Insulting me wasn’t her intention, and I knew exactly who she was worried about. “He’s okay. But he’ll need time to heal.”
Lorna’s face paled. “Is it bad?”
“Bad enough that he’ll need a day or two before he’s back at full strength.”
“Where is he?”
I inhaled, glad I could smell Shannon’s scent amongst Lorna’s. At least she was still in the house. “He’ll be back soon. The fight was already won when I left, but we should get to Rawson’s. You can see Lucas there.”
“Oh, thank the Mother.” She leant against the wall, her face pale, her eyes shining.
Lorna’s relief was my own, though I didn’t show it the same way, and not for the same reasons. “Where is Shannon?”
“Here.”
I frowned at the weakness in Shan’s voice. I’d not even noticed her small frame under the blankets on the sofa. I met Lorna’s worried stare. She bit her bottom lip, her eyes saying everything she couldn’t voice in Shannon’s presence. She was as worried about Shan as she was about Lucas.
“I’ve been trying to get her to drink, but she keeps throwing up.”
“Lorna!”
I glowered at Shannon’s sharp tone.
Lorna turned to Shannon, her hands on her hips, a rare show of stubbornness in the jut of her chin. “No. He has to know. You’re sick, Shannon, and you can’t pretend you’re not. You need help to get through this, and that isn’t me. I don’t have a clue. I serve coffee for a living.”
Shannon sank back, looking defeated. “I know. I’m sorry.”
I swallowed my surprise, another wave of worry coursing through me at Shannon’s apology. She never apologised—usually.
I strode across the airy open living space and eyed Shannon’s drawn, sweaty face and the shadows under her eyes. A growl escaped me before I could contain it. My wolf saw everything I did. She was more than sick. I could smell it. A sour note infected the air around her. I’d come across it in other species before, especially humans who’d succumbed to the lure of alcohol to dull whatever pain life had thrown at them. But never, in all my years, had I known a shifter go through alcohol withdrawal. Shifter metabolism was incredibly quick and metabolised alcohol easily. Normally. Rose water was the only exception because it was made in Faery and its ingredients affected all supernaturals.
“Can I see her?”
I nodded, though Shan looked so sick I didn’t want to take her out of the house into the cold night air. I’d never considered her fragile before, but that was the only word I could use to describe how she was right then. My wolf whined. I felt the same. I wanted to pick her up, blankets and all, and carry her right back to Faery, away from anything and everyone who could hurt her, including herself. I’d never felt such an urge to protect another being. I swallowed. I’d come close before, but that was another life. Another person. And I’d failed her. I wouldn’t fail Shannon. Too tired to fight my urge to protect her, I scooped her up into my arms.
“Hey, put me down!”
“No.”
Her arms were wrapped inside the multitude of blankets, so even if she’d had the energy to punch my jaw, she couldn’t. The thought made my lips twitch.
“Stop laughing at me! I can fucking walk, you overbearing buffoon!”
But her huge gasping breaths after she’d finished shouting at me told me she’d never make it to Rawson’s on foot, and I didn’thave a car. I’d run in wolf form before shifting near Lorna’s house. I should have thought that one through better, but I’d been almost desperate to make sure Shan was okay and hadn’t considered it. Shit, my mind was becoming slow. I needed to rest, especially since I couldn’t recall when I’d last slept.
“It’s okay. I’ve got a car. I can drive us there.” Lorna grabbed her keys and a warm coat and flung them on.
I hoisted Shannon more comfortably against my chest. Looking down at her, my wolf settled a little. Some of the tension in my shoulders eased until I saw her flushed cheeks and the overly bright gleam in her eyes. She looked feverish. Lorna was right. Shan needed help. I needed to get her to Faery. The hospital in Hope would be too busy with the wounded from the fight—and I wanted Shannon away from this place—from this fucking world that had broken her. She needed to heal, and she couldn’t do that here. The trouble was my brother needed me, too. Rawson had already lost one mate, and he’d only just gotten Ava back. He needed to be with her without worrying about his pack or the town.
Leaving him wasn’t an option, but neither was letting Shannon suffer.
Lorna opened the back door of the car, and her look of confusion was mirrored by Shannon when I sat in the backseat with her on my lap. I wasn’t letting her go, not when my wolf growled at the thought. I didn’t want her in the back shaking and cold while I sat too far away in the front to comfort her.
“Stoney, let me go.”
“Stop fighting. You’ll only tire yourself out. You need body heat…It’ll help with the shaking.”
Even her humph was weak. Our wolves would take comfort in each other, and it would help soothe the shaking, even if it was temporary. Neither of us would admit it, though. I doubtedShannon even realised that’s what was happening when her body stopped shaking so badly.
