“Bastard!” Pain lanced through him like a hot poker, vision swimming, and it took him a good few seconds to come back to himself. He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Fuck, I meant the pain. That was not directed at you, Alpha Jones.” He shot him a quick look through his fingers, relieved to see him smirking.
“I’ve been a shifter doctor for years. Believe me, I’ve been called far worse in my time.” He stood and looked back at Jason’s leg. “I reckon maybe ten to fifteen minutes before you can put weight on it.” Jason could already feel his bones knitting back together. “Possibly thirty before you can run on it.”
Jason pushed himself up into a sitting position and faced his team. “If you want to go on without me, that’s fine, guys.” He couldn’t believe this had happened.
Nathan pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “The next obstacle is a team event. They said during the walk through it takes at least four team members to successfully complete it.”
“Shit.”
“Besides,” Nathan added before Jason could apologise again, “this is a pack-bonding exercise.
We’re not about to leave anyone behind. If we come last, so be it, but we’re finishing together.”
The other two readily agreed, and warmth filled Jason’s chest, chasing away any lingering effects of the pain. “Thank you.”
Nathan hummed, then glanced down at his leg. “Maybe we could carry you, though?” He gestured to the others. “Whatever the next obstacle is, I’m sure we can manage between us.”
Before Jason could answer, Alpha Jones was already shaking his head. “’Fraid not. With nothing to splint it properly, I don’t want to risk the bone healing incorrectly and having to break it again.”
Jason winced. “Yeah, let’s not do that.”
Alpha Jones met his gaze, expression serious. “Wait at least twenty minutes before attempting the next obstacle. Please,” he added.
“Yeah okay.” Jason gestured for his team to sit down next to him, and they set about discussing the rest of the course and what they could remember about it.
He half-listened, gently flexed his foot every now and again, testing his leg. When it felt healed enough, almost at the ten-minute mark, he cleared his throat, getting the others’ attention. “Someone want to give me a hand up?”
“Already?” Nathan asked, looking sceptical. “You sure?”
“Sort of.” Jason waited until he had a shifter on either side of him, then used them both as a crutch to help him get to his feet. Gingerly putting some weight on his injured leg, he held his breath, waiting for the pain. It hurt, but nowhere near as bad as before.
“Okay?” Nathan asked, arm still around Jason’s waist.
“Yeah.” He waited a moment, then took a tentative limp forward, putting a little weight on it.
“Ouch. Okay, so it’s not fully healed, but I reckon with your help I can hobble to the next obstacle
without too much trouble.”
They’d taken a few steps forward when Jason heard cursing behind them, then the thunder of feet. His smile was automatic as Daryl’s scent drifted over to him.
“What the fuck happened?” Daryl skidded to a stop in front of them, gentle hands running all over Jason’s body as though he could feel where he was injured. “We heard you cry out.”
“I’ve never seen someone scale a wall so fast,” Rob said as he jogged over to them, Kara and Neal just behind. “Got to be a course record.”
“I’m fine,” Jason insisted. “I landed funny and broke my leg, but it’s already healing.”
Daryl dropped to his knees and carefully lifted the torn material to see for himself. “You dropping out?” he asked, glancing up to meet Jason’s gaze.
Andoh fuck, seeing him in that position brought back a whole slew of memories he didn’t need right then. “No. Of course we’re not dropping out.” He tried to sound indignant, hoping the flare of desire he’d experienced wasn’t obvious.
Finally Daryl stood, smirk in place, but a wary look lingering in his eyes. “You’re gonna finish the course?”
“Yep. Just got to give it a few more minutes to heal enough.” He glanced behind him and tilted his head. “Rachel’s set off.”
Daryl looked torn between staying with Jason and rushing to the next obstacle. “Get a move on then. I’m not having you use me as an excuse for losing to Jenn and Rach.”
“As if.” Daryl snorted. He gave Jason another meaningful look, as though to ask, “You sureyou’re okay?”It made Jason’s insides warm.
