“Fascinating?”
“You’ll have to forgive me,” he says. “You’re the firstrealhuman I’ve ever treated. It’s interesting to see how your body is reacting to our standard protocols.”
I scoff. “You make me sound like I’m a lab rat.”
Dr. Olcan’s fingers probe my side and back, his brow furrowing as his clinical gaze catalogs every wince and reaction I can’t suppress. “You’re healing slower than I expected, but, as I said, I’m used to Lycan anatomy.”
The slight concern in his voice makes me uneasy.
“Should I be worried?” I ask, trying to keep my voice casual. “It doesn’t feel that bad.”
“Well, your ribs are mostly healed.”
I frown. I couldn’t have heard that right. “My ribs?”
“Yes. They were broken in several places, actually. Now, it appears that they’re almost entirely mended. I would say, with another dose and rest, you should be fine by tomorrow morning.”
I look down at my bare chest, touching my sensitive and bruised skin.
Shit. I broke my ribs and they’re almost healed an hour later?What the fuck. . .
He looks me over some more, testing my reflexes and range of motion and all that, then has his nurse come in with another cup of whatever it was they gave me before. Before handing it to me, he peers over his small eyeglasses to give me a stern look.
“Now, Ethan, despite my warnings, they said you must continue to train with the guard. You need to be careful. I can heal broken bones, but it takes three times longer for you than anyone else. And I cannot bring you back from the dead.”
“Got it, Doc.” I nod. “Don’t die.”
He gives me a look of exasperation and hands me the drink. This time, it sends me into unconsciousness almost as soon as I swallow. Just before the medication pulls me under, my mindlingers on returning to the training grounds, on how I can’t wait to seeheragain.
Chapter 8 — Rhiannon
Xander’s rubbing the space between his eyes as I stand before him. “One training session and he’s injured already?”
When I came to his study to report on what had happened, he was in the middle of speaking with several of his seers and preparing for the summit. They’re gone, but probably gathered just outside, listening at the door.
I thought I’d be happy to see Jayme wipe the ground with Ethan’s smug, egotistical face, especially after he said such rude things to me.
But the moment Ethan didn’t get back up, my wolf paced restlessly, whining for me to check on him and then urging me to get him to the infirmary instead of waiting for the medics. She wasn’t pleased that I ordered Akila to take him and didn’t look after him myself. But her reaction makes no sense.Why does she care so much?
Apart from that, I feel a sense of vindication, but mostly embarrassment. My job was to make sure Ethan didn’t get hurt.
“He’s only mildly injured, according to Olcan,” I answer Xander, hoping that he isn’t too upset. “Nothing a day or two of rest won’t cure.”
A knot forms in my stomach as I imagine what the others must be thinking. The whispers that will inevitably follow.Commander Rhiannon let the Luna’s friend get hurt on his first day.Some might even suspect that I allowed it to happen deliberately, as petty revenge against Thea. The thought makes my skin burn with shame.I would never.Still, perception matters in pack politics, and any hint of internal discord couldn’t come at a worse time with the summit fast approaching.
Xander just looks at me with weary eyes. “How likely is it that he’ll be injured again if he returns to train?”
I can’t lie to him. “Very likely,” I say. “It was a routine exercise, but Jayme—”
“Ah, Jayme. I should have known.”
Dammit.That’s a slip I regret.
Branson and his brother Jayme were Gorg Pack rebels who were meant to back the Shaman during the Moon Curse, but defected beforehand. The years of brutality they’d endured made adjusting to Kortan hard, and Jayme kept finding trouble. Xander cautiously granted leniency, letting Jayme join the guard at Branson’s request. I’ve seen remarkable improvement in his anger management since, but even one mistake could create new doubt.
“It wasn’t Jayme’s fault,” I tell Xander, trying to clarify my decision. “Ethan is just . . . well, he’s justhuman. He’s fragile and untrained in our ways. I’m sure with a little more practice—”
“I’m not so sure that’s a good idea anymore,” Xander says in a somber tone. “Thea is over the moon that Ethan is here. It would break her heart if he was irreparably harmed.”
