Prologue – Ava
Fire twists in my belly. It burns, the urges rippling down my spine, bowing my back.
It pulses, the burning growing stronger, turning to pain.
Everything hurts.
It’s too much. There are too many scents here.
Help me.
Kill me.
Please.
ChapterOne
Max
“Will you be gracing us with your presence anytime this century?”
Luc’s dry tone sounds casual enough, but his worry bleeds through. My hand reaches up automatically, rubbing at the pack bonding mark on my chest. I’m too far away to pick up Luc’s emotions directly, but we’ve known each other too long for him to hide anything from me.
“Shouldn’t be long now.” I blow out a frustrated breath, staring up at the hospital in front of me. The high-rise concrete building houses the largest hospital in the area. Hopefully, it’ll have what I need.
“How’s she doing?” I ask Luc.
“She’s okay,” he says quietly. I hear the snick of a door closing in the background. “But we really need those meds before we run out, Max.”
My throat closes. This hospital is the last one in this area, and I couldn’t get into the others. If I don’t get Leah her medication on this trip, we’ll run out in a matter of weeks.
“I’ll be home soon. Give everyone my love.”
Disconnecting the call, I pull my bag from the red pickup truck in the parking lot and head through the double glass doors. The older beta manning the front desk glances up at me and away, a faint blush lining her cheeks.
Well, that makes things easier.
“Hi,” I smile ruefully at her, pulling off my cap and running a hand through my hair carelessly. “I’m Daniel Morgan – the on-call locum support for today?”
She twitters and looks down at her notes, her eyes scanning the screen. I mentally cross my fingers – if Bastien has done his part, my name should be there waiting for her. Flicking my eyes to the hospital map on the wall behind her, I make a note of the pharmacy department. Eighth floor.
“Of course, Dr. Morgan,” the beta simpers. “If you head up to floor six, it looks like we’re down a gynecologist. I’m sure they could use an extra pair of hands.”
I shoot her a smile and wait patiently while she bustles around. She slides glances under her lashes towards me as she works, self-importance hanging in the air as she prints off a temporary ID badge and hands me a lanyard. I slide my false ID across the desk to her, watching as she glances over it and takes it for photocopying. Pulling out my phone, I shoot a quick text off to Bastien. I shouldn’t raise any alarms if everything goes as it should, but I’d rather not have my face floating around their system.
Thanking the receptionist, I head into the elevator and hit the button for the sixth floor. As the doors slide shut, a black-clad arm thrusts in, forcing them back open. Shuffling over, I make space as two large betas dressed in matching black step inside, glancing at me and the badge around my neck before dismissing me. I catch a handful of their muttered words as the elevator starts to ascend.
“Still in the coma – not sure when…”
“…bored shitless. She’s not going to make it.”
“He wants to try again.”
One of them glances around, catching my eye. I hold his gaze, and he drops his eyes to the floor. It’s an expected power play between alphas and betas. Doing anything else would likely raise suspicion, and that’s the one thing I need to avoid until I can grab those meds and get back home to my pack.
Nothing to see here, gents.
I briefly wonder what they’re talking about, but a bell tinkles, a tinny voice announcing our arrival at the sixth floor.
