“Jesus,” Hammer mumbled in shock.

Aric responded by putting a hole in the wall with his fist and letting go a stream of profanity. The others just moped. Someone went for coffee.

Time passed. Kira wasn’t sure how long it had been when Sariel strode into the room, heading straight for her. Jumping up, she launched herself into his arms. He caught her against his chest and enfolded her in his wings, and the dam broke. She sobbed in terror, babbling that she couldn’t lose him.

“You won’t, dearest.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I swear to you.”

“H-how do you know?”

“I just do. Now dry those tears, or else your wolf is going to be treated to the lovely vision of a puffy, blotchy mate when he wakes up.”

Pulling back, she managed a small laugh. “Gee, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. What are displaced princes for?”

It was a lame attempt at a joke, and she loved him for it. Wrung out, she let him tug her over to a chair. At Zan’s urging, he fetched a box of tissues from the front desk—he was puzzled about their purpose at first—handed them over, and settled in beside her for what might prove to be a long wait.

It was worse than long. Interminable was a better word. Half the team was dozing when both Mac and Melina pushed through the double doors into the waiting area, but everyone immediately snapped to attention.

Dr. Mallory got to the point. “The two shifters are stable but still unconscious. Jax is also stable at the moment, and the bullet has been removed. But his condition is critical.” She gave Kira a pointed look. “I’ll need you to come with us.”

“Of course.” She rose on rubbery legs and followed the doctors. Whether either of them was ready or not, she had a suspicion that the moment of reckoning was at hand.

A sexy silvery-eyed wolf was about to become hers.

Fourteen

“Jax, open your eyes.”

Don’t want to. He preferred to keep sleeping, safe in his cozy cocoon. Besides, hers was the wrong voice. Not the one he loved.

Wait, loved? Ah, shit.

“Sweetheart, can you hear me? Come on, handsome. Let’s see those peepers.”

Kira. For her, he tried. His lids were like wet concrete, but he managed to crack them open a tiny bit. Her small form was leaning over him, blurry. But there. Holding his hand, stroking his brow. So good.

“I . . . can’t smell you,” he rasped.

Her touch stilled. “What?”

“He means his sense of smell is gone,” Melina said. “He can’t scent you.”

“Oh. What do we do? How do we fix it?” She was so upset, his baby.

He couldn’t comfort her. Couldn’t move a damned muscle.

“This is undocumented territory, but I’d like to try something. Are you willing to let me make a small incision in your wrist? I can give you a local anesthetic.” Obviously she was talking to Kira.

Wait a minute. Melina wanted to cut his angel? Why? Jax tried to growl but only a pathetic whine came out. His eyes closed again.

“Yes! Anything that will make him well.”

No! his mind shouted. But his lips wouldn’t budge.

Noises ensued, the clank of metal on a tray. Melina spoke to his mate, but he couldn’t make out the words. He was tired and he hadn’t even been awake that long. His energy was nonexistent.

Suddenly a slick finger parted his lips, began to rub his tongue. He sputtered, tried to turn his head away from the latex-covered digit, but the doc held him fast, smearing something wet on his tongue. His gums and canines, too. What the hell?

Automatically he swallowed, and caught the sweet, earthy taste on his tongue. His initial impression was that it was nice, if kind of weird, and then . . . the effect hit his system like rain in the desert. Warmth flowed to cells and muscles, liquid sunshine. And he knew.

Melina had given him Kira’s blood. Lifesaving, nourishing blood from his mate. Doing the job that no medicine could hope to perform in pulling him back from the brink. Slowly, he cracked his lids open again, glad to find his vision mostly clear.

“Hey,” he croaked, giving Kira a lopsided smile.

“Oh, my God!” Scooting her chair close, she hugged him tight, laying her head on his chest, on his right side, opposite the bullet wound. “I was so worried. Everyone was. Is.”

Carefully, he brought his arm around her, holding her snug against him. “I’m okay, baby. Don’t cry.”

“Sariel says I’m blotchy.” She sniffed.

“Yeah? What does he know? You’re always beautiful.” He kissed her head, and would’ve growled if he had the energy. “I can smell him on you.”

At least he could scent again. A bonus.

“He was comforting me because I thought you were going to die.” Another sniff. “Get over it.”

He snorted a laugh, but it hurt and he sucked in a breath, waiting for the pain to subside. Apparently his healing powers weren’t at full speed yet.

“Doc?”

Melina moved into his line of vision, angled face filled with concern. “Yes?”

“Is this, you know, temporary?”

“The boost you’re feeling now?”

“Yeah.”

She sighed, showing more emotion than he’d witnessed in months. “I’m afraid so. Kira’s blood has strengthened you because it contains the properties you require to be a healthy wolf shifter male. But you aren’t mated. In short, this is a stopgap measure to get you strong enough to finish the process.”

He frowned. “But if I take her blood when I bite her, what’s the difference? Why can’t I take it through the cut in her wrist or something?”

“Good question. I think the answer lies in your saliva, in the chemical change that occurs when mates bond during sex. I could be wrong.” She shrugged. “Only two ways to find out.”

“Two?”

“First, we’ll let you take blood from Kira’s wrist—provided she agrees.” Kira nodded, so Melina continued. “Then we give you a few hours, see if the bond forms between you and you’re completely well. If it hasn’t worked, you’ll feel progressively worse in a relatively short time.”

“And then?”

“We give you more blood, and release you to do as wolves do in the wild.” She actually smirked at this.

Jax looked to Kira, who was blinking rapidly, cheeks turning pink. “Not unless that’s what Kira wants.”

Melina was silent for a moment. “Are you saying you’d rather die than force Kira into mating you?”

As much as it broke his heart, he had to let her go if that’s what she wanted. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

Big blue eyes fixed to his. “Jax,” she breathed. “You don’t mean that.”

“Every word.”

“I’m not going to let it happen,” she whispered.

“Then stop me.”

“Oh, I intend to.”

“I’ll give you two some privacy,” Melina said with a grin. “I’ll be back.”

Neither of them noticed when the doc left. They just stared into each other’s eyes, and Jax wondered where to go next. What to say.

All that came out was, “Thank you.” Which was completely inadequate. He wasn’t a man prone to long, mushy soliloquies, hearts and flowers. He’d rather show a woman what she meant to him, and he sure couldn’t do that laid up in the infirmary. Damn it.

An impish smile curved her lips. “You’re welcome. Though I had sort of a selfish motive for saving your bacon.”

“Really?” His hand sought hers, clasped their fingers together on top of his stomach.

“Sure. A take-charge wolf man with woo-woo powers and a smokin’ hot bod? And I might get to be a wolf, too. Where else am I going to find all that?”

He laughed, and immediately regretted it. Sharp pain blasted through his shoulder and he gasped, riding it out. As the sick waves subsided, he noted that her teasing mood had disappeared and tears swam in her pretty eyes. “Hey, none of that. I’m going to be fine.”

“What if you’re not? I can’t help but feel this is my fault,” she said, voice breaking. “If I had—”