n days, but it was worth it; the suffocating sounds of coughing coming from the rooms down the hall had completely stopped, and a peaceful
was a soft knock on the doo
s young nurses, walked in carrying a tray. "Co
spreading across her face as she set the tray on the table. "But it was w
hed in deeply. "God, even the smell is e
"Their fevers have completely broken. Even Daniel ate by himself today for the
f my tea. "Right diagnosi
ng in closer to the table. "But you didn't just save lives, Doc. You got on our
I said, swirling my mug. "His aura lite
r before turning back to me. "Cole
yebrows. "Wha
f lives," Nina murmured, standing up quickly as if she'd already said too much. "Anyway,
. I bolted up from the sofa and threw myself out the door. At the end of the hall, the heavy supply cart used for meds was overturned, its wheels spinnint." a voice yelled
ly right toward me, so I took a huge step back. But my exhaustion had
balance. My feet we
reflex, bracing
n't hit t
ds gripped my waist, catching me mid-air. M
asp escap
nt of pine and oncoming
o
ere inches from mine. I could feel the heat radiating of
f us moved. My heart ha
ed. The muscles
fraction lower on my waist. His rough thumb brushed
ling electricity shot
ilate, the stark gray in his eyes d
voice was rough. Barely
eaming at him to pull me closer. Then, exactly as fast, he ripped
k. The air rus
ce betw
wall slammed back d
my voice coming out
rom a second ago was completely gone,
en again," he said. H
the hall, leaving me shivering
at my desk in the hospital room or
finally mana
the familiar, chaotic background noise of our New York clinic. "I haven't re
my chair. "Everything is fine. We've completely
arah sighed in relief. "So,
tory of the Midnight Pack. "Not right away, Sarah. I'm going to
grin. "But watch out for that iceman, Cole. You can
h," I said with fake anno
he infirmary. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Cole quietly tucking a blanket around one of the kids. A gu
o the courtyard, the tables
les, said as she held her drink out toward me. "D
. "Let's just say your healers bowed down
ight now," Nina chimed in, sitting next to us.
bad. The Midnight Pack was so much fairer than the Crescent Pack. It was a place where people were treat
walking down the quiet, shaded path next to the hospital
hat raspy voice com
top two buttons of his shirt undone. That overwhelming aura was still th
h air," I said, leaning
inches between us, the faint memory of that electricity in the hallway still
rprised me. It's very different from my old pack. People here are more
lue here, Doctor. I don't let anyone throw
d, and started wal
pen the door, Cole's voi
anding a few steps away, the
hing happe
etting your guard down just
do you mean? Th
. "My instincts are tellin
st my ribs. "What do y
low. "Yet. But someone might have
nous howl rose from the northern
arply toward the sound.
e gravel path. A border guard em
ckly. "A delegation just arrived at the
deadly calm washing ov
ck, sir. Alpha E
r the path. The Crescent
his gray eyes. The mysterious, unnatural outbreak... and the sudden, una
, his voice freezing over, "I don't
t say a s
Cole's eyes, I had the exact same feeling. Whate
s an
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