It was a lost cause. The darkness swallowed me whole.
Sixteen
Lincoln
I supported Sloane, keeping her close to me. We wobbled up the steps and into the house.
She tripped over her own feet and almost fell, and she would have if I hadn’t been holding her. I just needed to get her back to the room. I didn’t want anyone to see her like this, not after she’d finally cemented her spot within the pack.
I shoved the bedroom door open just as her legs gave out. I fumbled to catch her and then swept her into my arms, taking her to the bed.
The door clicked shut behind me. I hadn’t closed it though.
I tensed, ready for a fight if need be. My lip curled up, fists ready as I turned around.
But then I dropped my hands. It was Kathleen.
She blinked wide eyes a few times and then snapped into action. “My goodness, what’s happened?”
I untied the shirt that Brandon had wrapped around her leg. Then I ripped her jeans the rest of the way to expose her upper thigh.
“Alpha Dane’s men hit us with their car,” I explained. “Her leg got stuck. Brandon had to pull her out.”
Kathleen made a ticking sound. “This wound is deep. It’s unfortunate that you were not able to stop to shift. It will most likely scar now. And the risk for infection is higher.”
I put the back of my hand on Sloane’s cheek, something my mother had done when I was sick. She felt cool to the touch, so there was no fever.
“She’ll be okay, though, right?” I asked.
Kathleen pressed her fingers along the edges of the gaping wound and then surveyed the damage to Sloane’s face and head. “All in all, I think she’s rather lucky. She should be fine. I recommend she shift as soon as she wakes up. We should get some food into her belly as well. With all the excitement of the day, she’s got to be famished.”
I wiped away a smudge of dirt from just underneath her eye. “How long do you think until she regains consciousness?”
Kathleen sighed and picked up the necklace that she seemed to always wear around her neck. She rubbed the charm between her thumb and forefinger. “I don’t suspect long. She’s probably just exhausted, and the injuries and then the fight didn’t help.”
To prove Kathleen’s point, Sloane grunted.
She turned her head back and forth, and her brows drew together. “What happened?”
Kathleen sat down on the bed, picked up her hand, and gave the back of it a kiss. “You gave me another near heart attack, my sweet girl. One of these days, you’re going to succeed.”
Sloane groaned. “Mom.”
Kathleen patted her hand. “Oh, I’m only teasing. Mostly. How are you feeling?”
Sloane blinked up at the ceiling, narrowing her eyes like she was thinking. “Tired. Sore. The room stopped spinning though, so that’s good, right?”
She let out a nervous chuckle.
Kathleen pressed her lips into a thin smile. “That’s very good. I want you to get up and shift as soon as you think you’re able to walk. Lincoln will go with you.”
I nodded at Kathleen.
Sloane turned and squinted at me. “Thanks for helping me get inside so I didn’t collapse in front of the pack.”
I gave her a kiss on the forehead. “You did great up there, sweetheart. I’m proud of you.”
Kathleen brushed some hair out of Sloane’s face. “I didn’t know that you could fight like that. Your father never thought you or Erica would need to learn. A mistake he regretted.” Her voice broke.