Kenji’s stomach while he was trying to get to her.”
Unfettered respect on his face, in his voice, as he added, “Kenji might look like a pretty rock star but he’s pure wolf. That gully is some distance away, never mind how steep it is, and the storm’s brutal.”
Kenji’s eyes flickered on those words.
Fingers tightening around his, Garnet blew out a breath. “I’m going to strangle all four of them.” Her voice threatened to shake. “They should’ve been back well before the weather got this bad.” At a certain point, there was no need for security; nature provided its own deterrent.
“Don’t blame them.” Lorenzo removed his hand from the back of Kenji’s head. “I was watching the satellite feed—it turned vicious with very little warning. They came in as fast as they could.”
“Yeah, Garnet,” Kenji mumbled, his long, talented fingers curling around hers. “Don’t be mad.”
Relief a crushing weight on her, she lifted their linked hands to press a kiss to his knuckles. His smile was faint, shaky, before his eyes closed again. “Lorenzo?”
“He’s fine, in a natural sleep. Let me deal with these cuts.” Lorenzo did so using his abilities as well as medical equipment, until both the gouge on Kenji’s stomach and the cut on his cheek were covered by delicate new skin. “A little rest and he’ll be up and running.”
Garnet’s brain started functioning properly again now that she knew Kenji was safe. Frowning, she said, “Why is Shane still out?” It had only taken Lorenzo ten minutes to stabilize Kenji.
“He got a real whack on the head—Kenji’s was just a glancing blow by comparison.”
Hand yet linked with Kenji’s, Garnet considered Lorenzo’s words. “Hit with something heavy?”
“I’d say so. You find anything?”
“No, but there was a coffee table there with a solid edge.” A little distant for Shane to have hit it as he went down, but that was the only possible source of a head injury that Garnet could think of in Russ’s living area.
Lorenzo twisted his mouth, shook his head. “I can’t rule out the coffee table, but my gut says it was a blow from above.” Picking up one of his medical instruments, he raised it over his own head, brought it down as if on the back of another skull. “Like that.”
“Can you model it to confirm your hunch?” She knew the healer had the software.
“I’m no expert at it, but I’m fairly certain my compatriot in Kenji’s sector is. I’ll send her the details, have her put it together.” He touched Garnet’s hair with the gentle hand of a healer, but his tone was that of a packmate who had the authority to overrule her in certain circumstances. “Russ is dead, Shane is unconscious, and it’s too dangerous outside for anyone to even think about sneaking up on the den. You can take a breath.”
“Athena,” she began.
“I gave her a sedative—she’s high-strung at the best of times, so sleep will do her good.” His eyes turned to steel. “As it’ll do you. An emotionally exhausted lieutenant is no good for the den.”
Woman and wolf, both parts of her knew he was right. She could all but feel the strain pounding in her temples. “Thanks, Lorenzo.”
A tug of a loose tendril of her hair before the healer left. It wasn’t until a minute later that she realized she should’ve asked him to help her shift Kenji.
“Kenji!” she snapped, putting every ounce of her considerable dominance in her voice.
Of course it didn’t have the same effect on him as it would’ve had on someone more submissive. Kenji Tanaka had always gone his own way.
Lines formed on his forehead, though his eyes remained closed. “What?” It was a growly rumble.
Shivering from the auditory caress, she said, “Shift.” He’d be much easier to dry off—plus she wouldn’t have to worry about stripping him of his drenched clothes.
And thinking of Kenji naked was not good for her blood pressure. “I’ll rub you dry,” she cajoled when he stayed stubbornly in human form. “Kenji.”
He growled at her, the bad-tempered growl of a wolf who just wanted to sleep.
“Fine,” she said, though she wanted to hold him close and never let him go. “Stay in your wet clothes. Look like a drowned rat.”
The world fractured into a shower of astonishing light and then there was a handsome black timber wolf lying in front of her. A very wet wolf who sneezed before putting his head down on his paws. Getting up, Garnet found a large, absorbent towel. Rubbing Kenji down