تسجيل الدخولMaraThere were wolves everywhere. Not metaphorically. Not three wolves hiding politely behind trees. Everywhere. The parking lot. The road. Beside the building. Between parked cars. Huge bodies moved beneath the streetlights until the entire clinic looked surrounded by living shadows.And in the middle of them stood Kieran. Black fur. Gold eyes. Absolutely fucking enormous. I had seen him as a wolf before. I had operated on him as a wolf. None of that prepared me for this.Because this wasn't injured Kieran. This wasn't exhausted Kieran. This wasn't the wolf that had woken naked in Kennel Seven. This was an Alpha whose mate had been threatened, and he looked fucking terrifying."No!"The word ripped out of me. The man behind me tightened his arm. The gun dug harder into my temple."Kieran, go!"As if he would. Of course he fucking wouldn't. Stupid man. Stupid wolf. Stupid mate bond. Stupid me.Kieran took one step forward."Come any closer and she dies!"He stopped. Every wolf stoppe
KieranMy phone rang at 8:03.I almost ignored it. Unknown number.Cassian was across the table going through the northern patrol schedules for the third fucking time while Rhett stood over the territory map, comparing boot impressions from the attack. Neither of them had found anything. Neither had I.My phone kept ringing. I grabbed it."Vale."For half a second there was nothing. Then a woman sobbed."Kieran?"Every muscle in my body locked at once. I knew that voice."Tessa?""Oh my God."I was already standing.Cassian looked up. "What happened?"I held up a hand. "Tessa, where are you?""I'm outside the clinic. I'm behind the building next door. Sabine gave me your number."Something cold moved through my veins, slow and creeping."Why are you hiding?""They came back."My wolf slammed against me. Mate."Who?""The men."My chair hit the floor behind me, the sound sharp and sudden in the quiet room."The ones with the pictures. They came back and they have guns and they..."The
MaraHe lifted the gun, this time directly at me, and I froze completely."Mara," Tessa whispered.I didn't look away from him. "Those animals have nothing to do with this.""Then call Vale.""I told you, I don't know where he is.""You know how to get him here.""No."The first man grabbed a metal tray from the counter and hurled it against the wall. The crash made every animal in the back lose its mind completely, dogs barking, a cat screaming, something slamming against a kennel door. My chest tightened painfully. "Stop fucking doing that!"The gunman stepped closer. "Call him.""No."Behind me, Tessa moved, tiny, barely anything, toward the desk. Toward the phone. The first man saw her. His hand shot out and grabbed her by the arm.Tessa screamed.Everything inside me stopped. "Let her go."He dragged her toward him, and she stumbled. "Mara.""Let her go!"My voice changed. I heard it. So did they. The joking disappeared entirely. The panic disappeared. There was only one thing l
MaraBy seven thirty, the clinic was finally quiet. No barking. No phones ringing. No werewolves appearing with mystery injuries. Just the hum of the refrigerator in the medication room and Tessa aggressively wiping down the front counter like it had personally offended her.I sat at the reception desk with Alder Creek's file open in front of me. Fourteen cases. Fourteen wolves who were supposedly healed and still living with pain, the notes blurring slightly under the fluorescent light."This is how it starts," Tessa said.I didn't look up. "How what starts?""You becoming famous.""I'm not famous.""Three werewolves drove across pack lines to see you.""For a shoulder.""Sure."I flipped another page. "Caleb probably needs imaging.""You heard it here first. Dr. Mara Bennett, supernatural orthopedic consultant.""I'm a veterinarian.""Werewolf veterinarian.""No.""Paranormal specialist.""No.""Dog doctor to the stars."I looked up. "That one was offensive."She grinned, entirely t
MaraAt eleven seventeen the next morning, three strangers walked into my clinic.I knew immediately. Not because they were growling, and not because anyone announced themselves. All three of them moved like Kieran's people did. Too quiet. Too aware. Too controlled.The woman in front looked to be in her late forties, with dark hair braided tightly down her back. Behind her stood a younger man with one arm held slightly away from his body and another woman carrying a leather medical bag.Tessa looked at me. I looked at Tessa. Her eyebrows rose.Werewolves. Great.The older woman stepped forward. “You're Mara Bennett?”“That depends.”Her expression tightened. “On?”“Whether you're here to kill me or ask why your shoulder still hurts even though it healed six months ago.”The younger man froze. I pointed at him.“That one.”His brows shot up. The older woman slowly looked at his shoulder, then back at me. Interesting.“I'm Lenora Hayes.” She held out her hand. “Healer for Alder Creek.”
KieranI watched Mara walk away through the healer building window. She stopped halfway to her car, and for one stupid second, hope surged through me.Turn around.My wolf lifted his head.Mate.Mara didn't turn around. She stood there for several seconds, gripping the strap of her medical bag. Then she kept walking. The car door opened and closed. The engine started, and she was gone.Fuck.“She came anyway.”I closed my eyes. Sabine. Of course.“I know.”She stepped beside me. “You called and she came.”“You called.”“You know what I mean.”I looked through the empty window. “Someone was hurt.”“Exactly.”I turned.Sabine folded her arms. “She knew she would see you.”“I'm aware.”“She came anyway.”“Sabine.”“I'm making a point.”“I don't want the point.”“That has never stopped Mara from making one.”That almost hurt enough to be funny. Almost. Sabine's expression softened.“She left you, Kieran.”My jaw tightened. “I noticed.”“She did not leave your pack.”No. Apparently she had







