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I whine at him. I’m panting again, saliva dripping onto the pristine floor as I fight down my fear. I’m so wound up that it feels as if every muscle and sinew is twisting into knots.
“Be calm,” he tells me. “He’ll be here soon.”
Soon!
I squeeze my eyes shut, then blink them open when a flood of images assails me again. Evil faces. Chains. Cages. A shudder wracks through me.
“There’s no evil here. These are good people, Cedara.” He’s still talking. I fight to keep the panic at bay, but it keeps threatening to consume me. When I catch a movement from the corner of my eye, I spin, a snarl tearing from me.
“The doctor won’t hurt you. She’s here to help,” he says. I’ve fixed a baleful stare at the woman across the room. The one with the needle.
Needles! No!
“She helped your family, Cedara. They’re all waiting for you. It won’t be long now.” He keeps talking and talking, his voice hypnotic. I let it swirl into my thoughts. For long minutes, it feels like the only thing keeping my sanity in place.
Footsteps pound from nearby.
“Where is she?” The voice is urgent. It’s deep and rich and makes my pulse quicken.
Barrett!
He shoves past Edirn in the doorway with such force the man almost flies sideways. “What did you do to her?” he half-shouts at the doctor.
She shrugs uncomfortably. “Just an examination. That’s all. Nothing invasive. Wait!” she says sharply as he starts crossing the room. He’s not listening. Neither am I. I close the distance between us, crashing into him.
“She’s attacking him!” Casey’s back in the doorway.
“She’s not attacking him,” says Edirn. He’s right. I’m not. I’ve pressed myself against Barrett, my head butting against his chest. I’m pretty big for a she-wolf, but he doesn’t seem unbalanced by my weight as I lean against him.
He slides an arm over the top of me, a hand sliding through the dense fur over my shoulders. “It’s okay. I’m here.”
I’m shaking with dissipating tension as I squeeze my eyes shut and nuzzle my face against his him, inhaling the comforting scent of him.
“You can’t do that to her,” he’s saying sharply, probably to the doctor. I can’t tell; I still have my eyes closed. “You don’t know what she’s been through!”
“I’m sorry,” the doctor responds. “I really thought I was being as sensitive as possible.”
“Not good enough,” he mutters, his arm tightening around me.
“What’s going on here?” the curt voice of the Alpha breaks in. I feel myself cringing against Barrett. There are too many of them now.
Too many!
“She needs space,” Edirn says. “Casey and I will leave you.”
“But—” Casey begins.
“Now, my love.” He’s insistent. I sense them go and find I can breathe again.
“Barrett?” the Alpha presses. “What’s going on?”
He stiffens. “She’s afraid. That’s all. She felt threatened.” His hand on me is gentle. “It’s alright, Cedara. You don’t have to do this here. You’re safe.”
Safe. I’m safe.
I’m still trembling, my face against his chest. His scent surrounds me, easing the fear that had threatened to consume me. I can hear the hum of voices, but I’m too focused on the steady thump of Barrett’s heart to pay much attention to the words.
“…just the stress of everything that’s happened,” Barrett is saying. “She’s going to be fine once she has a chance to settle in.”
