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Jameson wasn’t much of a texter, but he was a man of action.

The wolf padded right up to him, then that nose hit his crotch, the wolf sniffing deeply.

Oh, oops. His eyes went wide. “Uh. No biting, man. I’m friend, not foe. Or food. I doubt I smell like food, though. I have some water in my pack, maybe an oatmeal cookie?”

The big guy panted, his blood leaking down to stain the ground.

Right. Wounded. “I have an extra shirt in my bag. Let me get it, and I can at least get the bleeding slowed down.” Rory made a show of moving his hands slowly. “I promise. Just a shirt.”

The big wolf eased to sitting and then kind of…keeled over on his good side. And he sure wasn’t asking for belly rubs.

“Oh, sweet wolf. I’m so sorry. Let’s get the bleeding slowed and then we’ll get the healers. Niall is amazing, and so are Linda and Lacey…” He just kept jabbering as he got the shirt out and gingerly tried to cover the wound.

A soft sound came out of the wolf. In a less alpha-looking specimen, he would have said it was a whine.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Someone is coming…”

The sound of Jameson’s truck rattled to him, and he gave a sigh of relief.

“Jameson! Over here! It looks bad.” And he didn’t want this one to be hurt.

“Coming.” Jameson squealed to a stop as close as he could without wrecking the truck. “I had to bring the truck because we won’t all fit in the side by side. Let me see.”

“I don’t know him, but he’s—” Gorgeous. “—needing our help.”

“He’s not familiar to me either, and he doesn’t smell like pack or like the banished. They shot him, I would guess.”

One big paw came up, resting on Rory’s leg.

He jumped a little, but he thought he got it. Don’t leave me, that paw said. I trust you.

“I’m right here. I won’t go anywhere, I promise. I told you, this is a good place.”

The panting got more and more shallow, and Jameson gave him a grim look. “He’s going into shock. I need to lift him. Make sure he doesn’t bite me.”

“Okay. We’re going somewhere we can get help now. I’m with you.” Rory rubbed those crazy cool ears. “This is going to hurt, but I won’t leave you. I promise. You found me.”

The words just poured out of him, like they were what he was supposed to say.

That low sound came to him again, and he winced. God, that hurt his soul. He hated that this wolf was in pain.

“You sit with him and keep him as still as you can,” Jameson said, settling the injured wolf on blankets in the back of the truck. “This is bouncy.”

“I’ll stay with him.” He offered the big wolf a smile. “Help is coming. Or we’re going to help. You know what I mean.”

That big paw pressed against him again, the wolf’s eyes closed now, the blood still sluggishly seeping out from under his shirt bandage.

“You’re going to be all right. I’m here.” He slowly stroked the soft ruff. “You’re fine.”

The paw got heavy on his arm.

“No. Stay with me, okay? I need you to look at me. Please.”Please don’t die, he thought.

Not…dying. Just so tired.

Oh, honey. You can rest. I just want you to be all right.If it wasn’t real, answering couldn’t hurt anything, and if he heard the wolf, then it would help.

They’re a good pack?