll take care of that,” dad says. “Your dad needs you for urgent business. Why don’t you take Molly to her room and meet us in Robert’s office? I’ll have Celeste come down and stay with her.” My dad tells him. Seth nods and continues to the stairs, still holding me close to him.

“How long have you been ignoring your dad?” I ask him curiously.

“It doesn’t matter,” he tells me. “Whatever it is, I was dealing with something more important”, he finishes and looks down at me with a slight smile that makes my heart flutter.

We reach my room and he finally places me on the ground to stand, but he keeps a hand on my arm and when I go to walk he places one on my lower back. We go inside and I head to my kitchen sink, pulling out a big silver bowl and a bottle of peroxide. I place the bowl in my sink and begin to fill it with water, dumping the peroxide in as well. Seth just watches me and doesn’t say a word. This is how I’ve always gotten stains out of my jackets. I go to unbutton my top but realize I’m more hindered than I thought I would be by the way Sofia wrapped my finger. Seth silently walks over, pulls my hands away and undoes the buttons for me so that I can slip out of the jacket and put it in the bowl to soak.

Seth grabs me and lifts me to sit on the counter. My confusion must have been evident as he kneels before me. “You won’t be able to untie your shoes.” he says, reaching for my foot and removing them for me before he stands back up in front of me, between my legs and cups my face gently with his hands. “I was so scared. I could feel you were hurt but I couldn’t replace you.” he whispers to me.

“I’m sorry.” I tell him. “I’m sorry you can’t link me.”

“I don’t need to be able to link you, it’s OK. I just need to know where you are. We’ll figure out what works for us, OK?” he asks and I nod before he brings his lips down and meets mine. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared. I don’t ever want to feel that again.” he says and releases me, walking away and down the hall. I’m not sure where he’s gone to but then I hear the water in my bathroom turn on. I’m about to climb off the counter when Seth comes back, sees me and rushes over to grab hold of me. “Just wait for me. Why get hurt when I’m right here to help you?” He asks.

“I don’t like having things done for me. I’m already so useless.” I whisper to him.

He helps me walk back and once we reach the bathroom he moves to help me lift my shirt, but I’m nervous and step back shyly. “Please, let me help you. You’re covered in b***d and you can’t get your finger wet.” he says to me. I know he’s right, but I’m so nervous. He can tell, so he takes his jacket off and walks out to place it on my bed, and then his tie. He sits to remove his shoes and socks and when he goes to unbutton his shirt I become even more nervous and look at the ground. I hear him place his shirt and pants on my bed and he walks back over to me. He gently places his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll never do anything you’re not ready for. But you CAN’T get your finger wet. Would you rather have your mom help you?” he asks and I shake my head.

“I just… I haven’t done this…” I stop, not wanting to admit this.

“I know. And it’s OK.” he tells me gently as he moves his hands down to the hem of my shirt and lifts it, but this time I don’t resist and he lifts it up and over my head. He holds it out to me, a silent question of what to do with it. “Trash. There’s no saving that.” I tell him and he tosses it in the waste basket. He places his hands on my bare h**s and slowly moves them down, moving them forward to the front of my jeans. He places his hands to unbutton them but stops.

“Is this OK?” he asks me and I nod, granting him permission. He starts to move them down my h**s and kneels down again to continue removing them, his fingers brushing against my skin the whole way, leaving a trail of what feels like fire on my skin, until he helps me step out of them. He stands up and just looks down at me before putting a hand on my h*p and helping me turn around towards the mirror, wrapping his strong arms around me. “You are so incredibly beautiful, mate” he tells me in the mirror and places a k**s on my neck where his mark will eventually go.

I look at him, finally, in the mirror standing behind me. He really is handsome. I knew he was muscular, but he’s far more than I expected him to be. He’s tall, too, towering over me. Yesterday, it was intimidating when he was standing over me, but now, it feels comforting, like he was made to protect me. We stand there a moment together before he moves his hands to my back and unhooks my bra, helping to slide it down my arms while kissing the tops of my shoulders gently, eventually tossing it to the floor and putting his hands on my h**s where they linger before he places his fingers in the band of my underwear, slowly sliding them down and making every effort to graze his hands along my bare skin to remove them, sending warmth through my entire body.

He wraps his arms back around me and k****s my neck again, his face lingering as he murmurs “so damn perfect” against my skin. His eyes glaze over and he sighs deeply. “They have no patience.” he tells me as he releases me and reaches to remove his boxer briefs and takes my hand in his, leading me to the shower. He smirks at me as he realizes that I’m trying not to look at him as he reaches up and takes my hair down, then leads me into the shower. Seth grabs my left hand and places it on his shoulder, safe out of the water. “Keep it there,” he says to me sternly and he takes my head and gently leans it back to wet my hair.

I thought I would feel more awkward, but everything about being in this moment with Seth, a moment that is so intimate, feels completely right. He washes my hair for me, water running over me, washing my b***d away. I still feel a little unsteady, but feeling Seth’s hands on me, with my hand awkwardly on his shoulder, is so comforting. My head being back is knocking me off balance a little though, and I reach my arm out to his chest to steady me. I feel him tense and his hands stop moving on my scalp for a second.

“Are you OK?” he asks me.

“Yeah, I just got a little dizzy. I’m OK though.” I tell him and he moves one of his hands to my h**s to help steady me and finishes my hair with the other before gently tilting my head back up.

“Better?” he asks, moving his hand to cover mine on his chest.

“Yeah. I’m sorry.” I tell him, embarrassed that I can’t do any of this myself.

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Molly. I just want to take care of you.” He tells me and then grabs my loufa, pouring a bit of body wash on it and then begins washing me off, starting at my shoulders. Seth takes his time making sure to get all the b***d off my arm while keeping my bandage dry and gently places my hand back on his shoulder and washes down my right arm and moves to wash my chest, his fingers brushing over my nipples. I bite my bottom l*p, slightly embarrassed, but loving how it feels.

“Is that OK, Molly?’ he asks me and I nod. “Do you like that?” he asks, and I nod again as he gently pulls me completely against him. “It’s OK to like it. You’re my mate. I enjoy touching you, too.” he whispers in my ear, pressing his e******n against me slightly more, moving his hand to wash down my back and stopping his hand on my backside to rest there for a moment. “Soon, you’ll be begging me to touch you.” he says in my ear and then moves his hands back to my h**s, guiding me to take a step back so he can clean my front before kneeling down to wash my legs. He stops and his hand is just centimeters away from my most private area as he looks up to me for permission and I quickly shake my head no. He smirks and stands, leaning into my ear to whisper “soon enough”.

Seth makes sure I’m rinsed off and I go to take the sponge from him. “Not today.” He tells me and quickly washes himself before guiding me to switch places so he can rinse off, still so careful to keep my hand dry. “I don’t have enough time. Or self-control.” he says, and turns off the water. I go to reach for a towel and he quietly growls at me, grabbing it before I can and wrapping it around me before grabbing one and wrapping it around his waist and stepping out, guiding me to follow before he takes the towel to dry me off. “I don’t know where your clothes are.” He says to me.

“It’s ok. I’ve got it.” I tell him and walk off to my closet, grabbing my favorite yoga pants and a sports bra top. As I select my clothes, Seth is drying himself and makes his way over to me to help. “I think I can get dressed.” I tell him because I know he needs to go. He nods and walks back out to redress. I manage to get my pants on with minimal struggle and I get the top on and over my head, but I can’t quite get it pulled all the way down on my left side. I hear Seth chuckle as he walks over and helps straighten the top out and pulls it down, his hand lingering on the bare skin of my h*p that’s now showing as he leans down and k****s my shoulder.

“I really do need to go.” he tells me, but doesn’t make a move to release me.

“I know, my mom will be down here soon.” I tell him and he smirks.

“She’s been in the other room for a while.” he tells me. “Why do you think I was whispering?” and I’m slightly uneasy that my mom may have heard our conversation, though there wasn’t anything inappropriate. “It’s OK, Molly. We’re mates. I’m supposed to take care of you.” he says and k****s me gently before releasing me. “Are you OK if your mom helps you with your hair? I think that may be outside of my ability, anyways” and I nod.

“Yeah. It’s perfectly fine.” I tell him with a smile.

“Try to take a nap. It will probably help you feel better.” He says, kissing my cheek. “I’ll be back before dinner.” he tells me standing straight and heading to the bedroom door, opening it. “Luna. I think Molly needs help drying her hair. Her hand is NOT to get wet.” I hear him tell my mother and I roll my eyes at how he’s bossing her around.

“I can handle that,” she tells him and as I hear him open the front door to leave, she calls out to him “Leave the jacket if you want her to be able to sleep.”

“What?” I hear him say in confusion.

“She won’t be able to sleep well without you because of the bond. Your jacket smells like you, it will help”, she explains to him. I don’t hear either of them say anything else, but after the door closes, my mother appears in my bedroom, suit jacket in hand.