Adam snorted. “We have to work on your running game, Jazz.”
“That’s really funny,” Jazz mumbled distantly, and caressed the bump on her head. “She’s unconscious. What if it’s serious? She’s completely human.”
“Then we’ll give her a little blood if needed, twenty-four hours to rest, and send her on her way.” Adam didn’t sound concerned. “Where was she hurt?”
“We were at the Bakers running. Miles and I had to scoop her up and go before one of them found her.”
“Sounds like an interesting night you’re having over there.” Adam paused. “I might be a little late, but I’ll make it eventually.”
“Fuck that!” Jazz growled. “No, you’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“It’s the full moon, and Mitch called four times saying Connie is birthing. It’s a few weeks early for her, so I’m on my way there now. If it’s her time, I’ll send Jake over to you. He does a fair job, and it’s good for him to practice on humans. If she just hit her head, I promise your human friend will be okay.”
“Fine.” Jazz hung up.
He studied the unconscious woman. He kept his hand on her shoulder. He could hear and feel her breaths. If she died, he’d have to explain to the Markums how he let Ralph’s girlfriend die.
That wasn’t going to happen.
4
Someone was carrying Shawna. She frowned, waking up slowly, and realized the strong arms holding her were now gently laying her down on a soft surface. She opened her eyes, half-blind with the throb of a dazzling headache. It took her a second to focus, and the first thing she saw was a deep blue comforter. She turned her head to see who had carried her.
Shock came instantly.
Jeremiah.
He hovered over her with a frown, and she couldn’t look away from him. It was pretty obvious he didn’t know who she was. She let that sink in while she tried to get a hold of the crazy emotions that were swamping her. Jeremiah was inches away. She inhaled his scent. He smelled like the forest, and all things inherently masculine and wonderful. She soaked in the sight of his beloved face for one long moment.
Maybe this is a dream.
He’d grown taller, gotten much broader and far more muscular. His features weren’t those of a boy anymore but had matured into hardened man. His eyes were the same shade of sky blue, but she saw some changes there too. He had faint laugh lines at the corners. His hair had grown longer. As a teen, he’d kept it in a short crew cut, but now his hair brushed his shoulders.
“How are you feeling?” he asked with concern. “Don’t be alarmed. You’re in my bedroom. I called our doctor to take a look at you. Where are you hurt?”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. “What did you say your name was?”
“I’m Jazz.” He touched her forehead gently. “You’re still bleeding a little.”
Jazz? Jeremiah Adam Zachary Zendell. His initials…J.A.Z.Z.
Shawna sighed when he stepped away from the bed and walked to the bathroom, knowing it made sense he didn’t know who she was. She was wearing her green contacts tonight, and even still, it had been sixteen long years. She’d lost weight since her teen years. The attack she’d suffered had left her hospitalized for months, between her care and then her stay at a rehabilitation center. Years of hunting after her recovery made her body harder, more angular instead of soft and curvy. She had let her hair grow and dyed it red, very different from her natural color, which was a soft brown.
Still, the pain hit her. She was supposed to have been his mate…and he didn’t recognize her. She opened her eyes and pushed up on the bed. A sharp ache instantly jolted down her arm from her shoulder. She softly cursed.
Jazz was coming back from the bathroom with a washcloth. He hesitated and then sank slowly to sit on the edge of the bed. He held out his hand.
“Give me your wrist. It’s scraped. We’ll clean you up a little while we wait for the doctor.”
She did so, glancing around the bedroom. He said it was his. She frowned. “This is your room?”
He nodded. “In the pack house. You know what they are, right?”
“Yes.” She winced as he placed the wet washcloth on her still-bleeding wrist, but he was gentle. “You live here?”
“Not really.” He winced too as he patted her arm to clean the small scrape. It wasn’t life threatening, but he treated the wound like it was. “I keep a room here though.”
She hesitated. “I thought an alpha’s living space in a pack house would be bigger.”
“I’m not really alpha.” He smiled. “I mean, I’m alpha, but I’m not the head of our pack. It does makes me second-in-command, even when I don’t want to be.”
Shawna felt pure, raw, unfiltered terror, realizing his father must still lead them and jerked her arm out of his gentle hold. “I have to go now.”
“I scent fear on you. Strongly.” His frowned deepened. “What’s wrong? No one will hurt you here. I told you, we’re going to have a doctor see you. He’s delayed, but he’s coming.”
She rolled off the other side of the bed. “I don’t need a doctor.”
He stood quickly. “I give you my word that I’m not going to harm you. I didn’t hurt you in the woods. You fell. You remember that, right?”
“You aren’t the one I’m afraid of.” She memorized his features, wanting to remember every detail later. “I have to go.”
He moved in front of the door. “I can’t let that happen. My alpha wanted to meet you as well. He’ll be here soon.”
She backed up. A window out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She turned and lunged to open the curtains, and saw they were on the second floor of a very large building. This pack house was new since she’d left. She saw a roof slanting under the window. The garage was under it. The drop from the garage to a side wall was just a few feet. She took in the wall next. It backed into an alley between the warehouse next to it, which was probably used for pack storage space.
“Let’s talk about this,” Jazz coaxed. “No one is going to harm you. Our pack knows all the Markums. That means you’re safe here.”
She turned to face him. “Please just trust me.”
“You shouldn’t be walking around. You were unconscious.”
She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Terror was pounding through her. Jeremiah—no, she mentally corrected herself, Jazz doesn’t recognize me. It doesn’t mean the alpha won’t. She had to get the hell out of there now.
She heard the rattle of a doorknob, and Shawna felt her heart jolt. A brown-haired woman opened the bedroom door, saw Jazz, and grinned. She put her hand on her hip and winked at him. “Found you. You can’t hide forever, Jazz.”
Jazz glared. “Not now, Krystal.”
Krystal sniffed and turned her head fast to stare at Shawna.
Shawna studied the wolf. She knew the woman wasn’t human.
The she-wolf frowned and was obviously not pleased to see her. “Who’s this?”
“It’s pack business. Leave. I’ll call you later.”