Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73170 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Mitch’s expression hardens.
I grab her hand and want to kiss it, but I can’t with this stupid contraption on my face. “Let’s get on with this, yeah, babe? We can talk it all out later.”
She huffs out an exasperated sound and folds her arms over her chest. “I don’t want him pumping you full of drugs that could fuck you up. That could harm our children.”
“Are you here a few days?” I ask. “We need time with this before I can decide.”
“Before we decide,” my bratty mate amends.
“Before we decide,” I add. Because she’s right. This will affect her as well as me.
Cicely’s expression relaxes just slightly.
“We’re here a week,” he replies. “I came here all the way from Scotland to help, Cicely. Not to harm.”
Cat grabs Cicely’s hand. “I understand how angry you are, sweetie. I would be, too. Dr. Blakely isn’t here to push Jared into doing anything he doesn’t want to do. He’s gone to great effort to be here to help.”
My woman doesn’t respond. She’s pissed.
“Your help is appreciated,” I tell them.
Cicely scoffs. I lay my hand on the back of her neck and massage it. “Relax, babe,” I tell her, and as she shoots me a dirty look, it dawns that the fact that she’s this pissed on my behalf mends something broken in me.
“Now, if you’re ready, Jared,” Mitch continues, “We’d like to run our tests on you while shifted. After that, we can talk further.”
The way he says this, looking at me and avoiding my mate’s glare, I’m guessing he’s worried my mate is about to pull the plug.
“I don’t know about this,” she says. “I’m not sure we should let you test his wolf. Maybe we ought to have you sign a non-disclosure agreement first.”
Fuck, she’s awesome.
“I don’t think that’s necessary, is it?” Cat asks.
“It’s not,” he responds, but I can tell my mate is trying the guy’s patience.
Cicely says, “Maybe we should get Ronnie Young in here first and ask her to lay hands on you, Mitch. See if you’re hiding anything.”
“Whoa,” Mitch raises his hands. “I’m not the enemy here, folks.”
“I mean, I’m sure you can’t wait to perform experiments on his wolf, right?” she demands. “Medical marvel that it is?”
Tyson opens the door. “Veronica?”
“Why didn’t I think of that?” I ask my mate, with humor.
“Who needs a built-in attack dog when you’ve got a lass like her?” Mitch quips.
I chuckle, glad he’s seeing the humor here.
“This is no laughing matter, mister,” my gorgeous mate warns me. “Stop looking so damn handsome when I’m pissed off.”
I laugh harder.
Ronnie Young comes in.
Mitch sits on the stool and holds his hands up. “Feel free, Veronica. I want to show I’m no enemy, but I must caution you that if you utilize any information you glean from laying hands on me for anything at all, you could be subject to SCC sanctions.”
Ronnie steps up and he extends his hand.
“Understood. That’s not what I’m about. But I have to ask, am I going to regret this?” she asks. “Because if you think I will, I might ask Greyson to channel me instead.”
He sighs. “I don’t think you’ll regret it. Hopefully I won’t.”
“You won’t, Dr. Blakely,” she assures and takes his hand.
Watching Ronnie react to holding his hand is fascinating. Multiple emotions cross her face before she swallows and steps back, looking at me. Her face changes to what looks like a haunted expression for a beat.
“What is it?” I ask.
She clears her expression. “I think you’re in good hands here. Dr. Blakely is a good man.”
“What’s the look for then?” Cicely asks with suspicion.
“I’m just…” She shakes her head briefly and blows out a breath, “I’m still a little affected by all I felt when I touched your mate, Cicely. Sorry, Jared. I’m doing my best not to show it.”
She’s afraid of me.
“Sorry, Ronnie,” I rasp.
She gives me a shaky smile.
I add, “For whatever you felt when you touched me.”
“That’s not your fault,” she states and she does it with strength in her voice. “You’ve got no reason to apologize to me.”
“Let’s get the rest of this done,” I say and make my way to the cage.
28
CICELY
I thoroughly disliked all that. Watching him react to the news that he’s the way he is because of medical experiments on his father. And I’m no doctor, but I agree – I think the abuse he suffered as a child led to a splintering of personalities. His wolf’s protectiveness over what Jared endured makes it want to kill everything it comes in contact with. Because it’s disconnected from him, it still sees everything as a threat.
Watching him climb into that cage and shift, seeing his wolf go berserk at being caged, how much it wanted to eat the approaching doctors, and then seeing Mitch jab that long needle into his skin through the bars? Watching Jared’s wolf drop, tongue lolling out and making him look dead? None of it was easy.