by J. D. Tyler
His friends exchanged exasperated glances, but nobody wanted to touch that one. Rustling was heard and a couple of minutes later their friend emerged dressed in low-slung jeans and a loose T-shirt. When he met Rowan’s gaze, the hard edges of his expression softened, and if she hadn’t known better, she would’ve said he looked like he had a secret. One he’d like to share.
Or a naughty one they already had.
She wasn’t a blushing kind of woman, but her face heated as the memory of the wicked dream chose that moment to taunt her. Stupid, because there was no way he’d had the same—
“Doc, are you sure I have to come in right now?” he asked, never taking his eyes off Rowan. His lips curved in a predatory smile. “I’m feeling a sudden urge to pop down to Vegas and play a little… blackjack.”
Oh, crap! Her eyes widened and she saw immediately that he knew she fully understood his meaning. But it wasn’t real! It can’t be if two people connect only in their minds! Right?
The doc’s brows drew together. “What?”
Aric ignored the woman, keeping his attention on Rowan. “Come on. I’ll walk you to the infirmary so you can see Micah and I can put up with the doc poking on me.”
Realizing she was still gaping at him like a landed trout, and that his friends were glancing between them trying to figure out the private exchange, she schooled her expression and gave Aric a polite response.
“That would be nice, thanks.”
The party filed out of Aric’s quarters. Nick and Jax promised to visit Micah later, and left to attend to other business. Dr. Mallory issued firm orders for Aric not to waste time and get to the infirmary stat, and then stalked ahead at a rapid clip, leaving them alone.
“I can’t decide whether I like that woman or not,” Rowan said, mostly to herself.
“Melina’s a good person,” Aric said thoughtfully as they walked together. “But she was changed by the massacre as much as the rest of us. Our leader, Terry Noble, was her mate.”
A wave of sympathy washed over her. “Now I feel horrible.”
“Don’t. Melina wouldn’t thank you for showing an ounce of pity, so it’s best to be real around her.”
“Like it’s best with you?”
That visibly took him aback for a second, but then he agreed. “Yeah. She and I are a lot alike in that respect. I don’t do pity. We’re both prickly, too.”
“You might make a good couple.” The idea of Aric making up half of a good couple with anyone made her want to hurt someone. Weird.
He snorted. “Hell, no. I’m not interested in a woman who has bigger balls than me.”
“What, you have a problem with strong, career-minded women who don’t take shit off anybody? Who could maybe kick your ass?” She heard the defensive tone in her voice, and he must’ve as well.
“Hey, back up. I see where you’re going with that and you’re wrong,” he said earnestly. “I’m not one of those guys who gets his fragile ego wounded when he runs up against a female who can hold her own with any man. That’s not it at all. I’m talking about chemistry, and I’m not attracted to anyone—man or woman—who struts around acting like they’re the shit. Does that make sense?”
She thought a second. “Okay, I can buy that.”
“Gee, thanks.”
She smiled at his affronted tone. “Seriously, I’m with you there. I work with people like that, and while it doesn’t mean they’re bad, I just don’t relate to them. But I try to remember there are reasons people present themselves a certain way, and sometimes they’re covering deep hurt.”
“So could you kick my ass?” His lips quirked.
“Definitely, as long as it’s a fair fight.”
“Really? Criminals fight fair?” he teased.
“You know what I mean. You couldn’t let your wolf loose or turn me into ash.”
“Or toss you across the room without touching you. I’m a Telekinetic, too.”
“Good grief, anything else?”
“Nope, that’s all.”
“Well, thank God for small favors.”
She found herself enjoying this interplay between them. He seemed to be, too.
“So let me get this straight,” he said with mock seriousness. “You can go a round or three with me and win, as long as I don’t use my full abilities. I have to hold back. Hmm, hardly seems fair to me.”
“I prefer to think of it as choosing our weapons. I choose the ones we were born with—unless you’d like for me to even the odds by using a gun loaded with silver bullets.”
He laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Okay, you win. Name the time and place.”
“Do you guys have someplace where you work out?” The heat from his side seared into her, and his male scent tantalized. Lord, being held against him felt damned good.
“We have a gym where we train, basically keep our skills in shape. It’s across the building not far from our rec room.”
“That’ll work. It’s a date, after the doctor clears you for strenuous activity.”
“There’s not a thing wrong with my stamina, as you know.” His smirk shot warmth straight to her toes.
And with no little discomfort, something she wasn’t used to. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, come on. Playing dumb doesn’t become you, officer.” Moving suddenly, he pushed her back against the nearest wall and trapped her with his arms, noses almost touching. “A blackjack table? Really? Naughty, naughty Rowan.”
“Rein it in, caveman,” she said, glancing up and down the hallway. “Someone might see.”
“That’s not what you told me a little while ago.” Leaning so close his breath fanned against the shell of her ear, he affected a falsetto. “Oooh, fuck me harder, wolf-man.”
“That is not what I said! Well, not exactly.”
“Yes, you beast, do me down and dirty!” His Rowan impression was punctuated by a laugh.
“Stop it!” But the order didn’t sound very convincing. Especially when she dissolved into a fit of giggles. God, when the hell was the last time a guy had made her giggle? But Aric was darned funny, when he wasn’t going out of his way to be defensive or snarky.
“Next time say it with a bit more oomph if you expect me to believe it.” Looking mighty smug, he pushed away from the wall and began to walk again. “Coming?”
“Already did,” she retorted.
Green eyes glittered with amusement. And there was that heat again, searing her to the core. “I like you, officer.”
“Good to know. You’re pretty okay, too.”
“I’ll accept that as high praise from you.”
“Trust me, it is.”
They walked slowly, by mutual consent, and Rowan thought he was as reluctant to reach their destination as she was. The silence was companionable, the discomfort of moments ago banished. She decided to chance a burning question.
“Do you think something is real if it happens only in the mind?” If she’d thought he’d take the opportunity to tease or make some witty retort, she was wrong.
“You’re talking about our mutual dream-fantasy.”
“Yes, but I also wondered in a broader sense. The idea is scary. Fascinating, too, I’ll admit.”
“Before I can answer that and have you believe what I say, you have to reconcile your perception of what’s real and what isn’t. You have to understand that what humans traditionally accept isn’t the only reality there is in the universe.”
She stared at him, impressed and pleased that he was taking her so seriously. “You’re pretty smart.”
“Not really. I’ve just had longer to come to terms with alternate reality.”
She thought about what he’d said about the universe. “I guess I have no choice but to believe.”
“Nope, no guessing. By now you’ve seen enough to know whether you do or don’t.”
“Okay, I do. But I don’t want to,” she clarified. “My brain still rebels against all of this stuff
.”
“That’s fair. Then I can say yes—there are occasions when what happens in the mind is very real. Even better, I can prove it.”
“How?” Her fact-loving self liked this.
“Easy. Here, I’ll show you.” Grabbing her hand, he veered off course, turning down a different hallway.
“The doc isn’t going to like that you didn’t get your butt straight there like she said.”
“She’ll get over it. Besides, this will only take a couple of minutes.”
“That’s all? A few minutes to make me accept the ‘mind over matter’ theory?”
“I’ll let you be the judge.”
The trip was shorter than she would’ve hoped, because she really liked his big hand enfolding hers. It made her feel like a teenager again, and very few things could perform that miracle these days. In moments, they stood in a room that held a huge rectangular table and a bunch of chairs. A big flat-screen television adorned the wall at one end.
“This is our conference room,” he told her. “Nick just splurged on updating it with new furniture and the TV. A vast improvement over the secondhand crap we had in here before.”
“Nice. But what can you show me in here?”
“Watch.”
Guiding her farther inside, he directed her to stand off to the side, away from the furniture. She observed, puzzled and a little amused as he raised one arm, turning his hand palm up and simply held that position, staring intently at the table and chairs.
Which ever so slowly began to rise.
“Oh, my God!”
Her mouth fell open as they continued upward, like they were being hoisted by invisible ropes and pulleys, damned near to the ceiling. Then down again. When the legs were about six inches off the floor, they dropped the remaining distance with a noisy clatter, less gracefully than they’d gone up.
Aric braced one hand on the back of a stuffed chair, looking a bit pale. “There’s your proof. I told you I’m a Telekinetic. I can start fire the same way, though Nick would be kinda pissed if I torched the new goodies.”
“I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” she breathed.
“The mind is a powerful tool. There’s so much untapped potential in every single human’s brain—that demonstration only scratches the surface.” He gazed at her. “Now do you believe in power you can’t see?”
She gave a shaky laugh. “Yes. It’s very safe to say I do. Who would’ve thought?”
“I ask myself that question every single day,” he said quietly.
“Are you all right? You suddenly don’t look well.”
“I’m fine.”
She frowned, not convinced, and cupped his cheek. “You’re still burning up, and now you’re pale. That took too much out of you when you’re still not recovered from your ordeal. Let’s get you to Dr. Mallory.”
“Yes, ma’am. You can call her Melina, you know. She doesn’t bite too hard.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He was teasing, but the fact that he didn’t attempt to argue again about getting checked was worrisome. She figured a stubborn man like Aric had to feel really awful to admit he needed help of any kind. Not that he had admitted it, exactly, but still.
Leaving the conference room, they started on their way once more. But halfway to the infirmary, he stumbled. Acting quickly, she grabbed his arm and leaned her body into his until he got himself steadied.
“I’m okay. I’m good.”
He wasn’t, but she didn’t argue. They made it all the way to the infirmary, where the cute nurse, Noah, sat behind a desk and greeted them with a tentative smile.
“Thank God you brought him back!” Noah rose and hurried to help Rowan. “Dr. Mallory has been on the warpath since he went AWOL.”
“Well, I’m back. So she can get her panties unbunched and…”
Aric’s knees folded and his head tilted back as he collapsed. Rowan cursed, she and Noah jumping for him at once and lowering him to the floor. The nurse shouted for help and both doctors, Melina and Mackenzie, came running, along with another male nurse Noah had called Sam, this one substantially bulkier than Noah. She guessed it made sense to have at least one strong man on staff when constantly patching up supernatural soldiers.
The two men lifted Aric, the big one hoisting him under his arms, Noah at his feet, and placed him onto a gurney.
“Roll him into the ER,” Dr. Mallory ordered. “I want a complete workup done, and he’s not leaving until I find out if he’s just still weak from captivity or if it’s something more.”
They rushed to comply, and Aric was rolled out of sight. Rowan’s chest seized at the thought of him in there alone. Well, not by himself, but without anyone to comfort him. Someone who wasn’t a doctor or nurse, but a friend. There was nothing she could do for him at the moment, and she hated it.
I’m afraid for him. I can’t remember the last time I cared about someone like this who isn’t family. Where it hurts inside, thinking of anything bad happening to him. I don’t want to give a shit.
But she did.
“He’ll be okay,” Mackenzie said, giving Rowan’s hand a squeeze. “Why don’t I walk you down to see your brother? Melina will bring news of Aric when she can.”
Rowan blinked away the stupid tears that wanted to form. Crying would help nobody, least of all Micah or Aric. “All right. I was coming to visit Micah, anyway.”
“Good girl. One thing you should know, however. He woke up again a little while ago. In fact, that’s what delayed us in going after Aric.”
“What? Why didn’t anyone call me? Did he…” Dread halted her words.
“No one notified you because we were busy with him until he drifted back to sleep, and you needed your rest. He’ll be in and out all day, most likely. And there won’t be a repeat of the incident from before because he’s being kept calm with a special sedative that we’ve developed for shifters.”
“Dr. Mallory told me about the drug. How long will he be on it?”
“It’s hard to say, but our plan is to wean him off gradually, until he’s completely healed from his ordeal.”
“Meaning, until he’s not a danger to himself or others.”
“I’m afraid so.” She patted Rowan’s arm reassuringly. “Try not to worry. Micah’s a strong man to have survived, and with all of us pulling for him, he can’t lose.”
“Thanks.”
“Sure. Let’s go see him.”
They walked the short distance to Micah’s room and went inside. Rowan approached the bed, hating how fragile her brother seemed lying there. It wasn’t fair that someone who loved life as much as he did had been reduced to a catastrophic disaster. Rage wrapped in layers of pain, and then drugged so that it all boiled under his skin, ready to break free and level everyone around him.
Lowering herself to the chair beside him, she scooted close and took his hand. “I’m here, little bro. Come back to us, please.”
She hadn’t expected a response, but his lashes fluttered and she found herself looking into glazed, dull brown eyes.
“S-sis?” he croaked.
She swallowed the cry that almost escaped. The last thing she wanted to do was upset him. “Hey, trouble,” she said, a catch in her voice. “It’s good to see you awake.” And not feral, but she didn’t want to remind him if he couldn’t remember that detail.
“What… where am I?”
“At the Alpha Pack compound. Your team rescued you.” She stroked his hair, his confusion tugging at her heart. “You’re safe.”
He looked confused. “How are you here?”
“It’s kind of a long story, so we’ll save it for when you’re feeling better, okay? I’m here, I’m staying until you’re better, and that’s all that matters.”
“Okay.” His expression saddened. “Sis?”
“Yes, sweetie?”
“They… hurt me.”
“I know about the experiments, the shifters and the supernatural stuff. You don’
t have to explain.”
“No, I mean they hurt me.”
Ice flooded her veins, and damned near froze her vocal cords. “Are you saying they raped you?”
Shame flooded his face, and a tear traced down his cheek. “Don’t let them hurt me anymore. Please…”
“Shh. I won’t. Nobody’s going to let those sleazy bastards near you again,” she soothed, wiping away the moisture. “Do you hear?”
“Yeah.”
But she wasn’t sure how much he actually registered of their exchange, or what he would remember. His lids drifted closed, and in seconds his chest was rising and falling in steady rhythm, the drug doing its job.
“He’ll be all right.”
Rowan started. She’d forgotten about Mac’s presence in the room. “When was someone going to tell me?” she hissed angrily.
To her credit, the doctor didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “I planned to counsel him first, let him talk to you about it when—and if—he was ever ready to share. I’ll still hold sessions with him, of course, and any details are his to divulge to you. I’d never break a patient’s confidence.”
“I understand that, but someone should’ve told me the full extent of his abuse in that horrible place. Is there anything else I should know?”
“Not that I’m aware. For what it’s worth, I am sorry. Both about not telling you, and the fact that it happened in the first place,” she said sincerely. “Micah is very much loved by his team and all of us here at the compound. We only want the best for him, same as you.”
Rowan forced her anger into a tiny box. What had befallen her brother wasn’t Mac’s fault. “I can see that. Thank you.”
“I’ll leave you two alone for a while.”
The doctor left, closing the door softly.
Leaving Rowan alone with a broken wolf shifter and not a clue how to help him recover.
Aric heard the door to his room swish and he opened his eyes to see Rowan walk in, giving him a tentative smile that softened her features. It was amazing how his heart stuttered in his chest, just being in the same room with her.
“Hey,” he croaked.
“Hey yourself.” Taking a seat, she patted his arm. “I’ll ask the stupid question—how are you feeling?”
