Page 116 of Bria and the Tiger

“Yes, may I speak with Jace Shepherd, please.”

Bria shifted the phone to her other hand. “He’s not in today. Can I take a message for him?”

The woman on the other line hesitated. “Yes. Could you have him call Valerie Martin, please. He missed our appointment this morning and I’d like to reschedule.”

“Are you Dr. Martin?” Bria blurted.

There was a long drawn-out silence before the woman said. “Yes.”

“Jace has the flu.”

“Ah.” The relief in the woman’s voice was palpable. “That’s why he hasn’t returned my calls. Thank you. Just have Jace call me to reschedule when he’s back in the office.”

“I will.” Bria hung up the phone. Adrenaline was spiking through her veins and her hands were turning ice cold.

It was Friday afternoon. Jace hadn’t been in the office once this week. He’d texted Rosalie Tuesday afternoon that he had the flu and wasn’t coming to the office. Bria tried to tell herself all week that he really did have the flu and nothing else. But her unease had grown stronger with each passing day. Now, it had turned to straight panic.

Don’t panic. If he has the flu, then it’s entirely possible that he wouldn’t answer his phone and that he’d forget about his appointment.

Her inner voice was right, but her tiger was yowling and whining for her to go to their mate.

She stood and hurried to Rosalie’s desk. “Rosalie, you’re texting and talking to Jace, right?”

Rosalie saved the document she was working on. “Yes.”

“Have you talked to him today?”

“No, not today. Why? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Bria lowered her voice. “I just – Jace lives alone and I was worried about him.”

“It is a little weird for him to be sick this long. I didn’t think shifters even got the flu or colds like humans do.”

“We can get sick, but it usually only lasts a day or two, and then we heal ourselves. But sometimes if it’s a really bad illness, it can take longer.”

“Oh. Well, I’m sure he’s okay. His mom is probably checking on him.”

“Probably.” Bria chewed at her bottom lip. “But you haven’t talked to him at all today?”

“No. Unless he texted me and I missed it.” Rosalie grabbed her cell phone and scrolled across the screen. “He texted me Wednesday afternoon.”

“Wednesday?” Bria could hear the panic in her voice. “It’s Friday, Rosalie.”

“I know, but if he’s sick -”

“Can you listen for phones for a minute?”

“Sure. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Her panic eating away at her, Bria nearly ran down the hall to Lincoln’s office. The lion shifter was just hanging up the phone, and he gave her a surprised look when she walked in and closed his office door.

“Have you talked to Jace today?”

“No. He has the flu,” Lincoln replied. “Why?”

“Have you talked to him at all since Tuesday?” Her voice had an unpleasant shrill to it. “Did he sound like he had the flu?”

“I haven’t talked to him, just texted.” Lincoln gave her a careful look. “What’s going on, Bria?”

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