“Zoey?”I move to the edge of my seat, scooting it closer and offering my hand, which she takes with her uninjured one.“Can you please tell me what happened?Saying you fell doesn’t explain all of this.”I gesture to her skin, riddled with cuts, and her limbs that are possibly broken.
Dr.Briggs threads his needle.“You can talk, just try to keep still.This shouldn’t hurt with the numbing agent.”
Zoey gives a nod before refocusing on me.“When I said fell, I didn’t mean I’d tripped.”
The sight of the metal piercing the skin on her neck tries to distract me from her explanation.I remind my wolf that the needle is helping her, just like when she got her arm stitched up.
She continues, unaware of how close I am to losing it, “My brothers were making the cabin feel crowded, so I went out to the tree house.Every time I’ve been up there before, the thing has felt solid.But I guess itisa few decades old.Anyway, I climbed up, and the second I stepped onto the floor, my weight must’ve set it off-balance somehow.The whole thing fell and me along with it.”
“Shit,” I mutter.
That tree house is at least fifteen feet off the ground.Maybe twenty.I was right.She could have died.
With my thoughts threatening to descend into a panic spiral, I’m shocked to hear her light chuckle.When I glance up, Dr.Briggs meets my stare with a confused one of his own as he pauses his stitching.
“How does your head feel, Zoey?”the doctor asks.“Are you dizzy?”
“Oh, no.Sorry.I know this isn’t a laughing moment.It’s only …” She glances at me, biting her lip.Another giggle slips out, and it’s the sweetest sound I’ve ever heard.“Warner, you still have glitter in your hair.”
That’s when I know, without a doubt …
Zoey Gunner is my future.
45
ZOEY
I ache everywhere.
But I’m alive, so there’s that.Plus, I have Warner’s warm body beside me as I hobble up the front steps.
Really, I’m not that broken.Just a bruised ankle and a broken wrist.All in all, I came out okay.I choose to forget the number of stitches the doctor said he put in me.
“Are you hungry?”Warner holds the door open for me while also keeping an arm outstretched in case I stumble.
Bruce wanders out of the guest bedroom and meanders up to me.I scratch behind his ears, always comforted by the big dog’s presence.
“It’s two a.m.I just need to sleep.”I smile at Warner, softening my rejection of his offer.
“You heard her.Bedtime.We’ve got this.”Abram comes in right behind me, sliding a hand under my elbow to lend his support.
Normally, I’d wave him off, but tonight, I don’t mind having someone to lean on.
“I’ll get you ice for your ankle.”Carver heads to the refrigerator.
“Did you have enough blankets?I know we commandeered a bunch, but I don’t need mine,” Byron offers.
Donovan keeps quiet, but his eyes are locked on each one of my movements, as if he’s ready to lunge forward if I tip over.
“Zoey?”Warner’s voice has me glancing his way.“Do you want me to stay?”
Honestly, I’m surprised he’d even want to with the overbearing presence that is my brothers.
“She has us,” Abram grumps.
“Stop it.”I shush my older brother.“I want Warner here.”
Just because Abram wants to take care of me doesn’t give him the right to kick Warner out.
