Free Oycher by Talyn Scott

vampires go, I can’t blame you for being scared. After battling those flying Gryphs last night, the thought of you in the arms of one of their comrade’s while flying helplessly to a Dynasty lair…Isla!”
     

Chapter Seven
    Isla blinked a few times, staring up at Terje. “What?”
    Gripping her wrist, he removed a steak knife from her hand. “Do you always grab knives from the wrong end?” Gently, he pressed a crisp linen napkin to her palm, adding pressure.
    “I didn’t know it was in my hand,” she admitted quietly. Another male walked over to see if they needed the doctor on call, but Terje shook his head no. “It’s not deep.” He took the napkin away to see that her blood had already gelled, the wound closing in inhuman speed. He dampened another napkin in water, wiping away any visible traces of blood. “Do you want to talk about it, about them?”
    “There’s nothing to talk about.” She hated being reminded of vampires.
    “From this moment forward, you will be my best friend, Isladora. I want to talk to you about important things or about nonsense. Whatever it is, I want to help.”
    “It’s the vampire thing.” She chewed her lip. “I don’t like talking about them.” Dax had admired her strength, had asked her to stick around and help incoming Donors. The problem? Many of the Donors, he’d explained, were vampire mixed bloods. On top of that, she would be working side by side with pureblood Species vampires. One of which was often a doctor for Pack. So if Isla couldn’t shove her resentment aside, how could she help others do the same? “I don’t enjoy feeling vulnerable.”
    “I don’t want you to feel vulnerable.” He held the tray in one hand and wrapped his other around her lower back, ushering her to a paver-tiled terrace overlooking a small marina. “I have an idea that might help you and me feel a lot better.”
    Ignoring the eggs, she plowed into the French toast. “Oh, I’m sure you do.” She couldn’t believe how calm Terje was acting now. For months, Isla had heard the whispers of how males went nearly insane to fuck and bite their newfound mates immediately after they’d discovered them. Here she stood with an intimidating male that weighed nearly three-hundred pounds and she felt — dare she say, safe?
    “Well, we can do that,” he said, downing his fourth piece of bacon. “That heat rising in you rings my werewolf’s alarm, and I’ll be more than honored to ease your body.”
    Reaching for a pitcher of ice water, she grabbed her glass with a shaky hand. “I have no idea what to say to this heat thing. This has to be the most embarrassing day of my life.”
    “No one here looks at it that way. They’re not laughing at you, Isladora. For the most part, except for some sore losers, they’re happy for me.” He took the glass and pitcher from her and poured.
    “Last night, I agreed to…you know.”
    His lips twitched. “I know.”
    “I didn’t agree to lifetime, uh, mating…or whatever you call it.”
    “Fair enough,” he said, handing her back the filled glass. “I won’t pressure you, if you let me take at least some of your worry. I need to take care of what’s mine as much as possible, or Pack will have to lock me up in a silver-lined cell. It’s the way of our kind. I’m not human in the least.”
    She still didn’t know what to say. “What was your idea about helping me…with the vulnerable thing?”
    He brought a piece of orange bread to her lips, brushing it back and forth until she took a bite. “Today’s when I train the Alpha bloods.” His eyes flared when she chewed his offering. “I could ask Flynn to find another sparring coach for today or maybe you’d like to -”
    “Watch,” she said, rolling the icy glass across her forehead. 
    “I was thinking more in the lines of training you in hand-to-hand combat.”
    Her eyes flicked to his, disbelieving. “You’re serious?”
    “Why not?” He started on his eggs. “I think