Chapter 11

SAMANTHA

I woke up feeling groggy, my eyelids heavy, and my mind foggy. I glanced around, not recognizing the room I was in.

Before panic set in, I saw Emerick slumped in a chair next to the bed, his head resting on the mattress. His arm was draped over me, our hands entwined.

I reached out with my free hand and ran my fingers through his hair. He stirred, slowly lifting his head to look at me.

“Hey, you,” I said, greeting him with a small smile.

He stood up quickly, cupping my face in his hands and pressing a soft kiss to my lips. When he pulled back, his eyes scanned my face as if searching for answers to unspoken questions.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he said, his voice soft.

“Yeah, me too.” I tried to keep my voice light. “But I won, right?”

He nodded but didn’t say anything. His eyes were filled with fear and pain.

“Hey, I’m okay,” I reassured him.

He nodded again but didn’t look any more convinced. “Okay.”

We stayed like that for a moment, just looking at each other. Then he kicked off his shoes and climbed into the bed, curling his body around mine.

“Where are we?” I asked as he settled himself.

“In the MedBay. You’ve been out for hours.”

“What time is it?”

He checked his watch. “Just after midnight.”

“Mmm,” I sighed, snuggling closer to him.

He tightened his arms around me and traced patterns on my arm with his fingers, his breath feeling warm against my neck.

“How am I so… okay?” I asked. “I mean, I know you said werewolves heal faster than humans, but I thought it would still take some time.”

“You’re not in any pain?”

I did a quick check. “Not really. My left side feels a bit bruised, and my leg is sore.” I tried to remember the extent of my injuries after the fight, but everything was hazy.

I recalled the intense agony and how I’d struggled to stay on my feet in front of the crowd. I remembered Emerick’s arms, and then everything else was a blur.

“The bones are probably still mending,” Emerick explained.

I frowned. “How many did I break?”

He hesitated before answering. “I’m not really sure. A few.”

I could tell he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “We can discuss it in the morning. You look tired.”

He stiffened slightly but nodded. “Sure, Sam.”

Something was off. His expression was stoic, but his eyes were filled with emotion. He looked tormented.

“Em, what’s wrong?”

He looked away, rolling onto his back. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

“Was it that bad?”

He nodded. “The doctors had to give you a blood transfusion and reset your ribs. Your lung was punctured. Your leg was broken. They had to seal a wound on your abdomen.”

~Wow. No wonder he’s so shaken up.~

“But I ~am~ okay, Emerick,” I reassured him, turning his face toward me. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”

He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Why would ~you~ be sorry? You’re the one who got hurt.”

“I can only imagine how I would feel if I saw you with those injuries. I’m sorry I made you watch the fight.”

“Sam, I told you I would always be by your side—and I meant it. It’s not about my feelings.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry if I made you feel guilty for being attacked.”

He checked his watch. “Actually, I should leave soon. I bribed the nurse on duty to let me back in while Dr. Martin was sleeping, but she’ll be coming by soon. She banned me from the MedBay.”

I frowned. “Why did you get kicked out?”

“I may have…caused a scene while the doctors were resetting your ribs. They sedated you, but your body metabolized the medication faster than they expected. When you started screaming, I lost it.”

“Yikes.”

“Yeah. They said I was a distraction and told me to stay away until you woke up and asked for me.” He grinned at me. “But a little charm and a cup of coffee got me back in when Dr. Martin left.”

“I can attest to your charm getting you places,” I joked.

He laughed quietly.

“Will you stay? She can’t get mad at you if I say I want you here, right?” I asked.

“Well, she made it pretty clear my rank of beta has no standing in the MedBay. But you are the alpha,” he said, smiling ruefully.

I felt my face fall, and I looked up at the ceiling, searching for the right words. “Emerick, I need to talk to you about something.”

“Uh oh. Am I in trouble?” He smiled at his joke, but when he saw my serious expression, he sobered up.

“I can’t have you as my beta.” I saw the hurt flash across his face and tried to push aside my guilt. “Don’t get me wrong, you are the obvious choice. You know the job, and I trust you completely.

“It’s kind of crazy because I just met you yesterday, but I already know you would be a loyal ally. You would stand by me and lead the pack with strength.”

I paused, waiting for him to say something. When he didn’t, I continued: “But I want…more with you.

“If I make you my beta, we can’t be more than friends. If we broke up, it would be really awkward. I would be putting the pack’s stability at risk.

“And even if we didn’t break up, I know me. I would want you to lead alongside me, not fulfilling a subordinate role.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sure this feels like you’re getting fired, and that’s not my intention at all. I still want you to be one of my advisers; it’s just—”

He cut me off with a kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he ran his fingers through my hair. It was gentle and intimate. I couldn’t help but melt into him.

He pulled back to look into my eyes. “Sam, if I have to choose, then I choose you. Would I like to be your beta? Of course. But I understand your reasoning, and I accept it.

“If you’ll let me, I’ll help you with the day-to-day until you can find a suitable replacement.”

This time, I kissed him, and he deepened it, sliding a knee between my legs to lean over me. I ran a hand down his back, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt.

A throat cleared from the doorway, and we both jumped.

“I’m almost certain I told you that you were no longer welcome until I said otherwise, Beta Stone.” The tall woman had icy blue eyes, and her gray hair had been pulled back into a ponytail.

From her white coat and her cold demeanor toward Emerick, I assumed she was Dr. Martin.

“Sorry, doc,” I apologized. “I asked him to stay and keep me company.”

“Mm-hmm,” she responded, rolling her eyes. “Looks like he’s keeping you plenty of ~company~.”

“I assume I can count on your discretion?” I asked pointedly.

“Of course, Alpha Paulson.” She bowed her head slightly. “It’s only my business as far as it affects you as my patient.”

I nodded.

“You, on the other hand”—she turned to Emerick, pointing at her eyes with two fingers and then at him—“I’m watching you.

“I don’t know what you said to Stacey to get her to let you back here, but she was under strict orders.”

“It didn’t take much,” Emerick muttered.

I elbowed him in the side. “I’ll make sure he behaves, Dr. Martin.”

She looked at me curiously for a moment before saying, “From what I hear, he would do well to listen to you. The entire pack is talking about what a fierce wolf our new alpha is.”

I blushed. “Honestly, it was all Ayisha.”

“You are one and the same,” she insisted. “And I, for one, look forward to the leadership a strong she-wolf can provide.”

“Thank you,” I replied. “I hope I can live up to the expectation.”

She smiled warmly. “Well, I was just stopping by to check on your progress. You’re recovering quite well.

“I’ll let you get some ~sleep~.” She raised her eyebrows in Emerick’s direction. “If all is well in the morning, I’ll discharge you.”

“Sounds great,” I said cheerfully.

Emerick grunted his thanks next to me. With that, Dr. Martin left the room, and we were alone again.

I giggled, and Emerick grinned.

“I feel like a teenager who just got scolded by the principal,” I told him.

“Apparently, Stacey doesn’t know the doc’s schedule as well as she thinks she does,” Emerick muttered.

I slapped his chest lightly. “Maybe you shouldn’t have been breaking the rules, Prince Charming.”

He held up his hands. “Look, I did what I had to. You saw how she was. Obviously, she has some sort of personal problem with me.”

“I think someone is used to giving orders instead of taking them, and the good doctor was just putting you in your place.”

“Maybe.” He grinned but then frowned. “I guess I’ll have to get used to no longer being part of the leadership.”

I bit my bottom lip. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said quickly. “I meant it when I said I choose you, Sam. It’s just going to be an adjustment.”

I yawned and snuggled up against Emerick’s chest. He lay on his back with one arm tucked behind his head and the other around me.

Listening to his heartbeat, I realized I was still absolutely exhausted. It didn’t take long before I drifted off to sleep.