First, she had to get out of this hospital. Though the medical staff might see her injuries as severe, she knew her supercharged immune system would repair the damage quickly.
One of the primary Pack rules was avoiding discovery by humans. If she truly needed medical care, she’d have to find a Pack doctor. Since she was in the middle of nowhere, Texas, she had no idea how to even contact the Pack, nor did she want to.
She knew if she did, Leo would find her. He had friends and flunkies in a lot of different Packs, coast to coast. Most of all, she wanted to stay alive.
Blinking her eyes into focus, she tried to concentrate past the throbbing headache. The first thing she needed to do was take stock of her injuries. The hospital staff had done a good job of cleaning her up, washing the blood from her and getting her into a hospital gown. Her left leg was bandaged, and she had another large bandage on her side.
Was anything broken? She moved her fingers, then her hands, relieved when she felt no pain. All of her right toes wiggled on command, but trying to move her left brought excruciating pain.
Okay. Somethingwasbroken. From past experience, she knew her bones would reknit and heal much faster than a human’s. She couldn’t let them put a cast on her or worse, attempt surgery.
She had to get out of here before they found out what she was. At least she could still see. She hadn’t lost her contacts and the hospital hadn’t removed them.
“You’re awake.” A woman’s voice, sounding pleased. “Good. Just in time. We need to try again to take your blood. We’re having trouble identifying your blood type. Something must be wrong with the machine.”
Oh, no. This, she couldn’t allow. If they figured out her blood was an anomaly, she’d be in trouble.
“Stop,” she croaked, pushing at the nurse bearing down on her with a large syringe. “I don’t want that.”
Even if she was completely paranoid, better safe than sorry.
“It won’t hurt.” The large woman kept coming. Panicked, Jewel pushed at her, shoving her away and into the wall and sending the syringe clattering to the ground. She’d used too much force. Sometimes she forgot her own strength.
“I’m sorry.” Apologizing as she moved, Jewel placed her left leg gingerly on the floor, using her right to balance most of her weight. “I’ve got to go.”
Wide-eyed, the nurse stared at her. “You can’t. You may not realize it, but you were badly hurt.”
“I’m better.” Hobbling toward the hall, Jewel just reached the door when the woman lunged for a button on the machine by the bed. Immediately, an alarm sounded.
Crap. Jewel kept going, trying to hold her hospital gown in place with one hand. Though she had no idea where to go, or even how to get there, she knew beyond a doubt she had to flee.
Rounding the corner, she collided with a man.
“Sorry,” she mumbled, stumbling back. A shock of recognition went through her as she realized the man was Colton Reynolds, the newspaper reporter. For a second she wondered what he was doing there, then decided she didn’t care. Maybe he’d be an ally.
“Jewel!” His gaze searched her face. “Are you all right?”
“Please.” She grabbed his arm. “Help me. I’ve got to get out of here.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, two orderlies, a nurse and a man in a white coat who could only be a doctor converged on them.
“You need to come with me.” The doctor took her arm, giving the orderlies a meaningful look.
Panicked, Jewel shook off his hand. “I’m leaving.”
“No, you’re not.” At the doctor’s gesture, the two orderlies moved in, flanking her on each side. “You need to get back in that bed and let us examine you.”
“Just a minute.” The calm voice of reason, Colton moved to intercept. “If she wants to go, you have to let her. You can’t force someone into the hospital.”
“Who are you?” The doctor looked down his nose.
“A friend,” he said firmly. “And if Ms. Smith says she wants to leave, then she’s leaving.”
“This woman was in a serious accident. She was brought in by ambulance. She shouldn’t even be conscious, much less standing.”
As Jewel opened her mouth to speak, Colton touched her arm, forestalling her. “Perhaps she appeared to be hurt worse than she actually is.”
“Not according to the X-rays.”
