Page 2 of Hayden's Haven
“Ready to go?” Hayden asked them.
“Callen’s not back yet.” Kate’s voice wavered as she stared at the back door.
What Hayden wouldn’t give to have someone worry about him the way Kate worried about Callen. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’ll catch up to us.”
“What if he’s injured?”
“That won’t stop him. Nothing will stop him from getting back to you.”
“I know, but—”
“We’re leaving now, Kate. That’s an order.”
Mila glared at Hayden while she slipped her arm around Kate to help support her. “It wouldn’t kill you to be a bit nicer. Or can’t you tell she’s worried?”
“You ever live in a pack before, Doctor?” Hayden asked, his muscles tensing.
“Yes, but—”
“Then you know how to take orders, I presume. If not, you can stay here. But if you plan to come with Kate and me to our pack, then you’ll learn to keep quiet and follow orders, at least until we’re out of danger.”
Mila’s eyes lowered to the floor. It was so uncharacteristic of her to give in to him like that. Where was the biting remark, the defiant look in her eyes? He had been harsher than he should have been, on both Mila and Kate, but this wasn’t the time to debate who was in charge or to question orders.
Hayden had a responsibility to Kate and to his new charge, but especially to his adoptive pack. They needed Dr. Evans. With Alex gone, she was their only hope of developing a vaccine against SEV-2, the damn Shifter Eradication Virus that had already wiped out entire packs. At last count, nearly twelve hundred shifters had died from the virus and countless more were unable to access their wolves.
The thought of not being able to shift or access any of his shifter abilities sent a chill down Hayden. He’d seen the torment Tess had gone through, and he couldn’t imagine being so helpless. He’d been a strong shifter his whole life. Even when his brother had. . . No, he wasn’t going to think about that. He would focus on getting Mila to Damien’s pack so she could develop a working vaccine. The vaccine Alex had developed was no longer effective. The virus had mutated, and it was only a matter of time before the virus reached his pack.
Hayden scooped up Mila’s backpack. It was heavy, full of who knew what, but they didn’t have time to go through it now. He had to trust that she needed the contents.
“Let’s move.”
The back exit and alley behind the old bakeshop were clear. Hayden led the way, with the women at his side. After only a few minutes of walking through the woods, the women were falling behind. Traveling over uneven terrain was too slow in human form, and his wolf itched to be freed.
Hayden dumped Mila’s backpack on the ground and started stripping out of his clothes. “We need to shift, at least until we’re a few miles deeper into the woods. Shifter or human, whoever those men are, they’ll catch up too easily at the rate we’re moving.”
Kate pulled away from Mila, ready to strip and shift. Mila put a hand on her, stopping her. “She’s too weak to shift, Hayden.”
“I can do it,” Kate piped up, even as she sagged against a tree.
Mila gave Kate a soothing smile. “Shifting’s too much of a strain for you right now.”
“It’s better than a bullet between her eyes,” Hayden said.
Mila’s face hardened. “Are you always such an ass, or just when you’re under pressure?”
Kate put her hand on Mila and immediately Mila’s expression softened. “He wouldn’t suggest it if it weren’t necessary,” Kate said.
“I don’t need you defending me, Kate.” Hayden walked up to Mila, stopping only inches from her. At that moment, he realized what a foolish move that had been. He had meant to intimidate her into following his lead at least until they put enough distance between them and the men searching for them.
Her scent, lilac and morning dew, filled his lungs, distracting him in a most inappropriate way. His cock stirred and Hayden realized he enjoyed fighting with her, trying to get the upper hand and riling her in the process. Seeing her cheeks flush when she was overwhelmed was downright sexy and something he wanted to see more often—but alone, in private. Now was not the time to even ponder what having her in his bed would be like, not with their lives at risk.
“This is the last we’re having of this conversation, Doctor. Your safety, both of yours, is my responsibility.” He glanced at Kate to make sure she was okay. She was in mid-shift, having already stripped and shoved her clothes into her small bag. It wasn’t the backpack she had taken with her when she went to hack the WSSO, but from the look of it, it was fairly stuffed, though considerably lighter than Mila’s. Kate’s shift was flawless and fast, despite the fever she was running.
“See, she’s shifted. No problem.”
“I know what I’m talking about,” Mila said.
“I’m sure you do. And when we have a medical crisis, I’ll defer to you. But keeping us alive and getting us out of here, all of us, is my responsibility. You’ll defer to me, understand?”
