Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Iscanned the cafeteria, looking for two people in the large crowd, which was almost impossible. How were we to find our query amongst all the humans, especially one little girl with ponytails and her mother? A sense of loss threatened to bring me to tears until Kellen tapped my nose.
“Take a deep breath,” he instructed.
Near the doors leading to the outside courtyard was the little girl and her mom. Their heads were bent close together with two trays of food in front of them.
“Should we get some food and go sit with them?” Nervousness made my palms sweat. Kellen’s body heat soothed me.
“No. Let’s get this over with. Just go over and introduce yourself. I’ll stand back so I don’t scare them.”
My eyes darted up to the man beside me. “You’re going to let me go over there alone?”
His husky laugh had several people turning toward us. “Not on your life, baby. I’ll be really close, just not too close. Come on.” He steered me around a couple.
The closer we got, the heavier the scent of shifter became. I squeezed Kellen’s fingers, hoping he’d understand.
“The child is part wolf.” He spoke through our link.
My own sense of smell wasn’t the same as his. More than likely, his being the Alpha gave him super-sniffing ability as well. I sent him an image of Scooby Doo, getting a quick flash of me over his lap.
“Stop that, or everyone will smell me, human or not,” I admonished.
“Then don’t compare me to a damn dog.”
“Woof,” I joked, then stopped as we reached the table. In that moment, the knowledge that Kellen had diverted my attention registered. I was one lucky gal indeed. His hand slipped from mine as I took the remaining steps toward the pair.
One pair of amber eyes blinked up at me with so much knowledge, I swore the little girl’s wolf was letting me know she was there. “Hi. My name is Dr. Laikyn O’Neil. May I speak with you?” I pulled my gaze from the child to the mother.
Green eyes stared at me in alarm. “Is my husband okay? We just left him.” She asked in a shaky voice.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t have news about your husband. I actually wanted to ask you some questions. May I sit down?” I smiled, hoping to ease them.
The mother waved at the chairs across from them. “Mommy, she’s like daddy and me,” the little girl announced.
“What do you mean, Dakota?” Alarmed, the mother pulled the young girl onto her lap, staring at me like I’d grown two heads.
“I guess that answers one of our questions.” I didn’t look at Kellen as I spoke to him through our mate bond.
“Dakota. What a lovely name for a little girl.” I focused on the human mother. “What’s your name, miss?”
“Mommy, don’t be scared. Her wolf is much stronger than mine, and mine is not scared.”
The mother’s hand trembled, triggering my protective instincts. “We are not here to harm you. I am new to the hospital and happened to smell shifter in the elevator. My mate and I followed you down here to find out more. Where is your,” I looked to the child before continuing, “father?”
“Oh, god. What is going on? I thought he was the only one. We thought…I mean,” she whispered roughly.
“Jared and I met in college at NDSU. I always knew he was different, but not that different. His senses were sharper, and he could run, jump, and do things much better than most others. He could have gone on to the NFL, but we got pregnant with this little nugget, and as the saying goes. The rest was history.” She took a ragged breath.
“We are on vacation, hiking the Black Hills. It’ll be fun, he said.
” She gave a hollow laugh. “There was a bear trap we didn’t see.
I got on my cell phone right away. Within hours, they flew him here, but he’s not getting better.
We don’t understand.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“What is your name?” Kellen growled.
Dakota stared at my mate, her eyes going wide. “Oh wow. You are even bigger than my daddy.”
Kellen squatted down to eye level. “My name is Kellen Styles. I’m what you would call the Alpha. Leader of the pack, if you will. What is your name, ma’am?” His blue eyes turned toward Dakota’s mother.
I watched the young woman squirm. “Irene Carpenter, and this is our daughter Dakota. Do you know what is wrong with Jared? Can you help us since you’re the Alpha or whatever?”
He shrugged massive shoulders. “Take me to him, and I’ll see what is going on. I make no promises, but between myself, Laikyn, and my pack, there is a chance.”
Irene stood with Dakota in her arms. “Let’s go.”
My mate shook his head. “After you.”
“Mommy, my wolf is cringing. I think we are supposed to listen to him.” Dakota’s voice cut through the tension.
“Sweetheart, if they fix your daddy, I’ll bow down, curtsy, or whatever you say. Right now, I want your daddy fixed.” Irene kissed Dakota’s forehead, then hefted her up higher on her hip.
“Here, let me take her.” Kellen reached for Dakota.
Irene’s mouth opened, but the little girl practically leaped into Kellen’s arms. I shook my head.
“He has a way with the female population. Of course, I will only allow the ones under the age of maybe eight or nine now to get away with that.” I pointed my thumb at Dakota, who now sat on Kellen’s shoulders, and laughed as I joined Irene in her fast clip toward the bank of elevators.
“He is a handsome devil. My Jared is, too. However, he is the opposite of your…mate. Are you two not married?” Irene pressed the button for the fifth floor.
Her hesitation over the words made me aware that the woman and Jared were either completely unaware of his heritage or that the wolf was running from the truth.
Either way, they needed to learn the truth.
“We call ourselves mates, but I will expect him to put a ring on it too. A huge one. He will be getting his tattooed on, so all the women know he is taken.” I looked over my shoulder, meeting the heat in my mate’s blue eyes.
“Mon Chaton, you can have anything you want. I’ll have your name tattooed around anything you desire.” He winked.
Goddess, I loved his dirty mind. The doors opened to their floor, and then we didn’t need Irene to tell us where Jared was.
The scent of a shifter in pain hit me hard.
As a doctor, I picked up the pace, leaving Irene behind along with Kellen and Dakota.
The door to the room was closed, but I pushed it open without thinking.
A snarl greeted me from the bed. The large man sat up, a feral look in his eye. “Who are you?”
Kellen pushed past me, a growl rumbling out. “That is my mate, boy.”
My hand found Kellen’s fisted one. “He’s in so much pain.”
“I can see that.” Never taking his eyes off of Jared, Kellen walked closer. “I know what you are, and you obviously know what we are. What you don’t know is that we are friends and are here to help.”
“Daddy, these are my friends. My wolf is at ease around them. Well, not at first around Alpha, but now it is,” Dakota said, trying to break free from her mother.
“Mommy, let me go. I told you, it’s okay. They are gonna fix daddy.” Her little voice wobbled.
Jared held his hand out to his family. “Come here,” he growled.
“My name is Dr. Laikyn O’Neil. Let me look at your injury.” I gestured at the foot of the bed.
All the strength seemed to evaporate from the man in the bed. “Jared, let them see. What can it hurt?” Irene lifted the blanket, showing me and Kellen.
My training kept the gasp from escaping. “Why or who would have silver traps laid out along hiking trails?”
“Fuck if I know. Hell, I don’t think any shifter goes on hikes where humans are.” Kellen bent closer. “When did this happen?” Kellen asked Jared.
“Two days ago.” His arm dropped from around Irene.
The angry, red, and swollen leg had blood-red veins sticking out. A clear sign of infection and blood poisoning. “Jared, were you a born shifter, or turned?” Kellen asked.
I watched, trepidation had my nerves on edge. If a wolf were out turning others and not taking care of them, the shifter community in itself could be in trouble.
“I was born this way, I believe. Now, if you want to know who my birth parents are or were, you’re shit out of luck.
I grew up with wonderful parents, but they adopted a little boy they thought was human.
It wasn’t until I shifted that they realized their little guy was a freak of nature.
By then, they loved me despite my issues, so I suppressed the urge and went on with my life.
” His speaking clearly wore him out. With his breathing becoming more labored, I feared they might be too late.
The door opened on a silent swoosh. I turned, my eyes taking in the tiny blonde woman wearing a lab coat. She smelled like honey and mint. Not human. Moving quickly, I placed myself in front of Laikyn.
“Who are you?” Authority rang in my voice.
With a wave of her hand, the small woman walked forward. “And a hello to you, too, Kellen Styles of the Iron Wolves. I’ve come to save the day, and not a moment too soon, I see.” She tsked a few times, setting me on edge.
“Hi, my name is Laikyn. Can I help you?” She tried to look around me.
“Oh, down, little wolfie. I don’t want your mate. Or yours, young lady. He reeks of infection.”
I growled, my wolf wanting to shake her. “Woman, who the fuck are you?”
She held her hand up. “Boy, I do believe you need your mouth washed out. There is a child in this room.” She smiled pleasantly and gave a tiny finger wave at Dakota. “Well, aren’t you just the cutest little thing. Yes, you are. Oh yes, you are.”
“Enough. Who are you?” I allowed my Alpha powers to flare.
Sighing, she tilted her head. “I am Jennaveve Grey from Mystic. Your aura led me to you. You really need to learn to hide yourself a little better, Alpha. Now, down boy. This one needs my attention, and then we will go see about your other problem.”
I couldn’t believe the little Fey woman was completely unfazed by my anger. Her body and scent didn’t show one iota of sense or fear. “I really like her,” Laikyn whispered.
I grunted. “You would.”