Then she fished out her keys before opening the front door.
“Hey, thanks for driving me home,” Silas said.
“You’re welcome.” She flashed him a wry grin. “Oh, and don’t worry, I didn’t see anything. Except for your genitals.”
The door closed behind her.
Chapter Nine
Mickey Mouse stared up at Silas from the bottom of his favorite cereal bowl. Technically, it was a small mixing bowl. The thing held half a box of Cocoa Krispies, which was necessary when you had a werewolf’s metabolism. It was empty now aside from a smear of milk residue. He had no memory of eating the cereal. His mind was too busy replaying Meredith’s naked body striding toward his house on an endless loop.
“I am royally fucked,” he said to Maggie. She panted up at him and wagged her tail.
It wasn’t only that Meredith was beautiful. She was also smart, funny, brave as fuck, and compassionate. She was possibly the perfect woman. And he had made her watch his ex-girlfriend fuck a demon and then thrown up on himself. And to top it all off, he’d told her he never wanted to have sex with her.
He leaned back in his kitchen chair and stared at the ceiling. He should call in sick today. He’d never taken a mental health day before. Maybe it was time.
The piercing ringtone of his phone made him grab his throbbing head. Jason. He tapped the screen. “Are you back in town, bro?”
“Back and already at the hospital with Laina. You better get down here. Grateful is preparing to wake her up.”
Meredith filledherFor Fox Sakecoffee mug with the tepid bean water the humans drank at the station. Damn. When was Silas getting in? After the night they’d had, he seriously needed to rectify the caffeine situation.
“Yo, Meredith,” the captain called from his office. “Can you come in here for a minute?”
“What’s up?” She joined him, closing the door behind her for privacy.
He handed her a folder. “I need you to check out a potential shifter disturbance at the city zoo. Seems an extra bear has appeared in the exhibit and the zookeepers are flipping out. Go make sure the guy finds his way home and tell him to get his jollies with his own kind.”
“Sure. Uh, should I take Silas with me?”
“Didn’t he tell you? He called in.”
She frowned. “Sick?”
“No. Something with his sister. The family is meeting at the hospital today.” The captain’s face contorted with sympathy. “Between you and me, I think they’re preparing themselves for the worst.”
“I’ve gotta go,” she said. She waved the folder. “I’ll take care of this.”
“Go get ’em, tiger.”
She walked out the door, breaking into a run once she was safely out of his sight.
After the welcomehome hugs and the small talk, Silas stood at the end of Laina’s hospital bed with Jason, Selene, and Kyle by his side. Jason had his arm protectively around Selene, Kyle cradled Laina’s hand in both of his, and Silas… he crossed his arms and prayed to the goddess this would be over quickly. Sometimes it was hard being single in a family of doubles.
Grateful waddled into the room a moment later, carrying a Victoria’s Secret bag complete with pink tissue paper. She locked the door behind her.
“Are you saving my sister with sexy underwear?” Silas looked pointedly at the bag.
She shrugged. “It was the right size, and I thought the paper would hide what was inside.”
“Whatever works,” Kyle said. “Thanks for doing this.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Thank me when your wife recovers.” Grateful pulled the stethoscope from her neck and pressed it to Laina’s chest.
“Is there a chance it won’t work?” Jason asked, exchanging glances with Selene.
“I’ve never worked with sulfralite before.” Grateful returned her stethoscope to her neck and tucked her hands into the pockets of her lab coat, her belly stretching her scrubs underneath. “I promise, I’ll do everything I can.”
