Mate Magic by Shannon Duane Page A

look on her face. At Bailey’s questioning look Shana said. “Trevor told me I’d need this, and these.” She held up a box of tissues.
    Bailey took a seat on the couch and began re-telling the story of her snatching. She could hear Paul growling and soon enough Jake followed him. Shana was sobbing, crying and her chest was heaving with the effort to try and keep it in. It clearly wasn’t working.
    When she was done Jake was sitting in the chair with his pregnant wife in his lap and he was rubbing her back. “That’s it. Except I was really hurt and when I woke up I felt better.”
    Paul regarded her and said. “I wanted to comfort her so I touched her leg. We glowed for a while and then she woke up feeling better. I think I might have given her some of my magic and it helped her heal, but I didn’t know that was possible.”
    Bailey made an effort not to look up, and kept her eyes on her hands in her lap. She thought, surely, she would be in trouble for being mistaken for someone above her station. It was a gift to be an Alpha’s mate and surely no one else thought that should be bestowed to someone like her.
    She wasn’t prepared for Shana to kneel in front of her and engulf her in a hug. “I never want you to say that again. You’re worthy of the best things in this world. You are the most selfless person I’ve ever met. I am honored to have you in this pack and I am so very sorry that you’ve been put through so much.”
    Bailey looked up with blurry vision to find them all gawking at her. She wanted to run again. She needed to be far away.
    It was Paul who noticed her breathing increasing and the tension in her shoulders. “Maybe we can see to her wounds. She’d probably like a nap before dinner.”
    She looked up at him with a thankful expression and it broke his heart.
    Shana wiped the last of her tears and took the staple gun in hand. “Strip, I need to see the wound.”
    Bailey removed her shirt but clutched it over her scar. Paul thought it was telling that she didn’t care if her breast was exposed, but she didn’t want anyone to see her scar. Shifters really didn’t care much for nudity but to see her cover her scar he wanted to kill her old Alpha, Allen, for causing the scar and her discomfort.
    Shana noticed it too and looked over to Paul with sad knowing eyes. “It looks good. It tore a bit but Paul’s healing must have helped quite a bit. I’m going to place just a few staples in the middle where it’s gaping just to prevent further scarring.”
    Bailey gave a bitter laugh. “What’s one more scar really? No biggie.”
    Paul growled at her. Not a nice growl but one that said he was on the edge and if she said anything else he would lose it. Luckily Blake walked in, “Simmer down brother. I can’t believe your acting like a total wolf.” Blake turned his smile to Bailey, “Whoa, you must be, like a magnet for pain.” He tossed her purse on the coffee table and of course the heavy dildo sprang out and onto the table.
    Every person in the room froze, including Bailey. The silence was awkward until Shana leaned forward and said. “Hey, I have this same one. Jake got it for me on our honeymoon. It’s amazing.”
    Jake looked at his wife and then at the dildo. “Yep, that’s the one. Good choice, Paul.”
    Paul snarled again as Blake said. “Yeah, but I know my brother and that’s” pointing to the dildo, “just gonna be a warm up. Paul is-“
    Paul roared. “Enough!” And once again silence fell, with the exception of Jake, Shana and Blake’s belly laughs.
    Bailey thought she would never get rid of the redness on her cheeks that was rapidly spreading to her neck. Bailey said, “Uh, I should be going.”
    She grabbed her purse and toy and quickly fled to her room. She actually ran, although she shouldn’t have. She was an adult and had every right to play with adult toys. Damn though, the heated look on Paul’s face had her wishing she was brazen enough to proposition