Page 79 of Healing Creek
Clayton scowled then sighed when he saw Creek would not answer. “And I suppose that is who provided us with your coordinates on the planet surface.”
“Yes,” said Creek.
“And you and this mercenary took down all of the men we found in the lab?” Clayton looked satisfied with his own assumption, but Creek couldn’t resist the urge to contradict him.
“No.” Creek turned his gaze on Helen. “That was Jennifer and Grace. They used some chemical to knock the men out.” That much was true.
“Are you going to tell me they also slashed up half the guards?” The Lieutenant caught his attention with the question.
“Not at all. I don’t know how that happened. Perhaps a wild animal got into the lab.”
Clayton eyed his hands and the newly regenerated claws.
Helen slapped a hand down on the table. “I think you have enough explanation to take action against Roma in this matter.”
“We certainly have enough information to move forward against Dr. Smith and the guards at the lab. We’ll have to investigate to proceed beyond that.”
From there the conversation turned to the need to question Grace. Creek’s jaw clenched as Helen and Jennifer explained that Grace was in a coma. They informed Clayton that they would send him a recorded statement when she was well enough. Helen also protested when the Lieutenant wanted to subject Creek to a DNA identity check. He was glad to have such a strong alpha arguing on their behalf. She could be trusted to look after Grace.
His heart beat slower in his chest and his muscles weakened as if he was once again bleeding out from a gaping hole in his shoulder, only this time Grace would not save him, and this time instead of his shoulder, it was his heart. He would never again allow her to risk her own life for his.
He’d been ready to give up his life the day of the auction. Now, he had far too much to do before he could surrender to sweet death. Yet, somehow his senses told him he was already in the grave.
Chapter Thirty-Five
TheSpark
EarthAllianceBetaSector
2210.207
Creek stared out of the observation port at the stretch of the ship-to-ship spanner between theAbundanceand theSpark.
“It is an impressive vessel.” Jupiter stood at his side.
David Hobbs-Venter’s ship was a sleek work of art in comparison to the heavily fortifiedAbundance. Apart from the two ships, the space around them was empty. “I’m more impressed at how quickly they convinced the Alliance to leave the area despite my presence.”
“You were over there a long time. Is she doing better?”
Grace. His world. He’d sat at her bedside while her family tended her, despite their protests that it wasn’t necessary. “They put her in a medical coma while they accelerated the replication of her medi-bots. They said it would be easier on her.”
“But she’s better now?”
“I left before she woke, but they said she would be back to normal as long as she did not give up her blood again.”
“That is good then.” Jupiter folded his arms across his chest then cocked his head to the side as he studied Creek. “You’re going to bring her back before the spanner is removed, right?”
“I’m going over to check on her one last time. I need to see for myself that she’s well.”
Jupiter frowned. “If you don’t bring her back to the pack, how will you be assured she is always safe?”
Creek’s heart screamed to agree, but his brain slammed shut a door on the shouts inside him. “She has a pack of her own. A very powerful one.”
“So do you.”
Jupiter’s words echoed in his ears as he walked toward the opening to the spanner. It pained him that she would no longer be his to protect, but she did not belong in his world. Danger lurked at every turn, every port, every battle in the war they would one day win.
He crossed the spanner with more fear than he’d had going into any battle. He’d been injured, he’d suffered pain, even his own death, but he’d never suffered a loss like the one he now faced. He stepped onto theSparkand walked among the uniformed crew until he arrived at the med-bay.
