Plague #2
"Teammates," Whiskey adds cheerfully, like Valek wasn't just threatening us with death again thirty seconds ago. "I'm Whiskey, this is Plague. We're from the Ghosts."
He holds out his hand.
"Oh, how wonderful! I'm Olivia." Her face lights up as she shakes his hand with the one that isn't in a cast. Her hands are tiny enough compared to Whiskey's, she has to grip his finger instead of his palm. "Val never brings friends around. Were you just in the area, or…?"
I clear my throat. "We actually just—"
"—actually came to support our teammate," Whiskey finishes smoothly, throwing his arm around Valek's shoulders like they're the best of friends.
Valek's entire body goes rigid under Whiskey's arm, and I can practically hear his teeth grinding together. A low, dangerous growl rumbles from his chest.
But Olivia just laughs. "Oh, you alphas," she says, shaking her head. "Always so dramatic about everything. It's just a broken bone. I'll be fine."
"Yeah, well," Whiskey says, somehow managing to keep his arm draped over Valek despite the alpha's seething murderous energy. "Val here is so aloof we had no clue what was going on. He just disappeared without a word. We were worried sick."
I resist the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. Whiskey's laying it on thick, but Olivia seems to be eating it up.
"That sounds like Val," she agrees with clear affection, sighing. "Always keeping everything close to the chest."
Valek's silver eyes narrow furiously at Whiskey.
"How long are you boys in town?" she asks us.
"Just passing through," I say quickly, before Whiskey can immediately commit us to something insane. "We wanted to check on our teammate, make sure he was alright, and head back."
"You should stay for dinner!" Olivia's face lights up. "We're getting takeout since I can't cook with this big clunky thing in the way." She waves her cast around. "And it would be lovely to have more people around. Val's brothers and sister will be there, and his father. It'll be fun!"
"That's… very kind of you, Olivia," I start, already formulating a polite refusal, "but we wouldn't want to impose—"
"Nonsense!" She waves off my concern with her good hand. "You came all this way to check on Val. The least we can do is feed you. Right, Val?"
Valek's smile is all teeth and zero warmth. "Of course. The more the merrier."
The threat in those words is crystal clear despite the pleasant tone.
"Besides," Olivia continues, looking between Whiskey and me with a knowing expression that makes my stomach drop, "you two are such a cute couple, and I'd love to hear the story of how you met!"
My brain short-circuits.
"We're—" I start, but Whiskey's already laughing, the bastard.
"Is it that obvious?" he asks, grinning at me.
I'm going to kill him.
Slowly.
With my bare hands.
"Oh yes," Olivia says, clasping her good hand to her chest. "The way you look at each other. So sweet."
Valek's grin widens, showing more of his pointed canines. "It is sweet, isn't it?" he purrs, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "They're madly in love. Too bad they keep me up all night with their... enthusiasm."
Olivia turns the exact shade of a tomato. "Oh, my!"
My own face burns hot enough to melt steel.
And Whiskey's fucking laughing like this is the funniest thing that's ever happened to him. I hope it's worth it, because I'm seriously considering whether the hospital security glancing our way would stop me from strangling him or if they would encourage it.
"We unfortunately need to get back to our hotel," I say in a clipped tone, shifting my foot to press down on Whiskey's, hard. He doesn't seem to notice. "We've had a rather long day."
"Yeah," Whiskey adds, reining in his laughter to a low chuckle, and for once his timing is helpful instead of catastrophically terrible. "We got in an accident on the way here. Almost hit a wolf. A white wolf."
I close my eyes.
Please, God, let me die right here.
"A wolf?" Olivia's eyes widen.
"Yep," Whiskey says, nodding solemnly. "Came outta nowhere. Crazy fucker too. Rabies, probably. Total psycho."
Valek's lip curls back slightly, his silver eyes boring holes into Whiskey.
"Well," I interject before this goes sideways, "we really should be going. We need to arrange for another rental car and—"
"At least come to dinner with the family tomorrow," Olivia insists. "After my surgery."
"Uh, are you sure, ma'am?" Whiskey's eyebrows shoot up. "I mean, if you're getting surgery—"
She laughs. "After surgery's the best time to have a feast! I'll be starving after all that fasting and clearing out. We're going to Fork and Barrel. Best steaks in town."
I blink. "We don't—"
"Ever say no to fucking steak," Whiskey says, cutting me off, and I could strangle him. "Right, babe?" He elbows me in my bruised ribs, and I bite back a curse. "Be great to get to know Val better. Team bonding and all that shit."
His grin is pure evil.
"Tomorrow at seven then?" Olivia asks happily.
Valek grimaces. "Mother—"
"Don't be rude, Val. They came all this way." She pats his arm. "You'll text them the address, won't you?"
The silence stretches on and on, forever.
"I don't have their numbers," Valek says through his teeth.
Olivia looks at us expectantly, beaming.
Fuck my entire life.