Page 26 of Awakened By the Guardian

“Here to get your legs back. I get that, and I get that it needs to be soon. But you need to listen. If I say you wait, you wait. You hear me? I’m the one who’ll make sure you’re looked after. I’m also the one who knows where the serum is.”

Gary’s jaw clenched. He said nothing.

His father spoke up. “It’s clan rules, son. The alpha and beta make the big decisions—for the good of everyone. And we shifters need our clans.”

Vic nodded, then looked a bit more forgiving. “Don’t worry. We’ll do this soon. I know how important it is for you to try. I just want you to rest for a bit.”

“You promise you’ll give the serum to me?”

“Yes, Gary. It’s yours when you’ve rested. I’ll set it out on the counter by the refrigerator, right next to the gallon jugs of tainted tap water.”

Mr. Baldner gasped. “Why would you save⁠—?”

“Because it’s like a triple espresso times ten to us hybrids. I’m not saying I’m drinking it every morning, Ray. But it’s good to have on hand. In case there’s an attack.”

Gary looked at his father, whose eyes were narrowed.

“You’re talking like we’re at war, Vic. We’re not. We’re just⁠—”

“Under quarantine because of a shifter-targeting poison in our water system, there are hybrids going crazy out there, every fool in Detroit has a gun, and Nanook thought wolves were behind it all.”

“Nanook was paranoid.”

“Doesn’t mean he was wrong.” There was steely-eyed determination in Vic, and Margaret could see him as a commander now.

Mr. Baldner gave a dark frown. “What aren’t you telling us?”

Vic waved the question away. “Nothing.” He gave a too casual smile. “There’s nothing going on right now, at least not around here. So it’s a perfect time to rest up.”

Silence fell. Gary was clearly weighing his options, so Margaret added her two cents. She once again took his hands in hers and held them tight. “Please. Be smart about this.”

He froze, his eyes trained on hers, and then his body softened. His mouth flattened in acceptance and his chin dipped. And when she thought he was going to nod, he instead pulled her close and whispered hot words in her ear.

“I’ll wait, I promise. Now tell me the truth.”

She pulled back. “What?”

“How bad is your asthma? Do you need to go home?”

She jolted, startled by the weird non sequitur. Then she remembered that Gary noticed everything about her, including her asthma, even while deep in his own crisis. “It’s not bad. In fact, it will probably ease up if we get some rest.”

Gary nodded. “Then let’s go upstairs. We’ll take care of each other.”

CHAPTER 9

The four of them took an elevator up to the second floor and found it to be a simple apartment with the blandest furniture Gary could imagine.

“This is the Alpha’s. Simon and Alyssa sleep here,” Vic said, pointing to a master bedroom. He popped open the door to another chamber that had a large bed and nothing else. “Guest room here. Pretty simple, I know, but Simon was just setting up after burning all of Nanook’s stuff and Alyssa lost everything in a fire a few days ago. There hasn’t been time to buy more than the basics. Though, Alyssa already upgraded her tablet. Said she needed to be more organized.” He rolled his eyes. “More? That woman could give lessons to a filing cabinet.”

“Two fires?” Gary asked. “Are bears prone to pyromania? Is Smoky the Bear some kind of inside joke?”

Vic and his father both chuckled then shook their heads no.

“You’re missing a lot,” Vic said, “but that catch-up can wait. For now you need to rest. We’ll talk after.”

Gary would hold the beta to that.

His gaze scanned the apartment. “That the kitchen?” he asked, pointing.