Page 52 of Broken Moon

“Jared comes,” the pup saidsoftly, and everyone in that clearing stiffened. They felt him. EvenIfelthim, and I was half dead and not his wolf. If I’d thought I was cold before, itwas nothing compared with the icy wind that swept through my body now.

A raging alpha was deadly, andhe was terrifying. Every wolf in his care shivered beneath the weight of hisanger.

William stumbled back, andthen, he shifted. He wouldn’t be able to help it, as overwhelming emotionsrushed through him. Everyone in the clearing shifted.

And Jared, still in his humanform but no less frightening because of it, strode into the clearing. Eli and aman I guessed was the warrior captain were at his side. Jared didn’t glance myway as he walked to the shifted William, grabbed the wolf by the throat, andforced him to shift back to his human form.

William tried to stand straightbeneath his alpha’s anger, and despite his fear, he almost managed. “She’s ademon, Alpha. I witnessed her killing the Exsoloup with my own eyes. Shestabbed it through the heart, and it died. We packed it to the freezer.”

“She came to do her job,” thealpha said, almost gently, “and you repaid her by throwing her into a cell.”Without taking his stare from his wolf, he said, “Lydia. Her condition.”

“They stripped her, sir.William wouldn’t allow us to treat her or give her water or warmth. She’s severelyinjured, and I don’t think she will survive much longer if she isn’t tendednow.”

“Open the cell door, William,”Jared said, and his huge attempt at restraint was more terrifying than if he’dsimply unleashed his rage and started kicking ass.

William looked for his clothesso he could take the key from his pocket. He started to take the time to put onhis pants but at a growl from his captain, he thought better of it, rushed tothe bars, and threw my cage door open.

I saw everything, but I viewedit through a layer of cotton. Maybe I was dying. I couldn’t move, and even myshivering had ceased. I no longer felt pain. I was a frozen, bloodless chunk ofmeat. That’s what I felt like.

Jared was suddenly at the door,blocking out the light, and for a few seconds he merely stared. Then he halfturned. “Captain.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Find out who aided your chargewarrior and show them the same courtesy they offered our hunter.”

“Yes, sir.”

His face was emotionless, buthis eyes were terrible as he reached in and as gently as possible, pulled me offthe hard rock and into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he murmured.

For the first time in endless,agonizing hours, my body began to warm. I curled my body into his heat andrelaxed. When he lowered me to a bed a few minutes later, I resisted beingdeprived of his body heat until the doctor and nurse started shoving hot waterbottles around my body and covered me with a pile of heated blankets. Nothinghad ever felt so good.

Jared leaned over me, brushingmy face just once with his fingertips. “As soon as you’re strong enough to bearthe shift, Kaitlyn, I will free your wolf.”

“But the moon,” I whispered, myteeth chattering.

He shook his head. “We can’twait for the moon. I will be strong enough without it.” He stepped back. “Aswill you.” Then he nodded at the doctor. “Fix her. Stabilize her enough towithstand the shift, and her wolf will do the rest.”

“Where are you going?” Dr.Hayes asked him, when he started to leave the room.

“Call me when she’s stable. Ihave order to restore to my pack.”

“Asshole pack,” the doctormuttered. “They yet test you.”

“Yes,” Jared agreed. “I havebeen less harsh than my father, and that was my mistake.” He pointed at me, hisexpression cold enough to make the doctor look away. “Worry about your patient,and I will worry about my people.”

“Iam your people,” thedoctor said, but Jared was already gone.

“I need my blade and my cellphone,” I said, drawing his attention to me.

“I’m sure Jared will—”

“No,” I insisted, though myvoice was little more than a whisper. “I need them now.”

“All right,” he said. “We’llget you your phone and…blade. Just a few more minutes, dear.”

But Belinda slid a needle intomy arm and when I woke up again, Lucy was sitting on the bed beside me,clutching my hand, and Detective Moreno was holding a gun on the alpha of theGray Shadow Pack.

ChapterTwenty-Five