Chapter 4

Roman

I smiled at my patient as I offered him his discharge papers, reminding him to take his medication and directed him out through the emergency waiting area. There was the sudden aroma of peppermint followed by canine and human and a loud bantering conversation that made me freeze in my spot. The girl’s voice was loud and squeaky and even though I hadn’t heard her companion speak yet, I instantly knew who it was.

My heart spasmed and pounded erratically as I looked up and took in the stunning specimen standing before me. His blond hair was longer than I had seen it, sitting between his chin and shoulders, flicking at odd angles at the end. His broad shoulders fit snuggly into his leather jacket and his jeans were ripped in a way that was not intentional. His green and silver eyes found mine and I felt as though I had been hit with a blast of frosty air. The malice contempt could not be mistaken for anything else. Rue stood in shock, gaping and unable to make a comment or a sound.

“Hi, I’m Camille.” The voice broke through the rushing sound of water that was echoing through my ears. Rue snarled menacingly at her, triangulating on the petite girl whose hand looked tiny against Vinny’s enormous bicep. I forced Rue back and smiled at the girl, taking control and forcing the cold fires back into the depths so I could concentrate on the job I needed to do. The quicker I could do my assessment, the quicker I could get him out of here.

I swiped my card against the little black box on the wall and walked towards the nurse’s triage. Vincent was stiff and mechanical as he followed me into the room. I closed the door behind us. He still said nothing. The awkward hatred swirling between us. The tightness in his jaw was emphasised by the three-day old dark blond stubble peppering it.  As if I was addicted to hatred and pain my eyes observed every inch of him. He looked fine. He looked more than fine. He looked Goddamn edible. Fuck.  Why did someone I hate so much, have to be so Goddamned fuckable?

Rue started to react to my thoughts and the cold tension that intensified with every moment we stood in silence. “What happened?” I asked trying to push Rue back again, unsure if she was going to kill him or rip his clothes off.

“Came off my bike.” His voice was gravelly and stirred something deep inside. I chose to ignore it. Rue’s tail twitched as she watched Vincent with disdain.

“You came off your bike,” I repeated.

I rolled my eyes dramatically. It was the only thing I could do as I tried to supress my inner urges. I wanted to scream in frustration. He was a werewolf with the ability to heal without medical intervention unless it was severe. I saw no damage as I ran my eyes down him again, telling myself I was looking for any indication he needed a doctor, before settling a moment too long at the spot between his legs. Fuck! Why the hell was he here? I closed my eyes and only opened them when he cleared his throat.

I knew my eyes were swirling with lilac. My tolerance level was highly taut and agitated. I could feel the little bubbles grating against my nerves, making Rue pace and snarl. Vinny watched my eyes with interest, his own eyes illuminating in silver. After another moment of silence, he ran his hands over his eyes, frustrated.

“I came off my bike at over one-hundred-and-twenty kilometres an hour. I was picked up by a human. How was I supposed to tell her that I didn’t break my bones because of superhuman reflexes? That my road rash healed within minutes? That the only thing that got hurt was my fucking bike?” He took a deep breath and removed his hands. “I had to humour her.”

“Who is she?” The words were out of my mouth quicker than I could rein them in. Vinny arched a single blond eyebrow at me, and I scolded myself.

“I just told you.” There was a slightly curious tone to his voice that I ignored. Shit. He did just tell me.

“Right.” I shook my head and tried to clear my thoughts. I was drowning in an icy peppermint, and it was like I had forgotten how to swim. “A-are you in pain anywhere?” I stammered. His eyes flashed bright silver again.

“No.” His voice was harshly cold.

“Any dizziness or nausea?”

“No.”

“Any tender spots or cuts—”

“No. I told you I am fine.”

“I know that!” I snarled. My mouth closed with an audible snap and my jaw locked. The staring game commenced again. Burning hatred zipping through us and creating a foreboding tension within the air. I didn’t want to yield first, but the alternative was unfathomable. “Give yourself a few more moments so it appears like I did a more thorough examination for your human friend. And then get the fuck out of my hospital.”

I stalked out of the room and straight into the nurse’s station, hyperventilating slightly as I tried to rein my burning anger. With each deep breath Rue paced agitatedly. “I can’t believe he came back! I thought he was gone for good.”

“Apparently not.”

“You should have let me destroy him.”

“What good was that going to do?”

“Well, for one you wouldn’t be having a panic attack and hiding right now!”

“I just wasn’t expecting to see him, I’ll be fine.”

“You should have asked the fucker how long he is staying for.”

“I don’t own Blackfern Valley, or Kempthorne. He has every right to be here too.”

“Does he really though? That asshole hurt—”

“I know what he fucking did!” I snapped. “But at the bare minimum he is a member of our pack. Not to mention, his sister is our fucking Luna. He probably has more right to be here than we do!”

A movement on the display monitors caught my eye. The triage room door opened, and Vinny’s large frame invaded the screen. I watched as he turned and went back into the waiting room. The tiny blonde girl threw a magazine down onto the seat and ran over to him, her face full of concern. Rue grumbled as I watched. Their conversation was unheard, but I could imagine what was being said through the animation of her features. Her face scowled prettily in a protest, he said something else, and she glared at him, watching him closely before sighing.  He bent down towards her ear and her face lit up a little before she schooled it into a controlled expression, gave him a nod and turned towards the automatic doors of the emergency room. Vincent’s hand landed on the small of her back as he walked out with her.

Rue raised her hackles menacingly and thrashed violently against my mind. Shit! My skin started to hum, and I knew I needed to sedate her quickly. I raced down to the locker room and almost ripped the locker door off its hinges. I yanked my cashmere sweater on over my head quickly and grabbed my purse. I pulled out my phone and scrolling down the contacts as I made my way hastily toward the exit. I wasn’t watching where I was going and smashed directly into Simon, causing him to wobble.

“Hey! Where’s the fire?” I looked up at him in piqued interest, my body churning with need. Thoughts of pushing him back into the locker room invaded my mind. His clothes would be shredded within seconds, and my need would be satiated. Hot, primal sex was what I longed for, and he could be just the man to give it to me. No! Not Simon… maybe Simon?

I felt the bones in my arms start to dislodge and I supressed a whimper against the burning pain. Hot acid was running through my bloodstream, and I knew I only had moments before Rue managed to rip through.

“I-I got to go!” I said barrelling past him. Black fur was starting to pop out of my arms, hidden by the soft blue cashmere. Rue wasn’t calming down and the instinct to run was too much to handle. There was no stopping the shift now and with her volatile nature I needed to ensure she didn’t kill anyone in wolf form. That she wouldn’t follow her rejected-mate and attack like a rabid animal.  And after this run, I would have to use one of my many tools to keep her sedated.

I knew just the person that could help me to tame the wild animal, both in the forest and in the bedroom. And if my rejected-mate was sticking around, it was even more possible that I would have to increase the regime. I pounded the call button on my phone and sprinted towards the forest. He answered on the third ring. Thank fuck!