Brax Chapter 9
A week had passed since Heron talked to Cerys, and we patched up our relationship. She got closure and discovered my secret and that of many others. We’d spent the bulk of the weekend together repairing our riff. Or we had until we were ordered to be at Twyla’s for dinner that Sunday night, and it had been eye-opening for both of us.
It started as typical for most family dinners. Twyla had given me grief for a bit over how I’d acted. I took it. I knew she was right. Cerys helped her grandmother prepare the meal, although Twyla said she could do it herself. I chopped vegetables and set the table. I enjoyed the feeling of being part of a family. It had been so long since I’d been part of one, other than the guys, that I’d forgotten how it felt. It wasn’t until it was over that the eye-opening occurred.
Before dinner, Cerys and I agreed that Twyla had to be told about me. We weren’t sure how she’d take it. Cerys swore her grandmother wouldn’t tell anyone. I tended to believe her. My interactions with Twyla had shown her to be an understanding woman who didn’t hate people due to race, religion, or much else. They had to earn her dislike. Seated in the living room, I let Cerys start the conversation. It was what we agreed upon before arriving.
“Twyla, Brax and I have something else we want to talk to you about,” she said.
“Oh, you do? What? Oh wait, you’re running off to get married!” Twyla said with a grin.
“No, we’re not running off to get married. Geez, you sound excited to get rid of me,” Cerys groused.
“Not to get rid of you. I’d never want that. You two have wasted enough time pussy-footing around all these months. I just want you to know if you want to elope or even live in sin, I’m fine with it,” she said cheerfully.
“No one says living in sin anymore. You’re showing your age,” Cerys teased.
“Yes, they do—your parents. I was thinking of them. Anywho, tell me. Oh, oh wait, you’re pregnant!” she said excitedly.
I had to chuckle. Twyla was a riot. She winked at me as Cerys denied she was knocked up. By the time Twyla was over her disappointment that she wasn’t about to become a great-grandma, Cerys was about to burst. I took over.
“Twyla, what Cerys is trying to say is we have a secret to tell you. It’s one that you can’t tell anyone. We mean no one. If you do, lives could be at stake,” I warned her.
Her zaniness instantly changed to soberness. “I’m listening. I swear on the soul of my parents never to tell anyone.”
Taking a breath, I dove in. “There are things in this world that most people have no idea exist. They’re not threats, or usually not, but they would be perceived as such by many. Yesterday, Cerys discovered that and more. You know she talked with Heron. He explained why they broke up when they were younger.” It still bothered me a tiny bit to think of the two of them together, but I pushed it away so I could continue.
“Anyway, that conversation made her aware of these secret things. I don’t know how else to say it other than to say it. Twyla, shifters and other supernatural beings exist. They’re not fairytales. And as it happens, Heron, his club, me, and others are part of that group.”
She sat there, not saying a word, just staring at me and taking sips of her wine. I was about to check if she’d gone into shock or hadn’t heard me when she replied.
“And? I was hoping it would be something more secret or scandalous. That’s it?”
Both Cerys and I gazed at her in astonishment. “Twyla, did you hear what Brax said? He’s not fully human. He can shift into something else. Heron is the same, although a different kind.”
“Cerys, I heard him fine. Am I supposed to be shocked? I’ve known about supernatural beings all my life. You know that.”
“I know you’ve always wanted to believe fairy tales are real, but we’re saying they are,” Cerys stressed.
“I know,” was all Twyla said.
“How do you know?” I decided to ask.
“Brax, I’ve lived for over seventy years. I’ve met a lot of people. I grew up differently than most. I know because I was raised with the knowledge, and I’ve met a few shifters and others. I’ve always known you were one, just like your friends are, although you’re all different, I think. I don’t know for sure what each of you is. I’m not surprised about Heron. I sensed he was other as well,” she explained calmly.
Cerys and I were at a loss for words for a minute or more before I found my voice. “You know. Is there anyone else that you know who is like me?”
“There are others in town. I sense that this place attracts you for some reason, probably because San Diego is a nexus point where so many leylines converge. We’re barely two hundred miles away from it as the crow flies,” she said sagely.
Cerys didn’t react to the leyline remark, meaning she’d heard something like this before. I wanted to snicker at Twyla’s crow’s fly remark. She had no idea. Instead, I let Twyla continue. “You can think I’m crazy, but my people have always had other abilities to sense things. It’s because we’re Ceridwen,” she added casually.
“What’s a Ceridwen?” I asked.
“It’s a Welsh white witch,” Cerys informed me.
In the scheme of things, I guess if there could be shifters and other supernaturals, why not witches? I left it alone.
“Twyla, if you knew about Brax and others, why didn’t you tell me?” Cerys asked.
“Because it was his place and theirs to tell you. I don’t go around blabbing secrets. They can be deadly. Brax is right. They are hunted. Their enemies are deadly, no matter which ones they are—ignorance and fanaticism abound. You have to make sure to keep a low profile. Your children will have to be taught young not to show their powers or to tell anyone what they can do,” she warned.
“Twyla, I’m a wolf shifter. Sadly, by taking Cerys as my mate, we won’t be able to have children, but we can adopt. Who knows, we may adopt children like me, and we’ll teach them to be careful,” I assured her.
Twyla gave me a secret smile as if she knew something we didn’t. We tried to ask what, but she wouldn’t say. Eventually, we gave up. She did ask if my friends would now tell her what they were. I promised to pass on her request to them. Suffice it to say, it had not been the night we expected. We were the ones who were shocked.
Fast forward to tonight. Cerys, the guys, and I gathered at my place. We’d cooked outdoors and were relaxing. They were having fun telling us of their conversations with Twyla this week. One by one, she’d found a way to get them alone so she could ask what they were. I’d warned them she knew and intended to ask. Each had told her. She was waiting for them to show her their alternate forms. They promised her they’d do it soon.
“Your grandma is crazy, but I like her, Cerys,” Nico told her.
“I’d rather take her crazy than deal with my uptight parents. If I was truly a Ceridwen like Twyla says we are, I’d turn them into toads,” Cerys muttered.
“Hey, don’t discount it. I’ve lived long and seen some crazy, unexplainable things besides myself and this bunch. Never say it’s not possible,” Royal warned.
The sun had gone down, and the stars were out. There was a sliver of a moon out. I had a surprise for Cerys. She had no idea it was about to happen. I nodded to my friends.
“Hey, Cerys. What would you say to us taking a ride further out to see more of the stars? And maybe more?” Nico asked.
Joy took over her expression. She clapped her hands. “Are you going to show me your other forms?” she squealed.
We all laughed and nodded. She jumped to her feet. “Well, what are you waiting for? Let’s go. Wait until I tell Twyla. She’ll be so jealous. Be prepared to show her soon, or she’ll drive you crazy,” she warned. They chuckled.
“She’s not kidding. After we told Twyla the other night, the next evening, she told me to strip in the living room and show her. It was all I could do to get her to let me do it where she wouldn’t see all the goods,” I told them. I had been saving that zinger. They roared with laughter. I gave them the finger.
Standing, we headed for my garage. I kept my truck and bike in there, along with a sandrail—another name for a dune buggy. They were a ton of fun to drive in the desert. Mine could hold up to four people. Gunnar and Banner brought their two- seaters. Cerys and I ended up with Royal and Keir in ours. Nico went with Gunnar, and Fennick went with Banner.
We whooped it up as we raced into the desert. For regular people, driving in the dark was too dangerous, but with our superior vision, reflexes, and senses, we could navigate like it was daylight. We spent a good hour playing before we stopped. We were out where no one would see us. Climbing out of the rails, we gathered in a large circle. I felt the excitement radiating off Cerys.
“Are you ready?” Royal asked her. She nodded.
“Since you’re so possessive, cover her eyes so she doesn’t see our superior equipment,” Nico wisecracked.
Fuck you , I mouthed.
As if we’d be jealous , Nightstalker thought.
However, after Royal began to strip, I did cover her eyes when it was time for his pants to come off. As soon as he transformed, I let her look. She gasped. I had to admit he was impressive in his dragon form. He was the size of a large truck. I let her walk around him, touching his green and royal blue iridescent scales. She was speechless with awe.
Next was Gunnar’s gryphon, which was a bronze color. The sight of a creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion combined with the head and wings of an eagle and its taloned front legs was scary yet mesmerizing.
Keir’s leopard was the smallest out of us all, but he wasn’t anything to turn your back on. Although Keir came from Ireland, a few of his ancestors must’ve migrated there from Persia because his leopard was Persian, and those in the wild existed in Iran, Southern Russia, Afghanistan, and Turkey. He was over three and a half feet tall and eight feet long, which was way bigger than a regular leopard. He weighed in at a hefty two hundred twenty pounds. His fur was grayish, slightly reddish, dotted with pale rosettes rather than dark ones.
Banner’s phoenix was red, gold, and deep purple. Unlike mythology, which said a phoenix was the size of an eagle or maybe an ostrich, Banner’s was much larger. When fully standing, he stood eight feet tall.
Fennick’s bear was what was now an extinct European brown bear. He had golden brown fur with lighter tips. Standing on his hind legs, he was ten feet tall, weighed eight hundred pounds or more, and was eight feet long on all fours.
Of course, Nico’s vampire self wasn’t much different from his regular appearance unless he allowed his fangs to show and his eyes to glow. It was his internal, hidden abilities that made him genuinely terrifying. He could do way more than drink your blood. He stood six feet two and was muscular without being muscle-bound. However, his strength was to rival any of the rest of us.
By the time they were done showing off for her and she got through admiring them, it was my turn. She wanted to see me again. Although Nightstalker was almost black, he was technically a European gray wolf. His dark color was due to a mutated gene. Compared to a North American wolf, his head was narrower and tapered to the nose. His ears were higher and closer together. He was more slender in the loin, although his legs were longer, his feet narrower, and his tail more thinly covered in fur. The only lightness to his fur was the white on his throat that barely extended to his cheeks. An actual wolf would max out at about one hundred sixty pounds. Nightstalker was two hundred pounds of pure muscle.
Nightstalker basked in her attention. She rubbed his fur between his ears, hugged him, and told him how beautiful he was. Cerys didn’t show an ounce of fear. I was almost jealous of the attention he was getting.
She thinks I’m a strong mate. I can protect and provide for her and our pups. No one will ever harm them, he bragged.
You are a protector and provider, but remember. We can’t have pups with her. But we can adopt some , I reminded him for the umpteenth time.
You’ll see , Nightstalker thought. He kept saying that to me. I should give up arguing with the obstinate shit.
We made our way home after I shifted back. When we got there, the guys said they were headed home. I figured it was more like they had hookups tonight or would find some. No way they’d be home alone on a Saturday night. Before Cerys came along and blindsided me, I would’ve been right there with them. Watching them leave without me didn’t affect me at all. I was more than content to stay here with her. I had some plans of my own, and they didn’t require an audience.
Locking up the house, I stalked toward Cerys. When she saw me coming, she gave me a sultry glance.
“You remind me of Nightstalker moving like that. After seeing him again, I’m noticing things in your mannerisms that make me think of a wild wolf like him. More primitive and animalistic,” she said.
“And does that frighten you or turn you off?” I asked even though I knew the answer.
Her body was throwing out pheromones that made me want to howl. She began emitting them on the ride home from the desert. It was part of the reason Nico and the others had left so quickly. Even though she wasn’t their kind, she still influenced them, and nothing would make a dominant male crazier than to have other males around their female.
She smirked as she pulled her top off and dropped it on the floor. “No, I can’t say that I am. In fact, I feel hot and needy,” she said hoarsely.
I let out a roar and lunged toward her. She laughed as she ran. I let her stay ahead of me. I could easily catch her, but both I and Nightstalker wanted to chase her. I tore off my shirt and undid the button and zipper on my jeans. When we returned home, we’d shed our shoes.
Cerys enflamed me further by calling, “Catch me if you can, my big bad wolf.”
She didn’t go straight to the bedroom. Instead, she flitted from room to room. I let her. My desire was ramping up to unbelievable levels. After several minutes of stalking her, I’d had enough.
“Run, little Cerys! I’m coming to eat you!”
I heard her shriek and then the patter of her feet on the floor. This time, I didn’t slow down. I was naked, and as she darted out ahead of me, I saw she was, too. Our clothes were scattered all over the house. Her tits bounced, and her ass jiggled. I saw flashes of her pussy as she ran. The scent of her arousal was heady. I growled, and with a small burst of speed, I captured her around the waist. We were in the bedroom, so I took her down to the bed. Her scream made me wilder.
I wrestled her onto her back and pinned her arms above her head. She breathed heavily. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed up at me. Her pulse pounded in her neck. Leaning down, I licked over it before I gently bit down. I didn’t break the skin, but I wanted to. I had to talk to her first before I took that step. It was the final step for someone like me. Once done, we’d never be able to part. I wanted it. I sucked on her neck, leaving a less permanent mark behind.
She moaned and writhed beneath me. I had her trapped. Nibbling up her slender neck, I bit her earlobe, making her moan louder. Kissing my way to her mouth, I sealed my lips to hers and kissed her deeply. I used my tongue and teeth to ravish it. When I’d gotten a good taste, I broke the connection to continue my exploration.
She was panting as she whimpered, “Brax, please, don’t wait. I’m so hot. I need you. Fuck me.”
I wanted to slam my aching, dripping cock into her tight pussy and pound until we both came, but first, I needed a taste. I licked and sucked my way down her body. I had to pause and worship each tit, if only for a minute or two before I homed in on her core. The scent of her had me half-mad.
Pushing her legs apart impatiently, I latched onto her soaked pussy and lapped at her. I dragged my tongue over every inch of her folds, along her inner thighs, and even up her crack to tongue her asshole. She wailed my name, “Brax!”
I let a soft growl rumble out of me before I sucked her clit into my mouth, thrashed it with my tongue then bit down. At the same time, I thrust my fingers inside her and coated them in her cum. She shattered and shook as she came. I greedily ate her pussy and licked up every bit of cum I could find. I rubbed back and forth over her G-spot with my fingers to extend her orgasm. Eventually, I eased off and let her come down from her high. She was gasping and moaning when she finally settled. There was a dazed expression on her face when I sat up.
I pumped my cock, squeezing tightly around the head. I groaned at the feeling. I let go and then took several deep breaths to calm down. If I didn’t, the second I entered her, I’d blow. When I thought I was under control, I flipped her over onto her stomach. I slapped each ass cheek. She whimpered brokenly, but the temptress wiggled her ass.
A bit roughly, I yanked her up on her knees. I used my knee to push her legs further apart. My hands spread her cheeks, giving me a perfect view of her dark hole and her glistening pussy. Lining up my cock with her opening, I muttered, “Your wolf wants you to scream for him,” right before I thrust hard. I sank into her to the hilt in one stroke.
Cerys wailed, but it wasn’t one of pain or denial. It was full of desire. Gripping her hips, I drew my hips back and then thrust again. I set a punishing pace. One that made me pant, her cry out repeatedly, the room echoed with the slap of our naked skin together and filled the room with the irresistible scent of us. I growled and grunted as I slammed in and out.
Somehow, Cerys came and didn’t take me with her. I kept going. She was now begging me to come. I was just on the edge. My balls were tingling. Hell, my whole body was. I leaned over her and growled into her ear, “Scream for me.”
I thrust one more time, tumbling her into another orgasm. At the same time, I bellowed and bucked as I erupted, sending load after load of my cum deep into her clenching pussy. My legs shook as I emptied myself into her. She was sobbing, clenching like a fist around my cock, and draining me dry. By the time we stopped coming, we could barely hold ourselves up. My body was weak. I withdrew, although I would’ve preferred to stay inside her, and collapsed next to her. Cerys weakly inched over to me.
I hugged her, kissed her tenderly, and whispered, “Amazing. I love you.”
“It was. And I love you, too,” she whispered back. Her eyes dropped closed. I yawned.
We have to do that again , Nightstalker rumbled.
Yes, we do. And we’ll have to get her to agree soon to the claiming bite. I’m ready , I told him, in case he didn’t realize.
I’ve been ready. What took you so long, Brax?
The following day, we were lounging in bed. She had one of my T-shirts on, and I was wearing shorts. I would’ve preferred we be naked, but after sex twice last night and twice since we woke up, she said since I was insatiable, we needed to put on something. I pointed out I wasn’t the only one initiating sex. She winked at me. Truthfully, I liked seeing her in my clothes, so I didn’t mind it too much.
We had a late breakfast, then kicked back to watch a movie. It was almost over. I was wondering if I could convince her to go another round when my phone rang. Groaning, I picked it up. It was the department. As much as I didn’t want to answer, I knew I had to.
“Christou speaking,” I said gruffly.
“Christou, this is Lieutenant Towsend. I need you to come in. It’s an emergency,” my lieutenant stated. He was a no-nonsense kind of man. I preferred him to others who beat around the bush. I knew if he was calling, it was an emergency, not just him trying to get me to cover a shift. If that were the case, a sergeant or a scheduler would’ve called.
“What’s the emergency, Lieutenant?”
“We got word there was a huge wreck on I-40 outside Needles. Multiple cars and tractor-trailers were involved. We’re bringing in outside help. There are reports of fires and numerous casualties. We need to get this under control. Before you ask, yes, this is usually the CHP’s job, but who knows how long it’ll take them to get there, and they’ll need help.”
I hated to leave Cerys, but this wasn’t something I could say no to. “I’ll be there as soon as possible. Have dispatch send me the mile marker.”
“Will do. Talk later,” Townsend said before hanging up.
As I jumped to my feet to get ready, her phone rang. If numerous were injured, some would go to our hospital, while others would be sent to larger hospitals with level one and two trauma services. As she talked, I pulled out my uniform. Cerys had brought some of her clothes to leave here. Along with casual clothes, there were a few sets of scrubs. I grabbed a set for her and put them on the bed. She gave me a grateful look. Thankfully, we’d showered after our last lovemaking session.
Less than fifteen minutes later, we were out the door. I was dropping her off at the hospital since it was on my way. When we arrived, I got out and walked her to the door. Not caring who saw us, I took her in my arms and kissed her deeply. When we parted, she whispered, “Be careful out there, Brax.”
“I will. You be careful here. It’s gonna be crazy. If you get done and I can’t get you, call Twyla. Royal and Nico will be called in to help. If she can’t pick you up, call Gunnar, Fennick, or one of the others.”
“I’ll be fine, and don’t worry. I’ll find a way home. Go,” she urged. I gave her one last peck on the mouth and ran for my car. I put my lights and siren on as I tore out of the parking lot. I rode to the hospital with my lights and siren blaring, too. The wreck was about ten miles out of town.
It was a nightmare when I got there. Vehicles, smoke, flames, and people yelling, screaming, and crying were everywhere. There were cops, firemen, and paramedics gathered, along with those involved in the crashes. Lookie-loos were there to watch or see if they had friends and family involved. I went into work mode. I barked out orders to get those watching out of the way. If they resisted, especially those just wanting to watch for the hell of it, I’d make sure their asses were arrested. They were blocking our ability to provide help.
It took hours to straighten things out. Even when the California Highway Patrol arrived, they needed all the assistance they could get. The interstate was shut down, and it would still be hours before all the wrecked vehicles were hauled away so it could be fully reopened. Ambulances and helicopters came and went, taking the injured to hospitals. I wondered how Cerys was doing more than a few times, but I didn’t text her. I didn’t want to distract her from her work.
I saw Nico and Royal on and off. We’d wave or give each other chin lifts, but there wasn’t time to talk. I saw Keir, Fennick, Banner, and Gunnar, too. They offered their assistance in whatever capacity necessary. In a small town like ours, volunteers were always needed. A small contingent of professional San Bernardino County Fire staff manned the firehouse, but official volunteers were added to the fire and the police departments when required.
By the time I was free to go, it was dark. I was tired, hot, and hungry, but the need to check to see if Cerys was able to go home pushed at me more. She’d have to return to work by tomorrow morning to begin her three days. I knew Cerys worked twelve-hour shifts because the hospital preferred them, although eight hours were available. She explained when I asked that she needed full-time hours, but working five days a week didn’t leave her much time for other things, so she crammed them into three exhausting days. I’d seen how they wiped her out.
Though not frantic, things were still rather busy when I walked into the ER. I got my fair share of looks. I was covered in ash and dirt, smoke permeated me, and my uniform was soaked with sweat. It had been a hundred degrees outside. Maybe I should’ve gone home and showered first, but I wanted to see her. Hopefully, we can go home together.
“Brax, let me guess. You’re looking for Cerys,” Norah said from behind me.
I swung to face her. “I am. Is she busy? I don’t want to interrupt her if she is.”
“She went to take a short break. She’s in the breakroom. You know where it is. Go on back,” she said with a smile.
“Thanks, Norah.”
She waved me off. I watched her walk toward a bed. I hastened to the breakroom. A couple of others were in there, but I only had eyes for the woman with her head down on the table. I rushed over to her and dropped into the chair next to her. Cerys’ head came up, and she blinked tiredly.
“ Astéri mou , are you alright?” I asked anxiously.
She had stains on her scrubs, some of which were blood. The bun she’d wrapped her hair in before coming in was lopsided, and strands had fallen around her face. She appeared worn out.
“I’m fine. Brax, what’re you doing here? Are you okay?” She rubbed her thumb along my dirty cheek as she scanned me.
“I’m good other than being hot, tired and I stink. You look wiped out. How much longer do you need to stay?”
“I don’t know that I need to stay. Things have slowed down. They should be able to handle it with the new shift.”
“Why don’t you find out? You’re dead on your feet. Has everyone been here since you arrived?”
She shook her head. “No, several came in later. I heard they had to keep calling some people until they finally answered or changed their minds. Denise, Norah, and I got here about the same time.”
“Well then, those who came later can stay. You need some rest. You’re back in the morning,” I said firmly. I cast a glance at those in the room with us. They looked fresh and had no stains on them. Why the fuck were they taking a break already? I bit my tongue to keep myself from asking them.
I assisted her to her feet and guided her to the treatment area. I had to ask. “Those in the breakroom, did they get here recently?”
“Yeah, they did. Why?”
“Because you’ve been here hours and have worked your ass off, and they’re taking a break! Let’s find your supervisor.”
My anger was building. Cerys wearily made her way over to a nurse supervisor. I recognized her. Her name was Irene Clark. She and I had words before. It was before Cerys started. Irene didn’t like to get her hands dirty and treated her staff like shit. Nico agreed. He detested her. Irene was standing there with her hands on her hips, looking around. She was scowling. Her uniform was crisp and clean.
“Excuse me, Irene, I need to go home. Things have settled, and more staff are here. I’m coming in for my shift in the morning. I need to get some food and sleep,” Cerys said.
Irene’s scowl worsened. “You can’t leave. There’s more work to do. Get back to it,” she snapped.
My temper frayed. I was about to snap back when Cerys did.
“Excuse me? I’ve been here for eight hours. I’ve worked my ass off. I’m willing to help, but I’ve done more than my share. There are people here who just came in an hour ago. They can handle it.”
Irene stiffened. “Are you arguing with me? I said, get back to work.”
Staff around us edged closer. I saw their astonishment.
“I’m not arguing. I’m just pointing out that you have enough staff since the rush is over. They’ve sent everyone from the crash site to where they needed to go. The patients here now are primarily regular shift patients. I’ll give a report, and then I’m headed home,” Cerys informed her firmly.
As she turned to walk away, Irene snapped again, “If you leave, I’ll report you to the nursing board for abandoning your patients.” I heard several gasps. I’d had enough.
“And if you dare to do that, countless people here will be able to testify that not only did she not abandon them, but there were more than enough people to care for the patients. Why don’t you get your hands dirty and do some work? Or better yet, get the ones in the breakroom who’ve been here barely an hour, and they’re already taking a goddamn break to do something. She’s done. If you want to push it, I’ll talk to your boss. In fact, is he here? I’ll do it now.”
Anger entered her gaze. “Deputy Christou, this doesn’t concern you. Please leave.”
“It does concern me. You’re threatening someone’s livelihood. To make it worse, that someone is my girlfriend. I know exactly how long she’s been here since I dropped her off when I went to the scene. That was nine hours ago. Based on her clothes, she’s been working in the thick of it like I have all that time. How long has your ass been here?” I snapped.
“That’s not any of your business,” was her comeback.
“Two hours,” someone shouted. It was a man, but I wasn’t sure who said it. Irene’s head snapped around to scan the faces surrounding us.
“Get back to work,” she ordered.
Denise, Norah, and a few others all stepped forward. They were in the same shape as Cerys. “We’re going home, too. Our duty is done. We’ll give our report then go. Cerys is right. These are regular shift work patient levels. You’ve got a full shift,” Denise chimed in.
“And if you report them for abandoning their patients when that’s not the case, I’ll have to see about representing them when they sue you for defamation of character,” a deep voice said. I smiled. There was Banner. He had his arms crossed over his chest.
“Nurse Clark, let them go. Oh, and I’d like to speak to you in my office now,” Dr. Gardener, the emergency department director, said sternly. No one had seen him join the crowd. He wasn’t happy. I noticed he was dressed in regular scrubs, and he had wrinkles and stains as well.
“Cerys, you and those who’ve been here for hours are free to go. Thank you for coming in. And thank you for all you’ve done, Deputy Christou. That goes for everyone else. It’s been a very trying day, but we handled it. Go get some food and rest,” he said to the room with a smile before he walked off. Irene trailed behind him. There were claps and even a few whistles. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t stand her.
“I’ll wait by the door. Go finish your report,” I told Cerys. I’d let her tell me if she were upset with me for saying something, but it wouldn’t change it. I’d always stand up for those I thought deserved it.
“Behave yourself,” Cerys warned before she walked off, causing me to laugh. Yeah, she’d have something to say. While I waited, I texted Twyla—her reply made me smile.