Betise lay ten feet away. She'd regained human form and was half curled up in fetal position, her bloody body shaking, her green-grey eyes wide and staring.
"I fried her mind," Neva said, voice flat, emotionless.
He didn't say anything, just wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She rested her cheek against his chest, and though she made no sound, warm tears slid down his skin.
Over the top of her head, he saw a russet-haired ranger holding a gun on Iyona as Savannah cuffed her. Watched his father and brother's kneel beside René's still form. Felt the surge of relief as his father looked up and nodded. His brother was okay.
"It's over," he said softly.
"Yes, it is."
He closed his eyes at the starkness in her voice. And knew that for now, it was.
* * * *
Neva winced as the needle slid into her forearm. "Sorry," the doctor said, much too cheerfully. "But I can't do much about it. Tetanus shots are never pleasant, no matter how careful we are."
She nodded vaguely, her attention more on what was going on in the other room than what the doctor was doing to her arm. They'd been at the rangers' office for over an hour now. Because of the fire at the hospital, the emergency doctors had come to them, looking after her, Duncan, Iyona and Betise. Only René had gone on to the emergency room.
She hadn't seen Duncan since they'd come here, and she desperately needed to see him, to talk to him. Needed to make him understand why she'd come to the decision she had. Savannah was probably talking to him, as she couldn't see her sister, either. But Betise and Iyona were visible — the older wolf cursing and fighting every order, the younger wolf catatonic, not responding to anyone or anything. A living, breathing zombie.
Neva closed her eyes, not wanting to see what she'd done. And yet part of her didn't regret it. Betise had killed without remorse, and would have killed her and Duncan, and anyone else who got in the way of her mad scheme.
"Don't go lifting anything heavy for the next couple days," the doctor said. "And if there's any sign of soreness or infection, go straight to the emergency room."
She nodded and slipped off the table, walking into the other room. That's when she saw her parents. She stopped and met her father's gaze for a moment, saw the relief and worry haunting the green of his eyes. Her mother started towards her, tears on her face and one hand outstretched. Neva spun away, not ready or willing to talk to either of them just yet, and walked down the passage to Savannah's office. Her sister was there. So was Duncan.
Savannah rose and walked around her desk. "I'll leave you two alone." She placed her hand on Neva's good arm, and squeezed it lightly. Then she walked out and closed the door behind her.
Duncan rose from the visitor's chair. Neva let her gaze travel up the long, lean length of him, etching it into her memory. Though in truth, it already was. His left arm was in a sling, and there were scratches across his beautiful face.
He didn't step any closer, just reached out, cupping her cheek with his palm, letting his thumb brush warmth across her trembling lips. She briefly closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of him, battling the tears that suddenly threatened her control.
"You haven't changed your mind?" he asked softly.
"No." It came out little more than a tortured whisper.
He stepped closer, his dark eyes holding hers, shimmering with deep determination. And love. "I won't give up on us, you know that, don't you?"
"Yes." The word seemed to stick somewhere in her throat. She swallowed, but it didn't ease the burning in her throat. Didn't ease the burning in her chest. "I have no choice, Duncan, not with my father's ultimatum. I can't walk away from my family."
"Nor do I expect you to. But I intend to come back to Ripple Creek, and I intend to make your father see that we were meant to be."
"My father will never accept you."
"I won't give up," he repeated, his breath warm against her lips. "You are mine, Neva. You always will be."
He kissed her. Softly. Sweetly. Then he turned and walked out the door.
It felt like her heart had shattered. Pain unlike anything she'd ever felt before welled, and she raised a hand to her mouth, holding back the sobs. Holding in the need to cry out his name as the echo of his footsteps grew softer, until all that was left were the caress of his scent on the air and the taste of him on her lips.
A sob escaped. She closed her eyes and slumped back against the desk. Tears slid down her cheeks, and she swiped at them impatiently. She wouldn't cry here. Wouldn't cry in front of her parents. Heartbreak could wait until she was alone.
And alone was something she'd be for the rest of her life.
She bit her lip and pushed away from the desk. Savannah was standing next to their parents, and all three were standing near the exit. As much as she didn't want to talk to anyone right now, she had no choice but to approach her family.
The relief so evident in her father's expression had Neva clenching her fists.