“Is she alive?”Che’s voice pulled my attention.
He stood in the doorway to the infirmary, Ruth trailing behind him.
“I thought I told you both to stay put,” I shouted.“Are you capable of following a single order?”
They were just kids, and I wasn’t being fair, but their antics would get them killed and quite possibly others.I was also worried about Marinah and had zero patience left.
Ruth’s face flushed red, and Che’s lips trembled, causing guilt to cut through me.What a big, bad beast I was, scaring kids now.Without another word, I marched to Axel’s door and slammed my fist against it.The two small figures shuffled up beside me.
Ruth cocked her head, her hand resting casually on the butt of a gun holstered at her hip.“Want me to shoot it down?”she asked, her voice matter-of-fact.
I ignored her and pounded the door again, harder this time.
Finally, it swung open to reveal a very tired-looking Axel.
“If you could’ve waited two more minutes,” he said flatly, “I was about to let you in.”
I shoved past Axel, my focus solely on my mate.She was sitting up on the examination table, hunched over, but she was my Marinah again.She wore a surgical robe.I pulled her against my chest, but her arms remained limp at her sides.
“You okay?”I whispered softly, careful not to push too hard.
She shuddered against me, sinking further into my embrace.Still in Warrior form, I gently ran a hand over her back.My claws brushed the edge of a bandage, and I froze, pulling back.Carefully, I lifted her face so I could see her eyes.They were hollow.
“What is it?”I whispered.
She turned her head away.“Something’s wrong inside me,” she murmured.“Ms.Beast is acting strange.My Nova too.”
I glanced over her head at Axel, looking for answers.
He shrugged; his expression unreadable.“She started mumbling about something being off before she fully woke up.I don’t know what it means.I’ve removed the bullets, stitched the knife wound, and cleaned the road rash, but I’m at a loss.She’s stable, but something’s bothering her.”His gaze flicked to my arm.“You need stitches, too.”
I grunted, brushing off his concern.
Marinah watched us and remained silent.That alone should’ve been Axel’s first clue that something was terribly wrong.
I stood there for a moment with no idea what to do.
A spark of awareness entered her eyes, and she took my hand, her grip weak, and offered a faint smile.“Sit here and let him stitch you up,” she said, pointing to the empty space on the examination table beside her.
I glanced around and spotted a chair in the corner that looked far more comfortable.I scooped her up and carried her there.As I settled into the chair with her in my arms, two small heads peeked around the doorway.
I shot them a warning Beast stare, and they quickly disappeared.I was too drained to deal with them right now.
Axel pushed a tray on wheels over to me, efficiently disinfecting my shoulder and setting to work on the stitches.Marinah lay quietly in my arms, her head pressed against my shoulder without moving.
When Axel finished, I stood, cradling Marinah carefully, and carried her to our room.Post-battle tasks could wait.Right now, she needed me, and I wasn’t letting her go.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Marinah
We had been lying in bed for over an hour, King’s warm arms wrapped securely around me.He hadn’t asked questions beyond checking if I needed anything.I was grateful for the silence and used the time to meditate.
In my mind, I took Bertha apart and put her back together with practiced precision.I could feel each piece in my hands as I moved through the process.I inhaled deeply, allowing my thoughts to drift, but they didn’t wander far before snapping back to what happened earlier.
My body had gone Nova, and I’d had no control over the shift, which was nothing unusual.She came out when she was ready and not on my schedule.But her frenzy went on even after the enemy was dead, and I didn’t understand.Yes, it had happened the first time with Smythe, but this was very different.
I had the sensation of being kicked in the gut, causing all air to leave my chest.Before I could process it, searing pain shot through my insides, and Ms.Beast’s scream echoed in my mind.
