Page 31 of No Strings Attached

“How do you think?” Morgan yelled. “He ran from me, crashed into the counter, and took a stool down with him, which he fucking landed on! Now he’s staring blankly like his mind snapped.”

“Go get dressed,” Dominic said. “I’ll drive you two to the clinic. Then I’ll come back here and check things out by myself.”

Morgan took the steps two at a time. He ran into his room, dressed, and then grabbed Sam’s shorts from the bathroom. His mate didn’t move as Morgan slid them on.

“I have to pick you up, Sam. I’m sorry if it hurts, but I have to get you to Dr. Baldwin.” Morgan felt as if his chest was being shredded when Sam didn’t respond. He’d done this to Sam. Morgan had fractured his mate’s mind.

As carefully as he could, he lifted Sam from the bed, cradling him close.

Morgan moved as quickly as he could without causing his mate additional pain.

Blood had soaked through the shirt and was now on Morgan’s hands. Dominic opened the front door, moved aside to let Morgan out, and then closed it behind them.

He did the same with his cruiser. As soon as Morgan slid in, careful not to jostle Sam, Dominic closed the door, jumped into the driver’s seat, and took off.

Morgan held Sam close, staring down at his mate. Sam had closed his eyes, but a single tear fell. Morgan gnashed his teeth, inhaling Sam’s ocean-breeze scent as Dominic raced toward the clinic.

“I’m so sorry,” Morgan whispered to Sam. “All I wanted to do was protect and take care of you. There are violent, cruel shifters in the world, just like there are violent and cruel humans. I swear to you I’m not one of them, Sam.”

Dominic pulled into the parking lot of the clinic and got out, opening Morgan’s door. They moved swiftly inside, and it was Sheriff Harper who told the receptionist that they needed Dr. Baldwin right now.

The lady hurried to the back, and a moment later, Dr. Baldwin rushed into the waiting area. He took one look at Sam and scowled. “What happened this time?”

“I’ll tell you in an exam room.”

Morgan followed the doctor to a room, Domonic right behind him. The doctor stepped aside and let Morgan go in first, then the sheriff, before he walked in and closed the door behind him as Morgan lay Sam down on his stomach.

While Dr. Baldwin put on latex gloves, Morgan said, “Someone broke into my garage. I shifted to get a better scent. Sam saw my polar bear, crashed into the counter in a panic, and his back landed on one of the bar stools.”

When the doctor pulled up the T-shirt, several curses slipped from him. “A lot of the sutures were ripped away this time. This isn’t something I can handle in my office. We need to get to the hospital.”

“I’ll take you over there, and then I’m heading back to your house,” Dominic said. “I’ll have a car ready for you when you’re done.”

“It’s better if an ambulance takes him there,” Dr. Baldwin said. “We’ll ride together.”

Thirty minutes later, Morgan sat in the waiting room, his arms feeling so damn empty without Sam in them. He clenched his fists, staring at the blood on him. It was déjà vu all over again.

Only this time it was Morgan who’d caused his mate to be in the hospital and he just might have lost Sam for good. All he kept hearing was Sam shouting that Morgan was one of them.

How could he have fucked up so badly? Just when he and Sam were getting closer, when his mate was letting his guard down, Morgan had ruined it. He’d taken Sam’s fragile trust and smashed it all to hell.

Morgan had no idea what he was going to do if Sam never wanted to see him again.

* * * *

Sam opened his eyes to find himself in another hospital room, only this time Morgan wasn’t at his bedside. Maybe that was good, because Sam was trying his hardest to process everything. He’d heard what Morgan had said to him in the bedroom and the car, how distraught the guy had sounded.

He’d also heard Morgan explain things to Dr. Baldwin, leaving nothing out.

Why hadn’t the doctor been shocked to learn that Morgan was a polar bear? Now the guy’s comments made sense. He was a bear of a man. He loved his sweets.

The door to his room opened, but Sam didn’t look to see who it was. His mind was still reeling with what he’d found out.

Dr. Baldwin sat at Sam’s bedside. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal. I had to replace the sutures you tore out. It wasn’t pretty, but I’ve repaired the damage.”

Sam didn’t say a word because he wasn’t sure what to say.

The doctor placed a hand on Sam’s lower arm. “It’s natural for your mind to detach while you’re dealing with trauma, Sam. It’s your brain’s way of coping.”

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