My Warrior (Bewitched and Bewildered #12) - Alanea Alder Page 0,16
to get this guy out of the car, but I think they can handle it." He eyed Aiden. "Damn, son, what do you eat?"
Aiden grinned as his cheeks glowed. "Just about everything."
"I imagine so." Her father's attention immediately went to Ari as the men gently lifted him onto the wheeled gurney. "Let's go, gentlemen. Straight ahead to the back. It's where my personal clinic is."
They quickly got Ari slid onto the operating table, and her father shooed them out.
Rathais rubbed the back of his neck. "Rex Lionhart is gonna skin me alive."
Gage waved off her distress. "He's gonna love you. You're his new baby sister. But he'll be super pissed at Cam that you shot Ari."
"But, I'm the one that shot him."
They all nodded.
"That makes no sense."
"Your actions are a reflection of my leadership. Plus, he's going to spoil you rotten. In his eyes, you can do no wrong," Rathais said, sounding resigned.
Aiden chuckled. "He'll probably be upset with Ari, too, for scaring you."
Rathais brightened. "Oh yeah. This was his fault too."
"So, everyone is at fault except me, who actually fired the gun."
"Yup," Kincaid said.
She turned to her boss. "I'll turn in my badge when we get back."
"Like hell you will," Rathais fussed.
Aiden cleared his throat. "Actually, that may not be such a bad idea. Ari will want her by his side in Éire Danu."
She watched as a stream of emotions crossed Rathais' face. "Son of a bitch! I'm losing my replacement!"
"I don't mind resigning for shooting an innocent, but I'll be damned if I turn in my badge to keep a man happy." Brie crossed her arms over her chest. The men just eyed one another. "Not happening," she repeated. If these men thought she'd just suddenly become Suzy Homemaker, they had another thing coming.
*****
Ari felt the Doc poke around his wound.
"Not just a lion, are ya?" Brie's father asked.
He huffed loudly.
"Didn't think so. I’m Doctor Chris Wilson, Brie’s father. I’ve helped quite a few shifters over the years. Brie is gonna have a fit."
He just purred at the sound of her name. His mate was more beautiful than anything he could have imagined. Her skin reminded him of milk chocolate, and he intended to lick every inch of her to find out if she tasted as sweet.
"Like my Brie, huh?"
He just continued to purr.
"She did shoot you."
He huffed again, and her father laughed. "She yours?"
He tried to move his head, but felt a gentle hand on his muzzle. "Don't move just yet, just purr if she's your mate."
He purred loudly.
"I thought that might be the case. Never seen my baby girl go all to pieces like that before, figured something else had to be going on." He stepped back. "We can go about this two ways. One, I sedate you, extract the bullet, and wait for you to come around. Or I dig it out, numbing the surrounding tissue."
He huffed twice.
"Suit yourself."
Ari grit his teeth as Brie's father quickly pulled the bullet from his back. The second it was gone, he shifted back to human. Brie's father nodded while looking him up and down. "Damn fine body you got there."
Was his mate's father hitting on him?
"Got anything I can wear?" he asked.
Her father placed a stack of worn scrubs on the bed. "Help yourself." He gave him a devilish grin. "Want me to tell them I neutered you?"
Ari grinned back. "I'll even wear a cone of shame to sell it."
"I knew we'd get along. Now shift back."
Ari shifted back and closed his eyes as his future father-in-law hid the scrubs. This should be good.
*****
Brie stood as her father walked through the door wiping his hands. "He came through like a champ. No lasting damage from the bullet and the surrounding tissue isn't swollen."
Gage slumped back against his chair. "Thank the gods."
"I even took advantage of the anesthesia to neuter him for you. No sense in having to put him under twice for the second procedure."
Brie gasped. "What!" she screeched. She looked around the room, every single man was the color of milk.
Her father blinked. "What? It's the law. Unless the animal has paperwork from a zoo, they are desexed to keep aggression to a minimum."
"Ari!" Priest yelled, running into the room, Gage and Kincaid right on his heels.
"Oh Gods, no!" Kincaid wailed.
Brie walked in and could only stare. Blocking the view of his mane was a giant cone. "Oh, oh, oh." she