Savage Awakening (Alpha Pack #2)(38)

Cracking his eyes open was hard, but he managed. Zan was crouched over him, gripping Aric's arm-the arm that should've had several deep slices. And now it didn't. The skin was still bloodied, but smooth, as though nothing had happened.

"What the hell?" he rasped.

"Easy," Zan said. His face was pale as milk, the meat of his shoulder torn open from a nasty bite. "You're not the only one with a trick up his sleeve, my friend. I'm a Healer."

Before today, despite his own gift, Aric might've laughed. Now he just sent his friend a weak smile. "Thank f**k. So heal yourself while you're at it."

"Doesn't work that way. Stop talking and rest, okay?"

His brain was growing foggy, his body heavy. He had no choice but to obey. Maybe he would die after all, lost in this little slice of hell, along with his friends.

He might have wished for death back then, had he known that he would carry a piece of that devil's spawn for the rest of his life.

Aric finished his story and reached out, gently wiping Rowan's tears from her pretty face. "I'm so sorry. I did what I could for your brother and the rest, but it wasn't enough. It never will be."

"No, don't say that," she protested. "You fought hard, all of you did. And you killed the last one, giving the survivors the chance to be rescued and begin a new life."

"Such as it is." He winced at the bitterness in his tone.

"Is it really so bad?" she questioned softly. "This career, this life you've built here with your friends?"

He studied her earnest expression, drowned in those brown eyes. She was so close, so beautiful. She smelled so freaking good he wanted to leap from the bed and take her like the beast he was.

More than that, he wanted to know Rowan-on the inside as well as out.

A small smile curved his lips and he answered seriously. "No, I guess it isn't. Especially now."

Slowly, she returned his smile.

They spent the afternoon talking about nothing, really. But despite the circumstances of their meeting, Aric couldn't remember when he'd enjoyed a day more. When she finally left, he could think of only one thing.

When he'd get to see her again.

Chapter Eight

Aric flat out refused to spend one more second in that damned uncomfortable infirmary bed. They were torture devices specially designed to make the patient want to get well fast, just so he could get the hell off that stupid mattress that must've been designed for a ten-year-old. His f**king heels hung off the end, unless he hitched his knees to the side.

Instead, he sat in a visitor's chair near the window and gazed out longingly at the forest, itching to go for a good run. He would, too, as soon as Melina got her skinny butt in here and let him out of the loony bin. Two days he'd been here since the doc had made him come back. Now he knew how animals in the zoo must feel, and his wolf growled in agreement.

The door opened and Melina stepped inside.

He jumped to his feet, grinning. "Just the lady I wanted to see. Let me out!"

She didn't return his enthusiasm, but met his eyes calmly, shoving her hands in the pockets of her lab coat. "Aric, sit down. We need to talk."

"Talk while you sign my release papers."

"I'm being serious."

"Uh-oh." His smile wilted. "What's up?"

"Your temperature, again. By two tenths of a degree."

"That's all? Jesus, doc, you scared me." He plucked at the ugly gown. "Now can I get out of this thing? It's a little breezy and-"

"Aric. Sit down."

Her steely tone could wither the balls right off the toughest of men. Himself included. Swallowing hard, he planted his ass in the vinyl chair again and waited for her to get to the point.

She wasted no time, removing a flat wooden stick from a jar on the counter and moving her rolling stool so that she was situated between his knees. "Open wide."

He did, trying not to gag as she depressed his tongue and shone a light into his mouth. After a few seconds, she removed the stick and tossed it in the trash. For a minute she regarded him in silence. He fought the urge to squirm like a schoolboy in the principal's office.

"Your throat is a little red, though it wasn't yesterday. Is it sore?" she finally asked.

He blinked at her. "I don't know. I hadn't really noticed."

"Swallow."

He did, trying not to wince.

"Does that hurt?"

"No."

"Aric."

"Okay, some."

She sighed. "I'm going to run a culture, but I doubt anything will show up, since shifters don't contract human diseases."

"Then why bother?" He just wanted out.

"Because it could be something we haven't seen before in your kind. Or it could be an indicator of an altogether different issue."

His brow furrowed. "Such as?"

"It could just be that your body is out of whack from the abuse you endured at Chappell's site."

"But you don't think so." This really was starting to worry him. "Come on, Melina. It's not like you to beat around the bush."

"No, it isn't. Bear with me another minute." She paused, leaning forward. "Your temperature was normal when you were first rescued. We were worried about your body's condition, but it was fairly good, all things considered. This didn't start until you got home. Specifically, when you met Rowan."