Part of the Group

LAKE

My eyes flutter open to the sight of Derrick’s sleeping face in front of mine. His long hair is all over his face. He has one arm under my neck and the other stretched over his head.

Derrick’s breath is hot as it hits my face with every exhalation. Lynne purrs within me. She likes the warmth of him.

I snap out of my admiring mood and sit straight up. Derrick is startled and falls off the bed.

The big bad rogue groans loudly. “Drills don’t start until tomorrow!”

“Wow,” I say bluntly, “even rogues get scared out of their sleep.”

Derrick rubs his face and stands slowly. His eyes have bags under them. He even has a five o’clock shadow.

“And they can apparently look even more dead than me when—”

~I was rejected.~

~

I clear my throat and sweep my hair to the side. “Thanks for…ya know…helping me sleep…”

Derrick smiles. His body relaxes at my words. Goddess, this ~man~.

“You’re awake!” Lucy sings. “I was starting to worry.”

I smile faintly at her. She seems well rested in her winter gear with her hair in a sleek ponytail. I didn’t notice how cool it was in here. I can’t imagine how it is outside.

“Since you’re finally awake, we can go back to camp!”

I raise an eyebrow. “Listen, I appreciate all the help, but I’m not going back with you.”

“Yes, you are,” Derrick growls. “You obviously can’t handle yourself out here!”

“Listen, you barbarian!” I stand. All the tubes and the IV stuck in my wrist come out and fall to the ground.

“I had everything under control before—”

“Before ~what~, Firefly?” Derrick asks coldly. “We found you passed out under a blanket of snow after looking for you for three damn days.”

“I never asked for you to look for me!”

Silence rings in the air between us. Lucy looks at her brother and then at me. He and I are deadlocked in a staring contest.

“I’m leaving,” I growl lowly. Derrick grips my arms before I can step out of the tent.

“You’re leaving with ~us~,” he says. “You’re staying where I can keep an eye on you.”

I laugh harshly. “Why do you care about me? I’m just some prize you found in the woods.”

Lucy puts her hand on her brother’s lightly. “Let us girls talk, okay?”

Derrick growls and rips his hand from me. His stomps fade outside the tent.

I rub my wrist where the IV was. That hurt more than I thought.

“Lake…” Lucy pulls up the two chairs and sits by the bed. “At least listen to me before you make your decision.”

“My decision is already made.” I cross my arms. Lynne is pacing back and forth in the back of my mind. She wants to be close to Derrick.

“Just come with us for a little while,” Lucy offers. “Until your injuries heal. It would give Derrick peace of mind…”

I raise an eyebrow. My injuries aren’t that severe, but being out in the cold for that long, fully dependent on Lynne for everything while I was out would make even the strongest of alphas weak.

“Fine,” I reply. “But I have some stipulations of my own.”

“If it gets my brother off my back, name it.”

***

“Not happening,” Derrick growls while he helps the group to pack up the supplies. “She’s staying in the camp, where I can keep an eye on her.”

I roll my eyes. ~Don’t you just love how people talk like you’re not in the room?~

~

“Derrick, Lake is her own wolf,” Lucy states. “Going in and out of camp like everyone else is fair.”

“I said—”

I interrupt Derrick. “Either I’m accorded the same privileges as the members of this group, or I’m not part of it.”

The people around us stop what they’re doing and stare at their alpha. It’s as if no one has ever stood up to this thick-headed man before. Well, other than Lucy.

Derrick lets out a deep breath, and his eyes linger closed for a few moments. I can feel his frustration through the small space between us.

“Fine.” Derrick’s tone is high and sarcastic. “If you wish to be treated as a member of our group, it’s mine to grant.”

He then drops a heavy load of medical supplies into my hands. I wince at the pain in my muscles as I slump over. Being asleep for that long took much more of a hit than I thought.

“Derrick!” Lucy growls. “She’s not healed enough to lift something that heavy!”

“She’s part of the group now, Lu.” Derrick smirks. “Injured or not, she’s to pull her own weight or be left behind.”

“I’m fine.” I grit my teeth and slump the bag over my shoulder before Lucy has the chance to take it from me. “Just show me where to put this crap so we can leave.”