Chapter 4

Chloe's POV

The crowd was buzzing, people leaning in and whispering.

"Look at the crowd at the Caesar today—all big shots. Word is half of them are from those elite medical dynasties."

"Then that kid..."

I tuned them out. It wasn't a surprise.

Between the kid's tailored clothes and the custom watch on his wrist that probably cost more than a house, he clearly wasn't from the suburbs.

"Next time you go out, bring your bodyguard," I said, tapping my med kit before standing up.

"Wait!" The boy lunged, wrapping his arms around my leg.

I looked down, sighing. He didn't say a word, just gripped my coat like a lifeline, his puppy-dog eyes full of stubbornness.

Every time I tried to take a step, he was right there, glued to me.

Realizing I wasn't getting away, I gave in. "Fine. I'll take you back."

"Yes!" He did a total 1:180, a smug little smirk flashing in his eyes. "I'll make sure my family pays you back for this."

I reached down and fixed his expensive silk cuff, my touch clinical. "Don't bother. I don't take money from kids."

"Then..." He tilted his head, his ears giving a little twitch. "Are you single?"

I straightened up. "I am."

"Then I'm giving you my brother!"

He grinned, looking like he'd just closed the deal of the century. "He doesn't talk much, but he's hot—and a powerhouse Alpha. You'd be the center of attention with him on your arm. Girls literally line up for blocks just to get a look at him."

I actually laughed. "I'm not looking for a mate, kid."

"Oh." His ears hit the floor. His scent shifted instantly—he smelled like a sad, soggy puppy.

When we hit the hotel steps, he looked up again, his gold eyes shimmering. "Just meet him. One meeting, then you decide!"

I smiled. "Does your brother know you're pimping him out?"

"He's always sick," the boy said, his voice dropping. He looked serious all of a sudden. "The family is desperate for him to find a mate. You're a healer, and you smell amazing. I've gotta claim you for him first."

I noticed he was still looking pretty crashed, despite the fever breaking.

I grabbed a water and some crackers from a vending machine and shoved them at him. "Stop talking. You're still recovering."

He struggled with the cap and held the bottle up to me. "Help?"

Just then, a black Maybach cut through the fog and screeched to a halt.

The guy who jumped out looked stunned when he saw me. He was staring like he'd seen a ghost—or a target.

I didn't know him, but he definitely knew me.

"Blake! Thank God," the man said, bowing low to the kid before cutting a sharp look at me. "We've been looking everywhere."

"Jade, she saved me," Blake said. Just like that, his "rich kid" attitude was back. The mask was back on.

Jade gave me a stiff, professional nod. "We're in your debt, Miss Middleton."

I looked him dead in the eye, my voice ice-cold. "The kid already thanked me. We're even."

Jade blinked, taken aback. He turned to the boy. "Blake, your brother had every search dog in the city out for you. He's in the car. He hasn't even taken his meds yet."

Blake's eyes went wide. A few feet away, the Maybach's window cracked open just an inch.

I could see a man inside—lean, dark, like a panther waiting in the shadows.

He was looking away, his hand pressed to his mouth as he let out a ragged, muffled cough.

Even sick, he had that "don't touch me" regal vibe.

Then the scent hit me. Cedarwood and bitter herbs.

It was cold, sharp, and smelled like someone who was running out of time.

I'd seen enough werewolf terminal cases to know that bitterness meant his wolf was literally burning him up from the inside.

"Blake, get in the car. Now," Jade pressured.

Blake hesitated, then grabbed my hand. "Stay here. Don't move. I'll be right back."

I nodded, my thumb tracing the leather of my bag.

As the boy ran to the car, Jade stepped closer and held out an Amex Black Card.

"Miss Middleton, a small thank you for helping the boy. Please."

"You know my name? You've been digging."

I let out a sharp, mocking laugh, not even glancing at the card. "You don't want to thank me, Jade. You're just trying to buy off the 'unstable element' before your boss sees me."

Jade stiffened. His scent spiked with nerves. "You've got it wrong."

"I don't care." I glanced at the tinted windows of the Maybach and turned away. "Tell him I couldn't wait."