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“I called Doc. He’s on his way.” Phe’s voice boomed across the yard. She stood on the porch wrapped up in a blanket with a phone in her hand.
“Come on, Sunshine. They’re going to patrol the grounds while I take care of you.” He scooped me into his arms as gently as he could, but he still jostled my ribs, and I cried out. “Sorry, shit. I’m so fucking sorry. Fuck, Caleb is going to have my balls for this. I promised him nothing would happen to you, and then the goddamn ranch gets attacked.”
“I’ll deal with Caleb. This wasn’t your fault.”
He brushed his lips over my cheek, a slight tremor in his words as he said, “You don’t know what it means to me...”
“What?”
“That you’d defend her after the way she treated you. Thank you.”
“Of course I did. She’s your family, Kingston. And you’re mine. We always protect our family.”
A soft sniff on the porch told me Phe had caught my words. I lifted my gaze to hers as she started to speak.
“Family first. And that means in-laws too.”
I blinked at her retreating form as she went back inside the house.
Well shit... I guess that knock-down, drag-outdidfix things after all. I just expected the fight to be between the two of us rather than a couple of fae assassins. Because that must have been what they were... and clearly, they’d been here for me.
Crap.
“Well, everything looks just fine,”Doc said in his soft Southern twang as he wiped the blue jelly off my skin and took me by the hand, helping me to sit up. “Now let’s get your arm stitched up. You’ll have to take off that bracelet so I can get you all cleaned up.”
The disc had been cool since we entered the house, so I nodded and let Doc unfasten the clasp.
“So... the baby’s okay, Doc? Are you sure?” Kingston’s voice had a wobble to it that hit me straight in the heart.
Doc smiled with a kindness reserved for kindergarten teachers and grandparents. “Yes, Alpha. The baby is perfect. Heartbeat is strong, and the little one is exactly the right size. I’m seeing everything I expect to see at this stage.” He patted my knee as he turned that comforting smile in my direction. Then he focused on my arm, giving his full attention to the few stitches I needed. I hadn’t even realized I’d cut open my forearm. It must’ve happened when I fell, but there was no denying the three-inch gash in my skin.
“What the hell is Doc doing here?” Ronin asked as he burst into the room. “Who’s hurt?”
Kingston tensed from the spot where he’d been hovering like a... well, expectant father. “There was an attack. Two fae tried to take down Phe and abduct Sunday.”
“On our land?” he said, a snarl slipping into the words.
Kingston nodded.
“I’m only sorry I wasn’t here to see to them myself. Wait until the—” Ronin blinked, pink tinging his cheeks as he looked away and stopped himself from whatever he’d been about to say. “Never you mind. How’s the pup?”
“Fine. Just fine.” Doc stood, finished with my sutures, his posture tense. “Sunday too. Shifter mamas are strong. They may not be able to call on the change, but they heal just as quick as ever. And they aren’t prone to the usual ailments of human women, which makes the pregnancy itself the easy part. It’s the births that get tricky.”
Kingston stiffened. “Do you think she’s going to have a hard time? Should we stay here?”
What? Oh, hell no. I could not stay at the Farrell house for seven more months. “I have to go back and finish school, Kingston. I can’t just stay here.”
“You should stay. I’ll have a word with the headmistress, get your courses set up for correspondence. Make sure you come through this safely. My grandchild and daughter-in-law are in danger of more than complications from birth. You were attacked.”
I wanted to point out to Ronin that it was his land I was attacked on and Ravenscroft was probably the safest place for me, but that didn’t seem prudent at the moment. “Um...”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Doc said, coming to my rescue. “Truly. Until the birth is closer, there’s very little to worry about. And that high falutin’ school of hers is as fancy as they come. They can handle anything that comes up between now and then.”
I could have kissed the handsome older man.
“Well, if you’re sure,” Ronin said, not convinced.
“I am. I wouldn’t play fast and loose with our future Alpha’s life.”
