My stomach knots.
Warren exhales. “I don’t know exactly. They didn’t tell us.”
Another voice joins in. Gray’s. “All they said was that they gave her a sedative.” His voice is rough with sleep. “And a heat-suppressant,” he adds. “They said it would last a few days at most.”
A few days.
The words land like a weight on my chest.
The doctor hums under his breath, thoughtfully. I feel a faint brush of air near my wrist, then two fingers press.
“She’s breathing steadily,” the doctor says. “Heartrate’s elevated, but that could be residual fear or the suppressants interacting.”
Fear.
If only he knew.
Warren’s voice drops even lower. “Is she in danger?”
Another pause. Too long.
“Not immediately,” the doctor says at last. “But I don’t like unknown dosages. Especially mixed.”
I swallow reflexively, then freeze, praying no one noticed.
The room goes very still.
Then Warren sighs, slow and controlled. “Do what you need to. But—be careful with her.”
“We can do a simple blood test,” the doctor says. “It’ll tell us exactly what’s in her system and how much.” He clears his throat, and I hear the pull of a zipper. “I’d also like to give her something to accelerate her heat. The sooner Cass can bond with her, the faster he’ll heal.”
Silence drops like a stone.
Then Warren speaks, voice steady but sharp at the edges. “Isn’t that dangerous? Giving her more drugs? Especially with a suppressant already in her system?”
“It’s designed to override a suppressant, not fight it,” the doctor says like it’s no big deal. “It’s an all-natural boost to the hormones her body already produces. It won’t counteract anything or put her at risk. It’s completely safe.”
Another soft rustle of movement. Latex gloves snap on, something being prepared, but before I can brace myself, fingers touch my arm.
Ialmostflinch.
A hand, gentle and efficient, slides under the sleeve of the oversized shirt, baring my skin. Something cool andelastic tightens around my upper arm, snug and unyielding. A tourniquet.
My heart slams so hard I’m sure they have to feel it.
And suddenly I’m not here anymore. I’m back at the black market. Bright lights. Cold hands. That beta’s voice is too close to my ear.Zack.
The memory hits me like a physical blow. The rough fabric of the sheet dragged down my chest, the shocking cold air on my skin. His fingers, groping my breasts, squeezing hard. I can feel his face hovering over me, his chapped lips pressing against mine in a wet, unwanted kiss.
I can’t breathe.
The pressure on my arm feels like restraint. Like I’m being held down. Like?—
No!
Panic erupts in my chest, hot and blinding. I can’t pretend anymore.I can’t stay still!I kick out on pure instinct, legs lashing free of the covers.
My foot connects with something solid.
