“Is it okay if I get up?” Iasked.
“Of course. Here.” Ken immediately strode to my side and helped ease me into a position where I was sitting up. My chest ached and my muscles were all sore, but moving did feel good. With Ken’s closeness, I was able to get a good whiff of his scent - he was definitely an alpha, all right. In this nearly odorless sterile room, his strong, musky scent stood out like an olfactory flare. It was different than the scents of Scarlet Ridge alphas, I noticed. It had an almost crisp note, like a cool autumn morning, or frost on fallenleaves.
“Is this better?” Ken asked with asmile.
“Yes,” I said. “Thanks.”
He nodded. “You can try to stand, but I wouldn’t quite recommend it yet. Your legs were badly beaten and bruised in the attack.” He spoke with both sympathy and anger. “But if you really want to, I can aid you for some exercises afteryoueat.”
“Thank you. I’m okayfornow.”
Ken nodded, then left the room to grab the food. While he was gone, I looked around the room. Typical doctor’s office, except for a few things. There were a few childishly encouraging posters and toys in the corner. I assumed it was because he saw kids as well as adults. Still, the whole room had a warm atmosphere, despite it being a doctor’soffice.
When Ken walked in with a tray of food, I furrowedmybrow.
“Is it okay for me to eat in here?” I asked. “I mean… it’s supposed to be sterile,right?”
Ken just smiled as he set the tray in front of me. “The office has been closed since yougothere.”
I nearly dropped myfork. “What?”
“There’s only one room - the one we’re in right now. And obviously I can’t have patients coming in when I alreadyhaveone.”
I stared down at the food. He’d shut down his whole business for nearly a week because of me? Wasn’t that a bit over the top? He could have just moved me somewhere else. I guessed Indigo Mountain wolves really were soft-hearted.
“It’s okay,” Ken said as he noticed my expression. “There are other doctors in the pack. Me being closed isn’t a huge deal. And when you’re able to walk again, I can transfer youupstairs.”
Upstairs?
“That’s your home, though, isn’t it?” Iasked.
Henodded.
My heart rate sped up. This was my chance. I could ask the question in a way that wouldn’t seem awkward or out ofplace.
“Won’t your mate mind?” I asked slowly, feigning a shyglance.
Ken gave me another patient smile and shook his head. “I don’t have a mate, so don’t worryaboutthat.”
My heart nearly burst out of my chest. I had already infiltrated the pack,andfound the unmated doctor. My luck was too good to be true. Maybe this mission would be easier than I thought. I just had to seduce him and earn my way to the top alpha - then I could complete my task andreturnhome.
Would Gunner be proud of me? I wondered what kind of reward he had in mind for my safereturn.
“Are you alright?” Ken asked with a frown, putting the back of his hand against my forehead. “You’re a bit warm and your face isflushed.”
“Sorry,” I murmured. The contact of his skin on mine made meblush.
He removed his hand and stepped away. “Go ahead and eat. It’s nearly nighttime, so you should probably go to bedafterthat.”
I blinked. I had no idea what time it was, since the blinds were closed and the only light I saw wasfluorescent.
“Thanks,” I said, gesturing to the food. It suddenly hit me just how hungry I was. There was sliced roasted venison with small red potatoes on the side. Ken just sat in the corner in his chair and flipped through some files. Once in a while he would scrunch up his face and writethingsdown.
When I was done, I felt both energized and mind-bogglingly tired. Fatigue hit me again and I laid down on my pillow with a sigh. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate a meal that good andfilling.
Ken walked over and took the tray away. With a smile he said, “I’ll see you in the morning. Just give me a call if you need anything - my bedroom is right above this room, so I’llhearit.”
“Okay.”
“Goodnight,Wesley.”
I was almost too exhausted to reply. I managed to mumble, “‘Night.”
As he turned off the lights and left, I was filled with a deep satisfaction. Not just physically from the meal, but from knowing I was already so close to my target. I already had the doctor’s trust - now I just needed to use him to get to the topalpha.
Victory was almost in mygrasp.
