Page 20 of Bear Boss’s Mate (Pleasantville Shifter #1)

The nurse frowned and looked at the doctor.

The doctor didn’t take his eyes off Austin.

He put a hand in his coat pocket. “She isn’t awake now.

You can sit with her. But please, let her rest. She has several broken ribs, amongst her other injuries.

The woman’s body has been very badly damaged.

It’s going to take time before she is okay again.

You’re lucky that you got to her when you did.

A few more minutes of that kind of beating.

...” He shook his head without finishing.

Bern winced and put a hand on Austin’s back.

Austin nodded at the doctor, wondering if things were worse than he was letting on. The doctor’s face changed back to being more neutral. “Nurse Tyne will take you to her room now. I will be checking in on her until the end of my shift.”

Austin and Bern entered Marcy’s room behind the nurse. Austin picked up a chair and placed it close to the bed to sit next to her. Gently touching her hand, he stroked it with his thumb.

His eyes moved to Bern, who was standing at the end of the bed, frowning. He motioned toward a chair against one wall of the room. Bern took a seat.

Staring down at his mate’s swollen face and cut lip, it physically hurt him to see her this way. He couldn’t believe this beautiful woman was lying in a hospital bed, bruised and battered having endured so much.

“I should have insisted on taking her home,” he muttered.

Bern sat up straight. “This is not your fault, Austin.”

Watching Marcy’s face, Austin whispered to Bern. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her. I waited so long to find my mate.” His chest ached. His body tensed. If only he’d done a better job protecting her.

He tilted his head toward his friend. “When she comes out of this, I’m telling her I want her in my life as a partner. I don’t want to lose her, no matter how stubborn she is about dating the boss.” Austin let out a small laugh at his words. Bern did as well.

The hours dragged by as the men sat in silence, watching Marcy sleep.

Austin listened to the humming and clicking of the machines around her bed, their rhythmic sounds lulling him to go to sleep. He wouldn’t sleep. He couldn’t. And he would not leave her side. He clutched her hand in his and pulled it to his lips.

Bern spoke in a low voice. “Do you want me to go get us some coffee, or food?” He pointed a thumb toward the door.

Austin mouthed, “Coffee.”

Bern nodded and left the room.

Austin sat up straight when he felt a gentle squeeze of his hand. He glanced more closely at Marcy to see her eyes slowly opening.

Her eyelids were heavy, and he could see that she was having difficulty focusing. At last, her eyes found his. She tried to smile and winced. He put a hand toward her.

“Don’t move. You’re pretty banged up.” Austin leaned forward and touched her cheek.

She looked surprised to see him. “What happened?” After a moment, a look of panic crossed her face. A couple of silent tears slid down her swollen cheeks.

Austin lifted his brows. “You don’t remember?”

“I was in the parking lot of my building. Mick, he...” she paused and closed her eyes. More tears began to trickle out the sides of her eyes and roll down her face toward her ears.

Austin grabbed a tissue from the bedside table and stood, gently dabbing away the tears. “You’re okay now. You are safe,” he murmured. “He’ll never be able to hurt you again.”

A few silent moments passed between them. He cleared his throat as he gazed down at her.

“Sorry,” Marcy said through swollen lips.

Austin stopped wiping her cheeks and leaned in closer. “For what?”

Tears continued to trickle out of her eyes and down her cheeks. “For pushing you away.”

He understood why she’d pushed him away, even though he didn’t like it. “You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

They were both silent for another minute before Marcy’s weak voice warbled, “You found me, didn’t you?”

Austin nodded and choked back the emotion, unable to speak. Marcy laid perfectly still while Austin moved strands of hair off her face and dabbed at her eyes. He didn’t want to hurt her already fragile skin.

He sat back down as the door to the room opened, clearing his throat again.

Expecting it to be Bern, he was surprised when a nurse entered the room. Austin cradled Marcy’s hand. The nurse looked at Marcy, not noticing him. It was a different nurse than the one who’d shown him to her room.

“You’re awake? How are you this morning?

” The nurse didn’t wait for a response. She looked at Marcy’s chart and cross-checked the listed medication on it with what she held in her hands, along with a syringe.

The nurse moved to the opposite side of the bed and injected medicine into Marcy’s intravenous tube.

“Has she spoken?” the nurse asked Austin, as if she’d suddenly noticed he was there.

“Yes.” He narrowed his eyes at her. He didn’t like her abruptness.

She turned her attention to Marcy to examine her and take her blood pressure. “Looks like you’re doing fine, dear,” she said as she finished her check-up and left the room without another word.

Austin turned to Marcy and placed the back of his hand against her cheek, stroking it.

“You need to rest. Doctor’s orders.” Austin didn’t move from where he sat.

He didn’t want to leave Marcy, but he knew that the medication they’d given her for pain would make it difficult for her to keep her eyes open.

Austin felt a great sense of relief that she was going to heal and be okay. “I’m happy you are okay,” he said, standing. He bent down and cautiously kissed her lips without a second thought.

He didn’t expect her to kiss him back, but when she did she winced. Feeling a stab of hope that all wasn’t lost between them, he smiled at her.

“Thank you for being here,” she whispered.

“If I have my way, I’ll never leave your side again.” And he meant it with all his heart.

Marcy soon was fighting to keep her eyes open.

Bern entered the room with two cups of coffee in his hands. He glanced at Marcy, looking delighted. “She woke up?” he asked.

Austin, who was still standing next to her, took a coffee from Bern and sat down again. “Yes, she spoke. The nurse was in and gave her some painkillers. She’ll be asleep again soon.”

They heard a soft laugh come from Marcy. “I can hear you,” she said in a sing-song voice. She forced her eyes to stay open for a moment. “Bern? Why are you here?” she asked in a sweet voice.

Austin could see the medication was taking effect and grinned at her. “Bern’s here to see why you aren’t at work,” Austin teased.

Her unsuccessful attempt at scrunching her nose caused her to flinch. Her reaction was to roll her eyes instead.

“I’m here because I wanted to make sure you were okay,” Bern said, grinning at both of them.

“I’m happy to see you both,” Marcy slurred before closing her eyes.