The call ends, and I don’t waste time asking questions. I’m out the door and changing forms before I hit the tree line, my wolf taking over as I tear through Silvercreek faster than I’ve ever run. My paws pound against the earth, and my lungs burn, but I push harder. The clinic is on the other side of town. Too far. Every second feels like an eternity.
Buildings rush past me. Pack members jump out of my way, recognizing the look of a wolf on a mission. I don’t slow down for any of them. I can’t. Not when Fern might be hurt. Not when she might need me.
I reach the building in under three minutes and transform back behind the parking structure, not caring that I’m naked, not caring about anything except getting inside. The automatic doors slide open, and I storm into the lobby where a cluster of medical staff has gathered near the hallway that leads to Fern’s office.
Skylar spots me first. Her face is pale, and she rushes over with her hands raised like she’s trying to slow down a freight train.
“Connor, wait—”
“Where is she?” I demand.
“Her office. But you can’t just—”
“What happened?”
Skylar takes a breath before answering. “A patient showed up without an appointment. Male, human. He asked to see Fern. We didn’t think anything of it at first, but then one of the nurses heard screaming. By the time we got to the hallway, the door was locked from the inside.”
My blood runs cold. “Robbie. Her ex.”
“We think so. We called Nic, and he said to wait for backup before doing anything. He’s on his way.”
“Wait?” I stare at her. “You want me to wait while that bastard is locked in a room with my mate?”
“There are protocols, Connor. If we rush in and he panics, he could hurt her worse. We need to handle this carefully.”
One of the other staff members approaches with a bundle of fabric in her arms. Scrubs. She holds them out to me without meeting my eyes.
“Put these on,” she tells me. “And wait for him to arrive before taking action.”
I snatch the scrubs and yank them on. The pants are too short, and the shirt pulls across my shoulders, but at least I’m covered.
“How long has she been in there?”
“Maybe ten minutes. We’ve been trying to make contact, but he won’t respond. We can hear voices through the door, but we can’t make out what they’re saying.”
Ten minutes. Ten minutes of Fern trapped with the man who’s been stalking her. The man who broke into her home. The man who put his hands on her throat.
“This is bullshit,” I growl. “I’m not standing around while she’s in danger.”
“Connor, please.” Skylar grabs my arm. “Nic gave specific orders. He said if you showed up before him, you need to wait. Rushing in could make things worse.”
“Worse than what? Worse than leaving her alone with a psychopath?”
“If he has a weapon—”
“Then every second we waste is a second he could use.”
I pull free from her grip and stride down the hallway toward Fern’s office. Skylar calls after me, but I ignore her. I ignore everything except the closed door at the end of the corridor and the muffled sounds coming from behind it.
When I reach the door, I press my ear against the wood. Voices filter through—Fern’s, strained but steady, and a male voice I don’t recognize. Robbie. I can’t make out the words, but I can hear the anger in his tone. The barely restrained violence.
“Connor, don’t.” Skylar has followed me, and her voice comes out as a harsh whisper. “If you break down that door without knowing what’s on the other side—”
“Then I’ll find out.”
I step back and drive my fist into the door.
The wood cracks but holds. The clinic’s doors are clearly more reinforced than the one at the cabin. I hit it again, putting my shoulder into it this time, and a chunk splinters near the lock. One more blow, and a hole opens up, big enough for me to at least see through.
