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he is so fragile,” Christophe murmured as he carefully examined Angelica. Derrick knew it was a subtle warning intended to prepare him in the event the transformation was unsuccessful. On those rare occasions when Weres did pick a mate, they chose someone strong of body. Typically tall, well-built females capable of surviving the transition, the demanding physical attentions of a mate, and the eventual hope of pups. Wolves were not the most gentle of creatures.
    Derrick knew all this, just as he knew Angelica was none of those things. She would be considered small, even among human females. Among Weres, she was even more so. She did not have the powerful build and hardness of the women usually selected as acceptable mates, nor did she have the aggressive personality of a predator. She was all feminine curves and softness, soft-spoken and quiet. Although, Derrick did sense an inner core of strength not immediately obvious at first glance.
    He knew one other thing, too: she was his.
    It made no sense whatsoever, but there it was. The beast wanted her . If it had been only the beast, he might have been able to let her go, rationalizing his decision on any number of things: the damage done to her body, her inherent frailness, the fact that he knew next to nothing about her. Sometimes it took decades, even centuries to really know someone. He had known her for...what? A few days? And most of that time had been spent in silence. Aside from the little Silas had been able to discover, he knew nothing about her.
    And none of it mattered, because the man wanted her every bit as much as the beast. “But she is alive,” Derrick pointed out, back to his human form. It had taken the rest of the night and most of the next morning, but her heart had repaired itself enough to start beating again. The moment had been epic. Even his pack mates — who did not understand his choice but supported him, nonetheless — had been holding their breaths.
    Derrick lifted her into his lap, then scored his wrist and held it to her lips. He felt joy flood through him when she latched on and began suckling from him like a whelp. Weres were typically not vampiric in nature, but their blood was a necessary part of the Making. The specialized DNA was what fueled the transition as well as provided a cellular model for reconstruction.
    In her unconscious state, Angelica could not consume the nutrition she needed to essentially rebuild her entire body from the inside out. Once the transition was complete, there would be no further need for the sharing of blood. Although, sometimes it was done for pleasure during particularly aggressive matings — usually upon full moons or when the she-wolf was in heat. A male’s blood given at such a mating increased the chance of conception, though no one quite understood why.
    Derrick prayed she made it through for him to find out.
    At first, Derrick tried to sustain her himself, but the damage had been so severe that she required more than he was capable of safely providing. She needed to be fed every couple of hours like an infant. The pack intervened when they saw how much it weakened him and had been assisting in her care and feeding. Derrick was touched by their actions. It was a testament to just how highly they regarded him. Despite his uncharacteristically impulsive — and exceedingly questionable — actions, their support was unwavering.
    The thought brought a wry smile to his lips as he sealed his wrist and tucked her into his neck. Like it or not, the fragile Angelica truly was a member of the pack now. Blood bonds were sacred, and she had the blood of the entire pack running through her veins. Had she been a typical Were mate, she would have been bound only to him.
    Some things, however, were exclusively his privilege , he thought possessively, openly sharing those thoughts with his males even as he broadcasted his gratitude. Only he would know the pleasure of her flesh.
    And only he would bathe her.
    Once