Oath Sworn - K.N. Banet Page 0,85

I rubbed my face and considered my last twenty-four hours. I went from dead werecat who lost her charge to honored guest of a werewolf pack. I was embroiled in a civil war, trying to get said charge out of it.

I was a long way from the simple bar owner life I had moved to Texas for. I wanted to get away from the supernatural nonsense that I had woken up to ten years ago, not get deeper into it.

I got up and found my bags in the room, pulling out clean clothes. I had no hope for a shower, but I grabbed my first aid kit from my gym bag next so I could, at the very least, clean my wounds. Pulling my old shirt off, I looked over the different holes in my body. My muscles were knitting back together nicely, and the stitches Brin had given me were well done.

I was halfway done when the door opened behind me.

“Oh shit,” someone said in a hushed whisper.

I looked over my shoulder to find Heath and Shamus. Heath stepped around his advisor and frowned. “You showed me a few of those in the Explorer, but I didn’t…” He was still frowning as he stepped closer. As his hand came up, I turned around fully, letting him see the damage in all its glory.

I wasn’t one to worry about nudity, but I was happy I had kept on my sports bra while changing. His fingers grazed over one of the gunshots in my shoulder, then gently pushed me to show him my back again.

“There’s some faint pinkness back here. Claws?”

“I had a wolf or two jump on my back during the first attack,” I explained. “They should be pretty healed by now. I received an unexpected gift from a bystander.” I shrugged aimlessly. “It is what it is.”

“All of this to protect my daughter,” he whispered. “I don’t think I can truly say it enough. Thank you.”

“It’s fine.” It wasn’t, but neither was it really his fault. It was the system and the traitors. The system demanded I lay my life down at the feet of the one who called me to Duty. The traitors were the ones who broke the Law, challenged my protection, and did the damage. It wasn’t a place I thought I would ever find myself, but it was a position I was willing to live with.

And see through to the end.

“Any news?” I asked, trying to change the topic.

“Were you cleaning these?” he asked. “Let me help.”

“I’ve got it. Tell me if there’s been any change,” I demanded, stepping away from him.

“Feline, it's in your best interest to let an Alpha help. You’ve done a great service to the pack, and as a father…” Shamus looked over to Stacy. “Just let him.”

I narrowed my eyes at the advisor, but sat down on my cot without any more argument. Heath grabbed my kit as the other wolf left the room. I could hear him distantly calling for hot water and clean bandages.

“I don’t need to be wrapped up,” I said. “I can’t Change if I’m covered like a mummy.”

“Your thigh should be wrapped. That will fall away naturally when you Change. I would never wrap your abdomen,” he said softly. “One of these is already scarred.” His fingers grazed my shoulder blade where the first silver bullet had hit me.

“Like I said, I received an unexpected gift from a bystander. Someone who understands the importance of werecats succeeding.” I pursed my lips, trying not to say any more.

“You didn’t appreciate the gift. I’m going to make a guess and say some fae shoved his or her nose where it didn’t belong.”

“He has a human wife. He felt it was his personal duty to make sure the reputation that werecats can protect humans is protected.” I rolled my eyes, trying to smirk. I needed to lighten the mood, because Heath’s grey-blue eyes were too severe for me. They were intense and I didn’t want to buckle under the weight of the power in his gaze.

“Yeah, that’s fae,” he said, his voice betraying a humor that his face didn’t. “So, he healed you.”

“Yeah. It’s a tale, but Carey never knew what he was and none of us told her, so I didn’t think to mention it to you.” I didn’t want to mention it to you. I changed the subject back to the scar. “That one I got in my bar, not even twenty-four hours after she showed