Irene stood with Dakota in her arms. “Let’s go.”
My mate shook his head. “After you.”
“Mommy, my wolf is cringing. I think we are supposed to listen to him.” Dakota’s voice cut through the tension.
“Sweetheart, if they fix your daddy, I’ll bow down, curtsy, or whatever you say. Right now, I want your daddy fixed.” Irene kissed Dakota’s forehead, then hefted her up higher on her hip.
“Here, let me take her.” Kellen reached for Dakota.
Irene’s mouth opened, but the little girl practically leaped into Kellen’s arms. I shook my head. “He has a way with the female population. Of course, I will only allow the ones under the age of maybe eight or nine now to get away with that.” I pointed my thumb at Dakota, who now sat on Kellen’s shoulders, and laughed as I joined Irene in her fast clip toward the bank of elevators.
“He is a handsome devil. My Jared is, too. However, he is the opposite of your…mate. Are you two not married?” Irene pressed the button for the fifth floor.
Her hesitation over the words made me aware that the woman and Jared were either completely unaware of his heritage or that the wolf was running from the truth. Either way, they needed to learn the truth. “We call ourselves mates, but I will expect him to put a ring on it too. A huge one. He will be getting his tattooed on, so all the women know he is taken.” I looked over my shoulder, meeting the heat in my mate’s blue eyes.
“Mon Chaton, you can have anything you want. I’ll have your name tattooed around anything you desire.” He winked.
Goddess, I loved his dirty mind. The doors opened to their floor, and then we didn’t need Irene to tell us where Jared was. The scent of a shifter in pain hit me hard. As a doctor, I picked up the pace, leaving Irene behind along with Kellen and Dakota. The door to the room was closed, but I pushed it open without thinking.
A snarl greeted me from the bed. The large man sat up, a feral look in his eye. “Who are you?”
Kellen pushed past me, a growl rumbling out. “That is my mate, boy.”
My hand found Kellen’s fisted one. “He’s in so much pain.”
“I can see that.” Never taking his eyes off of Jared, Kellen walked closer. “I know what you are, and you obviously knowwhat we are. What you don’t know is that we are friends and are here to help.”
“Daddy, these are my friends. My wolf is at ease around them. Well, not at first around Alpha, but now it is,” Dakota said, trying to break free from her mother.
“Mommy, let me go. I told you, it’s okay. They are gonna fix daddy.” Her little voice wobbled.
Jared held his hand out to his family. “Come here,” he growled.
“My name is Dr. Laikyn O’Neil. Let me look at your injury.” I gestured at the foot of the bed.
All the strength seemed to evaporate from the man in the bed. “Jared, let them see. What can it hurt?” Irene lifted the blanket, showing me and Kellen.
My training kept the gasp from escaping. “Why or who would have silver traps laid out along hiking trails?”
“Fuck if I know. Hell, I don’t think any shifter goes on hikes where humans are.” Kellen bent closer. “When did this happen?” Kellen asked Jared.
“Two days ago.” His arm dropped from around Irene.
The angry, red, and swollen leg had blood-red veins sticking out. A clear sign of infection and blood poisoning. “Jared, were you a born shifter, or turned?” Kellen asked.
I watched, trepidation had my nerves on edge. If a wolf were out turning others and not taking care of them, the shifter community in itself could be in trouble.
“I was born this way, I believe. Now, if you want to know who my birth parents are or were, you’re shit out of luck. I grew up with wonderful parents, but they adopted a little boy they thought was human. It wasn’t until I shifted that they realized their little guy was a freak of nature. By then, they loved me despite my issues, so I suppressed the urge and went on withmy life.” His speaking clearly wore him out. With his breathing becoming more labored, I feared they might be too late.
The door opened on a silent swoosh. I turned, my eyes taking in the tiny blonde woman wearing a lab coat. She smelled like honey and mint. Not human. Moving quickly, I placed myself in front of Laikyn.
“Who are you?” Authority rang in my voice.
With a wave of her hand, the small woman walked forward. “And a hello to you, too, Kellen Styles of the Iron Wolves. I’ve come to save the day, and not a moment too soon, I see.” She tsked a few times, setting me on edge.
“Hi, my name is Laikyn. Can I help you?” She tried to look around me.
“Oh, down, little wolfie. I don’t want your mate. Or yours, young lady. He reeks of infection.”
