I focus on my breathing, willing my feet to stay put. I want to go to him, to sit with him on the way back to make sure he doesn’t fucking die. I scrub both hands over my face and groan. I can already feel that tug behind my ribs getting stronger. It’s like I’ve cracked open the door and now it’s going to be so much harder to force it shut again.
Jet has his phone out the second the van doors close.
Which leaves me with Beth.
She eyes me as I get on my bike. “Is that the guy who came by the compound earlier?”
“Yep.”
“Thought I recognised him.” She waits a beat. “Those were bite marks on him?”
“Not turning,” I answer, hoping that’ll be the end of it. I should know better.
“We’re not usually in the habit of helping humans.”
I’m pretty fucking sick of everyone being right tonight. But I don’t have a good answer for her, not one I’m willing to share anyway, so I don’t bother with a reply. “Let’s go, it’ll start getting light soon.”
I start my bike and race off down the road, trusting them to follow, and definitely not thinking about what the fuck I’ve just done.
Callum meetsus as we pull up around the side of the clubhouse. He’s got Flint and a few of the others with him.
I glare at Callum. “What the fuck is he doing up?” Flint looks a hundred times better than he did a few days ago, but still too pale, and no shifter should have shadows that dark under their eyes.
Callum shrugs. “Corey gave him the all-clear.”
“And I’m right fucking here,” Flint interjects. “You could just ask me.”
I turn to face him. “You still look like shit.”
“Thanks.” He rolls his eyes, then sobers as he points at the van. “How many?”
“Three.”
Before I can explain, Jet joins us. “Two from the fight and a stray we picked up on the way home.”
“Ahumanstray,” Beth adds, dancing out of reach when I growl at her.
Callum and Flint stare at me like I’ve lost my mind.
Which is fair, I guess.
Kind of feels a bit like that. But I’m never going to admit that. “Get them out of the van and inside. We need Corey,now.”
They make quick work of getting the three of them inside and upstairs to a set of rooms we’ve designated the rescue and recovery area. Callum’s low whistle is the only reaction to the state of Morgan.
They can all smell who did it, but that discussion can wait till later.
Now I’ve brought him here, we need to keep him alive, because the last thing I want is to have to dispose of a dead body.
That’s the only reason.
Maybe if I say it enough times, I’ll start to believe it.
Shifters don’t need a huge amount of recovery time, but those we rescue from the fights need more than most. Flint takesover administering another shot of aconite antidote while Corey checks the three of them over.
Jet hovers in the doorway, gaze flicking between the three unconscious men, though if I’m not mistaken, his gaze lingers on one more than the others.
Corey gives the two shifters a quick once-over first to ensure there’s nothing life threatening because shifters come first.
