I shook my head and returned to reality, grateful to have a few minutes away from Chael. Everything, all of my emotions, felt inflated when I was in his presence.
“Is Sera here?” I asked. Ms. Elsie had stopped by the house that morning and told me that Sera had continued to drop by the clinic every morning since we got back.
“Right this way.”
I followed her toward the back of the clinic, where they had three different patient rooms. I was familiar with them from Henry’s time at the clinic. But they moved Montgomery to the largest room, meant for humans and not animals.
The receptionist knocked lightly before opening the door. Sera turned from the man’s bedside and gave me a small smile.
“Hey,” I greeted and then turned to Henry. “You go up the hall with Ms. Rita,” I said, gesturing toward the receptionist.
“We got some new treats, especially for you,” she said.
At the words treat, Henry happily followed her.
“He’s so spoiled.” I grinned as I watched him follow her around the corner. “How are you doing?” I asked Sera as I shut the door behind me. “How’s your arm?”
She held it out for me to see. The bandage Chael had hastily wrapped before we left Dr. Pines’s house was gone. All that remained of her injury was an evident gash, but it looked more like a road rash than a wolf bite.
“Does it still hurt?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Not much. It’s healing faster than usual, though.”
That was odd. “I thought you all healed quickly.”
She blinked. “We do. Some faster than others.” She turned to look over at the bed.
I followed and saw the sleeping man. He didn’t stir much.
“Dr. Drake says he’s doing better,” Sera explained. “He’s given him some elixir of herbs and traditional medicines to flush out whatever drugs that doctor gave him. He should awaken soon. His color looks better, don’t you think?” She turned to me with hopeful eyes.
“Yes.” I nodded vigorously. “He does.” I studied the man with dark-brown hair and a broad body as he lay sleeping. His length took up almost the entire bed. “You’re concerned for him,” I mentioned.
She gave me a look and then went over to sit in one of the two chairs against the wall. She waited for me to sit.
“No more than I would be concerned for anyone else,” she answered.
I tilted my head sideways and stared.
“What?”
“Are we building a friendship?”
Her brows furrowed. “Huh?”
“Are we building a friendship?” I repeated. “I mean, because you did help me escape the commune without telling anyone, and we took a ten-hour road trip. Then we got kidnapped together by some stranger danger wolf shifters and an evil doctor. And we managed to fight off said shifters together, to escape with our lives.”
I sat up straight and shrugged. “I’m just saying. I feel like that’s the basis of what has the potential to be a pretty great friendship. Don’t you?”
“I guess,” she answered slowly, looking as if frightful she might stumble upon a live wire.
“Great. And friends don’t lie to friends. Not great friends. So, let me repeat it, you’re really concerned for him, huh?”
She pushed out a hefty breath and stared at Montgomery. “Yes, I suppose.”
“Thank you. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not ashamed,” she said quickly. “I’m just… confused as hell. I thought…” she drifted off.
