Robert set the backpack on the bed and spread his hands. “He went out patrolling, took Patrick and Cassius with him, then came back on his own with this.”
“Whose is it?” April said.
“Mine,” Malachi growled. “He went back to my place.”
“Is that…trespassing?”
“In other circumstances, you could argue it,” Malachi said, but his eyes were lit with a quiet humor April could not decipher. “This qualifies as an emergency…and a kindness.” He looked toward the doorway. “Rhett.”
As if conjured, Rhett stepped up and leaned on the doorframe. “We need to talk. Nathan and I took the table outside, and Willow went to town bleaching the floor, so Jeremy’s emerged from the safe room.”
“Fine,” Malachi said. “I’ll join you there shortly. And thank you.”
Oh, for crying out loud. Of course Malachi thought he could go about his usual alpha business the minute he regained consciousness from multiple life-threatening injuries. Aaron looked pained but didn’t protest.
Well, the rest of his pack could let him put himself last in cookout lines and everything else, but April wasn’t about to. “Just a minute.”
Rhett paused in the doorway.
“Malachi,” April said, “you’re staying in bed.”
Again he stared at her.
Aaron raised a hand. “Your friendly neighborhood medic would consider it a personal favor.”
“Don’t worry, Aaron, he’s not getting up.” She turned toward Rhett, who now stood arrow-straight, his mouth a crimped line. “You can talk to him here.”
“No, I can’t. Not privately.”
“All right, then you can talk to him later. In a few hours maybe, after he’s rested.”
Rhett’s crossed arms and scowl were hardly less intimidating than bared teeth or a growl. If he thought any of the above would keep April from seeing to the wellbeing of her wolf, he didn’t know her yet.
“April, I owe the wolf a private conversation,” Malachi said.
“Right this minute? No, you don’t.”
Malachi growled.
She said, “Tell me it won’t cause you pain to climb down that ladder right now.”
Another growl.
“Right.” She turned back to Rhett and maintained her stance. “So there you go. You can talk now, in this room without soundproofing. Or you can talk later.”
“Both,” Rhett said, not to her but to Malachi.
“Yes,” Malachi said.
Rhett strode into the room, then halted when April held up her hand. “First he gets dressed. Being unclothed under these blankets makes him uneasy.”
Rhett rolled his eyes and, without even looking to Malachi for confirmation, stalked back out. Slowly Malachi tugged the clothes-filled backpack toward himself. When April moved to help, he stiffened.
“You’re sure you can manage all right?” she said.
“Of course.”
But she needed to help. Which wasn’t actually helpful, ifhedidn’t need it. She must not make this about her. She squeezed his hand and said, “I’ll be just outside,” then gave him privacy to struggle into his clothes. Aaron followed her out and shut the door.
