Chapter 13 Avery #2
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, a shark smelling blood in the water. Now I got a view of his corded forearms flexing along with those biceps as he studied me intently. “Where did you and your brother learn how to fight wraiths—and apparently other shifters—like that?”
“You’re aware we’ve been in the streets, fighting actual wraiths for years, Blackwell.”
“So you’ve said. Who taught you wraith combat? Your parents were never in the Guardians. I checked.”
I shifted on my cot, moving to sit cross-legged on the mattress. It was less than a month ago that I sat almost the same way on a hospital bed, though less naked, while another overbearing Alpha wolf loomed in the corner. I needed to not make this a habit.
This part of my family history was mostly a safe subject.
“My parents were trained by the traveling Guardians back when they were making a big push for their outreach programs. They lived in a small mountain town in Colorado and were the primary force that kept the occasional wraith attacks there at bay. My Alpha father also grew up in a hostile and old-school wolf pack, so he learned to fight early. My cougar dad, Kaito, was trained in kenjutsu from a young age by both his father and grandfather. My fox dad had a father and an uncle who served in the Support Squadron. And—” I paused, bracing against the brief wave of sadness that smacked me every time I thought of her.
“—my mother died when I was three, so our dads have been pretty zealous in making sure we can protect ourselves.”
Heath’s expression softened. “How did your mom die? Was it wraiths?”
The million-dollar question. “No. She was murdered.”
His brows hit his hairline. “What happened?”
And that was where story time ended. “We still don’t really know,” I replied, shrugging.
“It’s like you said—we’re a brutal and violent species.
I should probably stop being a surly bitch and thank you for ensuring that I was not also murdered on the campus lawn today, because it would’ve broken my family. ”
His scowl returned. “Then why the hell are you trying to become a Guardian? The casualty rate is ten percent in the first year.”
“Worry about yourself, Blackwell.”
A growl erupted from him with the subtlety of a buzz saw. “You are the most infuriating female I’ve ever met.”
Finally, some praise. “Thank you.”
“Knock, knock.”
We ceased our stare-off as an attractive man wearing a white lab coat over form-fitting scrubs strolled into the room.
He had straight, shiny black hair, dark eyes that radiated kindness, and cheekbones carved by the Moon herself.
His features hinted at an East Asian heritage, and he looked to be about thirty.
“Hello, Miss Baxter,” he said warmly. “I’m Dr. Lee. I hear we have some broken ribs?”
“Um, yes,” I replied, hyper-aware of how hot my face suddenly felt. “A bear might’ve, um, crushed me a little bit.”
He frowned. “That’s unfortunate.” He stepped to my side and began to feel around my ribs with gentle pressure. “Hmm, yes, there they are. Let’s see what we can do about that, shall we?”
Warmth seeped into his fingers. My right side flared with a sharp pain, and I hissed, but then the pain gradually receded, replaced with a warm tingling feeling.
Heath was watching Dr. Lee’s hands on my skin like he was moments from shifting and biting them off.
I shot him a squinty-eyed glare. “If you’re going to be pissy, you can leave, Blackwell.”
“Hmm, yes,” Dr. Lee said absently as he worked. “I’m not sure why you’re in here, Mr. Blackwell. Miss Baxter is in good hands.”
I sighed happily. The pain was a distant echo now.
“Clearly,” Heath bit out. “I’m just here to ensure our promising new trainee doesn’t dip out of treatment before she’s fully healed.”
Dr. Lee lifted a sculpted brow at me. “Trainee, huh?”
“I like killing wraiths,” I said with a demure little shrug, “and I’m good at it.”
“Are you? Color me impressed, though it sounds like we may be seeing more of you in the infirmary, then,” he added, winking at me.
Heath cleared his throat, loudly.
Dr. Lee chuckled. “All right, that should do it. It wouldn’t be a terrible thing if you iced these ribs later. And keep your sutures clean and dry for twenty-four hours, please.”
“Will do, Doc.”
“Fantastic.” He grabbed my chart from the little table by the door and shot Heath a pointed look. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing both of you again soon.”
After he’d gone, I stretched my arms over my head.
I did feel a hell of a lot better. I wasn’t a stranger to visiting the clinic in our neighborhood after a particularly bad night, but I usually preferred to heal at home with the help of one of my dad Joseph’s elixirs or by spending time lazing around as my beast within the privacy of my bedroom.
Heath stood up and prowled over to me. I became acutely aware of the heat of his body as it came within two feet of mine, and then I remembered I was still shirtless.
He brushed a hand over the healing bruises on my side. “They aren’t going to stop coming for you, Avery. And I won’t always be around to save you.”
My beast, who had been practically purring at his nearness, flattened her ears and hissed her displeasure in my head.
“I didn’t ask you to save me, Blackwell.
Not this time, and I won’t any other time.
That’s the whole point of all of this—I’m just as dangerous as you are, and the Guardians are exactly where I need to be. ”
He leaned down, his hand still pressed gently to my ribs, and he rasped next to my ear, “My name is Heath. Use it.”
I could only sit there, staring like an idiot, as he snagged his jacket from the chair and then strode confidently from the room.