Sealed Mates

Chapter 13

I didn’t speak the entire day. I kept my eyes away from all the other wolves, locked only on the ground. When we stopped for a break around lunch, I scrambled off my horse before Terrin could help me and moved away from the rest of them, sitting with my back against a tree, knees pulled up to my chest.

Brennan had rejoined the group midmorning. He hadn’t acknowledged me, just moving into position without a word. The rest of the wolves didn’t seem to think this was strange, so I refused to wonder about it. Refused to consider where he had been or what he had been doing. I was just lucky he hadn’t taken it out on me. If it had been Kai, that’s what would have happened. And the rest of the pack would have watched like it was a show.

Even the thought turned my stomach, so when Asher came to give me more food, I took it without looking up at him, but just tucked it away in a saddlebag, unable to eat.

The tension seemed to be souring my appetite at every turn. I didn’t know what to expect from these wolves. I didn’t understand why Terrin seemed so very upset. I didn’t understand why Asher was bringing me so much food. The uncertainty was making my heart pound constantly in my chest, and it was doing nothing to make me feel better.

By the time we made camp again, I was a mess of nerves and pain. I once again managed to get off my horse without Terrin’s help. I knew Brennan was watching me, and he seemed to get angrier whenever Terrin did anything nice for me. Whenever anyone did something nice for me.

I could barely move as I made my way to the tent that I had been set up for me. I had tried to help set it up, but had been waved off until Brennan had barked at me to leave them be. Tears clogged my throat even as Asher handed me food, but I put it down without eating anything and disappeared into the sanctuary that would give me a modicum of privacy.

Sinking down onto the pallet, I let out a groan, knowing sleeping on the hard surface wasn’t going to do anything to make me feel better. My head was spinning again, and I rested my head in my hands, trying to will away the pounding.

“You have to eat.”

It was Brennan’s angry voice that spoke, and I jumped as my head jerked up. I couldn’t stop the wince at the pain that speared through me with the movement. Brennan frowned.

“You’re going to have to get used to riding. We do a lot of it.”

I just stared at him, not knowing what he wanted me to say to him. Not knowing what words would make him angry and which would spare me from more pain. I wasn’t always good at avoiding beatings with my brother and Tina, but I at least knew ways I could try to avoid it, or at least make it not as bad. With Brennan, I had no idea.

His frown grew at my silence, and my stomach twisted, making me think I was really going to throw up at the sight. I had done something wrong. I knew it. I probably wasn’t going to live to be sent back to Kai and my former pack. Brennan had the reputation he had for a reason.

“You’re scared,” he said after a moment, and I realized he had been studying my face. I blinked at him, at the surprise that was in his voice.

“I didn’t mean to make you angry,” I whispered. My hands clenched in the skirt of my dress, waiting for him to move closer.

When he did step forward, I closed my eyes, flinching as I anticipated the pain. Instead, I heard his footsteps by the entrance to the tent a second later, and when I opened my eyes, he was back where he had started, watching me carefully. A quick glance around showed me he had put my plate of food down in front of me. My eyes flicked back to him, confusion flushing through me, overtaking the fear.

“You’re too thin,” he said, his voice gruff. He was trying to sound angry, but that edge had disappeared from his voice, and my eyes widened at the realization. He wasn’t going to hit me? He wasn’t going to take out his anger on me. “You need to eat. You’ll never survive carrying a pup if you don’t start eating enough food. And, if you are going to carry my pup, I want you and the pup to be healthy.”

He left without another word, as if he was annoyed he had said as much as he had. I looked down at the food, my hand slowly reaching out for it. Kai and Tina had never brought me food. I was so used to the feeling of hunger, I barely noticed it anymore. And he had brought me food.

I pulled my hand away and blew out a breath. No, I wouldn’t let myself have hope for this marriage or pack. He was still angry about it. And how angry was he going to be when he realized there was no possibility I wasn’t pregnant? That I had been lying the entire time and this marriage hadn’t been necessary at all?

Putting my pounding head back in my hands, I let the tears finally fall. It had been a long day, and my body still hurt. My ribs had started to ache more and more throughout the day, making me realize at least one was probably broken. I should probably let Lorne take a look at it, but something made me want to keep it to myself. I was already burdening them with my presence, I didn’t need to burden them with anything else. I had always healed before. This was no worse than it had ever been before. No reason to do anything different than I would have done at home.