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I blinked and faced forward. Was I thinking like an Alpha? I cleared my throat. “If you give Kiefer the job, there won’t be any upheaval.”
Mathias tsked. “You and I both know he’s not right for the job.”
“We also know he’ll walk before he answers to me.”
“That’s his choice. It shouldn’t affect yours.”
I drove into the hospital’s lot and parked. I turned off the engine and looked over at Mathias. “So we’re fighting for survival against werewolf hunters and a dark-magic coven, and you don’t think it matters if one of our best fighters leaves?”
“He isn’t the Alpha we need.”
I faced forward and pulled in a slow breath, filling my lungs completely before I looked over at him. Was I really ready for this? Lillian’s analogy about the birds defying gravity dogged me again. I’d never be “ready.” There wasn’t a written test to pass. I either needed to take the leap or get out of the way. “I’ll do it.”
“Good.” He clasped my forearm, but this time it seemed different. This wasn’t a quick goodbye. His tone was colored with the Alpha’s compulsion, bringing my wolf forward in my consciousness. “We’ll call the pack tonight. We’ll have the ceremony during the new moon.”
This was happening. I managed a nod and got out of the truck. I went around to the other side and helped Mathias to his feet. He looked up at the building and shook his head. “I despise hospitals.”
You and me both, old man.
I went ahead of him and found a wheelchair. He grumbled about it, but I finally got him to sit. The pain in his ankle must’ve been excruciating, but there were very few things in this world bigger than Mathias’s pride.
Among the blend of smells as we passed through the glass doors of the main entrance, I found Ruby’s. She was here somewhere.
Mathia’s looked up at me. “What’s wrong?”
Fuck. I’d been so excited at the prospect that I might see her that my pulse was racing. “Nothing. Just hate hospitals.”
He nodded. “The smell is…toxic.”
I needed to figure out how to balance this mate instinct with the secret I was trying to keep. And now I’d be adding ascending to Alpha into the mix. I was used to thinking first and feeling later, but this unexpected connection to Ruby had my usually very contained emotions splattering all over everything. I steeled myself as we took the elevator up.
When we got to Lillian’s floor and exited the elevator, Mathis stuck the end of his cane on the floor so I couldn’t push the wheelchair. “I’ll walk from here.”
There was that pride.
But I wasn’t going to fight him over it. After setting the brakes, I helped him up and walked him down the hallway to Lillian’s room. Ruby’s scent grew stronger with each stride, and my wolf stirred deep inside my soul. Shit. Now I’d be battling my elevated heartbeat, my emotions, and my animal instincts all at once. I blew out a breath and turned the corner.
Ruby looked up as we walked in. She was wearing a purple, crushed velvet skirt and a black shirt that slipped off her shoulders. And just like that I wanted to run my lips along that curve from her neck to her shoulder. Blood rushed out of my head and below my belt. Was I getting a fucking hard-on in this hospital room? I was far from a horny sixteen-year-old, but seeing Ruby and not being able to touch her was doing things to me.
I forced myself to look at Lillian. She was still in the blue hospital gown. “I brought someone to see you.”
Mathias crossed over to her and managed to hide his limp. Mostly.
He took her hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better.” She smiled up at him. “You didn’t need to come. I know how hard these places are for you.”
He shook his head. “I came to spring you out of here.”
She chuckled, rolling her eyes, and I tuned them out, all my attention shifting to Ruby. She was on the other side of Lillian’s bed, staying focused on Lillian and Mathias. She hadn’t even acknowledged I was standing there.
“Hi, Ruby.”
Her gaze flicked up to me, but only for a second. “Good morning.”
“Can I talk to you? Outside?”
She glanced my way again and shook her head. “I can’t. The doctor should be back any minute to discharge her.”
