through her. Shifters didn’t get sedatives. The pain would be horrendous.
Tynan tensed. “She’d not have to be awake for that, would she?”
“That’s the catch.” Donal’s gaze met hers. “You’d have to be asleep for the breaking and reassembling. No one could hold still with that much pain.”
However, there was a reason that shifters weren’t sedated. “I’d trawsfur to wolf the minute I started to rouse.”
“Exactly. You’d panic, attack anyone in the room, and mess up all my work.” He sounded more displeased about getting his work ruined than the thought of being attacked.
“Then there’s no way it’ll happen.” Her momentary hope burst like a pin-pricked balloon.
“Just one—and only because you’re a wolf. Because your animal will submit to your leaders. If someday, you come to trust your pack alpha and betas enough that they can keep you calm, then it can be done.”
Trust the alpha and beta? She didn’t really know Shay and Zeb, and the wolf inside her didn’t trust them—not enough. After what she’d been through, well, the level of trust needed might never happen. She blew out a breath. “Got it. If I get to that point, I’ll let you know.”
Acceptance—and respect—was in his nod.
Tynan frowned. “Shay is a good—"
“Trust comes or it doesn’t,” Donal said.
“By the Gods, I wanted an easy fix.” With a disgusted sigh, Tynan tucked an arm around her and pulled her closer. “Guess easy isn’t in the works.”
Her smile came easier than she thought it would. “Easy is over-rated. I’m alive to feel my ankle hurting. That’s a win in my mind.”
“So it is.” Donal rose and picked up a stack of DVDs. “After much argument, Tynan and I agreed we would enjoy seeing any of these.”
Tynan’s low chuckle was a relief. He’d moved on. “Donal prefers fantasy and science fiction or animated. I like horror, action, or mystery. We both like historicals.”
“It’s a wonder you two don’t kill each other.” After a moment’s consideration, she lifted one—Heather had said something about eye-candy. “How about this one? 300?”
“You got it.” Donal went to start the movie.
“I’ll get the chicken.” Tynan gave her a squeeze.
Margery leaned forward. “What can I—”
“You can stay put.”
She sat back at the snap in the healer’s words.
He turned a dark look on his brother. “As can you. For tonight, I’ll be the house brownie. Do not get used to it.”
“Um. Right.” She added an extremely polite and subdued, “Thank you, Donal,” and got an approving smirk back.
“Aye, thank you, Donal.” Tynan winked at her and pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair. “We’ll let him take all the time he needs to get things together.”
And he took her mouth in a slow deep kiss that swept away every thought in her head.
Chapter Eleven
Cold Creek, North Cascades Territory - waxing gibbous moon
The shrieks coming from his waiting area were appallingly high-pitched. Although Donal’s heart ached for the cublings’ pain, his sensitive ears protested.
“Easy, little one,” he murmured to the nine-year-old girl on his table as he squirted saline over the long scrape on her shin. Birghitta bore it silently although her fair face was whiter than her platinum-colored hair. A courageous one, she was. “Almost done.”
Unfortunately, the two young males in the other room were yet to come. Hissing under his breath, he turned to the open door and addressed one of the mothers who’d been unable to quiet her offspring. “Go next door and see if Margery is willing to help out.”
Maybe the banfasa would have more luck. Even if she couldn’t do anything about the wailing children, she’d improve his mood. Aye, she really would.
Tynan had been right when he asked Donal to give her a chance. She was gentle, peaceful, kind—and had forgiven him with a generosity of spirit that he knew he lacked.
Two nights ago, as he and Tynan watched the 300 movie with her tucked between them, he’d felt as if he’d found a sunny rock in a snowstorm.
Had he ever felt such contentment?
And if he’d read her correctly—after being blind as a drunken dwarf at dawn—she’d not refuse a request for her help.
A couple of minutes passed, and Margery’s soft voice came from the waiting area.
The screeching stopped.
After finishing healing the girl-cub, he took her hand and walked her to the hallway. In the doorway, he breathed in the quiet.
Margery had a boy cuddled up against her on her left. To her right, a lad sprawled over her lap as she cleaned the scrape on his arm. Towels under his arm caught the water.
Donal