by Mac Flynn
Contents
Title Page
Clashings
Evolution
Sleepover
Disloyalty
Smashwords Books
IN THE LOUP BOXED SET #2 (c) 2014 Mac Flynn Box 2 of the Adult IN THE LOUP Werewolf Series
This series:
Boxed Set #1
Boxed Set #2
Boxed Set #3
Boxed Set #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Paranormal Romance Due to sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Smashwords Edition
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CLASHINGS (IN THE LOUP: BOOK #5)
"Is she up yet?" Stephanie heard a man ask.
"Sir, I told you to wait out in the lobby," someone else, an unfamiliar woman, answered. "We'll certainly inform you when she wakes up."
Stephanie cracked open her eyes and flinched at the bright light streaming in through the large window. She was only momentarily disoriented by the white walls until she recalled yesterday's fainting episode. She glanced over to the door to see it half open and a nurse blocking Chuck from entering the room. He looked passed the woman's shoulder and grinned when he saw her open eyes.
"Hey, Boss," he greeted, and the nurse turned to see the patient awake and alert.
"Good morning, Mrs. Yager," the woman gave her hellos as she stepped over to the bed. That gave Chuck a chance to slink into the room and close the door behind himself. "How are you feeling today?"
"Pretty good," Stephanie replied with a nod of her head. She was feeling well rested and had all her energy back. There was a slight tinge of pain in her wounded arm, but that might have been from the pressure of the bandages.
"That's good to hear. That means we can have you up and home any time you'd like," the nurse informed her as she checked her vitals. "Everything's checking out normal and the doctor didn't find any problems in your blood except for some lingering effects of infection."
"Like some bad effects?" the patient asked. She didn't want there to be anything wrong with herself.
"Nothing a little antibiotics can't take care of, so we'll be sending you home with some of that," the other woman explained.
"So does that mean I can get some clothes on?" she pleaded as she looked down at herself. The gown was askew on her and she was reminded that the straps on the back were broken. She shot an embarrassed glance over to Chuck, but he didn't catch the meaning.
"Certainly. Your husband brought some extra clothes we asked for and there just right here," the nurse replied as she pointed to a pile of clothes on the chair Chuck had sat in last night. Then she removed the IV and carefully unwrapped the bandages from her arm. It was nice to feel cool air on her skin, but Stephanie was surprised to see the wounds had been reopened. Chuck noticed her expression this time, and the meaning behind it.
"The doctor didn't like the look of the scabs and wanted to disinfect the area," he quickly explained. "That's why it looks like that."
"Oh, good, I thought I'd scratched them off again," Stephanie nervously laughed.
"Those scars should heal in a few days, but you'd better watch them," the nurse instructed as she disposed of the dirty bandages. "And feel free to change into your clothes whenever you want."
"I'll need a little more privacy," the patient commented as he glanced over to Chuck.
"I'll be outside if you need me," he promised, and then he quickly left the room.
"Did you want some help?" the nurse offered as Stephanie nervously sat up.
"Um, no, I think I'll be fine," she answered. She wasn't used to anyone other than her husband seeing her naked, so she was a little bashful about another woman helping her dress. "I'll be out in a few minutes."
"I have to go see some other patients, but if you have any questions the ladies at the front desk can help you," the nurse commented as she moved over to the door. "And don't forget to sign out. We'd hate to have a missing person on our list or patients."
"I won't," Stephanie promised.
She waited until she heard the click of the latch before she flung off the gown and quickly dressed herself. She was glad to have the feel of real clothes against her skin, even if the shirt was a little tight around her breasts. Properly attired for public viewing, Stephanie opened the door to the hall and found Chuck standing against the wall to the right of the entrance to the room. He pushed off his support when noticed her peak her head out.
"Ready to go, Boss?" he asked.
"As soon as possible," she practically pleaded. Since he knew the way to the front desk, she followed him. She felt there was something, or precisely someone, who was missing from this picture. "Have you seen Bob this morning?"
"Not a sign," Chuck bluntly replied as they reached the elevators.
"Oh..." she sighed.
"Don't worry about it, Boss, I can take you home," her partner promised. "I brought your car here this morning so you wouldn't have to go get it later."
"Thanks, I appreciate it," Stephanie smiled as the doors to the elevator opened. They stepped in and she pressed the button for the first floor. She unconsciously rubbed her arm where the bandage had lain, and Chuck noticed.
"Does it itch?" he asked. He glanced over at the marks to make sure she hadn't scratched off the growing scabs.
"What? Oh, no, just habit now I think," she reassured him, but he wasn't too happy about that. "It'll be fine. I'm sure I'll stop doing it when the skin heals."
Chuck didn't look so convinced, but at that point they'd reached their destination and the doors opened. Stephanie quickly stepped out only to have to wait for her partner, because looking down either side didn't immediately show her which was was the lobby. He took a left and led her to the front room and the desk. She eagerly walked up and smiled at the haggled looking lady at the window.
"Hi, I need to check out and pick up some prescription," she told the employee.
"I can give you a note for a prescription, but you'll have to go to your local pharmacy for the actual pills," the woman instructed her as she brought up an out-patient window. "Name?"
"Stephanie Yager," she replied.
"All right, Ms. Yager, I have your prescription note right here," the nice lady told her, and the corners of Stephanie's mouth twitched. Stephanie wanted to correct her, but held back. There wouldn't have been any point, she was going to leave the hospital and hopefully not come back for another few decades. Besides, the Ms. part had an interesting ring to it, especially with her husband AWOL on her. "Now try and keep care of yourself," the secretary pleasantly scolded.
"I'll try," she smiled as she took the note. Chuck was waiting for her beside the entrance doors. "Looks like I'm going to have to ask you to drive me somewhere," she told him.
"Fine by me, I don't have much to do today," he replied with a shrug. "We need to pick up that antibiotic the nurse was talking about?"
"Yeah, it shouldn't take long," Stephanie replied, but to be truthful, she wasn't really sure how long it'd take for the pharmacist to get the pills together.
"How about we drop off the prescription and pick it up later?" he suggested. She nodded, that was the best way without twiddling their thumbs in the pharmacy chairs.
He drove her vehicle to one of the local pharmacies and she dropped off the prescription without any hiccups. They were busy with other medications, so hers wouldn't be ready before the afternoon.
"Good thing we didn't wait," she informed Chuck as she slid back into the passenger seat of her vehicle. He'd stayed there while she went in. It was nice that he trusted her well enough to do that by herself, even after her fainting spell. "It sh
ould be done some time this afternoon."
"Not too late, at least it's not tomorrow or something," he pointed out.
"Yeah, I have to take it twice a day, so it's a good thing," Stephanie agreed. Chuck raised an eyebrow at that new bit of information.
"For how long?" he wondered.
"I'm not sure, as long as the pills last," she told him with an indifferent shrug. It didn't matter to her how long she had to take it, within reason of course, just as long as it stopped the infection. She leaned back her seat with a sigh as they drove down the road to her home. "Maybe I'll stop feeling so tired with that stuff out of my body."
"Good chance," Chuck agreed as they drove up into the driveway. He hopped out as did she, and they met at the door.
"Want to come in for a little while?" she invited as she nodded toward the entrance. "I'm sure I can fix you breakfast or something."
"Nah, I've got some stuff I want to finish up at the office before I pick you up this afternoon," he replied, and then he paused on his way toward the street. "You want me to pick you up or can Bob handle that? I don't think you should be driving in your condition."
"I'll call you if I need anything," Stephanie teased him. "I'll even make sure you're on speed-dial."
"Is sarcasm all I get for my help?" he jokingly answered.
"Well, I did offer food, but you didn't like that," she quipped as she put her hands on her hips. "So are you coming in or not?" The amused expression on his face suddenly darkened as he glanced passed her, and she half turned to find Bob standing in the doorway.
"I'll see you later, Boss," Chuck suddenly gave his goodbye, and then he was walking down the street. He'd apparently sacrificed his ride to bring her home, and now had to go back to the office on foot.
"Chuck!" she called to him, but he didn't even pause as he disappeared down the block. She rolled her eyes and shook his head. He was getting so difficult to deal with lately.
"Welcome home, hun," Bob greeted as he suddenly wrapped his arms around her. "How are you feeling?"
"Better, but where were you?" she snapped at him. She looked over her shoulder to glare into his smiling face. "Weren't you supposed to be there to pick me up or do something?"
"Actually, I was here getting your welcome home party together," he answered with an injured tone. "Besides, I didn't know you'd wake up so early."
"It's almost ten," Stephanie pointed out.
"Well, time goes fast when you're having so much fun getting ready for your honey to come home," he cooed. She almost gagged at his efforts at affection, and wondered if he'd always been this clingy.
"So what's for my welcome home party?" she asked as she turned to glance through the open front door. There didn't look like streamers or balloons around, and she certainly didn't have enough friends to fill a closet for them to come see her. Her best friend had also just went stalking down the street.
"Well, there's a cake I made and a nice present I got you," Bob explained as he led her inside. Indeed he was correct and she found the cake on the dining table. It even looked like it had been hand-made, what with the messy frosting, rather than the store-bought dessert she had expected. There was also a small box beside the cake, and this he picked up. "For you, my one and only," he spoke as he opened the container.
Inside was a golden locket, and Stephanie was overjoyed at the beautiful piece of jewelery. She picked it up and opened the cover. There was no picture inside, but the left piece had a few words inscribed.
"To my darling. May be always be together," she read. Tears came to her eyes as she glanced up at Bob. "Thank you...thank you so much," she spoke through her sniffles. "This means a lot to me."
"I'm glad you like it, honey," he replied as he planted a kiss on her forehead.
Just then they heard a knock on the door. Bob frowned, and leaving Stephanie at the table he walked over and opened the door. Stephanie was very confused and a little troubled when she saw Gregory standing in the doorway. Bob, however, wasn't too thrilled to find an unknown and well-dressed gentleman on his doorstep. The man had interrupted the best part of the surprised party.
"Who are you?" he asked as he looked the man up and down. "Wanting to sell us insurance or something?"
"Actually, I'm a client of your wife," Gregory introduced himself. He, too, evaluated his opponent. "I'm guessing you're her husband?" he asked as he held out his hand. "My name's George Gregory."
"She's not working today," Bob replied, and he made to shut the door but Gregory put his hand on the portal. The door wouldn't budge an inch farther. "I said get lost," her husband growled.
"No, you said she wasn't working today," Gregory pointed out as he pushed his way into the house. Stephanie was surprised by the man's blatantly pushy attitude. Then again, Bob seemed to rub the men around her the wrong way. "But I heard about her accident and wanted to make sure she was all right."
"Her partner been calling you or something?" Bob questioned. He really didn't like the idea of two men talking about his wife behind his back. Stephanie was a little intrigued by this information, too.
"No, I heard from another reliable source," he replied, but he was evidently through with talking to Bob because he went straight to Stephanie. He clasped one of her hands in his and looked her over with an expression of concern on his face. "Are you quite all right?"
"Oh, yes, it was just a minor infection," Stephanie brushed aside her experience. "I was just in the hospital for less than a day."
"An infection?" he asked, and she shrugged in response. "Did they give you some medication?"
"Well, I need to pick up some antibiotics from the pharmacy, but that's all," she answered, but she was very confused. He seemed very worried about her condition.
"Are you sure you should take them? The doctor recommended them?" Gregory insisted on knowing.
"I don't see why not," Stephanie replied.
"Could you keep your damn hands off my wife?" Bob interrupted as he stepped between the two. He grabbed Stephanie's hand and yanked it out of Gregory's firm grip, which caused some pulling she didn't appreciate.
"Could you both knock it off?" she argued as she pulled her hand free from her husband and stepped back from both of them. She warily eyed the two gentlemen as she rubbed her abused hand. Her gaze stopped on Gregory. "I appreciate you coming all the way down from the lodge, but it's really nothing. I was just a little sick, and I'm all better now."
"I'm sorry if I've caused you any trouble," Gregory apologized. "I really did just want to see if you were really all right."
"That's all right, really, Stephanie insisted. She glanced away from the awkward situation and her eyes fell on the uneaten cake. It was really too large for two people to eat. "Did you want some cake?" she offered. "We were just going to celebrate me coming back and there's plenty to go around."
"What the hell? I bought that for you, Steph," Bob argued as he furiously looked at Gregory.
"Then I can say who eats it," she replied as she picked up the knife. She playfully pointed it at the men. "And nobody's going to stop me from having a huge piece."
"Hun, listen," her husband spoke as he stepped around Gregory and gently took her by the shoulders. He led her around the table and toward the backyard. "I don't trust this guy," he whispered to her when he felt they were far enough away. "He comes all the way from where ever just to see if you're okay?"
"Why is that so unbelievable?" Stephanie countered with a frown. "Can't one of my clients care that much?"
"Yeah, but not this guy," Bob insisted. He glanced over his shoulder at the stranger. "There's something funny about him I don't like."
"Can't you get along with someone?" she sighed. She rubbed her forehead as she felt a headache coming on. This wasn't exactly the homecoming she wanted. "Just this once?"
"With this weirdo?" he challenged. He sighed at Stephanie's disappointed expression. "Listen, how the hell did this guy even find where we live? Did you tell him?" That was one thought that had
escaped Stephanie's mind, and now she felt more than a little worried.
"Maybe whoever told him about me told him where we lived?" she lamely suggested. Bob wasn't convinced.
"This guy needs to get out right now," Bob ordered.
Stephanie glanced over at Gregory. He still stood at the dining table and appeared to be studying the cake. His coming had at first been a shining light of flattery she had enjoyed, but now with her husband's idea it seemed all that much darker. She indeed had never given him her home address, and she couldn't imagine who had told him of her recent illness.
"All right," she sighed. She hated these awkward confrontations, but she bravely stepped over to the table. "Gregory, I think...I think it'd be best if you left."
"I'm starting to think I made a huge error myself," he readily agreed. The smile on his face made her feel a little more relieved at booting him out. "But I really am glad to see you're okay," he repeated. He reached down, lifted her hand and swooped in to plant a soft kiss on her fingers. She was blushing when he glanced up, and his grin widened into a smirk. "But if you need anything, feel free to call me," he invited as he held out his card. "I don't believe your partner grabbed one of these from me last time we met, so here's another, just in case."
"Thanks, I'll be sure it stays safe," she replied as she took the card.
"You keep yourself well, and sorry to have barged in so suddenly, Mr. Yager," he called out to Bob. Her husband didn't even flinch, but rather folded his arms across his chest. "Well, until we meet again," Gregory gave his final farewells. Then he was gone through the front door, and Stephanie was relieved.
Bob, however, was still vexed as he walked over to the table where his wife still stood.
"What sort are you dealing with at that work of yours?" he wondered as he scowled at the door. "Crazy types like that coming inside like they owned the place."
"We just met at the last conference," she explained with a shake of her head. Gregory was certainly turning out to be problematic, and she could see now what Chuck warned her about with that man. "I guess he just really likes my work."
"Work nothing, he's trying to get at you," Bob bluntly replied.
"He's gone now, so can we stop talking about him?" she pleaded. That headache was definitely in full force now and her hand tightened on the knife handle. She'd forgotten about it, and she hoped Gregory hadn't felt intimidated. She didn't want to be sued. "Let's just eat the cake."
