I stare at the wreckage of the room while my wolf and I contemplate Dad's words. Bailey wasn't supposed to be on campus by herself. There is a group of deranged killers out there hunting down girls and she waltzed onto campus like it's Disneyland.
"Don't be stupid, Con," Braxton warns as I stride from the room and across the hall to where Bailey is sleeping on her hospital bed.
Pulling up a chair, I sit and stare at my honeygirl, waiting for her to wake up. I'll wait hours if need be. We need to talk.
---
Bailey
I smell barbeque. Oh, how I would kill for a grilled tofu burger smothered in spicy barbeque sauce. With sweet potato fries... no... nacho fries, sans beef, extra cheese.
Something tickles my face. I crinkle my nose trying to get away from the sensation, but my body refuses to listen.
"Bailey," a low masculine voice murmurs my name. "Honeygirl, wake up, sweetheart. I have food for you."
My prince charming is awesome. Who needs a kiss when you can have cheesy fries?
Slowly I blink my eyes open. Something big and tan and blurry is blocking my vision just inches from my ticklish nose. Green eyes blink slumberously at me.
"Conner?" I croak out.
His lips curve up in a small smile. Fingers stroke my hair, down my cheek, across my bottom lip. "Hi, Babe. Ready to eat?"
"I can barely feel my body," I admit to him.
His smile grows. He's lying with his head on the mattress next to me, even though he's sitting down. He doesn't seem too keen to move. "I'll help you," he says, but still doesn't budge.
My tummy protests loudly and I'm so hungry I can't even feel embarrassed. "Help me up?" I ask him.
"Honeygirl," he croons instead, "why did you go to campus all alone?"
There is something very threatening about this man speaking so sweetly to me right now. "Braxton-" I start to say slowly.
"Lost his phone a few weeks ago. He didn't send you that text, sweetheart."
I gasp softly, "Lydia did it," I breathe. It explains how she was able to corner me in the bathroom so easily. I mean, really, how cliche of her.
"I specifically told you to not go to campus or work without one of us with you. Do you really think Braxton would send you that text?"
I feel myself getting huffy. "First of all, excuse me for not having all pistons firing at once after this weekend. Second, I am perfectly capable of judging the potential danger of-"
"You are in the hospital," he interrupts me quietly, through gritted teeth and a too-smooth smile.
"Mostof the time," I amend. "Third, don't you dare tell me that you don't have trackers on my car," I finish triumphantly.
He pauses, but not in guilt. A look of frustrated consternation flashes across his face. "Only your car and phone," he admits, then ruins it by adding, "I'll have to have Sarj or Uncle Gerald add it to your sneakers. It's the best way to track someone and nearly undetectable."
"You are insane," I snap.
His head lifts and he kisses me gently on the mouth. His actions are so weird that I start to examine him for signs of drugs or head injuries. I can tell he's furious with me. Absolutely livid. Yet his face doesn't betray him at all.
"I may be a little crazy," he says in that same, soft tone. He starts to play with my hair. His other hand comes up and captures my limp fingers. "My wolf has never been like this, not even right after Lydia rejected me. Then, it was bleak depression and anger, maybe some desperation. You," he laughs. "Bailey. I missed you and it's been, what? A day? A little less than a day since you tried to break up with me. Pathetic."
"I..." my voice trails off. Ididbreak up with him. A fat lot it did me; if his presence here is any indication, we are still together.
"When he nearly lost you, he felt... feral."
"What does that mean?" I ask in a whisper. I already know. I spent all Sunday researching werewolf legend and real wolves, even chupacabras and Big Foot got a glance. Anything and everything that could tell me more about Conner and his family was poured over.