Chapter 22
Kate
Another hour later, I trusted myself enough to go find Luke again. I gave a wide berth of the place where Luke had been cut and made a beeline to his house. Arriving there quickly, I was unsure of how I would handle this. I knocked softly and Todd answered almost instantly.
I expected him to speak, to accuse me of hurting his son, but he only stared.
"I know this is really uncomfortable for you, Todd, but I need to see Luke," I half-ordered, hoping to sound forceful enough to convince Todd to let me in.
Todd sighed. "He's in his room, Kate."
I gave him a small smile and a nod, moving around him to Luke's bedroom. I skipped knocking and walked right in. Luke's desk chair was in pieces on the floor next to the wall opposite his desk. Luke laid facedown on his bed, not even bothering to move, even though I was positive he knew I entered.
"Luke," I called softly. He made no move.
The smell of soap lingered on his skin, and I imagined he would have ran home and scrubbed every speck of blood remaining, hating every drop of it. I darted to his side and pulled at his shoulder. I met no resistance as Luke allowed me to pull him on his side, facing away from me. His eyes, although trying to hide it with an impartial mask, showed explicit pain, his lips quivering. I leaned over and put my hand on the side of his face, then kissed his cheek. When I got no response, I leapt over Luke's wide body, landing softly on the other side of him, laying up against him. I pulled him closer to me, cradling his face to my chest and running my fingers through his hair. I figured closeness would get him to react, or at least say something.
At first, Luke was hesitant, but then his arms wrapped tightly around me and he buried his face into my chest. "I'm so sorry," he told me softly.
"Shh," I hushed him.
"I never wanted you to feel that. You need to be completely comfortable with me, I never wanted you to feel that you couldn't be around me," he muttered into my chest, his voice quivering.
"I know. I don't blame you for anything, Luke."
I laid there with him, each of us holding the other tightly. I rested my head on his and continued to entwine my fingers in his hair. His grip around me never faltered.
"I really do love you," Luke assured me. "No matter what you do to me."
I sighed. "Would you have really let me kill you?" I asked incredulously.
"If it was what you wanted—"
"No, Luke," I interrupted him sternly. "I will never want to kill you. And if it ever comes to what happened earlier again, you have to tell me no. You need to force me away. You can't let me kill you."
Luke nodded, his eyes clenching shut. I understood fully then how crazy this whole imprinting thing was.
I gave him another squeeze. "I love you," I told him, and then kissed the top of his head.
"I love you," Luke muttered back.
We laid there holding each other for a while longer. Todd never intruded or checked in on us. Luke never needed to say anything more than what had already been said. An hour passed and I decided to speak.
"Luke," I said softly.
"Yes?" he lifted his head from my chest and brushed away the hair from my face.
"Your clothes smell really good and all, and I know they look great on me, but I think I need to get some new clothes," I said. "Clothes that fit." I was hoping to distract him from what happened today and do something normal, well, sort of normal.
He laughed. "Okay. Your wish is my command."
"Only I don't have any money," I said, furrowing my brow.
"So what do you suggest. Do you need money?" he asked, starting to get up.
I pulled him back down onto me. "No. I knew I said I wouldn't go back to my father's house, but I think I should get some of my clothes back. Maybe stow some here?"
He smiled. "Is this a mission?"
I laughed. "Only if you want it to be."
"Great. Let's go. He should be at work, right?"
"Right."
Luke led me out of the house, nodding to Todd and giving him a reassuring smile. I made it out the door and skipped ahead of Luke as he closed the door behind him. When I had separated myself from Luke, a loud snarling sounded to my right and Gerard in wolf-form leapt at me, pinning me to the ground, his razor teeth threateningly close to my face.
Luke, snarling in return, phased and rammed his body against Gerard to get him off me. I sat up and watched as Gerard and Luke stood face to face. Gerard was calm now, staring into Luke's eyes, but Luke was still growling at him, putting himself between me and Gerard. The air rippled as I slipped a shield in between them, in case it was needed. I felt Luke's nose press against it, but he made no more move forward.
Gerard's eyes turned on me, and his glare was sending daggers at me. His raised lip sent the message as clear as if I could read his thoughts:
A close call for a close call. This is a warning.