Page 38 of Bad Medicine

He ripped my poor hurt wolffrom the trap of agony and weakness, and yes, she did hurt me when she came.But I’d heal from that, too.

“Go,” the alpha said, before heshifted. “I’m right behind you.”

His wolf stayed with mine as hispeople—our people—parted to let us through, as my wolf limped over the ground,falling twice, but getting back up each time. She grew stronger with each step.

Stronger, healthier, meaner.But because of the silver and the brutality of the beating, she would never beexactly the same again.

For the first time since Adam’sthugs had attacked me, I ate. I wasn’t overly hungry, but when Jared urged meto try, I—my wolf, really—didn’t want to disappoint him. There was little worsethan the despair in his eyes when he looked at me. So I ate, and even ran alittle. I lay on the ground and rested, as well, and he brought me more food,food he’d caught for me.

Then he lay beside me, watchfuland stern, while some of the pack roamed nearby, making sure we were safe.

I’d thought I was going to die,and that messed with a person’s mind. I could easily have died when Jareddisobeyed Adam Thorne and came after me, despite the risks, or when the wolveswere beating me, or afterward, even, when I was attempting to heal.

Life was…delicate.

My wolf, though, she didn’tcare. She was alive, and nothing mattered to her but the moment. She didn’t thinkabout the past or the future, only the present. And as the night wore on, shebegan to play a little with the alpha, and occasionally to hunt, and finally,to sleep.

When dawn came we padded backto the community, but the alpha didn’t lead my wolf to the clinic. He took herto his house. We didn’t shift until we reached his back door, where two of hismen stood waiting for us. They pushed the door open and held it while theiralpha and I shifted. Then he took my hand and led me inside, watching meclosely, wondering if I would be strong enough to climb the stairs to hisbedroom.

I not only climbed them butwasn’t even tired or breathless or groaning with pain when I reached the top.Both of us were amazed by that.

“As I said,” he murmured. “Ihave never known anyone stronger than you.”

My body was healing with insanespeed. My mind…

That might take a while longer.

ChapterNineteen

I slept like the dead inJared’s arms, exhausted but almost euphoric, and when his housekeeper Nell wokeme up, it was well past noon and Jared was gone. She opened the blinds andthough it was cold outside, the sun poured into the room, as bright andcheerful as Nell’s smile.

“Belinda would like to seeyou,” she said, rushing to help me as I sat up. “May I invite her in?” She putthe back of her hand to my forehead, then leaned over to peer into my eyes.

I grinned at her fussiness.“I’m good, Nell. My shift has almost completely healed me.”

She shook her head in wonder.“It’s amazing, really. Even with your wolf, I would have expected it to takelonger. I’d believed…” She trailed off and looked away, but I knew what she’dbeen about to say.

“You can send Belinda in,” Isaid, not minding a visit from Dr. Hayes’ nurse. “And afterward, I’ll showerand get dressed and go take on the world.”

She laughed. “Slowly, dear.You’re just barely out of your sickbed.” She hurried to the door. “I’ll runyour bath while you and Belinda visit, and breakfast will be waitingdownstairs. Lucy insisted on cooking for you, though I have to say, I’m not oneto share my kitchen.”

“Sorry, Nell,” I said. “We’llbe at our place soon. Lucy just needs to do something for me.”

“I completely understand,” shesaid, ushering Belinda in, “which is why I’m allowing it. For today.” Shelifted a bag from the dresser, probably containing clothes either my mother orLucy had fetched, and then she disappeared into the alpha’s bathroom to startmy bath.

I tucked the sheets—sheets onwhich Jared’s scent lingered—under my arms and smiled at Belinda. “I could getused to this.”

She snorted and set her bag onthe nightstand. “Not in a million years,” she said. “You’d start tossing peopleout the window in a week.” Then she sobered. “Kait, I’m simply amazed by you.Look at you.” She pressed her lips together as her eyes brightened with thesheen of quick tears. “Just look at the difference.”

“We’re wolves,” I saidcheerfully, patting her hand. “Healing fast is one of the perks.”

She didn’t smile. “You don’treally understand what happened to you, do you?”

“Of course I do.” I wasabruptly irritated and slightly angry, and my stomach tightened with somethingI couldn’t quite identify. Fear, maybe, though that was just crazy. I wasn’t indanger. “I was beaten half to death while silver ran through my veins. But I’mfine now. I’ll kill the fucking Stone Moon alpha and his traitorous witchwolf,and life will get back to normal.”

She began her examination, butshe didn’t meet my stare. “You’ll need to expect certain things, Kait. PTSDis—”

“I’ll be okay, Belinda,” Isaid, but gently. “I’m not broken.” I tapped my temple. “I’m me in here. I understandit may take a little while before I’m a hundred percent, but I’m already nearlythere.”