Page 68 of Healer’s Betrayal

“Oh. I’m fine to go by myself.”

“Not happening.” I take in the look in his eyes and shrug.

“Okay. What is this?” I ask, holding up one of his flannel shirts.

“It’s a shirt.”

I roll my eyes. “I know that. Why do I have it?”

“So, you can wear it.”

I frown. “It’s not even cold. Why would I wear it? Besides it’s yours.”

“Exactly.”

“Jackson, I don’t need this. I’m just going to—”

He stops right in front of me and puts a hand on the shirt, keeping it in my hand. “We’re going out into the hallway where anyone can see you, and we’re going to another male’s room. I need you covered up.”

I look down at myself. “I am covered up. Good grief, Jackson. You make it sound like I’m going to go parading down the halls naked.”

He growls again. “Can you stop talking about being naked?”

“For Pete’s sake.” I take the shirt and thrust my arms through it. “There. Happy now?” I scowl at him.

He steps so close, I catch my breath. I have no idea what he’s doing when he reaches out. A moment later, I look down to see him buttoning the buttons. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“No.” When I’m buttoned all the way, and by all the way, I mean all the way until it ends near my knees, he finally steps back. “Okay.”

I look down at myself and then up at him. “I look ridiculous.”

“Not the word I had in mind.”

“Stupid then?”

“No.”

I shake my head. “Let’s get this over with.” There’s a knock at the door. I blow out a breath of frustration and walk over to the door and open it when I see it’s Ransom. He takes one look at me and grins. I put a hand up. “Not a word.”

He smirks. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He saunters past me, saying something to Jackson that’s too low for me to hear. I step out into the hallway and head towards the elevators. I quicken my pace, hoping to beat Jackson to the elevators. If I do, he’ll just have to wait until I come back. I push the button for the elevator and then slip inside and push the button to go down quickly. I breathe a sigh of relief when the doors close. It's a quick trip. When the doors open, I nearly jump out of my skin to see Jackson right outside the elevator doors. He scowls at me. “You were supposed to wait for me.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “I’m not a child, Jackson.”

His eyes run over me for the second time tonight. “I know.” There’s a lot to unpack behind those two words, but I don’t touch it with a ten-foot pole.

“Come on.” I walk around the corner and start down the long hallway to room 327.

“You were attacked today and gravely injured,” Jackson says in a low voice. “My wolf and I are just having a hard time letting you out of our sight.”

It’s the first he’s brought up his wolf since he transformed into one. Was that just this morning? So much has happened. It’s insane to me that that’s not even at the top of the list for the crazy things that happened today. “About that, I want to learn more,” I tell him.

He nods. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

I glance up at him as we walk. I want to ask so many questions, but we get to the room, and I take a calming breath as he knocks. The door opens a moment later to reveal a tall, good-looking guy with kind eyes. “Kayla, Jackson, come on in.” He steps back to allow us entrance, and I step past him. Around the corner, I eye the girl that looks to be around my age, maybe a few years older.

She smiles brightly. “Kayla, it’s so good to see you on your feet. Hi, I’m Sage.” She puts out her hand, and I can’t not shake it. Her eyes dance with humor. “I see you’re being taught the way of the wolves.” Her words confuse me, and she must see because she motions to my shirt. “I see Jackson dressed you.”