Page 33 of Marked

“I’m gonna go find a nurse,” Ollie said, then hurried off, escaping more questions from Cameron.

I leaned against the wall to wait. She stood near me, awkwardly crossing and uncrossing her arms. The reporter vanished the second Ollie walked away, and the worried, terrified woman returned. Cameron was just an innocent person who’d been thrust into something she never asked for, awaiting the news that would tell her the depth of the shit she’d found herself in.

“It’s gonna be fine. Don’t worry,” I said, tucking my sunglasses into my collar.

Cameron glanced at me in disbelief. “Seriously? How can you know that? You guys said I might be sick with something. And this guy might be a freaking serial killer. How the hell are you all calm and content? Doesn’t that thought freak you out?”

“I’m calm because I’ve dealt with stuff like this before. That’s why I’m here to begin with.”

“What? Here in the hospital?”

I chuckled at that. “No. I mean in Toronto. I’m what you might call a nomad. I bounce around doing jobs like this all the time. Ollie called me in for this because I’ve seen it before. I’m a bit of an expert, actually.”

That little bit of information didn’t put her at ease. In fact, if anything, the acrid tang of her fear grew more intense. Clearly,the idea that a specialist had to be brought in didn’t inspire awe from her.

Ollie returned with a nurse. Her scent was similar to Ollie’s—a pack member, then. She smiled as she approached Cameron.

“Good afternoon, miss,” she said. “Can you follow me? I’ve got an exam room set up.”

“Uh, sure. Yeah,” Cameron said, and followed.

Ollie and I fell in behind. We’d barely gone ten feet before the nurse spun around and glared at Ollie.

“I’ve got this. No need for bodyguards,” she said, putting a hand on Ollie’s chest to hold him back.

Ollie scowled down at her hand. “She’s under my protection. I should be with her the whole time. It’s procedure.”

“We’ll be five feet away behind a door,” the nurse said with a placating smile.

Grumbling under his breath, Ollie nodded and stepped back.

Cameron was sitting on the exam table, worrying her lip between her teeth as the nurse stepped into the room. I caught her eye and winked. An embarrassed smile flashed across her face, and she blushed. Cute. It was even cuter when she realized what she’d done and lowered her head, obviously mortified. I grinned, but then the nurse closed the door.

Ollie began to pace, and I leaned back, one booted foot up on the wall. I didn’t show my tension the way Ollie did. His nerves were shot, not only from Cameron’s unrelenting questions, but because he was genuinely worried. If we were right, then things would look very bad indeed. Especially since it had happened in Ollie’s pack territory.

“So, what’s the play?” I asked.

“What do you mean?” Ollie asked, pausing his constant pacing.

I rolled my eyes and pointed at the exam room. “What happens next?”

“Oh. She’s going to take a blood sample. I’ll take that to the pack doctor. I’ll need a shifter to check it to be sure. That’s why I got Remona,” he said, nodding toward the door. “She’s part of the pack. JC called her earlier, told her to expect us. I gave her a basic rundown so she knows how important this is.”

“I figured,” I said. “She looks like the pack type.”

“What the hell does that mean, Nate?” Ollie sounded more exhausted than offended.

“You know what it means. The type who likes to settle down, live in the same place with the same people their whole lives. Always knowing what the next day will bring. That type.”

Ollie scoffed and shook his head as he leaned against the opposite wall. “You do know that what you just described is what most people wish for their whole lives?”

I gave him an unconcerned shrug. “Seems boring to me. Like waking up next to the same face every morning. Where’s the excitement in that?”

“Jesus, you’re never going to change, are you? A fucking wild spirit forever and ever, huh?”

I smirked. “You know it, baby.” I nodded toward the door. “Now, back to business. What’s going to happen after this?”

“The pack doctor will test it. He’s the only one who knows what to look for.”

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