Page 14 of Predator (Stope Packs #4)

Emily came to with a bright light shining in her eyes. She winced, lifting her hand. “Hey.”

“Sorry,” a soft voice said as the light disappeared. Light-green eyes in a heart-shaped face leaned closer. “How are you feeling?”

Emily blinked and looked around. She lay on a soft bed with the smell of bleach all around her. Bleach and a whiff of berries. “My head hurts,” she murmured.

“Oh, I bet.” The voice held a bit of humor. “You got clocked pretty good.”

Emily pushed herself into a sitting position, the room swimming around her. She steadied herself, focusing on the woman standing nearby. Did doctors use words like clocked ? “You’re the doctor?”

“I’m one of them,” the woman replied. “Dr. Gwen Irondock. Everyone calls me Dr. Gwen. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.” Emily glanced down at her arm and saw the bandage wrapped snugly around her upper arm. The memory of the gunshot returned in a rush. “I was shot.”

“Sure were. Silver bullet, too.” The doctor winced. “Nasty stuff, but I got it out. You’re lucky.”

Emily studied Gwen more closely. The doctor stood around five-eight, shorter than most in the pack, with sharp, green eyes and straight brown hair cut bluntly at her chin. Her movements were quick and confident.

“You’ll be fine,” Gwen added. “I’ve got you on antibiotics and a few herbal remedies I’ve whipped up. The herbs should help with the healing process.”

Emily exhaled slowly. Her body still ached, but the pain in her arm had dulled to a manageable throb. “How long until I’m back on my feet?”

“Give it a few days, and take it easy.” Gwen’s gaze sharpened. “And no shifting for at least seventy-two hours. Your body needs time to recover from the silver.”

Emily swallowed a retort. She didn’t have days to rest, not with everything happening, but arguing wouldn’t help. For now, she’d have to focus on getting out of there and figuring out what the hell came next. “Anything else wrong with me?”

“Besides the lump on your head and the wound in your arm?” The doctor’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Not that I know of.”

“Is she going to be okay?” a deep voice growled from the doorway.

Emily startled and turned her head, her heart stumbling behind her ribcage. Jackson leaned against the doorjamb, arms crossed over his bare chest, faded jeans riding low on his hips. The jeans looked a little too big. His gaze locked onto her, intense and unwavering.

“You took off that guy’s head,” she muttered.

“I did,” Jackson replied, his voice gravelly. “He shot you. I didn’t have much choice. What was his name? Who hired him?”

“Whoa,” Gwen interrupted, raising her hands. “Back off, Alpha. She just woke up.”

Emily’s head swam. “Yeah.” She swallowed, trying not to gag as bile rose in her throat. The room tilted slightly, and she pressed her palms against the mattress to steady herself.

Jackson took a step forward, but Gwen held up a hand. “Let her breathe. You can interrogate her after she’s had a chance to recover.”

Emily exhaled slowly and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, Jackson’s gaze was still locked on her, unreadable and fierce.

“Tell me what happened,” he said softly, his tone leaving no room for argument. His anger swelled through the air, heating it. There was nothing in life like a pissed-off Alpha.

Emily exhaled, gathering her thoughts as the dull throb in her skull pulsed harder. “The guy said his name was Bob. He wouldn’t tell me who hired him, and also said he didn’t kidnap me last time, although he knew about the garlic bag.” She shrugged, wincing at the motion. “I think I turned him. He planned to ransom me to my father and then kill whoever hired him in the first place.”

Jackson studied her, his gaze sharp. “Remember anything else?”

Emily rolled her eyes and instantly regretted it as pain stabbed through her skull. “Bob had two partners.”

“We’re looking for them now.” Jackson’s voice darkened. “I’ve got everyone who can scout the area out in each direction, but so far, all we’ve found is the dead guy.”

Emily couldn’t concentrate. “Did you find a phone on him? Maybe in the car?”

“Yes,” Jackson said.

“Can you trace it?”

“Working on it, but the thing was a burner. I’m not holding my breath. I also don’t have anyone really skilled with computers, except Thane. He’ll do what he can.”

Emily nodded, the room spinning slightly with the motion. “Hopefully, he finds something. Otherwise, we’re blind.”

“If it’s a burner, we probably won’t find much.” Jackson’s gaze softened. “Any idea who’d want to kidnap you?”

“No. Bob was just a hired thug.” She should’ve tried harder to gain information from him. “No clue who wanted me kidnapped. Maybe they wanted to kill me themselves, or maybe even ransom me off to my dad after Bob turned me over.”

“Seems logical,” Jackson murmured. “But I’m more interested in who has an alibi right now. Maybe we should go talk to your cousin. Victor. What do you think?”

Emily just wanted to sleep for a month right now. “I spoke to him after the last kidnapping and didn’t get any hint that he was involved. He’s not exactly a genius, but yeah, I wouldn’t mind talking to him again.” She could read a liar.

“I’ll speak with him.”

Right. Sounded like Jackson would torture her cousin. She’d worry about that later. “You didn’t call my father, did you?”

“No,” Jackson replied. “Didn’t want anyone knowing you were taken.”

“Good. Let’s leave it that way.” She understood Jackson’s desire to keep things quiet. His pack didn’t need to appear vulnerable. Plus, she didn’t want to worry her father. He deserved better than that.

“All right, good.” Jackson’s posture eased slightly. “I can take you home now.”

Emily held up a hand. “Mind if I talk to the doctor alone for a moment? Girl stuff.”

Jackson’s eyes narrowed. “Wait a minute. That asshole didn’t touch you, did he?”

“No,” Emily said firmly. “Not at all. He hit me in the back of the head, but other than that, no. I rolled around a lot in the trunk, though, and I’ve got some bruises. I wouldn’t mind having the doc check them out. Plus, I have a few…female type questions.”

Jackson stepped back, hands raised. “Got it. I’ll go check in with the scouting parties and see if anyone’s found the other two who attacked you.” His gaze sharpened. “Are you sure there were only three?”

“As sure as I can be,” Emily replied, meeting his eyes. His concern settled somewhere low in her abdomen, but she shoved it aside. She needed to focus on healing and figuring out who wanted her taken.

“That’s all right.” Jackson’s voice softened slightly. “I’ll be back in a minute.” He stepped out, shutting the door behind him with a faint click. His footsteps echoed softly down the hallway, fading into the distance.

“Whose pants is he wearing?” Emily asked.

“Oh. My partner’s. Dr. Moore. They’re about the same size,” replied Dr. Gwen, stepping closer with a small, reassuring smile. The overhead light cast a soft glow across her light purple scrubs, her stethoscope gleaming against her chest. “Okay. So, where else are you hurt?”

Emily met her gaze. “We’re covered by doctor-patient privilege, correct?”

Dr. Gwen lifted her brows slightly. “Of course. Anything we discuss stays between us.”

“And you know what you’re doing?”

“Yes.” The doctor’s gaze remained calm but steady. “I’ve trained at some of the best universities and medical schools in the world, as well as with several wolf packs that share their medical knowledge. I’ve seen a wide range of conditions, both human and shifter. Is there a reason you’re asking?”

Emily exhaled slowly, her fingers curling into the blanket. Her senses told her she could trust the doctor. “Any idea who’s been sabotaging the mines?” Perhaps someone had confided in their doctor.

“No.”

Truth. The female was honest.

Okay. Time for Emily to be just as truthful. “There’s something wrong with me.”

The doctor’s expression remained calm and reassuring. “Can you go into more detail?”

“Just over a month ago, I started getting weak in the knees. The feeling comes and goes, but now it is getting much worse. I’m not as strong as I used to be, and I need more sleep than before. It’s not exhaustion. It feels like my body’s slowing down.” Her voice dropped. “My mother and her mother both died from strange illnesses no one could diagnose. I’m younger than they were when it hit them, but it’s not getting better.”

“That quickly of a progression?” Dr. Gwen asked, her expression growing more serious as she jotted notes on a tablet. “You’re sure the illness is getting worse?”

Emily nodded. “Yes. Sometimes, I feel like my legs are going to give out entirely.”

“Any other symptoms? Difficulty breathing? Changes in appetite?”

“Nothing like that. Just weakness, numbness, and wanting to sleep all of the time.” Emily’s throat tightened. “My healer doesn’t know what’s causing it, but she doesn’t have the kind of training you do.”

The doctor set the tablet aside and offered a reassuring smile. “I’ll do everything I can to help, Emily. We’ll run some tests and see what we can find.”

“Sure. If you can help me, I’d appreciate it.”

The doctor quickly drew several vials of blood and returned to her tablet, typing swiftly. “I need you to describe every symptom, no matter how minor. If there’s a way to figure this out, we will. I promise.”

“You can’t tell Jackson or anyone else.”

“I won’t say a word,” the doctor assured her. “But if you’re planning on mating him, I think you should tell him the truth.”

Heat flushed through Emily. “I’m not going to mate him.”

“Are you sure?” The doctor’s eyes softened. “You didn’t see him pacing and growling while you were unconscious. I’ve never seen Jackson like that.”

Emily swallowed hard. “We’re friends. But there are too many reasons we can’t mate, and this illness is only one of them. If you can figure out what’s wrong, maybe I can step up as Alpha of my pack for now. They don’t have anyone else.”

The doctor nodded. “I’ll do my best. I may need to consult with some outside specialists, but I promise I’ll keep your identity confidential.”

“Thank you.” Emily pushed herself off the bed. The room tilted and spun, and she staggered. Strong hands caught her arms, holding her stable.

“Whoa. All right, breathe deeply.” Dr. Gwen’s grip felt firm and steady. “You’ll be okay.”

Emily inhaled slowly, her pulse evening out as the world centered again.

“You good?” the doctor asked.

“Yes.” Emily released a shaky breath, her legs still wobbly.

A sharp knock sounded at the door. “Are you about done?” Jackson’s low voice carried through the wood, rough and gravelly.

Dr. Gwen glanced at Emily, who gave a slight nod. “Come in.”

The door swung open, and Jackson stepped inside, apparently having secured a blue T-shirt with Emily’s face on it over a symbol of letters: GAE.

Her chin dropped. “GAE?”

“Granite Alpha Emily.” He shrugged. “They all love you and want you to stay.” His gaze swept over both females before locking onto Emily.

The doctor released her and stepped back. “I might have, um, well, signed the petition as well.”

One of Jackson’s dark eyebrows rose and he took a beat before speaking. “Is she okay?” he asked, his tone still edged with tension.

“She’s got a bump on her head and an aching arm, but she’s stable and can go home.” The doctor picked up her tablet, tapping a few notes. “Emily, I’d like to see you in a day or so just as a follow-up.”

“Of course. I’ll be back.” Emily managed a small smile, gratitude filtering through her. That was enough time to conduct a few tests. Hopefully, the doctor would have answers soon. “It looks like I’ll need another room at the hotel,” she added.

“Not a chance in hell, baby.” Jackson’s voice dropped an octave, rough and possessive. “You’re coming home with me.”