FIVE
Mabel
I stare at Dillon for a long time. My eyes sting, and my head throbs, but I refuse to look away. I realize I was in shock at the accident site because it’s all hitting me now.
We almost died.
I almost lost Dillon, the only real family I have left.
Our car is totaled.
How much will the ambulance and the hospital bills cost?
Where’s our stuff?
“Oh, God,” I hiccup, the tears I was trying to hold back finally spilling onto my cheeks.
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay. You’re both okay,” Miles says, rushing to my side.
“Everything is messed up now,” I sob.
He wraps his arms around me gently. “It’ll be all right. You’re both alive.”
“My car. Our stuff,” I say through my tears.
“Your car was towed.”
“It’s totaled.”
“I know.” He sighs. “We’ll get your things. We can find you a new car.”
“It won’t matter. We can’t afford it. Our plan…” I trail off as I realize our plan of moving to Los Angeles just went up in smoke.
“We’ll figure it out,” Miles reassures me.
I look up at him and frown. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“It’s… a long story.”
“What does that mean?”
“I just…I think you could use a friend right now.”
My frown deepens. “That’s not what you were going to say.”
He smiles wryly. “No, but you need to rest right now. I’ll explain later.”
“Why not now? I have nothing else to do,” I point out.
“I—”
The door opens, and I turn to see two policemen entering the room.
“Hey, is now a good time to ask a few questions?” one of the officers asks.
“Sure. Mabel, this is Crew and Tucker. They found your car and were the first on the scene,” Miles says, introducing me to the cops.
“Nice to meet you,” Crew says.
“You too.”
Tucker moves to stand at the foot of the bed. “Can you tell us what happened?”
“We were planning to stop in town for gas and to stretch our legs,” I start, swallowing as memories bombard me.
Miles takes my hand, offering his silent support. It helps more than he could know.
“Where were you coming from?” Tucker asks.
“Idaho.”
“Long way from home.”
“It’s not our home,” I snap, harsher than intended.
I take a deep breath as Miles squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry. I…It’s not our home. We were leaving.”
“Then what happened?” Crew prompts.
“We were driving, and three wolves suddenly ran across the road in front of the car.”
Tucker frowns. “Three wolves? Are you sure?”
I nod.
“Which way were they going?” Crew asks.
“Um, north, I think. They appeared from our left.”
The men all share a dark look, and I wonder what that means. Before I can ask, Tucker asks, “what happened next?”
“I couldn’t stop. It’s my fault,” I say, fresh tears spilling onto my cheeks.
“It was an accident,” Miles says softly.
“Is Dillon going to be okay? Did we hit the wolves? I…It all happened so fast,” I murmur.
“It was just the two of you at the accident scene,” Crew assures me.
“And Dillon is going to be fine. She has a few internal injuries, so she’ll need to take it easy for a bit, but she’ll be okay.”
Tucker smiles. “We have enough for our report. We’ll let you rest.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
“Rest up,” Crew adds before they both leave the room.
I turn back to Miles. “You can leave, too. I’ll be okay.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
I study Jensen as he sits at Dillon’s bedside. He’s watching over her so intently, almost like he’s willing her to be all right. His intensity is odd, considering he only met her recently.
Maybe she was his first patient or the worst accident he’s been to.
Miles is still holding my hand. I should probably pull away, but it’s good to have him touching me. It’s been so long since someone was concerned about me and my well-being. The feelings he stirs in me are almost foreign.
“Where were you two headed?” Miles asks.
I blink. “Um, California. Los Angeles.”
“Yeah? What’s there?”
“Freedom,” I whisper.
His eyes narrow worriedly. “Freedom from what?”
“Everything.”
“What happened in Idaho?”
I look away from him. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Okay. Tell me about Dillon.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to see you smile, and I have a feeling that will do it.”
He’s not wrong.
“She’s my family. It’s been the two of us for as long as I can remember.”
“I get that. Jensen and I are the same way.” He nods at the silent man beside Dillon.
“We’ve been working on this plan for our next chapter for a while. It was going great.”
“It’ll be all right.”
“Easy for you to say. We now need to find the money for an ambulance ride, hospital bills, another car, and anything else that was broken.”
“I can help with that.”
“Why would you do that?” I ask suspiciously.
“I want to help you.”
“Why?”
He grins. “Are you always this distrustful?”
“It’s easier that way.”
“Easier?”
“Can’t get hurt.”
We’re both silent for a moment, processing my words.
Miles shares a look with Jensen before he turns back to me. “You should be released soon.”
“What about Dillon?”
“She’ll probably have to stay for a few days.”
“Is there a hotel or something nearby?”
“Kind of, but it’s in rough shape. You can stay with me. My place is right around the corner.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I protest.
He waves me off. “I don’t mind. I’ll get you settled in once you’re released and take you to dinner.”
“Are you asking me out?” I ask in disbelief.
He gives me a sheepish grin. “Yeah. What do you say?”
“Do you hit on all your patients? That’s a weird technique.”
“Nope, just you.”
“Listen, I’m flattered, but we’re just passing through. We shouldn’t get attached to each other.”
“Too late,” he mumbles, looking at Jensen and then back at me. “Listen, I have to tell you something.”
“Okay…”
“It’s that long story I mentioned earlier.”
I’m silent as he gathers his thoughts.
He clears his throat and looks me dead in the eye. “I’m a wolf shifter.”
I wait for him to explain what the hell that is, but he just stares at me.
“All right…”
“And we’re fated mates.”
“Uh-huh…”
“And you have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”
“Not a clue.”
He sighs heavily and closes his eyes for a moment. “I’m a shifter. I can turn into a wolf.”
“Are you insane? Did you hit your head when you were rescuing me or something?”
“It’s the truth. We’re both shifters,” he says, nodding to Jensen.
“Right. Okay. Well?—”
“And we’re fated mates. We’re meant to be together. I knew it as soon as I scented you.”
“Oh, my god,” I groan.
“I can prove it,” he insists.
He pushes to his feet and pulls off his shirt.
“Whoa! What are you doing?”
“I have to.”
“Have to strip? Really? Is that a shifter rule or something?”
“I’ll tear my clothes otherwise.”
He pulls off his shirt and kicks off his boots. When he reaches for his pants, I look away. My eyes lock with Jensen’s.
“He’s telling the truth,” he says. “Watch.”
I take a deep breath before I turn back to Miles. He’s naked, but I refuse to look below his chin.
“Ready?”
“Um, sure?”
He nods, and then it happens.
He changes.
One minute, Miles is standing before me, and the next, a giant wolf has taken his place.
“Holy shit!” I shout, wincing as I fall back in my hospital bed.
The giant wolf pads forward. I flinch, my mind flashing back to the accident and the wolves that ran in front of our car.
The wolf whines, nudging my hand.
I take a deep breath. “Okay, I believe you,” I whisper.
A moment later, Miles shifts again. He tugs his clothes back on and returns to my bedside. “So… how about that dinner?”
I gape at him, wondering what the hell I’m supposed to do now.