Prowling the Vet (17 page)

She
turned and fled, quickly grabbing shoes and her keys before bolting to her car.

“Renee.
With me!” she called out. She was grateful when the redhead jumped into her
passenger side without question and they took off.

“Tell
me what happened.”

“Well,
I only got there after Ty had taken off, but from what I was told, the boys
came to mum and dad for help with how to get you back, and Ty got so upset he
shifted and ran off.”

Laura
nodded, but she refused to allow her heart to register anything other than the
bare facts. Now was not the time to get emotional. But blame would be waiting
for her she knew, like luggage left at the bottom of the stairs after a
holiday.

“When
he didn’t come back, Brandon and Dad shifted and took off to find him, only to
return carrying him. He’d been shot by some hunter and was barely breathing.
Mum knows enough to patch us up, but she didn’t want to even try this time. We
just loaded him up and came straight to you.”

Laura
swung her car into the clinic car park and turned off the engine. “She did the
right thing. Let’s go.”

She
stepped
out,
feeling the panic fleeing in front of the
clinic’s imposing façade. This was her domain and if anyone could save him, she
could. She unlocked the door and moved into the staff room, tying up her hair
and pulling on her clean lab coat with short, sharp moves.

She
opened all the doors and began ushering people through like a traffic director.
“In here, on the operating bench. I need two sets of hands, preferably Renee
and Rosalie—the rest of you wait somewhere else.”

She
turned to wash her hands and focused on nothing but her knowledge of mountain lion
anatomy. They weren’t so different from any other large cat, but this wasn’t
just a normal four-legged feline. He was hers.

She
shook her head to clear the thought. No point in remembering too vividly who
was lying on her
table.

“
Renee,
is there any special physiology that I need to know
about or can I treat Tyler like a normal mountain lion?”

She
turned back to the room, now empty of all the men except for Tyler.

Renee
shook her head and
lay
her hands on Tyler’s hind legs
while Rosalie stroked his head and murmured to him.

“No,
I don’t think so. Mum?”

Rosalie
shook her head avidly, tears beginning to leak down her red face once again.

“Okay.
Now, I need to remove the bullet and repair the wound. I’ll gas him to keep him
unconscious and give him some painkillers and antibiotics when he wakes up.”

Both
women stood straighter and nodded, seemingly gaining strength from the
instructions. Laura pulled over the silver tray of newly disinfected instruments
and set up the
anaesthetic
gas.

She
set the dial and reached down to attach it to Tyler’s snout. She had thought he
was already unconscious, but he groaned softly as she lifted his head.

“Tyler,
if you can hear me, I want you to know that you have to stay strong and survive
this! Okay? Do you understand? I’m still mad at you two and if you die, you
won’t be able to make it up to me!”

A
strange purring noise came from his chest and Rosalie burst into tears.

Laura
settled the mask onto her patient and stroked his head with her hands.

“Sleep
well, beautiful boy.”

Tyler’s
body began to relax and Laura pinned the two women opposite her with the hardest
stare she could muster.

“Listen.
I can handle this on my own. If you can’t be in here, I totally understand. But
I need your undivided attention and concentration if you’re staying.”

Rosalie
started to back toward the door. “I don’t think…
I
…”

Laura
smiled down at the beautiful mother who could barely look as her baby went
under the knife.

“I
understand completely, Rosalie. Now, would you close the door behind you, and
Renee and I will be out in about an hour.”

Rosalie
disappeared and Laura turned back to Tyler’s sister. “You okay with this?
There’s going to be a lot of blood.”

Renee
stalked over to the sink and began scrubbing at her hands. “I’ve seen more of
Tyler and Brandon’s blood over the years than I care to mention.”

Water
ran in the sink and Renee finally turned back, her green eyes hard. “Where do
you want me?”

Laura
pointed to the top of the table. “Here. Watch his breathing, make sure the mask
stays in place, and hand me items when I ask for them.”

She
carefully shaved around the area so that his fur wouldn’t interfere with the
surgery, then put the razor down.
You can
do this.

Laura
took a deep, steadying breath, picked up the scalpel, and set it to the bloody
mess that had once been Tyler’s beautiful shoulder.

“Here
we go…”

Chapter Thirteen

Brandon
paced the pavement so many times his feet ached, and he was afraid if he looked
down he’d be able to see the path he’d worn in Laura’s front drive.

“What
the hell’s taking so long?”

His
mother sniffed and lifted her watch for the hundredth time.

“It’s
only been forty-three minutes and she said she’d be an hour. That bullet could
have gotten lodged anywhere. If Tyler dies because of something I said…”

Brandon
tossed up his hand and made a disgusted noise in his mother’s direction.

“Mum!
If there’s anyone to blame, you know it’s bloody me! Or fucking Tyler!
Seriously! He’s never learnt to control his lion and just because Laura dumped
us doesn’t mean he had to go running off into the woods in the middle of the
day. How stupid can he be?”

His
parents’ eyes shifted to the space behind him. Brandon whirled around to see
Laura standing in the doorway, blood covering her coat and her shoulder keeping
the door open.

“He’s
in recovery.”

“He all right?”
Brandon asked, swallowing the
lump that had risen up when he saw the woman that was meant to be their mate.

Laura
nodded and stood up straighter, that strength he admired shining through.

“I’m
just going to clean up and I’ll come back out. I just wanted to tell you
ASAP
 
that
he’s alive
and doing well.”

She
turned and walked back into the clinic and Brandon’s heart began to thud with
sickening, slow thumps. His knees weakened and he staggered to a park bench
next to a street lamp.

Renee
came bolting out of the front door, her eyes wide and a little crazy.

“Oh
my God, she is amazing! I’m in love with her! How did she do that? I have no
idea! And that was with knowing that it was Tyler on the table. I would have
been a complete mess.”

Words
were flying out of Renee’s mouth so fast Brandon wasn’t quite keeping up. He blinked
at her and took a deep breath, hoping to stop the rapid whirl of blood around
his body. His head was spinning.

“Did
she get the bullet out?” his dad asked, taking Renee by the hand to calm her
down. It was pretty obvious adrenaline was still pumping through his sister,
whereas Brandon felt like shit.

“Yeah,
it was touch and go for a while. The bullet was lodged in some plexus where all
the nerves and blood vessels go. She got it out without too much blood. She is
so amazing!”

Renee
squealed and Brandon dropped his head into his hands. His brother could have
died. He gulped at the air as heated emotions swamped him.

“You
fucking idiot.” Tears dripped down his face and he wiped them away angrily. He
wasn’t sure who he was talking to—probably himself.

Laura
walked out of the clinic once again and Brandon shot to his feet, his need to
touch her scary in its intensity. His fingers itched to reach out and his cock
twitched in his pants. He needed to claim that woman before she got any more
silly notions in her head. Once they were mated, the connection between them
would be too strong to ever break.

“Tyler
needs to stay overnight, and I’m going to stay with him. Then we can transport
him home tomorrow and I’m happy to move into the house for a few days to look
after him.”

Brandon’s
cock twitched again. Yes, that was a very good plan.

Laura’s
eyes swung over to him and stared, trying to communicate something he didn’t
understand.
“If that’s okay with you, Brandon?”

He
nodded, clearing his throat before speaking.
“Absolutely.”

Laura
looked back at his mother and for the first time he saw the pallor in her
cheeks, and the slump to her shoulders. Maybe she hadn’t handled that surgery
as well as she said she did.

“When
will he be able to shift back to human, Rosalie?”

His
mother shrugged. “I’m not sure.
As soon as he is strong
enough.
A day, two maybe.
Shifters heal very
fast.”

Laura’s
shoulders sagged even further and the protector in Brandon took over.

“Laura,
get your assistant in to watch Tyler tonight and you can come home with me.
You’re exhausted.”

Laura’s
eyes went wide and she shook her head with a grim frown. “No, if something goes
wrong, I need to be here.”

Brandon
walked over to his woman and took her hand.

“No.
I’ll pay. Bring in whoever you want and tomorrow we’ll both come to take him
home. You need sleep.” He leant forward, his heart in his throat as he
whispered into Laura’s ear.
The woman who had broken up with
him this morning and then saved Tyler’s life this afternoon.
“And I need
to make you come so many times you forget your own name.”

Laura
pulled back abruptly and stared at him, her eyes concerned and shiny with
tears. She didn’t actually speak but Brandon took her silence for acquiescence.

“Do
you need to make some phone calls?”

Laura
nodded slowly, a tear slipping down her cheek which she quickly swiped away.

“All
right, I’ll wait for you.”

Brandon
squeezed her hand and stepped away from her, his lion raising his head and
growling at the idea of leaving her.
We’re
taking her with us. Don’t worry.

Brandon
shook his head and headed back over to his parents. He’d never really
identified his lion as a separate part of himself, but today he was talking to
the shifter for the first time like he was.

“Laura’s
going to call someone else to come in to watch Tyler, and she’ll come home with
me for some rest.”

His
dad smiled knowingly and his mum clung to her husband’s arm.

“Should
I stay? I could sleep here overnight.”

Laura
walked over to him, standing by his side with her back straight and strong.
Brandon’s lion purred with pride as she spoke.

“No,
Rosalie, I think we all need to go home and have a break. I’ll get the other vet
in and she can call me if anything goes wrong. I’ll stay at my house so that
I’m closer to Tyler if anything goes wrong.”

Brandon
smiled at her plan and nodded. He didn’t care where she wanted to sleep, but
he’d be right beside her all night.

“Mum,
Dad. Take
Nae
home and we’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

They
waved his parents off and Brandon took Laura into his arms, not caring when she
was stiff and unresponsive. They had a few things to work out. “Go get
organized and I’ll wait for you here.”

He
leaned forward and kissed her, not sure if she’d turn away, but not caring
either. When their lips connected, Brandon moaned and pulled her closer. They
locked together for several moments, Laura’s hands gently touching his face
before they pulled apart. Brandon ached everywhere and Laura’s cheeks were
slashed with color.

“Ah,
I’ll go call Claire. I’d prefer not to go home with you, if that’s all right?”

She
looked away and Brandon shrugged.

“Your
place, mine, I don’t care. I’ve
gotta
make a few
phone calls too, so you’ll let me know when it’s time to go home?”

Laura
stared at him again with that searching look that made him wonder how she was
really feeling. During the week, they’d forged a connection that had surpassed
anything he’d ever experienced or felt. Then in one night, he’d lost her. He
didn’t understand and she certainly didn’t seem to know how she felt either.

Laura
finally nodded once and headed into the clinic.

Brandon
pulled out his phone and called his boss to let him know he needed the week
off. He would find out exactly what had gone wrong and fix it.

****