Bailey Bradford - Southwestern Shifters 06 - Reverence by Bailey Bradford Page B

of his ribs. “So who’d you get the food for then?”
“Dick,” Val muttered before he laughed. Dinner was pleasant enough, with him and his friends picking on each other. It wasn’t until he’d almost cleared his tray of all the food on it that Nathan entered the dining room and looked right at him. Val hurriedly swallowed and nearly choked in surprise when Nathan pointed at him then wiggled his finger in a ‘come here’ manner.
“Oh shit, what’d you do now?” Keegan whispered. Val glared at him, wondering how come he was never attracted to him. Keegan was handsome as sin. Val shoved the useless thought aside and told himself to quit trying to avoid the niggling fear in his head. Had he fucked up somehow? Done something to annoy Marcus or Nathan? Val couldn’t think of anything as he carried his tray over to the trash can.
By the time he made it to the door of Marcus’ office, Val’s stomach was one big knot of worry. He’d always strived to serve his Alpha Anax, had been filled with pride the day he’d been appointed to Alpha Anax Marcus Criswell’s personal guard. As a boy, that was all Val had hoped for, to protect the leader of the North American shifters. The idea of letting him down in any way was unthinkable, and yet Val couldn’t think of any reason Marcus would send for him. Drawing himself up to his full six and a half feet—he’d not cower in disrespect to his Alpha Anax—Val knocked on the door.
Instead of calling out and telling Val to come in, Marcus himself opened the door. “Val, come in and have a seat, please.” He stepped back and Val felt his gaze like an unspoken critique of his shortcomings. He knew Marcus was seeing the slight hitch in his step, the way he turned his head to see if there was anyone on the left of him, the way he had to scent the air to check for anyone on that side, not that he could smell much better than a human. Marcus knew exactly how badly Val was messed up.
Nathan came around from Val’s left. Val sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk while Marcus moved around to take his seat on the other side of it. Nathan walked over and stood at Marcus’ side, one hand resting on Marcus’ shoulder. Val forced himself not to squirm or fidget in the least as Marcus studied him. He did, however, avert his gaze, submitting willingly to his Alpha.
“How are you feeling, Val?”
Val looked up then, frowning because he had expected something other than an enquiry into his health. “Better,” he offered, wondering what he was supposed to say. The truth, he supposed, so he continued. “I still haven’t been able to shift. I can feel my wolf here.” Val put his hand right beneath his heart. “Deep inside, like he’s there but sleeping, you know?”
Marcus arched a brow and Val’s frustration at his inability to find the right words grew.
“He’s there, I can’t describe it. He just won’t wake up. I think…” Val looked up, seeing nothing in particular as he searched for the words he needed. “I think he gave so much to keep this body of ours alive, it took a toll on him and he needs to recover. But he is there, he hears me.”
Marcus stared at him so intently Val had to lock his muscles and joints to keep from shivering.
“Come closer,” Marcus ordered. He stood at the same time Val did. Val took the two steps he needed to in order to press his thighs to the edge of the desk. It simply wasn’t possible for Val to look into Marcus’ eyes when he reached over the desk and cupped Val’s nape. A wave of power slapped against Val, Marcus exercising some of his strength as Alpha Anax. Val quivered inside and out when Marcus put his nose to Val’s neck and inhaled.
Marcus rumbled a wordless sound as he released Val. “I could barely scent the wolf in you, and only then when I loosed my power. But he is definitely in there.”
“I told you—” Val began, only to cut himself off when he realised what he was saying and to whom. He still felt a bit