Undeniable Craving (3 page)

“Yeah. He came
to the fur buyer yesterday to sell his family’s pelts. He’s from Canyon Creek.
He said he’d send flowers after he let me have a good cry on his shoulder. He’s
the sweetest guy.”

“I think he was
here yesterday. A man I didn’t know came and spoke to me. He told me his name was
Gage. I thought I might have dreamed it.”

“He must have
decided to drop the roses off himself. It wouldn’t surprise me that he’d do
something like that. His whole family are nice people.” Lynne stood. “I’m going
to talk to the nurse about getting the doctor in to see you.” She smiled. “I’m
not going to question why you’ve made a miraculous recovery, but I want to know
if you’re out of the woods.”

As her sister
turned to leave, Jaimie said, “Ask about getting me something to eat. I’m
starving.”

“I will.”

After Lynne
left, Jaimie turned her gaze on the roses. There was a small white envelope
stuck in the middle of them. She pushed herself up higher and reached for it.
Her arm shook, and it seemed to take more effort than it should have, but she
managed to snag it. She took out the card and read it. Written in a bold,
masculine script were the words “To Jaimie, from Gage.”

Gage was real,
and he’d been in her room yesterday. Did that mean the rest of what had
happened between them been real as well? Had he really tenderly held her in his
arms and then bitten her?

I’m Gage, and
I claimed you, Jaimie. You’re marked by the mate brand. If it worked, you’ll
live. I’m going to leave now, but I’ll come back. I’m not going to let you go.
She sucked in a sharp breath as Gage’s last words came to the surface of her
mind. What had he meant about a mate brand? And what had worked that would save
her life?

Jaimie didn’t
have long to ponder those things before Lynne returned with a nurse. The woman
checked the machines hooked up to Jaimie, then set about taking her pulse,
temperature and blood pressure.

The nurse shook
her head with a look of amazement on her face once she finished. “You are doing
better. I’ve never seen a patient have a turnaround so quickly. I’ll call the doctor.
I’m sure he’ll want to do tests.”

“What about some
food?” Jaimie asked.

The nurse
smiled. “I’ll talk to him about that as well. It might be some broth to start
off with.”

The woman left
the room, and Jaimie turned her attention to Lynne. Her sister returned her
gaze with tears in her eyes. “Lynne, if you keep crying, you’re going to end up
with red and puffy eyes.”

“I don’t give a
damn. At least this time it’ll be from happiness.”

“How’s Derrick?”

“He’ll be happy
to hear his mom is doing better. It’s been hard on him. He misses you.”

Jaimie missed her
son as well. Once it looked as if she neared her end, she hadn’t allowed Lynne
to bring Derrick to the hospital. She didn’t want his last memory of her to be
of her on her death bed. He was too young to carry that memory around. Now she
hoped she’d never have to put him through that again.

“Gage, you’re
still in Great Falls.”

At Lynne’s
words, Jaimie focused her gaze on the entrance to her room. A man who took her
breath away walked toward the bed.
He
was Gage? He was a thing of
masculine beauty. He had straight, black hair that was on the shaggy side. He
was really tall. She guessed he had to be around six and a half feet, which
would have him towering over her five-foot-four if she stood beside him. As for
his body, his well-muscled frame filled out his t-shirt and jeans very nicely
indeed.

Jaimie met
Gage’s gaze and found longing and some other strong emotion she was unwilling
to put a name to in his light green eyes. If she’d been at a hundred percent, been
herself before the cancer, her body would have reacted to the attraction she
felt for him.

Gage pulled his
gaze away and looked toward Lynne as he came to stand next to the bed and
beside her. “Yeah, I haven’t left yet. I thought I’d hang around for the next
few days.” He glanced at Jaimie. “I figured I’d come and check on Jaimie as
well. I ended up dropping the flowers off instead of getting them delivered.”

Lynne smiled. “That
was nice of you. As you can see, Jaimie has made a sudden recovery. We’re waiting
for her doctor to come in and examine her. I guess I should introduce you two.”

“I don’t think
it’s necessary,” Jaimie said. “Since you said his name when he came in, I know
he’s Gage. And he already knows mine.” She looked at Gage. “Thanks for the
roses. They’re lovely.”

“You’re welcome.
I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”

“Shoot,” Lynne
said. “I have to leave now or I’ll be late for work. Maybe I should call in
sick. You shouldn’t be alone when the doctor sees you. I’m sure he’s going to
put you through a whole bunch of tests.”

Gage spoke
before Jaimie could say anything. “I can stay with Jaimie.”

“Are you sure?”

“Go. Your sister
will be fine with me. I don’t mind. You told me how you need the money.”

Lynne gave Gage
a hug. “You really are a great guy.” She turned to Jaimie. “I told you he was.”
She leaned down and kissed her. “Call me after the doctor sees you.”

Jaimie returned
her sister’s kiss. “I promise. Now go before you’re late.”

Lynne left after
she promised to return once her shift was over. Now alone with Gage, Jaimie
turned her gaze on him. He had that intense look in his eyes again. One that
made her insides heat. She took a deep breath and had to stop herself from
moaning. Damn, he smelled good. She remembered that from his first visit. It
made her think of things she was in no condition to do, which would have them
both naked.

As the silence
stretched between them, Jaimie decided now was as good a time as any to ask
Gage the questions that had plagued her since she’d woken up and realized he
wasn’t a figment of her drugged mind. She kept it direct and straight to the
point.

“What’s a mate
brand, and what worked that would allow me to live? And why did you say you’re
mine?”

Chapter Three

Gage sat in the
chair next to the bed. His mate didn’t hold back any punches. She went right in
for the kill. He didn’t know how best to answer her questions. He hadn’t
prepared himself for that kind of discussion to be started so soon. He’d
thought to gradually ease into it after they’d talked for a while.

Actually, he
hadn’t known what to expect when he’d arrived at the hospital. He’d hardly
slept during the night, his mind swirling with worry that claiming Jaimie
hadn’t healed her. When Gage had found some sleep, he’d ended up having a
nightmare about his mate dying and leaving him behind.

Once he’d seen
Jaimie sitting up in bed and awake, looking a hundred percent better than she
had the day before, Gage had just about sagged in relief. The gamble he’d taken
had paid out. Biting her had given her body the weapon it needed to kick
cancer’s butt.

“So are you
going to answer me?” Jaimie asked.

Gage smiled.
“I’m trying to think of a way to explain all that without you either not
believing me or screaming loud enough to bring hospital security.”

“I don’t think
you have to worry about me screaming down the place. For one, I’m not a
screamer, and for another, I haven’t regained enough energy to do it. So why
don’t you get it over with?”

He couldn’t hold
back a chuckle. “Are you always so to the point?”

“Afraid so.”

“Nothing wrong
with that.”

He studied
Jaimie closer. Her cheeks held some color, which enhanced her beauty. He was
more than pleased that he could no longer smell the sickness in her scent. The
cancer was gone. He didn’t need a doctor to order tests to tell him that.

“I definitely
think you’re stalling,” Jaimie said.

“Maybe a little.
Why don’t you tell me about your sickness?”

“There’s not
that much. Over a year and a half ago I was diagnosed with cancer. They thought
they’d caught it early enough. I went through chemo. I lost my hair and
everything. After that, I went into remission. A year later the cancer was
back, and had metastasized to other areas of my body. It was aggressive enough
and had spread so much another round of chemo was out of the question. As of
yesterday, I’d been well on my way to dying.” She met his gaze. “Your turn.”

Gage was saved
from answering with the arrival of a nurse, carrying a tray with a bowl of
something on it. She pulled over a rolling table that fit over the bed and lowered
it to the correct height for Jaimie before she placed what she held on it.

“I talked to the
doctor,” the nurse said. “He said you could have some broth. He’s finishing up
with another patient and then will come to see you.”

Jaimie nodded.
“Thanks.”

After the nurse
left, Jaimie lifted the paper lid off the bowl and dipped the spoon that
accompanied it into the broth. She blew on the steaming liquid before she put
it into her mouth. She sighed once she swallowed.

“Good?” Gage
asked.

“Yes. Really
good, actually.” Jaimie had another mouthful. “You can talk while I eat this,
you know.”

Gage shook his
head and smiled. He was going to have to tell Jaimie. He had a feeling she
wouldn’t let it go. Maybe bringing Cyrus and Shyla along would have been a good
idea, after all. They’d offered to come with him to the hospital when they’d
talked to him before he’d left the hotel. Unsure of what he’d find, he’d said
no.

Jaimie blew on
another spoonful of broth. “I thought at first I imagined it, but I’m pretty
sure you bit me.”

He leaned
forward and rested his forearms on his thighs. “Okay. Here it goes. I am going
to say that I wanted you to know me a little more before I brought this out in
the open.” Gage paused. Jaimie continued to eat, but her gaze didn’t leave him.
“I’m a wolf shifter, which means I’m a wolf who can take on human form. The
males of my kind become mate branded at age thirty, and have three weeks to
find their mates before they lose their humanity. Mine appeared two weeks ago.
Then I saw Lynne yesterday. She had your scent on her clothes, which had a part
of me reacting that let me know you’re the one meant for me. I didn’t want to
lose you before I even knew you, so I came here and claimed you as my mate.
Wolf shifters are long-lived. To around the age of a hundred and fifty. We also
heal fast and never get sick. Two of my brothers have humans for mates, and
after they became mated, their females seem to have the same ability when it
comes to healing. So I bit you, claiming you, with the hopes your body would
kill off the cancer and you’d survive.”

Jaimie carefully
put her spoon on the tray. “So you figure it worked. That you’ve claimed me as
your mate, and that I should no longer have cancer.”

“I don’t figure
it did. I
know
it worked. Right after I bit you, the same mate brand I
have appeared on your skin.” Gage tugged aside the collar of his t-shirt so
Jaimie could see his. Her gaze flicked to it, then back to his face. “Where I
broke the skin healed in a matter of seconds, leaving no scar behind. The
cancer is gone. Wolf shifters can smell sickness in a human’s scent. You no
longer have it in yours. Plus, you’re awake, and I have a feeling you’re no
longer in pain since I can’t smell any drugs in your system either.”

Jaimie continued
to silently stare at Gage. Her face was void of any kind of expression. He
couldn’t tell if she believed him or not. He was willing to give her the proof
she’d need, but he didn’t think it’d be a good idea for him to shift into his
wolf form there, especially when the doctor could arrive at any moment. He only
wished she’d say something.

*

Jaimie wasn’t
sure what to make of everything Gage had told her. Wolves that could take on
human form. Him claiming her as his mate by biting her with the hopes of saving
her life. It all sounded as if it were from sort of fairy tale. Maybe because
she had been so close to death, she wanted to believe that last part in his
make believe story. Desperately. It’d mean she had a second chance, and that
her recovery wasn’t a temporary thing. That she’d have the opportunity to raise
her son and watch him grow into a man.

Before Jaimie
could say anything to Gage about what he’d told her, the doctor came into the
room. A nurse accompanied him. They came to stand on the opposite side of the
bed from where Gage sat.

“I can’t tell
you how happy I am to see you up like this,” the doctor said. He lifted her
wrist and took her pulse before he looked at the readouts of the machines that
were hooked up to her. “This is very encouraging. We’ll have to take some tests
to confirm it, but it does look as if you’re getting better, which is very
surprising. How do you feel? I see you managed all right with the broth.”

“I feel great.”

“I’ll take a quick
listen to your heart, then see about getting those tests started. I’ll have
them marked as urgent so I’ll get the results quickly.” The doctor pulled the
front of the hospital gown she wore away from her neck before he placed his
stethoscope down it to listen to her chest. He scowled. “I don’t remember you
having that wolf tattoo, but I see so many patients it could have slipped my
mind. Now take some deep breaths.”

On the outside,
Jaimie tried her best not to let her shock show. Inside, however, was another
story. She had a tattoo? A wolf tattoo? Gage’s mate brand had two wolves with
their heads thrown back on a howl as they faced each other. There was also some
Celtic knot work in reds, blues and greens that surrounded the animals. He’d
told her she had one as well. If the doctor saw it, then Gage had told the truth.

The implications
were a little mind-blowing, to say the least. If she had to accept that the
mate brand was indeed real, then Gage
was
a wolf shifter. Did that mean
the cancer was truly gone? To never return again?

The doctor
finished listening to her chest and straightened. “Everything sounds good.
We’ll get the tests done and then make a decision about what will happen next.”

“Will that mean
I’ll be able to go home very soon?”

“I’m going to
wait for the results before I say for certain. I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

The doctor left
and the nurse set about taking some of Jaimie’s blood. Once she was finished,
she disposed of the used needle and left with the filled glass tubes.

Jaimie looked at
Gage. “I want to see it.”

Gage looked
around. “I don’t see a mirror around, and I can’t take you into the washroom
with all the machines you’re hooked up to.”

“Do you have a
cell phone?”

“Yeah.”

“Take a picture
of the mark and show it to me.”

Gage pulled out
a phone from his front jeans pocket. He stood, then leaned over her. He gently
tugged the left side of her hospital gown collar down and aimed the phone. It
made a clicking sound as he took the picture. He sat on the bed beside her,
touched his cell’s screen a few times, then turned it in her direction. She took
it from him.

She sucked in a
breath. She did have a mate brand. It was identical to Gage’s right down to the
colors and size. If he hadn’t told her what it was, she would have thought it
was a tattoo.

Jaimie handed
Gage his cell. “You didn’t lie about that.”

“I told you. And
I didn’t lie about the rest of it either.” He paused. “I’m pretty sure those
blood tests the doctor ordered are going to come back with some differences
showing up. They’ll say the cancer is gone, but they’re not going to understand
the other changes. They’ll want more tests done. We can’t let them. My kind has
kept what we are hidden from humans. If they did know of our existence, they’d
use us as test rats to figure out why we’re the way we are. We have to get you
out of here.”

She nodded, her
mind racing with questions. Jaimie didn’t know which one to ask first. If the
tests did pick up some differences in her blood, Gage was right. She had to
leave the hospital before others could be done. The doctors would more than
likely want to use
her
as a test subject to figure out the sudden change
and then how her cancer had suddenly disappeared.

“We need to talk
to Lynne,” she said. “She’s the one who’s been signing all the consent forms. I
gave her power of attorney. I think she’d have a better chance of getting me
discharged than if it’s just me telling them.”

“All right.”
Gage handed her his cell phone again. “Call her. See if she can leave work now.
The sooner she comes here the better.”

Jaimie dialed
Lynne’s cell number. Her sister answered after the third ring. “Lynne, it’s
me.”

“Whose phone are
you using?” Lynne asked.

“It’s Gage’s.
Can you get the rest of the day off work?”

“Yeah. My boss
told me I could whenever I wanted. He knows you’re in the hospital.”

“Good. I need
you to come here.”

“What’s the
matter? What did the doctor say? Is it bad?”

“It’s not like
that. I’ll tell you more once you arrive.”

“Okay. I just
have to talk to my boss, then I’ll be on my way as soon as I can.”

Jaimie
disconnected the call. “Lynne’s coming.”

“Great. Now all
we have to do is wait.”

“And since we’re
alone, I have questions. A lot of questions.”

Gage smiled. “I
thought you would.”

* * * *

Forty minutes
later, Jaimie’s mind was full of wolf shifter facts. After she took everything
in, she found herself able to accept it all without thinking Gage was crazy or
that she needed to fear him. Even the thought of some invisible link joining
her for life to a man she hardly knew didn’t have her wanting to run screaming.
She felt the opposite.

The more Gage
talked, the more Jaimie found herself drawn to him. She had a hard time tearing
her gaze off his firm lips. She vaguely remembered how they’d felt against hers
when he’d kissed her yesterday. Now that she was better, she wanted him to kiss
her again as he held her in his arms.

Gage had sat in
the chair once more, but had pulled it closer to the bed. Sometimes he’d lean
forward, putting himself within touching distance. All she had to do was reach
out, but she didn’t. They were mated, and she had every right to touch him, but
she didn’t want to be the one to make the first move. Plus, it wasn’t as if
they could do much more than hold hands or exchange a quick kiss while she was
still in the hospital.

“If you keep
staring at my mouth like that, I’m not going to be able to hold back from
kissing you,” Gage said.

Jaimie locked
gazes with him and saw desire lurking in his eyes. She didn’t question if it
was only lust he felt. Gage had explained how once he claimed her, the instant
love he had for her had solidified. Talk about love at first sight. She had to
admit she couldn’t say it hadn’t happened to her as well. Neither one of them
had said those three little words yet, which suited her. She wasn’t ready to
hear them from him, even though she knew he felt that way toward her.

“Maybe a kiss
wouldn’t be such a bad thing,” Jaimie said. “It’ll help me remember I’m still
alive. That I came close to the end, but thanks to you, I’ve cheated death.”

Gage sat on the
bed next to her so fast Jaimie had a hard time tracking him. It definitely
wasn’t something a human would have been able to do. Her breath caught in her
lungs as he leaned closer until their lips were an inch apart. His delicious
scent seemed to swirl around her, filling her nose and head, making her pussy
ache to be filled. She hadn’t felt that sensation for a very long time.

“That’s too good
to ignore,” Gage said huskily. “You have no idea what I’ve been imagining doing
to you, my mate. I’ll have one little taste. Something to savor until you’re
ready for more.”