Markus’s
expression looked strained; his skin had taken on an ashen tone. “Don’t make me
sick the pack on you, boy. There are ways of getting you to obey your betters.”
“Oh, that’s just great.” Gerard
lifted me from his lap and got to his feet, which prompted the entire pack to
do the same. Things were escalating; the tension was almost palpable. “Here we
go with the threats. I’m not a kid anymore. You can’t push me around. You can’t
treat me like a fucking carpet you walk on.”
“We need you to return to us, Gerry,”
said Mila pleadingly. It was surprising to hear a female voice.
“I’m really sorry, guys, but no
thanks.” He took my hand. “Let’s get outta here.”
“You son of a bitch!” shouted Markus.
“You can’t walk away from m—” He clutched his chest suddenly, as his face
twisted with pain. “Shit! Oh, shit!”
“Markus!” cried Mila. “What’s wrong?”
He bent at the waist, clutching his left arm, while he moaned in agony. “Call
an ambulance! He’s having a heart attack!”
~ Chapter Four ~
The entire pack had gathered at
Clarksville Memorial hospital. Their rough appearance, the torn jeans,
tough-looking women, and the dangerous aura they gave off, had forced patients to
move to the back of the waiting room. This motley crew of werewolves was indeed
a sight to behold. I sat with Gerard; while he guzzled a Coke and stared at the
wall with a fixed, yet void expression.
Mila paced back and forth, her abundant
vitality radiating around her. I had inadvertently siphoned off energy from
several nurses and the people in the waiting room, so my senses had been
elevated. Seeing the pack members like this, the worried looks and desperation,
made me almost jealous. If I were sick, truly sick, there would be no one
standing outside my hospital room, praying for my survival. Gerard resented his
family for imposing their will on his life, but at least he had a family.
A doctor appeared, and Mila rushed to
him. “What’s happening?”
“Markus is in the recovery room. He
needed a bypass and two angioplasties . He responded well, but he’ll have to rest for a few days,
under close observation.”
“Oh, thank God,” said Mila. “When can
we see him?”
“He’s awake now, but really groggy.”
His eyes skimmed over us. “I suggest only a few people at a time. There’s a
risk of infection, and I don’t want him exposed to something that could hinder
his recovery.”
“Of course. I’ll go first.” She held
out her hand to Gerard. “Come with me.”
He took it reluctantly, while a range
of emotions played across his handsome features. He professed to not care about
his pack, but his reactions told their own story. He had been beside himself
after his father had collapsed, rushing to him and offering assistance. The
pack had surrounded their leader, lifting him in their arms and racing to the
parking lot, where an ambulance arrived moments later. They had acted as one,
each person performing an essential duty; their differences had been set aside
to help Markus.
Gerard glanced at me. “I’ll be right back.”
“Do you want me to get you anything?”
He shook his head. “Okay.”
After he had left, Renee and Tracy
approached, and I felt a prick of apprehension. Renee stepped behind me, her
nose neared my neck, sniffing. “I can see why he’s interested in you.” The hair
stood up on my arms.
“She’s hiding something.”
“She is, isn’t she, Tracy? But what
the hell is it?”
“I smell danger, pure and simple.”
“He’s too caught up in lust to notice
it. But, men are like that, aren’t they?”
“They sure are.”
“Excuse me.” I wasn’t going to stand
around and let these two pick on me. I moved by Renee, but she grabbed my arm.
The heat of her hand alarmed me, and the shock of the touch, a touch I didn’t
want, sent my body into a strange fit. I repelled her somehow. My reaction was
one of self-defense. I wasn’t