Page 5 of Call Don't Fall

“Sir, I mean, Doctor—”

“I know what’s going on. Thought you were going to make me bite you in order to sedate his wolf,” Bane said. “That’s not normal. Have you told him? I’m guessing not. If you had I doubt he’d have let you out of his sight. Why haven’t you told him?”

“There isn’t a clear protocol for the situation, and I’d like to have my job on the other side of this. I enjoy working here and helping people. I like my coworkers, and the commute is nice too.”

Bane cocked his head to the side as if listening to one link or another and nodded.

“No one’s getting fired for meeting their mate,” Bane shook his head.

“Is he healthy enough to even hear …”

Bane held up a hand to silence me and pointed down the corridor. I followed him to the elevator.

“He’s fine. Wolfen diabetes isn’t all that uncommon. You know that. I know everything you learned in school fell out of your ear when you got your first whiff of him, but it’s still true. What we need you to do is relax. The calmer you are, the calmerthe patient will be. Believe me. That counts doubly when the patient in question is your mate.”

“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” I asked him as he pressed the button to call the elevator up.

“It wasn’t my business. The patient was sedated, and I figured having the others hovering around to see how you two would react to each other would do more harm than good. I’ll take a look at him, and he’ll need to follow up with his doctor. I’ll be back in Heartville before time for that appointment comes around. You know that. You know the drill probably better than some doctors here.”

“I do,” I said, tentatively.

Nurses were usually ass deep in the most human parts of medicine, but the doctors didn’t usually like to admit that. Bane Hemlock had never been stuck up as far as I knew but I wasn’t taking any chances. So far, my wolf didn’t want to take a bite out of him, and I wanted to keep it that way.

“Most wolves can control it with diet after a while,” I nodded.

“Exactly,” Bane said as the elevator chimed open.

I almost told him I was surprised he didn’t have his own private elevator but didn’t want to press my luck. I just wanted to get back downstairs to Chasten and help him get away from everything annoying him.

“And I’m not the one you need to tell about the time off. Just let HR know what happened between you two and they’ll take good care of you,” Bane said as the elevator doors chimed open and let us out on Chasten’s floor.

“I’ll give you---” I started but Bane shook his head.

“Tell him whenever you want. That part isn’t my business,” Bane said. “I’d say sooner rather than later would be best. Omegas don’t like being lied to by omission. Once is probablyokay but much longer and it’s going to feel a lot like you omitted it on purpose and he’s gonna wonder why.”

“Uh – because his wolf is still sedated and he’s ---”

“Had a little fainting spell?” Bane laughed. “And bit you?”

“That wasn’t a real bite. That was a love nip!”

Bane stopped and looked at me. Then he laughed and shook his head.

“That wolf’s gonna wake up soon. It was a light sedative to give him a nap while we worked out his meds and stats. That wolf knows and he’s not going to shut up about you once he wakes up. I’m not your boss per say where this is concerned but I’d hit the locker room to get ready for introductions.”

“How could his wolf know?”

“Unless you shot up with pheromone blocker in your veins, friend, he tasted your blood. It’s not just smell that begins a true-mate response. That cat – er – wolf will be out of the bag soon. You do want him to know, right?”

“Once he feels better would be ideal,” I said.

Bane shook his head and flashed me a knowing look. I was too old for anyone to flash me a look that said they’d been there, done that, and got the T-shirt. Sure, I was still young for a shifter, but I wasn’t that young.

“You’ve heard how Lee and I met, right?”

“Everyone knows the story, sir,” I nodded.

“No time will ever be ideal and you’re lucky. Wolfen diabetes doesn’t have angry henchmen,” Bane said.

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