Page 24 of Assisting the Alpha
Then Doc P asks what I most want to know.
“What do you remember about the attack?”
I can hear Ayo’s heart rate speed up as his scent sours with fear. I put my free hand on his neck, scenting him even though it won’t make a difference. Zaiden pushes in to do the same on Ayo’s other side, his instincts likely demanding it.
“Take your time.” Doc P backs up a bit.
“You’re safe now,” I remind Ayo.
He takes a couple of slow, deep breaths, then nods. “I’m okay. Um… it attacked us from behind. We were about to go back inside, and Irving was behind me. I hit my head on the cobbles.”
He reaches up to touch the cut above his eyebrow, but Zaiden takes his other hand to stop him. “It’s glued. Leave it.”
Ayo exhales. “Where was I?”
“You hit your head,” I remind him.
“Right. It—they—I don’t know the gender… They got Irving first, on his back, and he flattened me when he fell on me. It was hard to turn over; I was kinda trapped. Everything was fuzzy, but there were eyes in the shadows… a single pair of eyes. Fuck, I tried to shield us. I tried over and over, but it wasn’t working, and Irving wasn’t moving, and my head was pounding, and I tried to go for my phone, but then it leapt on us again, and it was hurting him, and I couldn’t protect him. I couldn’t stop it, I couldn’t…”
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re both safe,” I murmur, brushing his neck again. Fuck, I hate that he went through that. I want to pick him up and hold him in my arms, but I don’t have that right.
“What he said,” Zaiden says, squeezing Ayo’s shoulder.
Ayo trembles and squeezes my hand, hard. “I yelled for help. They ran as soon as I did.”
I have more questions, but like hell am I asking them now. They can wait.
Doc P seems to agree that Ayo has had enough because he finishes making some notes on a tablet. “Your memories match up with the injuries you both sustained, so it seems safe to assume you have little to no memory loss. You may have some indicators of concussion, such as dizziness or vomiting. I’ll let you go home in a few hours, but I want someone with you at all times for at least twenty-four hours, and if there are any signs of problems, call me immediately. Your wounds will be completely healed by tonight, at which time you can remove the bandage.”
That’s fast healing. The coven healer must be good.
Doc P leaves, and Zaiden and I look at each other. All that’s left is to agree which of us goes home with Ayo. To coven lands. Where neither of us is welcome.
Chapter Seven
AYO
“Do you want me to come in with you? I probably should.”
I stop Zaiden from getting out of his car with a hand on his arm. “Would you chill? Doc P gave me the all-clear to be by myself.”
Medically, I’m completely healed other than the cut on my temple which isn’t bothering me. I think the healer must have saved his magic for the major stuff because my arm doesn’t have a scratch on it, but my face will likely have a small scar. Not that I care about that when Irving needed the healing magic far more.
Zaiden eyes me, frowning. “I wish you would have stayed with me another night.”
“I know, but you already missed a day of lectures for me, and the pack were getting twitchy about me being there.”
“Screw the pack.” At my raised eyebrows, he flops back in his seat. “Fine. But Dante would have told them to deal if you needed to stay longer. And I can get notes from someone for the lectures I’ve missed, so don’t worry about that. You’re more important.”
I lean over the centre console and hug him. “I know. But I promise, I’m fine. It’s been days, and Ethan and the team have been searching almost non-stop. I’m safe at the manor, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.” He hugs me tighter, then releases me. “No more nights out without me. That wouldn’t have happened if I’d been there.”
“Z…” We’ve had this conversation several times over the last couple of days. I get that he wants to protect me, but I couldn’t invite a wolf shifter out on a coven work night out. That’s got disaster written all over it.
“Fine, fine, I’ll drop it. You better message your alpha when you get in. It’s been at least half an hour since he checked up on you.”
I huff a laugh and get out of the car, not bothering to respond before he drives away.
