Page 21 of Assisting the Alpha
The music pulsing inside the club provides a background to the chatter of those same people. No scent of another shifter in this spot. Ayo sounded definite about it being a shifter, so why can’t I detect any clues to track them with?
“Ethan.” Cal’s here, which means Skye is up above somewhere. I motion to the vamps to let Cal through, and he rushes over, grimacing when he sees Ayo and the big guy. “Shit. We came as fast as we could. What are your orders, boss?”
“Introduce yourself to those two, explain who we are, and take their statements. I’m not picking up any kind of scent to track, so any eyewitness statement is going to be invaluable.”
Cal nods and heads back to the two vamps just as an eagle lands on my shoulder. I stroke Skye’s feathers with the back of my hand. “Look for anyone rushing away, in animal or human form. Anyone trying to hide or looking shifty. Report back to one of us regularly.”
Skye nips my finger with his beak.
“They’ll be okay, little one. They’re both alive, and this is Doc P. Remember what Ayo said about him?”
Skye screeches at the doc, who glances up with a brief smile before getting back to work. That seems to satisfy Skye, who flies off.
“Ethan.” Doc P’s voice is quiet, but then he doesn’t need to be loud.
I’m crouched by his side in an instant. “What do you need?”
“I have a van parked out front, fitted out as an ambulance. I need the stretcher for our large friend. Ayo’s main injury seems to be a head wound, so I’ll be taking them both to my clinic. Bring the stretcher. One of us can carry Ayo to the ambulance.”
“On it.”
Raj arrives while I’m getting the stretcher, and between the three of us, we get the big guy and Ayo loaded onto the ambulance. Just in time, too. Word of what’s happened seems to have reached inside the club because people spill out onto the pavement, including a group with the faint scent of magic clinging to them.
“Raj.” I nod towards the group.
Raj gives a sharp nod. “I’ll talk to them. See if I can get statements.”
Just as I’m about to climb into the ambulance, Kit races up. “Is he alive? What’s happened?”
“He’s alive, as is the man who was with him. We’re heading to the clinic,” I say.
Doc P closes the rear doors before I can get in. “Actually, if I may…”
I give the doc a nod. “Go ahead.”
Doc P lowers his voice so only Kit and I will be able to hear him, even with all the supes now milling about. “Someone will have called the task force by now. I estimate you have twenty to thirty minutes before they show, at which point they’ll take over and block you from the scene until at least tomorrow. If you want crime scene evidence and witness statements, I suggest you hurry. Ayo and his friend will be with me at least until morning, and I doubt either will wake before then.”
I stare at the back of the van, my wolf urging me to stay with Ayo, to protect him. Every fibre of my being wants to get in that van and stay with the sorcerer, keep him safe, and be there when he wakes up.
But the doc is right. My responsibility to protect the community and find whoever is doing this means I need to be here.
I rub my beard and will my wolf to stay calm just a bit longer. “Understood. Doc, is your clinic warded? Do you need protection?”
Doc P gives me a wry smile. “My clinic is the safest place in the neutral zone.”
I don’t have time to wonder about that mysterious statement right now.
“Kit, go with Doc P. Coordinate with us from there. Skye is up and about so out of phone contact, but the rest of us might split up. Provide any support the doc needs, okay?”
“Of course.” Kit climbs into the front of the ambulance with the doc.
The two drive off just as Jet rushes up, lips puffy and hair even more of a mess than usual. “Where’s Ayo? Is he okay? I was miles away, fuck. I came as fast as I could.”
“I’m sure you did,” I say dryly.
Jet punches my shoulder. “Fuck you, boss. He and I both have blue balls. Where do you need me? Where’s Ayo?”
I regret my words immediately. “That was unfair of me. I know duty comes first for all of us. Ayo and the man with him have been taken to Doc P’s clinic. You and I are going to look for evidence while Cal and Raj question any witnesses. Let’s see if we can catch this bastard.”
