Abel landed by our house, in the backyard, so we didn't scare half the neighbourhood. He carried me inside through the backdoor which led to the kitchen. As he was walking, he was slowly changing back to his more human-looking self. The sharpness of his features disappeared, and the rich golden-brown skin emerged under all the black on his hands and arms. The softness of his fingers came back as the talons disappeared.

"Gonna just put you down and find some clothes," Abel said softly and put me on the sofa.

I grabbed the blanket and put it over myself. "What about River?"

"He'll be here soon," Abel said and placed a soft kiss on my forehead before heading upstairs to find me some clothes. His own shirt was ripped to shreds too.

I had no idea how Abel knew River was coming, but I smelt him before he entered. Abel came down the stairs in the same moment, tossing a t-shirt and a pair of sweats to the naked wolf.

Not fair how he looked. Not fair at all.

Abel handed me my clothes and sent River a look. River turned his back on us while Abel helped me with my comfy sweats.

"Were we followed?" River asked, looking out the window.

"They know where we live. It doesn't matter if they followed or not. They're not coming into town to do this," I said and pulled my hoodie over my head. "But it was Meera all along. She set the traps."

"How can she do that? Wolves don't know magic," Abel said, sitting down on the coffee table in front of me, grabbing my face, getting me to look up, so he could see my injury in my head.

"If a witch gets bitten, a wolf would know magic. Witches aren't that far from humans when it comes to biology." River looked over his shoulder and turned when he found me fully clothed. "She was a plant here, probably. They wanted to infiltrate and figure Gael out."

"All they had to do was just... Come here. There was no need for all of this," I said and flinched when Abel, gently touched the growing swelling on my head.

"Sorry," he murmured and left for the kitchen, quickly returning with an icepack and a washcloth. He put the icepack on my head and started cleaning the blood off my face.

"Where do we go from here?" River asked and dumped down on the sofa next to me. He didn't look too good either. His eye was swelling and turning blue. I handed the icepack to him, and he tentatively put it on his eye.

"We contact Frank. He's been targeted too. Invite him and his to here," I said, leaning my head back against the sofa. I was getting so tired. "They need to be safe, and they'll be safer here. Get a hold of Tasha and Samuel too and tell them to not leave the city. Dres will not be coming within this town again." I hadn't even realised I had closed my eyes before Abel gently put the palm of his hand to my cheek. I opened my eyes and he smiled at me. "Call Mags too. She won't be coming but she should know about it all."

"Alright, I'll get on top of it," River said.

I turned my head, blinking slowly. "Stay here too. I don't want you roaming the streets anymore tonight."

"Alright, I'll stay." River looked up at Abel, but Abel didn't say anything to protest my decision. I wondered if he knew there really was no discussion about this.

"Call my dad," I muttered. "I wanna talk to my dad..."

"Okay, I'll call your dad," Abel said softly and gently lifted me from the sofa. "Now we'll go to bed."

I didn't even remember him going up the stairs, I just passed out.

I hadn't actually dreamt about my dad in ages. When he died, I dreamt about him all the time. They lingered for a while, but then stopped. When I was bitten, the dreams came back.

It was always the most mundane things. Him following me to school. Him looking at my artworks. This time I was introducing him to my friends. To Abel. He was a part of my life here in the little town of Imperium.

I was delirious when I finally woke up. I half-expected my dad to be by my side but it was Abel I found.

"Hey," he said softly, running his finger over my forehead, removing some of the curls from my eyes.

"Hi," I said with a hoarse voice.

He pulled me close, and I immediately welcomed it. I needed to be cuddled more than I needed air.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice vibrating through his body.

"Like I was beaten in a forest," I muttered, not wanting to talk about it. I wanted to cuddle. Let my battered fingers run over his immaculate skin.

"You have to get up. We've got company."

"Tell them to come back later," I murmured and continued to run my fingers over him.

"You told them to come," he said and chuckled, grabbing onto my fingers and kissing each of them softly. "I know you're tired, but you really need to come deal with these wolves downstairs."

"I wanna sleep and I wanna cuddle." I was a whiny little bitch, and I knew it. I shoved the duvet aside and sat up, rubbing my head. I really should've gotten some stitches, but sleep was more important.

"I know, but come on." Abel rolled out of bed and found some clothes for me. I just sat in bed and waited for him to find everything. Not like I could get out of it on my own and my crutch was still missing, so I was fully reliant on him again.

I scooted towards the edge of the bed and grabbed his shirt, getting him in between my legs. "I need a new crutch," I said very seriously, looking up at him.

"We'll get you a new one," he said softly, throwing the clothes on the bed and ran his hand over my head. "Right after we've gotten someone to have a look at that wound. Your forehead is all purple."

"Right, but the crutch. It's important. I don't wanna rely on you."

He rolled his eyes. "You can rely on me a little, I'm sure your pride will survive."

"I'm sure it will, but I don't wanna be a patient of yours again. I wanna be your boyfriend. I wanna be hot for you."

Abel gently put the palms of his hands to my cheeks. "No matter what, you'll always be hot to me. I don't mind helping you. It doesn't make you less hot that you need help. I actually enjoy being able to help you. Strokes my ego. Like when I get to pay the bill for our meals, drive you around in my car. I like taking care of you."

"Like I'm your wife?" I asked a little nervously.

Abel chuckled and didn't even deem that worthy of a reply other than; "Idiot."