“Marcus.”Ellis leaned closer, his brows drawing together.“You did suffer a mild concussion, and you’re running a slight fever.You were out in the cold a while and passed out, likely from mild hypothermia.There’s nowhere you need to be right this second other than in this bed, so take your medicine and rest.”
I wanted to scowl, but everything hurt too much for that, so I took the pills he was offering and swallowed them along with the rest of the water.If he wanted to bury me under this house like Gacy had liked to do, I hoped he had the decency to give me some real pain medication for it.
“That’s a good patient.”He smiled, and it dimpled his cheeks.He pulled something else from his bag and held it out to me.It was a red lollipop.
“Huh?”
Ellis shrugged.“I’m a pediatrician.Good patients get candy in my line of work.”
“And cavities?”
Ellis grinned at me.“It’s sugar-free, Marcus.Your teeth’ll be fine.”
Unless they pulled them out after they decided to dump my body in the woods… Although why they would have dragged my ass out of the woods only to haul me right back there was anyone’s guess.I’d figure it out though.Right after I’d rested my eyes for a second or two.
6
When Marcus had finally woken up, a huge weight had come off my chest.Now, he was right back to being passed out in the guest room, and Dom had shifted again so he could lie next to our sleeping mate.
I peeked into the room and couldn’t hold back a small smile.If one ignored the circumstances, that sight was pure domestic bliss, and seeing them there… It made me happy.If I’d had any doubts about Dom, Ell, and me all being mated to Marcus, that feeling wiped those clean away.
But there were other things to consider.I walked down the hallway to the living room, then through to the open-concept kitchen where Ell was pouring the tea Dom had made for Marcus into two mugs.
I walked up to Ell from behind, pressing my body against him and closing my arms around his middle.In response, he pushed a mug of chamomile tea toward me.
“He should be fine in a couple of days,” Ell said.“I can run him to the hospital for a CT if he wants that confirmed later, but I’ve always been excellent at diagnosing concussions after minor head wounds.”
I kissed Ell on the neck.“I trust you.”
Ell gave a wry chuckle.“And isn’t that the issue?You do.Did you see how scared he got?He’s human, Linc.”
Marcus had been scared, then pissed off, then uneasy.We’d all seen and smelled each emotion that had run through him.“We’ll tell him as soon as possible.We have to.”
Ell leaned against me.“Maybe Dom has the right idea.It’s good he gets to see us shifted, gets used to it.”
“Didn’t one of your pack mate a human?”I let go of Ell and grabbed the tea instead.I walked to the couch, and he followed me.
“Yes.Claire found her mate when she went to college.She likes to say she had to chase him down to get him to date her, and once they were in a relationship, she told him.The way she tells it, she waited until he told her he loved her.”
I ran a hand through my hair.“That’s not going to be an option for us.”
Ell nodded, narrowing his eyes.“When is that Steven person getting here?”
I hoped he never would.I desperately wanted to know what was up with him and our mate, but Marcus had been tight-lipped.Intellectually, I understood why he wouldn’t want to tell us his life’s story, but it was still frustrating as hell.
“Late afternoon, I guess.”
Ell nodded.“Marcus didn’t seem to want him here.”
Dom growled from the guest room.I was sure he would happily kick Steven to the curb.Then again, we all would.
“We’ll see.Maybe he’ll tell us more once he wakes up again.”I sagged back on the couch and Ell leaned against me.
He nodded, then went into thoughtful Ell mode.
I sipped some of my tea, then nudged him with my elbow.“What?”
“He might reject us.Maybe not all of us.He might reject the idea of being with werewolves or being with more than one partner.”He absently ran his hand over the cushion Marcus’s head had been on.“I suppose we should be glad he’s at least into men.”
