Chapter Eleven
Hospitals had a wayof smelling like endings.Antiseptic, plastic, recycled air—the kind of place no wolf ever wanted to linger.Over the past three days, he, Isaac, Jacob, and Liam had shared bodyguard duty over the four women.They rostered shifts so that one of the shifters was always in the room and the others rotated through, never leaving Brielle unprotected.Nolan’s turn had stretched longer than usual because Saffie had fallen asleep on the recliner on the opposite side of the room, and he didn’t want to wake her—he’d taken the chair by her bed and stayed, knees aching, determined to watch over her until she was strong enough to glare at him.
Brielle looked small beneath the white sheets, her face mottled with fading bruises.Her ribs were taped, cracked but not broken—a miracle, the doctors said, considering what she’d endured.
“Thank you for giving me your statement, Brielle,” Officer Landon Walker said, his smile genuine.“I am so sorry that this happened to you.We will do everything we can to catch this asshole, but it seems that Caleb knows how to play a great game of hide and seek.”
Brielle nodded.“Thanks, Officer Walker.I hope you catch him.”
“We will, honey, I swear.”
The door opened and in walked Hunter and Lennox Garrison, all crisp EMT uniforms and contained energy, and from the looks on their faces they had caught Landon’s endearment, and neither of them were happy about it.They’d visited twice already, lingering longer than protocol required.This time, Hunter carried a small bunch of daisies in a paper cup, looking faintly embarrassed as he set it on the bedside table.
“Hunter, Lennox, good to see you both,” Landon smiled and turned to shake their hands.Nolan watched as the age-old battle of strength and wills occurred right in front of him with forceful handshakes.
“Like that is it?”Landon asked with a huge grin.
“Yep.”Harrison said quietly.
“Exactly like that.”Lennox added, and Landon actually laughed out loud.
“Message received.”
Landon shot Nolan a wink and he laughed out loud, grimacing when the sound had his mate shifting awake on the recliner she’d fallen asleep in an hour or two ago.“Sorry, Saffie.”
“S’right,” she said adorably sleepy, and his heart swelled.
Harrison and Lennox came into the room, and placed the flowers on the table.
“You didn’t have to—” Brielle’s voice was a little breathless, but her eyes opened, sharp and wary.Then her cheeks colored faintly.“You must be busy.You don’t need to spend your time here worrying about me.”
Lennox leaned against the wall, folding his arms.“Don’t worry about us.We’re used to long hours, and you’re not a bother.Honestly?We’d rather be here with you—you look a damn sight better than the guys we usually hang out with.”
Hunter shot him a look, but Brielle’s lips twitched.“Smooth.”
“Wasn’t tryin’ to be smooth, just being me,” Lennox countered, a grin tugging at his mouth.
Nolan watched her flush deepen, saw the way her pulse jumped.She tried to hide it with sarcasm, but the attraction was there.Palpable.The brothers weren’t just being polite—they were drawn to her.His wolf lifted its head, curious.
Isaac came in a few moments later with coffee, nodding at the Garrisons.“Hey!What are you two assholes up to?”He told Brielle, “We know them through the Fire Department.They are solid guys.They’ve pulled their weight more times than I can count.”
Brielle asked quietly with a small smile, “Are you vouching for them, Isaac?”
