Page 965 of One More Kiss

Hudson gave Reis a look. “Not our job, man. Look, here come the EMTs now. We’re just supposed to be backup. Remember? You didn’t have to go diving into the water.” Hudson stared at Reis as he clutched Kiley’s hand in a tight grip. “Or maybe you did have to if she’s your mate and all.”

The EMTs rushed the gurney through the crowd and screeched to a halt. “Thanks, guys. We’ll take it from here. What’s her pulse?”

“Steady,” Reis raised his voice to a normal pitch. “She might have a neck injury.”

Reis helped lift her onto the gurney and secure her. Then he pushed the gurney along to the ambulance. The EMTs loaded Kiley on board, folding up the legs under the gurney with precise movements.

One of them went to shut the door, and Reis caught it. “Wait, I’m coming with her.”

“Are you her family?”

“Um, no, I’ve actually never met her—”

“Then you can’t come.”

Reis growled, his fingers denting the door panel from the sheer grip strength of his emerging gorilla.

Hudson stepped in and grabbed Reis’s arm. “It’s all right, Reis. I have my SUV here. We’ll follow them. Won’t we?”

Reis knew Hudson was trying to calm him down. He let go of the ambulance door and stepped away. His gaze locked frantically on the unconscious Kiley in the back. He longed to ride with her, but he knew it would only cause a fight if he tried. Then she would be delayed getting the help she needed.

Shoulders slumping, Reis gave in. “All right, let’s go.”

Reis snatched the keys from Hudson, strode to the nearby parked black Escalade, and climbed in the driver’s seat. He didn’t even wait for Hudson to close the passenger side door before he took off after the ambulance.

“Whoa, slow down, man.” Hudson gripped the door handle. “The ambulance is right there.”

Hudson turned a glare on his alpha. “Look, man, you know that I’ve always been there to back you up, to the hilt, on whatever crazy shit you were up to this week. But on all of those occasions there was informed consent. So, you need to tell me what’s really going on here.”

Reis heaved a long sigh. “Kiley, that diver… she’s my mate.”

“Your mate?” Hudson’s eyes bugged out. “Are you still going on about this bullshit? You’ve got to be kidding me. Are you sure? You said the chlorine was messing with your nose.”

“I’m sure.” Reis glared at his beta. “That’s why I wanted us to take her to the ER. Because she needs to go to a shifter-friendly ER.”

“Oh shit.” Hudson grimaced. “Well, based on their direction, either they’re going to Sacred Heart or Johns-Pinch.”

“If it’s Johns-Pinch she’ll be fine,” Reis muttered. “If they take the next left, it has to be JP.” They passed the next intersection and Reis groaned. “Great. They’re taking her to a human hospital. How could we get any more screwed?”

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