Page 43 of Broken Moon

“Will she be all right?” Iasked the doctor, keeping my voice low.

He refused to say. “How are youfeeling, Ms. Silver?”

Jared left Lennon’s bedside andstrode away without a word, and as soon as he was gone, I sat up. I was surehe’d shift as soon as he was outside, which would hopefully finish healing him.

“I’ll be all right,” I told Dr.Hayes. “I didn’t get a huge hit. My body and mind were just shocked for a while.”I sat up and swung my legs over the bed, and neither he nor Belinda tried tostop me. The injured warriors were starting to trickle in, and they were goingto need the bed and the attention.

I needed to go back to thewoods to find my lost blade, but those woods were crawling with wolves, andprobably the alpha, and I was damn tired. And though I felt much improved, Iwasn’t sure I was up for the long jog back to the woods or a search that couldtake hours.

Tonight, I would go home andrecover from the exsoloup’s attack. I needed fuel and sleep, in that order. Theblade would still be there tomorrow. But the uneasiness at leaving it alone andunprotected in the woods stayed with me all the way home. I knew I’d feel theloss of it until it was once again in my possession.

When I let myself into myhouse, the dog came running, his nails clicking on the floor. He made me laughas he slid and skidded his way to me, and I dropped to my knees and opened myarms, glad I’d taken time to discard my weapons and belts and leave them in mycar.

“Hey, buddy,” I crooned,scratching his wiggly body and attempting to keep his tongue out of my mouth ashe slobbered all over my face. I laughed again and wrapped my arms around him.“Where’s Lucy, hmmm? She asleep? She’s asleep, yes she is! What a good boy youare…”

He was sporting a new collar, ablue one with little paw prints all over it, and a cute, fuzzy pink shirt thatwas at least a size too short. He was adorable.

Finally, I forced myself to myfeet and followed my nose to the kitchen. My stomach growled and groaned likeit hadn’t seen food for hours…then I frowned as I realized ithadn’t.The last thing I’d eaten had been Beth’s cookies, and as tasty as they were, afew carbs were not going to hold my wolf for long.

I needed meat.

Lucy had somehow known, justlike she always seemed to know, and she’d put a platter of food in the fridge. Ibarely took time to nuke it before standing at the countertop to wolf downthree fat porkchops and the accompanying vegetables, rolls, and butter.

“Lucy,” I muttered, as I gavethe dog—Ash, Lucy had named him—tiny pieces of my porkchops, “you’ve saved mylife.”

I was happy. Not long ago Iwould have come home to an empty house, carrying a bag of greasy burgers to eatin the silence. Even though Lucy was asleep, I could feel her presence, and Ashwas staring up at me, begging for scraps, and my wolf was soon to be freed. Howquickly my life had turned around and yes, I was happy.

If the Gray Shadow Pack couldaccept me, I could move on from the treatment I’d received from them not only twelveyears ago, but lately. I’d already dropped the grudge I’d carried against theiralpha.

But I wasn’t giving them manymore chances, the assholes. Next one who mistreated me was going to quicklyregret his decision. No more.

Jared texted me as I wascleaning up after my meal.

You should have stayed.

I pursed my lips, then tappedin,Yeah? Why?And when he didn’t reply, I asked,How’s Lennon?

Still unconscious.

Damn. I’m so sorry.

Goodnight, Ms. Silver.

Goodnight, Alpha.

I felt sort of like a highschool girl with a crush on her professor—only my crush was darker, moredangerous, and would never be anything other than what it was—my wolf’sperfectly natural and not entirely secret crush on her alpha.

Jared would understand her heroworship, and he would—

Carry me through the woodsnaked…

—be careful not to beinappropriate and take advantage of my wolf’s innate emotional connection to analpha. She was claimed by no one, therefore she was eager to jump on the firstalpha who looked her way.

He was my potential alpha, andI was his potential…dependent. Student. I was sure he already had his futuremate lined up. She was probably in his bed as I stood staring at the wall,thinking about him.

It wasn’t real, whatever I wasfeeling. I mean, other than the physical attraction, of course. That was prettydamn real. But other than that, my heart was completely and utterly safe. Iknew falling for Jared Walker was a bad idea, therefore, I would not fall. OfcourseI wouldn’t. I was smarter than that, despite my lustful wolf.

Careful not to protest toomuch…