Did he hit an artery? More dizziness gripped me. Or was that fear?
Things started to spin when I heard Noble shout; his voice louder than before which, hopefully, meant he was closer.
“Over … here,” I gasped.
Seconds later, I felt his presence, and relief coursed through me. As the darkness rushed up to meet me, I was scooped up by a pair of giant muscular arms, and the owner’s smell hit my nose like a truck.
Rage.
“Get a healer!” he shouted, and I looked up at his face. Those eyes … were they the eyes of my masked mate?
His fingers went to my pulse. “Who did this?”
I knew then, without a doubt, that if I said Nolan’s name, my cousin wouldn’t survive until morning, and I was only 48.3% sure it was him.
“Your eyes … so green…” I mumbled, trailing my fingers along his cheek before finally losing consciousness.
Chapter 12
I came to with a pounding headache. Muffled voices filled my ears and clanged through my head. As I pried my eyes open, images solidified with a snap.
Kaja and Nell stood on either side of the bed, both leaning directly in front of my face.
“Thank the mage!” Kaja gasped, her hands fluttering over me.
“You scared the magic out of us! Don’t ever do that again,” Nell warned.
Kaja nodded, her expression pinched.
Behind them, Noble stood at the foot of the bed, his nostrils flaring; his eyes practically shot fire. Honor leaned against the window, arms crossed as he stared. When our gazes collided, his eyes narrowed.
I sat up, and Nell grabbed pillows from the bed next to me to stuff behind my back for support.
Two rows of beds ran parallel the length of the brick walls, all the beds made up with white sheets and all unoccupied except mine.
I was in a hospital. One hundred percent certain of that. The castle? Maybe 50/50 sure. The alpha king probably wouldn’t invite me into his personal space. The memory of the attack roared through my mind then, and I stared at my forearm, tracing the puckered scar.
Yikes. The skin was pale—even for me—but the jagged wound was healing.
“You lost a lot of blood,” Honor said, pushing away from the window. He winced as he came down on his right leg.
I wondered again how he’d gotten the permanent injury and why it didn’t heal. Also … why didn’t anyone talk about it? There was a story there, but could I ask him? Not today. Today, I was the patient.
Frowning, he stepped forward and then halted as Noble approached my bedside, cutting Honor off.
My gentle friend growled, and Nell scurried back, allowing Noble ample space.
“Who did this?” he demanded, his voice sharp and full of anger.
I blinked, thinking it was Rage or Justice, but no. Gone was my sweet friend; he was all fierce and full of hatred.
A vise closed around my chest.
Shit.
My suspicion that Nolan was at the bottom of it was just that—suspicion. What with the shock and all, I wasn’t even 50.7% sure.
Noble was scary though, and I rethought my earlier assessment of him. That was a creepy-ass-scary-as-hell-Mr. Hyde-switch he had going on. I was 99.99% sure if I told him I suspected Nolan, my cousin would be dead.
“I’m not sure,” I croaked, the statement sounding more like a question. After sipping at the lukewarm water Kaja held out for me, I tried to deflect. “What time is it?”
“Bullshit,” Honor said from the growing shadows filtering in by the window.
Fear trickled in, and I let it fuel anger as I glared at the silent brother. “Excuse me?”
He approached my bedside again, limping softly as he did.
“I read people,” he said, nostrils flaring. “Very well.”
My palms broke out in a sweat. What was with my two sweet boys going all ragey-alpha on me?
Noble nodded to his brother before facing me. His fierce expression softened, barely. “This is an official investigation, Nai, so tell the truth. Do you have any idea who did this?”
Official investigation.
My heart pounded, climbing up into my throat. I really didn’t know. Not a hundred percent. I couldn’t implicate someone and ruin their life over a hunch. Even if it was my asshat cousin Nolan. I sighed and then said, “No. I tried to scent him, but he covered it with pine smoke.”
“Why didn’t you shift?” Honor asked. “Your wolf is better suited for a fight like that.”
I frowned, hesitant to share my secret, and Noble patted my good arm.
“Whatever it is, you can tell us. We want to help.”
After sucking in a deep breath, I blurted, “Stress makes it hard to shift. Always has. I … can’t control my wolf.”
Every wolf I’d ever known had no problem shifting when in danger. In fact, it was easier when in mortal peril. Not me.
“What?” Noble stared at me like I’d just grown another head. “That makes no sense.”
Honor snarled at Noble, more animal than human, maybe because he didn’t like his brother pointing out my weakness when he had one of his own. But when he spoke, Honor’s words were clear and full of pity. “How? The wolf instinct makes it impossible not to shift.”
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling, “Well, somehow my wolf never got the memo on rules of instinct.”
I had no idea why she hesitated. After years of trying to force her, my father decided extra lessons in hand-to-hand combat were the best backup plan for my wolf, who locked up in life or death situations.
“Does your entire pack know your weakness?” Honor asked, his hand going to massage that spot on his right leg that must be causing him pain.
Calling it a weakness hurt, but he was right.
I knew where this conversation was headed. “Yes, but I doubt the wolf who attacked me was Nolan.” Moving my position slightly, I winced when the movement sent a sharp zing deep into my bone. I knew Nolan’s wolf’s markings and smell, but there was magic to cover that up, so I wasn’t sure.
“Damn,” Honor said as if he wanted it to be Nolan.
Noble shared a look with Honor, and the latter nodded.
“You need lessons,” Honor said, fur rippling down his arms. “That’s a weakness no shifter can afford.”
“Sure,” I said. “Where do you propose I squeeze that in? Saturdays might work, assuming I’m not cramming for fire or water classes. Or the alpha studies in the gym. Not to mention serving meals in the dining hall.” I shook my head at the absurdity of their proposal. “I don’t have time for one more thing.”
Noble sucked in a breath. “Nai—”
“You can’t afford to not take time for this,” Honor snapped. “How can you expect your pack to follow you if you can’t shift when there’s danger?”
I glared at him, forcing myself to keep my eyes off his injured leg; it was rich coming from him. “It hasn’t affected me … so far.”
Honor crouched and stared at me eye-to-eye. “It just did, Nai. That’s why you’re in here.” He gestured to the healing ward I lay in and straightened. “Lessons start Saturday night, 8 p.m. sharp.”
Then he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.