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My mouth pops open. “Who the hell are you to say when I’m finished?”

“Someone who watched you stay upallnight working –“

“So? You didn’t sleep either!”

“Yeah, but all I did was stand around and watch yousavepeople,” he says, bending so his eyes are even with mine, his face very close. “And I’m exhausted! So! Bed!”

“No, now I’m just going to work even harder,” I growl, storming off towards the nursing tent. “Just to prove a point!”

“Nadia!” he calls after me, half sigh, half shout.

But I just wave a hand behind me, dismissing his nonsense, ignoring his claims as I head for the desk and plop myself in the chair, turning my attention to the computer, ready to transcribe the piles of handwritten patient data that’s waiting in the inbox.

“Nadia,” Arnav says, worried, turning towards me.

“Don’t want to hear it, Arnie!” I say, shaking my head and getting started.

“Whatever,” he says, laughing and turning back to consult with another nurse.

I get started, typing away. But even as I do, my eyelids start to shut. I force them open again and again, cursing myself as I make about a thousand typos. Then I sigh and rest my forehead in my hand. When that doesn’t suit, I fold my arms down on the desk and rest my head there – because I just need a minute to clear my mind – just…a few seconds…

And then I’ll get started again.

Just…in a second. I’ll get started again in two seconds.

As my eyes fall shut, a shadow falls over my form.

Chapter 22 – Personal Space

Nadia

When I raise my head again, I groan, feeling like my head is full of cotton. I work my tongue in my sticky mouth, desperate for some water –

Like a wish granted, my eyes fall on the bottle of it resting on the pillow next to me. I frown for a second before I grab it, twisting off the top and taking a long sip as I read the note next to it.

Gone to dinner with the Prince because we are fancy. Love you, Na-na, you dehydrated psychopath workaholic! Come join us when you wake up!

I smirk, looking at the line of scrawled hearts and stars that follow the words, knowing immediately who wrote it, even if it’s unsigned.

I sigh and sit up, looking around at my familiar little bed, wondering…how the hell I got here. And then a desperate little frown takes my lips as I realize that there’s only one realistic answer to that question. One I don’t like at all.

It takes a minute to gather some of my stuff, but then I head into the bathroom for a quick, much-needed shower and tooth brushing. But when I’m fresh and clean, I pull on new scrubs and my shoes, heading across camp to the mess tent.

As soon as I get inside, I see my friends at the same table at which we ate breakfast, sitting with thesameannoyingly large forms, everyone just calmly eating soup and crusty bread like everything is fine.

But I only have eyes for one of them as I storm over, my sneakers smacking against the floor. God, even my steps sound pissed off.

“Cole,” I snap, glaring down at him. All conversation at the table stops, all eyes turning to me.

“Did you take me out of the nursing tent andcarryme to bed?”

Cole looks up at me, his face annoyingly bland and handsome, only a friendly smile on his lips. “Of course not, Nadia,” he says, blissfully innocent. “We already agreed that me picking you upand carrying you without your consent is a huge violation of your autonomy and integrity.”

I narrow my eyes at him, glancing over at Grace and Shayne, confused. Because if Cole didn’t carry me, then how…

The Prince tilts his head to the side, considering me, his smile widening. “No, I didn’t carry you out.” He points to his blonde friend. “But Greg did.”

I gasp and turn my eyes to the big Alpha at Shayne’s side, who just grins and gives me a little wave.