Page 74 of The Bull's Head

“Good morning, Dr. Hamilton. … Sorry, Lydia. I apologize for waking you, but—” He turned to Byk. “She wasn’t asleep. She was running tests on Dobie’s latest exam.”

That didn’t make Byk feel any better. Everyone needed sleep, and the vet who was in charge of caring for everyone in Wald seemed to get so little. She was a nice woman, older, with hair that was mostly gray by now. Byk felt the pressures of Wald pack were weighing on her greatly. He found it amazing that a human cared that passionately about shifters, when some of their own people didn’t.

“We—Byk and I—were wondering if there was a way to make him rest for several hours? He’s been having these… I’m going to say visions, and he says they’re more prevalent when he’s asleep. He thinks they hold the key to whatever is going on with his head.”

Byk waited, listening to Teddy’s side of the conversation, wondering what the doctor was saying.

“No, I understand perfectly. That’s wise.”

She’d said no, of course. Why wouldn’t she? It did hurt a little that Teddy wouldn’t even argue the matter. Maybe he didn’t think there was anything wrong with Byk. Maybe he’d just been placating him. Maybe….

Teddy pressed the mute button, then turned to Byk. “She’ll do it, but she needs to have Gwyneth here in case your human side requires help.”

That surprised Byk. Then again, most things in this pack did. “Please tell her I said thank you.” Even though he’d been certain she wouldn’t. Dr. Lydia was an amazing person. Byk wished every shifter leader—no, every shifter—could sit down and take classes on empathy with her. He knew not all humans were like her. He’d dealt with Hyde, after all. But he wanted to believe more were like Dr. Lydia than that psychopath.

Teddy said good night, then put his phone back on the nightstand. He wrestled Byk down onto the bed, then encompassed him in that warmth once more.

“She’ll talk to Gwyneth tomorrow and check in with us when she comes in to see her patients.”

“Thank you. I know you’re worried. So am I. But this is…. Teddy, I have to wonder if I’m insane. I keep hearing these voices, and they’re not all Cooper’s now. There are others, and I think it was something that happened here.”

Teddy drew the blanket up, covering them both. Seeing as how shifters tended to run warm, they didn’t need it. Still, it was comfortable and infused with Teddy’s scent, and it was that which allowed him to drift off to?—

“Callum! Callum! You have to—Callum!”

Heart hammering, Byk lurched up. Once again Coop’s voice invaded his dreams, but now it was louder, much more insistent. He glanced over and found Teddy still asleep. That was one small thing Byk was grateful for. He’d kept Teddy awake too often, and he needed rest. He slid out of bed and put on his clothes. There wouldn’t be any sleep now, especially since his brain was racing.

Byk left the room, quietly closing the door behind him, then headed down to the kitchen. As soon as he walked in, he detected the sweet aroma of hazelnuts, and his mouth watered. It didn’t make any sense, though. He hated hazelnut. Cooper was… no. Why was he craving something that Cooper enjoyed? Why was he hearing his brother in his head? Why had he attacked Teddy, claiming to be Cooper?

He sat at one of the tables and dropped his head onto his folded arms. Everything was going wrong. Teddy had mated a freak. Everyone would be better off if Byk left Wald and hid out in the woods. No one would have to deal with him there. He could be free. He could?—

“Sitting alone in the dark?”

Teddy jerked up and found Sonia dipping her finger into batter, then popping it into her mouth.

“Oh, hi. I’m sorry I haven’t been by recently. Things have been….” He bit back a sob.

“Rough?” She took a seat beside him and rubbed a hand over his back. Normally he’d bristle at someone he didn’t know touching him, but right now, he needed this. He nodded sharply.

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“When you’re in a dark place, and you don’t see a way to get out of the hole you’re finding yourself sinking deeper and deeper into, do what I do. Head to the kitchen and pig out. Well, bull out in your case, I guess. It won’t make the problems go away, but it does make them tastier.” She put the bowl on the table in front of Byk. “Normally I’d insist on utensils, but today seems like it’s made for being bad.”

Teddy followed suit and stuck a finger into the thick goop, then brought it to his mouth. Rich and decadent, he fell for it instantly. “This is amazing.”

“Just remember, you have to share it.”

He pushed it toward her, and she smiled at him.

“No, hon. Not with me.”

“Byk?”

He turned and found Teddy standing there. “Hey.”

“Nightmares again?”

He nodded, then finally dissolved into tears. “Something is wrong with me.”

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