Oath Sworn - K.N. Banet Page 0,103

Explorer. Heath looked over his daughter’s wrist, then kissed her forehead. “Hospital,” he said gently. “Let’s move out. Landon, help Ranger get Jacky into the back.”

“I can get up,” I said, a little grumpy he would think I couldn’t. I pushed up slowly, and stumbled to the Explorer.

“Back seat.” He pointed to the spot next to Carey. “Ranger, is she going to be okay?”

“No internal damage,” the wolf answered patiently. “A bit of blood loss might be making her lightheaded, but nothing life-threatening. Sheila’s hip was worse. How are all of you?”

“Tywin and Landon need to eat and rest. I’m fine. Minor flesh wounds.” He grabbed me around my waist and lifted. “Get in there. You’re moving too slow for me.”

“I can walk,” I snapped. I slapped his hands away as he reached for the seat belt. “I can definitely put on my seat belt!” I grabbed it and buckled in. “Are we leaving all of this?”

“Tywin and I are staying. Landon is taking you ladies to the hospital.” He pointed at Sheila. “I meant all three of you. Get in.”

She bared her teeth. At least I wasn’t the only one being babied. Ranger took the back seat with Carey and me, looking over her wrist again.

The doors were shut and I made sure she was secure as Ranger wrapped her wrist in a quick splint.

We were at the hospital in twenty minutes. Carey was ushered in quickly for x-rays. Sheila and I were taken to a room, sat down, and waited.

It wasn’t a doctor who walked in. It was another wolf. I tensed, but Sheila grabbed my arm. “He’s a rogue, but he’s a doctor. We let him stay and not join the pack if he treats us all equally. Neutral.”

“Not that it matters anymore,” he said with a sharp smile. Then he sniffed the air. “So you’re the werecat. Well, let’s see.”

“Carey, Landon, and Ranger?” I asked, lying back on the bed.

“Are with a human doctor looking over her x-rays,” he said after Sheila nodded. “Ranger did a good job cleaning you up. Give it some time to heal. You’ve got a lot of stitches in you. Had a rough week?”

“You have no idea,” I mumbled, sitting back up and pointing at Sheila. “Your turn.”

“Yup…”

It was quiet, everyone getting checked out. I met Ranger, Landon, and Carey back at the Explorer with Sheila. We didn’t leave, just loitering around for a moment. Carey had a new bright blue cast and somehow already had her hands on a sharpie, which she held out to me.

“You have to sign it,” she demanded, holding it out.

I chuckled, taking the sharpie and putting my name and ‘get well soon’ on her cast with a cat face next to it. “Happy?” I asked, holding the sharpie out for her.

“Yeah. So…you’re going to be our friend now, right?”

I looked up to Landon and the other wolves. How was I supposed to tell her?

Landon frowned. “I don’t see why not,” he said. “Jacky, after all of this, you’re more than welcome with our family.”

Sheila began to cough and grabbed the old wolf. “We need to talk.”

He seemed confused as Sheila pulled him away. Ranger only sighed, giving me a sad look.

“I’ll be your friend for as long as I’m able,” I promised Carey. It wouldn’t be very long, but it would be as long as I damn well could. “Are we going to head out? Where do we go from here?”

“Heath and Tywin will meet us back at the safe house.” Ranger thumped the hood of the Explorer. “We’ll leave when those two are done.” He nodded to Landon and Sheila. I winced as Landon looked my way, his eyes wide as Sheila explained.

Oh yeah. The werecat that helped save your family? Going to be arrested at dawn for it. You know, the Laws and all that. Don’t tell Carey. She doesn’t deserve that.

At the warehouse, Heath grabbed Carey and forced her to stay by his side.

“I’ve been really nice, letting you go to the hospital without me. You’re not leaving my sight anymore,” he explained, pointing to a seat.

“Okay, Dad. Is it over? Are we going to go back to normal? Are we safe?”

“We’re safe,” he promised softly, kissing the top of her head. “There’s going to be a lot of changes coming. How do you feel about moving?”

“I would like that,” she answered. “I don’t want to go home where Richard…”

My heart hurt too much for one night. Heath looked up to me,