Page 38 of Fated Surrender

“No. He didn’t tell me that, though he is still rocking that swimmer’s build,” Felix said.

“He had a group of fan girls that were determined to fuck him into being straight,” she said.

Claybourne scowled. “That’s not true.” He returned to his inventory sheet, then looked back at her. “Is it?” he asked.

She nodded. “Remember your sophomore year when I came to visit? I had to put three of those bitches in traction so they would stay away from you. I swear they were almost to the point where they were going to drug you.” She rolled her eyes.

“Bitches!” Felix hissed.

Madison nodded then looked at him questioningly.

“So, how does that work for you as a hybrid? When I’m pissed, I hiss, I echo my tiger. But, aren’t you everything?” she asked. She felt a wave of urgency from Connor. She glanced at her phone to ensure that she hadn’t missed a call from him.

“Everything and nothing. I can shift into any animal that I have seen. But, I don’t have an inner animal they way you do. When I get upset I tend to lash out with the animal that is influencing me the most at the time. Since I’ve mated to Claybourne, I feel like I almost have my own little tiger. Sebastian has said the same thing, since both his mates are lions, that he feels a lion more now than anything else,” Felix explained.

“Doc! Doc! Come quick. One of the Sentinels has been shot,” Riley said, bursting through the doors at a run.

“Connor?” Madison gasped.

Riley shook his head. She sagged in relief.

“Why in the hell didn’t they bring him in? All my equipment is here. Felix, grab as much as you can and follow me. There’s no telling what we’ll find when we get there,” Claybourne said, pulling bandages and supplies out of his cabinet.

Felix started doing the same thing.

“Bring the kit for stitches? Or are we bringing him back here for that?” Felix asked.

“Better bring it just in case. Ready?” Claybourne asked, hefting his bag. Felix nodded, grabbing his backpack.

“Be back soon,” Claybourne said to Madison, and all three men left at a run. Madison lay back down.

“Well fuck.” She stared up and started counting the dots on the ceiling.

“Excuse me, I need some help,” a voice called from the waiting room. Madison popped up and hopped off of the bed.She walked through the glass double doors to see a shifter holding his arm at an odd angle.

“There was this man, he attacked me!” the shifter started.

“Hold on, let me get a sling for that,” Madison said and turned to head back into the treatment room. The second her back was turned she felt a brush of air and then a body standing behind her. She felt a small body jump on her back, and strong arms wrapped themselves around her neck. She twisted and turned, trying to buck him off. She panicked when she felt a stinging prick on her neck. Seconds later it felt like ice water flooded her veins. “Nighto, Madison.” A voice laughed. Then there was darkness.

“So, you’re mated now huh?” a rough voice asked him.

Connor turned from his meeting with his brothers and the other Arkadian leaders to see one of his closest friends from Sentinel walking up to meet him with four men at his back. He stepped away from the hood of his truck where Finn and Benedict had joined them in the huddle in the main intersection of town.

“Baron! I’ll be damned. I never thought they’d send you. You don’t know how relieved I am to see familiar faces,” Connor admitted. He walked forward with his hand extended.

Baron smiled and took Connor’s hand before pulling him into a bear hug.

“Aww, I knew the Professor missed us,” a light male voice said.

Baron turned and scowled at the jokester. “Shut your hole, Ricochet,” Baron ordered.

“But Baron…” Ricochet took one look at their squad leader and began whistling.

“Ricochet, one of these days he is going to kill you. And based on his case reports for the past fifteen years that detail your running commentary, he would probably get away with it,” Connor said, laughing and bumping fists with Baron.

“You always were a suck-up, Professor.” Another man grinned and head-butted Connor as a form of greeting.

“Fuck man. Dammit, Jaws, I told you to cut that shit out.” Connor winced and rubbed his forehead.

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