Back legs crumbling, Tynan fell into blackness.
In the bookstore, Margery had been chatting with Alec and Joe Thorson when the sheriff received a call. She’d heard Tynan’s voice—and more distantly, high-pitched screaming.
Even as Alec dashed out the front, she turned to Joe. “Do you have an emergency pack?”
“Yeah. But you stay here, female.” Thorson grabbed a pack from under the counter and disappeared through the stockroom door that led to the back.
It sounded bad. Screaming. Margery’s heart was already hammering, her mind shouting, “Stay back.”
Her heart overruled everything. That was Tynan. And cubs. Go.
She followed Joe out the back.
The park ran in a long line behind the stores, and she saw frantic activity near the playground. Oh, Mother of All.
Ignoring the stabbing pains in her ankle, she sprinted, caught up to Joe, and ran past.
She saw the sheriff trawsfurring from panther. He picked up his pants.
A huge grizzly stood over a dead bear.
Terrified, crying cubs clung to the climbing dome.
Pushing away her own fears, Margery concentrated on the job. Who is hurt?
A pup and female lay side-by-side, bleeding heavily, both awake and breathing and moving.
Another female had a ripped-up arm but was standing.
A wolf—Tynan. He had an obviously broken leg. His side was laid bare, exposing ribs. Unconscious. His chest rose and fell—breathing intact.
Another female in wolf form had blood spurting from a leg wound. And she was moving, which was bad. She might rip the artery open further.
Tynan first.
Can’t.
Margery’s heart felt torn in two as she snatched the medical pack from Joe, turned away from Tynan, and dropped down beside the wolf female.
“Don’t move. Let me get the bleeding stopped first,” she said, pushing her own fear away, breathing in calm. Gauze. Pressure. Bear down.
The wolf snapped at the sudden pain, but…thank you, Goddess…the teeth met air. She didn’t rip Margery’s arm off.
“Tynan!” Donal yelled. He headed straight for his brother.
“Healer. Here first, I have an arterial bleed,” Margery shouted.
Donal glared but ran to her. He frowned at the wolf. “Who is—”
“I have no idea. Fix this artery, then Tynan. If you start on her, I’ll get help for the others.”
He looked shocked, but he knelt and closed his hands around the wolf’s leg. “I’ve got this. Tend the rest.”
She rose and intercepted Joe. Slapping dressing packets into his hands, she pointed to the woman and child lying on the ground. “Help them until Donal can.”
The old werecat growled his agreement.
“Sheriff.”
Alec turned at her call.
She handed him supplies and motioned to the woman with a ripped-up arm who still stood but seemed in shock. “Help her and corral the cubs before they run away.”
“That’s smart.” Alec patted her arm and headed toward the climbing web.
Finally, finally, she could run to where her heart had been pulling her from the first moment. Her ankle burned like fire as she dropped onto her knees. “Oh, Tynan, what did you do?”
“Done went and saved a bunch of lives.” The bass voice held a Texas drawl. A huge male knelt down beside Tynan. “The bear mucked him up good.”
“Yeah.” She winced at the sight of the broken leg but left it alone. Instead, she worked on the area where the bear’s claws had torn away muscle and skin, exposing Tynan’s ribs. Slow the bleeding.
She took the big man’s hand and set it on the dressings. “Press here while I check his head.”
Pupils normal, breathing slow and even, pulse fast but steady. As she ran her fingers over the soft fur of his head and found a nasty lump, the wolf whined.
“Easy, easy,” she whispered.
Whining again, he tried to roll. Bending her head, she shared her breath and her calm. “It’s over. All okay. Everyone’s alive and safe. They’re all safe, Tynan. Shhh.”
Yes, that was what the big protector was concerned about. Gaze starting to focus, he looked at her, then past her at the giant male who’d been the grizzly.
“She got it right, Ty. The feral’s dead. Donal’s here and fixin’ people. You might want to trawsfur before we get curious humans.” The male glanced at her and said, “I’m Ben, by the way.”
“Margery. It’s—”
A little girl slammed into Ben’s side. “Da, you came.”
“Darlin’.” Freeing one hand, he wrapped a huge arm around her. His brows drew together. “How did I not see you here, Minette?”
“I took Lucas to hide in the bushes.” She motioned to a cubling about her age standing behind her. Looking terrified.
Margery silently held out one arm. Offering.
A second later, the pup was burrowing into her side as if to find a cave to hide in. After giving him a quick squeeze, she settled him beside her so her hands were free. She hummed a calming note, pleased when both cubs and both males relaxed.
Before she could resume her work on Tynan’s injuries, he trawsfurred to human, growling in pain.
Blinking at the naked male under her hand, Margery remembered Ben’s advice. Humans. Right. She pulled off her jacket and draped it over Tynan’s groin.
His lips curled into a slight smile. “Not the usual reaction I have from females.”
Even as she turned her attention to the ripped-up flesh over his ribs, a startled laugh escaped her.
Donal knelt and scowled at her. “What’s funny about injuries like these?”
“What the fuck, Donal.” The big male shot Donal a displeased look. “If you don’t want laughter, then tell your littermate not to make jokes.”
Tynan’s frown at his brother was equally displeased.
To her surprise, Donal gave her an apologetic look. “Sorry, Margery. I have trouble seeing him hurt.”
“Me, too,” she whispered. Tears prickled her eyes at the rush of relief. The healer was here, and her wolf would be all right.
Tynan’s hand closed around hers. Bending her head, she kissed his fingers. Wonderful warm fingers—he was alive.
When he lifted his hand to touch her cheek, she realized he was wiping the tears from her face.
His lips curved. “You were worried about me?”
More tears fell.
Donal stared at the little female who was silently crying. Not wailing to attract attention, but turning her face away, trying to hide her tears. To hide her emotions.
She really did care for Tynan; it was obvious. Even so, she’d ignored those feelings and done what was best for everyone. Had sent him to tend to Bonnie who would have died otherwise. Who had taken long enough to arrange for the others to be cared for.
And who was upset enough about Tynan that she was visibly trembling.
By Herne’s horny hooves, these weren’t the actions of a banfasa who tended her friends first. Or of one who didn’t take her duties seriously as Gretchen and Caleb had stated.
An ugly feeling grew in Donal’s gut. Had the Rainier Territory shifters lied to him?
As he took a bottle of saline from Margery and cleansed the debris from Tynan’s side, he considered. Over the last week, he’d asked about her around town.