Page 3 of The Night Wolf
Franklin sighed, took off his glasses, and rubbed his eyes. “Because before today we’ve never needed them. I’ve never, in all my years, known a wolf to get sick. This young man? He should be dead. If I’m honest, I don’t even know that a shift will fix the problems. He may be too far gone for us to save.”
As he turned to the physician, Gareth had to force himself to remain calm. His wolf still pushed for release, and Gareth was straining to keep it under control. “You’ll have them on your shelves from now on.” Even Gareth could hear the guttural tone in his voice. “This will never happen again. You should be prepared for any eventuality that might come our way, regardless. We have the resources, and you will make use of them. I don’t care if it’s something as simple as a splinter. You’ll be prepared.”
“Yes, Alpha. Thank you.”
Gareth waved a hand toward the door. “Go home and get rest, both of you. I’ll stay here and watch over our friend.”
“You don’t need to do that.” Franklin went to a cabinet and withdrew a red blanket. “He’s going to be out overnight at the very least. I’ve got him on a bed in case he shifts during the evening, so he won’t fall off the examination table. So you can go home and get some sleep.”
Gareth turned his narrowed gaze toward Franklin, who paled and tilted his neck.
“I will be staying. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Alpha.” He swallowed hard. “I’ll check back in early, so you can get some sleep too.”
Gareth had always been calm and methodical, even when circumstances dictated he shouldn’t be. He could see the uncertainty plainly on the doctor’s face. He struggled to control himself before his pack began to worry about his ability to lead.
“Franklin? I’m sorry I interrupted your night with Marcella. I know it’s your anniversary. Please extend my apologies to her as well.”
“It wasn’t a problem at all, Gareth. You know that.”
And he did. Gareth also knew he needed rest. He should have had someone take him, because the long drive to meet their new packmate, plus the return trip home and finding the wolf in the forest, had left him drained. But right now, he felt responsible for this pup, and he wouldn’t leave his side until he knew for certain he was in the clear.
After Franklin left, Lyram stepped closer to Gareth. “Alpha? I would be happy to stay. You’re dead on your feet. Shit, I can smell your exhaustion.”
“Not necessary. If you wouldn’t mind finding me a cot, I’ll sleep here.”
“But—”
Gareth pinched the bridge of his nose. “I acknowledge your concerns, and they are appreciated, but I will be staying tonight.” Knowing how his wolf surged to the fore when he discovered the sick shifter, Gareth wasn’t certain he could control himself if Lyram didn’t back down. “Please, don’t make this into a challenge.”
Lyram tilted his neck, offering his submission. “No, of course not, Alpha. Forgive my presumption.”
He hadn’t intended on coming down so hard. That wasn’t his style. Groaning, Gareth turned to Lyram and put a hand on his shoulder. He smiled when Lyram leaned into the touch, as all the wolves of Lydon would do. “No, it’s fine. Your job is to protect our people, and that includes me. I know I’m being a stubborn ass, so forgive me. You are correct—I am burned out. But I need to be sure he’s okay, and I won’t sleep if I’m at home. Maybe with a cot, I can get a few hours’ rest.”
Lyram snapped to attention, which made Gareth grin. Lyram was a good Beta, if not a little bit anal. He knew his position, and he served with distinction. There was no one he trusted more in the pack.
“I’ll see to getting you something to sleep on right away.” He turned on his heel and rushed out the door, letting it bang shut behind him.
As soon as he left, Gareth ran a hand over the wolf stretched out on the single bed. His breathing seemed less labored, but he still shivered. Opening the supply room, Gareth grabbed another blanket and laid it over the top of their new friend.
“We’ll figure this out. Tomorrow you will shift for me, so that it will speed your healing. Then we’re going to stuff you so full of food, you’ll complain you’re about to burst. And even after that, we’re going to keep you fed. Once you’re healthy, we’ll talk about your place in the pack.”
Gareth’s chest tightened. The wolf before him seemed so frail, and it tugged at his instincts to claim him as a wolf of Lydon. He wasn’t comfortable with these feelings. He’d always been so selective, taking only those who could provide something to the pack. He knew nothing about this wolf, but he still wanted to keep him.
The door burst open and Lyram came in, lugging a mattress behind him. He gave a sheepish grin when he saw the expression on Gareth’s face. It was a California king, like all the beds in Gareth’s home. Fortunately, as a wolf, Lyram was much stronger than a human and could easily lug the oversized bed, even if it was bulky.
“What the hell?” Gareth couldn’t contain a laugh.
The tips of Lyram’s ears went red and he dropped his gaze. “We couldn’t find a cot that I thought would be comfortable, and Dani insisted you would be able to sleep easier in your own bed. We went to your house and got the one from the guest room. I have the mattress, she’s bringing the frame, and Caleb has the sheets and a blanket. We’ll have it set up in about fifteen minutes.”
Gareth stepped back and let Lyram move some of Franklin’s tables around to make room for the bed. Though it seemed silly, he genuinely appreciated the thoughtful gesture of his housekeeper, her seventeen-year-old son, and his Beta.
As promised, fifteen minutes later, Lyram, Dani, and the cute little blond wolf cub, Caleb, had the bed set up next to the new wolf. Gareth lay down on the bed, and his wolf calmed for the first time since they’d found the strange shifter, but still Gareth could feel it on full alert, as if expecting something that was just out of the range of Gareth’s senses.
He closed his eyes, and after several hours, sleep finally came.
Chapter Two
