Wounds to Bear (Heart of The Bear #1)(2)

“Of course.” Oh, God—missing kids, and the sun was setting. Every parent’s worst nightmare.

“We can set up here. Bring everyone you can round up. I want to start tonight—” Grey was shouting at the other end of the line. Jenna could hear him, even with the phone pressed to her patient’s ear. “I’m going, Grey, so save it. You can maul me later for this. Just get here.” He punched the end button and set the phone on the table. “Thanks.”

“Sit, before you fall over.”

“Roman Black. You’ve probably met my mother.”

“The mayor.” He nodded, and lowered himself to the chair, cursing under his breath as he did. Jenna set her kit on the table and opened it. Then she carefully draped a second towel over his lap, doing her best not to stare. It wasn’t easy—he was huge, and hard as a rock.

“Happy to see you, Doc.” His deep voice startled her.

“I—thank you?” A bluish heated her face, deepening when he smiled at her. She cleared her throat and opened the water. “I need to wash it out, since you’ve been running with an open wound. I’m afraid it’s going to hurt.”

“Are you this careful with all your patients?”

She stiffened. “I am. Just because they’re animals doesn’t mean I’m careless. The opposite is true—they can’t communicate like people, so I have to watch for other signs. Like a bear hurling himself at me.”

He raised his eyebrow. “I was jumping on the porch—” He jerked when she poured water over his shoulder. “Damn it—”

“Sorry.” She set the bottle aside. “It’s easier when the patient is distracted.” She leaned in, examining the wound. “It was a small caliber,” she bent over him. “And the bullet is still in there.”

“I know.”

“Right. I’m going to numb the—”

“Get it out, Doc.”

She froze, her hand in her kit. “I’ll have to remove the bullet. Without any kind of anesthetic it will—”

“I have a high pain tolerance. Just—get it out.”

“Fine.” Stubborn man. She wondered if all shifters were as stubborn. Probably—Lindy Black had refused to take no for an answer when she recruited Jenna as the town’s vet. “Hold still. One move, and I’m knocking you out.”

She snapped on a pair of gloves, then picked up a bottle of antiseptic wash and her instrument case. She unzipped the case and set it on the table, jumping at Roman’s growl.

“Sorry,” he said. “You look like you’re about to torture me.”

“I am, with no pain blocker of any kind.” She picked up her scalpel and moved between his legs. The bullet hole was high on his shoulder, and this gave her the best access. The position also brought her in close contact with his cock. She ignored the heat of it, pressing against her thigh. Roman swallowed, but didn’t say a word. “Hold still. This is going to hurt.”

She poured the wash over his wound. He impressed her by not even flinching, but his jaw was clenched so tightly she could see the muscles jump under his skin. Once the wound was clear of blood, she got a better look.

With a frown, she looked at him. “How far away were you?”

“The bastard pressed the pistol to my shoulder.”

Shock shot through her. “That’s not possible. The wound is too clean—”

“Shifter. I heal fast, especially in my bear form.” He studied her this time, amusement in those amber eyes. “You did know—”

“I heard.” She tore open a bandage and pressed it against his shoulder, under the bleeding wound. There was about to be even more blood. He growled, the rumble like distant thunder. “How long ago were you shot?”

“This afternoon. A couple hours ago. It took me too damn long to get out of there.”

“Roman.” She laid her hand on his good shoulder. “We’ll find them.”

His body trembled under her hand, and she finally saw the extent of the pain he must have endured to get himself here.


“Okay—time to get that bullet out of you. Ready?”

He nodded, and she took in a slow, deep breath, then cut across the wound. He didn’t make a sound. She set down her scalpel and picked up her forceps. Hopefully, all his running didn’t push the bullet deeper into his shoulder. She was going to cause him enough pain without digging all the way to bone.

Carefully, she inserted the forceps, and finally got a reaction out of him. He sucked in a sharp breath, but he kept still, watching her as she probed his wound. Sooner than she thought, she found the small bullet, and eased it out. It looked intact, thank God.

She set them both on the table and grabbed the wash, pouring it into his open wound. This time he did move.

“Holy shit—” His shoulder jerked under her hand, and she saw him fight not to bolt out of the chair. “What is that? Acid?”

“I’ve just been digging around in your injured shoulder. Your skin is going to be sensitive after that. Hold still, I’m almost done.”

His movement had pushed him to the edge of the chair, and his cock tried to brand the inside of her thigh with its heat. She swallowed, finished cleaning his wound, and reached for her suture kit. A few stitches stopped the blood flow. He may have been a fast healer, but having the wound closed now made her feel better. She would have to deal with any potential infection if it happened. Her x-ray machine was on order, and she didn’t think he’d take the time to go to the local doctor.