CHAPTER 40

Jarett’s POV

After the nurse walked out and closed the door behind her, I didn’t move.

Helena was still asleep on the hospital bed. Her breathing was shallow but steady.

The IV dripped slowly into her arm, and the bruises on her neck looked darker under the fluorescent light.

But then, the nurse's question began burning inside my head.

Who was with Brent? It was just I and Brent who brought Helena and I was sure he had been waiting alone in the lobby.

Confusion hit me first then suspicion.

I glanced back at Helena. Her eyelashes fluttered but she didn’t wake.

I didn’t want to leave her. Not with what was going on and definitely not when she was still this weak.

But if there was something I needed to know, I needed to know it now before it got to her.

I pulled the blanket up higher over her shoulders. “I’ll be back in two minutes,” I whispered, even though she couldn’t hear me. “Don’t you dare go anywhere.”

My boots made no sound on the tile as I stepped into the hall. The werewolf hospital smelled like antiseptic and old blood and something faintly wild underneath. It was supposed to be safe here since it was neutral ground.

I didn’t take the main corridor. I cut through the side hall, past the empty exam rooms and the supply carts. My heart was pounding but I kept my steps light. If Brent saw me coming to check on him, he’d ask questions. He’d want to know why I hadn’t told him.

I didn’t have answers yet.

The lobby was down one flight of stairs. I could hear voices before I saw them.

I stopped at the top of the stairs and pressed my back to the wall.

Brent was there. I could see the back of his head. He was leaning against the reception desk, his arms crossed. And with him were two other men.

Both in dark jackets. Both with their heads bent together like they were discussing something they didn’t want anyone else to hear.

My jaw tightened.

I focused and inhaled through my nose.

The first smell hit me and my stomach dropped.

There was a wolf amongst them. I perceived the scent of a strong male and he smelled like he was from the north territory, like pine and snow and something metallic I couldn’t place.

The second man smelled human. But he was standing too close to the wolf, talking too easily with him.

What the hell was Brent doing with them?

Anger flared hot in my chest. We’d brought Helena here to get her away from this. From politics. From territory disputes. From wolves we didn’t trust.

And now there were two strangers in the lobby, and Brent hadn’t said a word to me about it?

I gripped the stair railing until my knuckles went white. I wanted to go down there. I wanted to grab Brent by the collar and demand answers.

But if I did that, he’d know I’d been spying. He’d know I didn’t trust him. And right then, with Helena like this, I couldn’t afford to make an enemy of him too.

So I did the only thing I could. I turned around and went back.

The walk back to Helena’s room felt longer. My mind wouldn’t stop running.

There were two men, one wolf and one human talking to Brent in the lobby of a hospital that was supposed to be neutral.

The nurse had known. That was why she’d asked.

Did the staff think they were with us? Did Brent want them to think that?

I pushed open Helena’s door and walked in. She was still asleep. Thank heavens!

I sat in the chair next to her bed and dragged a hand down my face. The smell of that other wolf was still in my nose. It was wrong. It didn’t belong here.

Helena stirred. Her brows pulled together and she made a small sound in her throat.

“Hey,” I said quietly. “It’s me. You’re safe.”

Her eyes opened, slow and glassy. “Jarett?” Her voice was hoarse.

“I’m here,” I said. I took her hand. It was cold. “You scared me.”

She tried to smile. “Did the nurse... did she say anything?”

I almost told her. I almost told her about the two men in the lobby with Brent but I'd rather not.

Helena was pale and tired and she didn’t need that right then.

“She said you need rest,” I said instead. “And water. And that I’m not allowed to hover.”

Helena blinked at me. “You’re hovering.”

“Guilty,” I said, and brushed her hair back from her forehead. She was burning up again. It was not as bad as before, but I could feel the heat.

I reached for the call button.

While we waited for the nurse, I kept talking. About stupid things. About the weather. About how bad the hospital coffee was. Anything to keep her from seeing how tense I was.

When the nurse came back, she checked Helena’s vitals and changed the IV. She didn’t mention the lobby again. But she gave me a long look. A long one like she was waiting to see what I’d do.

I didn’t say anything. Not yet.

After she left, I stood and walked to the window. The parking lot was visible from here. I could see my car and parked next to it, was a black SUV with tinted windows and north territory plates.

My chest went tight.

“Jarett,” Helena said behind me. “What’s wrong?”

I turned. She was watching me with those sharp eyes. Even though she was sick, she saw too much.

“Nothing,” I lied. “Just thinking.”

She didn’t believe me. I could tell. But she was too tired to push it.

“Come here,” she said, patting the edge of the bed.

I went towards the bed and sat on the edge. She leaned in towards me while the machines continued beeping very loudly.

We stayed like that for a while. My mind is still swarming with questions. My distrust in Brent only grew with every second.

I should have gone back down. I should have confronted Brent. I should have figured out what game he was playing.

But Helena’s breathing evened out again and her hand found mine and held on.

So I stayed with her...for now.