AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What are you doing out here, mutt?” Hank had sucked in a huge breath through his nose and spat out a load of phlegm big enough to drown any insects in its path.
Reardon let out a low growl, flashing his teeth in warning. Before he could turn around and run—for he was certain he could outrun this out-of-shape human—Hank had squeezed off a shot. The man’s aim was impeccable… unless of course he’d been aiming for a more fatal wound.
Regardless, Reardon couldn’t run with a bullet in his leg so he’d let loose a howl he’d hoped Brandy heard and sunk to the warm earth. Hank came to stand over him, and there was a moment where Reardon thought the man might end him completely. Instead, he nudged Reardon’s body with the tip of a worn-out boot.
“That fool girl and her wolves. Menace to the whole town.”
A few moments later, Brandy and Parker had arrived, Parker had talked with Hank, and Hank left, but Reardon was certain that wasn’t the end of Hank Swift. The man had a gift to be around when no wanted him to be. Now Reardon didn’t have what he needed for tonight.
Tonight!
Damn. He couldn’t make an appearance tonight in human form with this injury. Werewolves healed quickly, but not that quickly. If he shifted to human tonight, he’d be in more pain and there’d be a limp. A very noticeable one. He also had the feeling Brandy was going to check on him in wolf form often. What would happen if she found his wolf form missing? He couldn’t cause her that worry.
How could he cancel tonight? He spotted a phone on the wall in the clinic, but he’d have to shift to human to use it. Not that he had a number for Brandy anyway. Why hadn’t he asked for her number last night? Most likely because where he came from, phones didn’t exist and he didn’t have a phone number of his own to give her. Being a human in Brandy’s time was complicated.
The only thing Reardon could do was not show up tonight and hope Brandy would forgive him.
“Dylan?” Brandy’s voice brought him back to the here and now.
“Yeah, Mom?” Dylan ran his hands along Reardon’s back, and sleep threatened to overtake Reardon again.
“Will you and Gram watch over Alator while I check the fence for gaps?”
“Sure. Can we move Alator to a more comfy place?” Dylan asked.
“A great idea, kid.” Parker tugged on Dylan’s baseball cap. “Where do you want him, B? I’ll help move him before I go.”
Brandy hesitated, and Reardon couldn’t help setting his gaze on her. If he couldn’t be with her tonight in human form, he definitely knew where he wanted to be in wolf form. The very thought of spending the night in the clinic away from her made his leg hurt worse.
“In the house. That way we can keep a good watch on him.”
Reardon let out a small puff of air. She was either in tune to what he wanted or she wanted the same thing.
Together, Brandy, Parker, and Meredith lifted him and carried him into the house with Dylan opening doors ahead of them.
“Shit, he’s heavy,” Parker said, his voice strained.
“We’d have just as much trouble carrying you like this,” Brandy shot back.
“Oh, for the love of Christ, where are we putting him? Because I’m about to drop him.” Meredith sounded winded, and Reardon wished he was a smaller wolf.
Dylan ran off and returned a minute later, a book under his arm, dragging the bed Reardon hadn’t used once because he preferred staying in Brandy’s room. “He doesn’t use this, but maybe he’ll like it because he’s hurt.”
Again Brandy hesitated, and Reardon half expected her to insist they tote him up to her room, but that involved stairs and, unfortunately, wasn’t practical.
“Good idea, Dylan. Push it toward the couch more,” Brandy said.
Dylan did as she asked and the three adults carefully lowered Reardon to the bed. Something made a tapping sound in Parker’s hand as he passed a bottle to Brandy.
“Give him one of these every eight hours to keep him comfortable and low key.”
“Aye-aye, Doctor.” Brandy saluted him. “Call me after you visit the sheriff.”
“Will do.” With a pretend punch to Dylan’s shoulder, Parker left.
Dylan settled on the floor beside the bed and Reardon. The smell of the boy was comforting and sleep beckoned.
“I’ll take good care of him, Mom. I’m going to read him thisWolverinecomic book.” Dylan waved the book he had under his arm.
