Page 12

Shit, it’s morning already? My phone says five-something, so yes. I ignore Raj’s comment about not being sure if Ayo counted as one of the team. He might be new, but the way he’s carried out his job this week, combined with Nyoka’s response just now, has eased my suspicions a lot.

Nyoka leaves with the coven healer, leaving just the older couple, the young wolf, and me.

Doc P takes us in with a sigh. “Let me put them in separate rooms, then you can sit with them.”

“You want some help, doc?” I offer.

The young wolf steps forward as well, but Doc P waves us off. The young wolf eyes me curiously. He’s not an alpha; maybe a beta? My tired brain finally registers that this could be the best friend Ayo mentioned.

I cross the room and hold out my hand. “Ayo’s best friend?”

He shakes my hand and manages a grin that doesn’t reach his eyes or change his worried scent. “Yeah, I’m Zaiden. You can only be Ethan Lupo.”

“That obvious?”

He snorts. “Bro, you’re leaking alpha power all over the place. Not that I blame you. Nyoka can be a real wanker.”

We fall silent, and a few minutes later, Doc P ushers the older couple into the first examination room he came from originally before returning to us.

“You can sit with Ayo now. Only two at a time, so if anyone else wants to see him, one or both of you will have to step out. He hasn’t woken up yet, and he may be confused or have some memory loss when he does.

I’ll be around, but if he wakes and I don’t appear, find me immediately so I can check on him. ”

“Understood.”

Zaiden nods his agreement.

When Doc P shows us in, I rush to Ayo’s side. Zaiden sucks in a sharp breath at the sight of his friend.

Ayo has a gash above his right eyebrow that’s been glued back together, and his T-shirt has had the sleeve cut off where one bicep has been bandaged.

What was once a white T-shirt is covered in blood and dirt, as is the gold chain around his neck that dips below his collar, but his face has been cleaned, and he looks peaceful under the thin blanket tucked around his waist.

Zaiden pulls a plastic chair up behind me and takes another around to Ayo’s other side.

I sit and can’t resist taking Ayo’s hand, brushing my thumb over the back of it. The fact that Ayo smells like Irving is driving my wolf crazy, but there’s nothing I can do about that. His friend might be able to tell me more, though.

“Are Ayo and Irving together?”

Zaiden jerks his worried blue eyes up from Ayo’s face. “Hmm? Oh, nah, just one time a couple of years back. They’re just friends.”

I grit my teeth against the growl that threatens to erupt at the thought of them together, even for only a night. Was tonight going to be a repeat? Is that why they smell of each other?

“He’s single,” Zaiden says softly, eyeing Ayo’s hand in mine. “And gay as fuck.”

I drop Ayo’s hand and sit back in the crappy chair not designed for someone of my size. “I didn’t ask.”

Zaiden eyes me for a minute but doesn’t say anything else.

I jerk awake at the sound of a groan coming from the bed. Zaiden bolts upright from his sprawled position, and Doc P hurries into the room just as Ayo opens his eyes.

Ayo blinks blearily before his confused brown eyes land on his friend. “Zaiden, what…?”

Zaiden puts a careful hand on his shoulder. “You’re safe. You’re at Doc P’s clinic.”

He looks around the sparse room, first at Doc P, then at me. His eyes light up. “You came.”

I take his hand, unable to keep from touching him. “Of course.”

Then he jerks, trying to sit up. “Irving, he was hurt. Is he… Where is he?”

Doc P nudges Zaiden out of the way and puts a firm hand on Ayo, pushing him back down. “He’s healing. Stay right where you are so you can do the same.”

“He’s okay?”

Doc P gives a sharp nod. “He will be, yes. His parents are with him.”

Ayo sags into the bed. I ignore the punch to the gut that is his worry over Irving. I trust that his best friend would know if they were more than friends, and even if they are, it’s none of my business. Ayo’s safety is my priority, not his sexual relationships.

Doc P asks Ayo some questions, including his name, age, the name of the mayor, and various other things, presumably to check his memory. Ayo answers every question perfectly, which calms Zaiden’s scent for the first time since he arrived.

Mine too, probably.

Then Doc P asks what I most want to know.

“What do you remember about the attack?”

I can hear Ayo’s heart rate speed up as his scent sours with fear. I put my free hand on his neck, scenting him even though it won’t make a difference. Zaiden pushes in to do the same on Ayo’s other side, his instincts likely demanding it.

“Take your time.” Doc P backs up a bit.

“You’re safe now,” I remind Ayo.

He takes a couple of slow, deep breaths, then nods. “I’m okay. Um… it attacked us from behind. We were about to go back inside, and Irving was behind me. I hit my head on the cobbles.”

He reaches up to touch the cut above his eyebrow, but Zaiden takes his other hand to stop him. “It’s glued. Leave it.”

Ayo exhales. “Where was I?”

“You hit your head,” I remind him.

“Right. It—they—I don’t know the gender…

They got Irving first, on his back, and he flattened me when he fell on me.

It was hard to turn over; I was kinda trapped.

Everything was fuzzy, but there were eyes in the shadows…

a single pair of eyes. Fuck, I tried to shield us.

I tried over and over, but it wasn’t working, and Irving wasn’t moving, and my head was pounding, and I tried to go for my phone, but then it leapt on us again, and it was hurting him, and I couldn’t protect him. I couldn’t stop it, I couldn’t…”

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re both safe,” I murmur, brushing his neck again. Fuck, I hate that he went through that. I want to pick him up and hold him in my arms, but I don’t have that right.

“What he said,” Zaiden says, squeezing Ayo’s shoulder.

Ayo trembles and squeezes my hand, hard. “I yelled for help. They ran as soon as I did.”

I have more questions, but like hell am I asking them now. They can wait.

Doc P seems to agree that Ayo has had enough because he finishes making some notes on a tablet.

“Your memories match up with the injuries you both sustained, so it seems safe to assume you have little to no memory loss. You may have some indicators of concussion, such as dizziness or vomiting. I’ll let you go home in a few hours, but I want someone with you at all times for at least twenty-four hours, and if there are any signs of problems, call me immediately.

Your wounds will be completely healed by tonight, at which time you can remove the bandage. ”

That’s fast healing. The coven healer must be good.

Doc P leaves, and Zaiden and I look at each other. All that’s left is to agree which of us goes home with Ayo. To coven lands. Where neither of us is welcome.