Captive Soul (Saint Lakes 6)

He needed to see Hacen. Make sure he was okay. With that in mind, he tried to move, but a pain shot through his leg.

Warm wetness trickled down his thigh. The sensation annoyed him enough that he tried to wipe it away, but Hacen’s arms held him in place.

“He opened his wound again.” The words rumbled beneath his cheek.

The bed shifted and then settled again.

Jules opened his eyes long enough to see Tommy’s smiling face. Instead of returning the smile, Jules asked, “Are you okay?” Jules’ voice cracked. His throat stung so he tried to clear it but that only made it worse.

“Yeah, baby. I’m just fine.”

Jules tightened his hold on Hacen. “Hacen.”

“Shh. Relax, honey.”

“He didn’t get you, right?”

“You got him before he got me. Impressive throw.” The smile in Hacen’s voice was unmistakable.

Tommy held a washcloth in his hand. Jules wasn’t sure why until cool air licked around the bottom half of him. Their gazes met and Tommy stopped moving, the cloth held suspended just briefly before he must have come back to himself enough to regain his focus.

A cloth pressed against his wound.

“Stop, Tommy. Hurts.”

“I know, baby. But you’re bleeding.”

Jules panted through the pain. "Just go get Mama. She’ll help."

Tommy’s lips thinned out and averted his eyes. He didn’t move but held the cloth against Jules’ leg. Tommy cleared his throat but otherwise didn’t say a word.

Hacen’s deep voice rumbled under his ear. “You’re safe.”

It was an odd thing to say in that moment and immediately put Jules on alert. For the first time, he took in his surroundings, looking beyond Tommy to the room around.

He must be in Magnus' cabin. Jules had never been there before, but he knew Garridan renovated it recently. Jules would recognize Garridan’s work anywhere. The bookshelf against the wall opposite them and the table held his signature style.

Ladon's mate, Magnus, used the cabin whenever he was in Saint Lakes. The cabin was a few miles out of town and lay in the middle of dense forests. It was close enough to Ladon but not too close, which was what Magnus needed. Ladon hadn’t had his first shift until right before the battle, which meant they couldn’t bond.

Maybe Magnus had come home while Jules slept and he and Ladon were mated. Maybe he was still in the cabin. If he were, Magnus would take Jules back home. He would do it because Ladon would want him too. "Is Magnus here?"

"No, baby. He's still out of town." Hacen’s hand glided down the length of his back

"I want to go home."

"Lucas and Bennett came by to see you. He said he'd come again when you woke up." Tommy moved the cloth away and leaned forward, pressing his lips to Jules’ cheek. He stood. “I’ll be right back.”

"Everyone made it?" Jules held his breath as he waited for an answer.

"Everyone is fine. I heard Fane was the one who got hurt the worst, but he's better now."

Jules let out the air in his lungs in one big huff. A sob escaped with it and tears fell from his eyes. "Thank the gods."

Hacen's arms tightened around Jules. Jules didn't want to want Hacen’s comfort. If he could remain steadfast and continue to brush off Hacen and Tommy that would be great but with the weakness his wound caused and the fact he was still gaining his bearings after just waking up, he didn't have the will do resist.

"Why didn't Lucas heal me?"

"Your wound isn't life-threatening. He said he wouldn't heal you without permission."

Jules let Tommy wipe the tears off his face with a tissue. "He probably healed a lot of people. It makes him tired and weak if he does it too much. I don't want him to hurt himself just to heal me, especially if I'll be okay."

"You'll let him heal you when he comes again." Of course, Hacen would make demands. He couldn't just shut his mouth and let Jules make his own decisions.

Jules sighed. "I’m not your prisoner." He was too tired to fight. He couldn’t keep up with Hacen in his current condition.

Hacen's body stiffened underneath him. "You're not a prisoner."

Jules sniffled and turned his head, trying to get into a more comfortable position. “Stop fighting with me.”

"What food do you like, baby?" Tommy rubbed his hand down Jules' back through the blankets.

"Not hungry.” His voice sounded husky with sleep even to his own ears. He yawned again.

Tommy chuckled. "Okay. Is there anything you don't like?"

"Slimey food."

"Okay. What qualifies?"

Jules sighed. "Tommy.”