Chapter 20
TWENTY
“ E xcuse me, miss?”
Haley stirred, her neck stiff from hours of trying to sleep in the hospital chair. Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked at the older nurse leaning over her. The woman’s scrubs were wrinkled after what had clearly been a long shift, but her smile was warm and kind.
“Visiting hours are over,” the nurse said gently. “You can come back in the morning if you’d like.”
Haley wiped the drool from her lip and glanced at her dad, who was sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling in a comforting rhythm. Relief and heartbreak warred inside her. He looked so frail, so unlike the man who had been her rock for her entire life. She hated leaving him, even for a moment.
The nurse’s expression softened as she followed Haley’s gaze. “I’ll take good care of him, miss. My name is Aggie, and I’ll be here all night. I’m working a double.”
“Thank you, Aggie,” Haley replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper so she wouldn’t wake him. “I’m Haley. I appreciate everything you and the other hospital staff have done for my dad. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to work a double shift. Nurses are really the unsung heroes. Your care, well… It means the world to us.”
Aggie’s smile widened. “It’s my pleasure, sugar. He’s a good man. Now, you go home and get some rest. You can’t take care of him if you’re running on fumes.”
Haley nodded reluctantly. The truth was, she hadn’t slept properly in days, and every bone in her body ached from the makeshift cot of the chair. But the thought of leaving him filled her with guilt. She leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
“I’ll be back first thing in the morning, Dad,” she whispered, her voice cracking. She lingered for a moment, watching him, before finally gathering her things and stepping out of the room.
The hospital halls were quieter now, the chaotic energy of the day replaced with a more subdued stillness. Machines hummed, and the faint murmur of voices drifted from the nurses’ station. Haley’s footsteps echoed as she walked through the dimly lit corridor, her thoughts a tangle of worry and exhaustion.
Just as she approached the sliding glass doors at the hospital entrance, a voice called out behind her.
“Haley!”
She turned, startled, to see Frank Johnson striding toward her. His broad shoulders and weathered face gave him an air of quiet authority, but tonight, his expression was grim, his mouth set in a hard line.
“Mr. J,” Haley said automatically, concern tightening her throat. “Is Ian okay?”
Frank shook his head, his jaw clenched. “There’s a situation,” he said. “I don’t understand all this social media nonsense, but it’s causing a mess. It’s your friend Verity.”
Haley frowned, dread creeping up her spine. “Verity? What did she do?”
Frank pulled out his phone and handed it to her. “You better see for yourself.”
Haley’s stomach churned as she watched the short clip. At first, it seemed harmless—artsy shots of the moon paired with a cryptic caption. Typical Verity. But then the video cut to an image of a wolf howling at the moon, set to a popular song about keeping secrets. The caption read:
“What would you do if you discovered your best friend was hiding a beast of a secret? #wolfwhisperer #howlinggoodtime”
Haley’s breath caught in her throat. Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through the comments, each one hitting like a punch to the gut.
“Omg, is this for real?”
“You can’t drop something like that without tea! SPILL!”
“I heard she paid a fortune for a date with that hot firefighter. What a loser!”
“Anyone who has to pay for a date must be butt-fugly. Is that the secret?”
“This isn’t about Ian Johnson, is it? He’s so hot!”
Haley stared at the screen in horror, her mind racing. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “Why would she do something like that?”
Frank shook his head, his expression dark. “I don’t know. Maybe she thought it was funny. Maybe she didn’t realize how serious it was. But whatever her reason, it’s caused a whole heap of trouble with the pack.”
Haley’s stomach twisted painfully. “What kind of trouble?” she asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“The shifter world has strict rules about keeping their existence a secret,” Frank explained, his voice grim. “What Verity did... It's considered a betrayal. At best, Ian could be ostracized—cut off from the pack entirely.”
Haley’s brow furrowed. “Is that so bad?”
Frank’s gaze hardened. “Wolves aren’t meant to be alone, Haley. A lone wolf loses their humanity over time. They’re vulnerable to attacks from other paranormal creatures, and would spend the rest of their lives always waiting for the next blow. It’s not just bad—it’s a death sentence.”
Haley felt the blood drain from her face. Her voice was barely a whisper. “What’s the worst-case scenario?”
Frank hesitated, the weight of his next words hanging heavy in the air. “If the Alpha decides Ian’s actions have put the pack in danger, he could demand a fight to the death.”
Haley staggered back, the air knocked out of her lungs. She gripped Frank’s arm, her panic bubbling over. “Ian isn’t ready for that! He’s new to this world—he doesn’t have the experience or control. Garrick would tear him apart!”
Frank’s jaw tightened, and he looked away. “That’s the idea,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry, Haley. I know this couldn’t come at a worse time. But Ian’s in real danger, and he needs someone in his corner. I won’t tell you what to do, but as his father, I had to let you know. He trusts you, Haley. He needs you. But he would never ask you to leave your father at a time like this. I know it’s selfish of me, but he’s my son.”
Haley’s chest ached as tears welled in her eyes. She turned away, pressing a hand to her mouth to stifle the sob that threatened to escape. “I can’t do this,” she choked out. “My dad... he’s dying. How can I leave him? But if I don’t help Ian...” Her voice broke, and the tears came, hot and uncontrollable.
Frank stepped closer, his presence steady and reassuring. “Haley, I know you’re torn in two right now. But you’re not failing anyone. Loving someone doesn’t mean you have to be everywhere at once. It means letting that person know how you feel and doing your best to be there for them. Life isn’t easy, and the choices we are forced to make can be brutal. Listen to your gut, I’ve found that’s the best way, and give yourself some grace.”
Haley shook her head, her shoulders trembling. “I feel like I’m letting them both down. My dad needs me here. Ian needs me there. No matter what I do, it feels like I’m choosing one over the other.”
Frank reached out, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. “Your dad’s a good man, Haley. I know he’s proud of the woman you’ve become. And I know he’d tell you the same thing I am—follow your heart. Don’t let fear decide for you. Love with your whole heart. Show up as much as you can, and trust in yourself. Love will take care of the rest.”
Haley let out a shuddering breath, her father’s words from earlier echoing in her mind: “The hardest fights are the ones worth having.” She wiped at her tears, her chest still tight, but her resolve slowly hardening.
“What if I go to Ian and I’m too late?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Frank’s gaze softened, and he smiled faintly. “Then at least he’ll know you fought for him. And that makes all the difference in the world.”
Haley nodded, her heart still heavy but no longer paralyzed by indecision. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. “Thank you, Mr. J. I don’t know how I’m going to fix this, but I can’t just sit here and do nothing.”
Frank’s lips curved into a small, approving smile. “That’s the Haley I know. Go on, now. You’ve got a wolf to save.”
Haley swallowed hard and turned toward the parking lot, her heart pounding. The weight of the choice still pressed down on her. But the thought of Ian facing everything alone gutted her.
She didn’t know what waited for her on the other side of this, but she was done letting fear hold her back. It was time to fight. She only prayed that her dad’s health would hold on until she returned.