Page 55 of Haze

“Finn, it’s Dinah.” The voice sounds tired.

Stepping closer, I check the peephole, and sure enough, the woman from the picture is in blue scrubs, carrying a large bag.

“Finn, open the damn door.” A well-versed growl accompanies her demand.

I do as the woman asks and let her in.

“Thank you.” She walks right over to the counter and sets down the bag. “Help yourself. I’m checking on Lena.”

And with nothing more, she beelines for the bedroom. The door closes with a soft click behind her.

Alarm bells go off in my head. I dart over to the door, open it, and stand there watching.

Dinah looks at me and shakes her head with a huff.

I overreacted. I know this, but my mate is ill.

Dinah dismisses my behavior by muttering, “Spends a heat with a woman, gets all overprotective, typical man.”

Clicking on the lamp on the far side of the room, Dinah eyes me suspiciously before walking back over to Lena.

Dinah is tender and loving toward her. “Hey, Lena, can you wake up for me? I need a few minutes to check you out. Then we’ll get you some food and back to bed, okay?”

Lena stirs. “Finn. Go away.”

Dinah looks at me expectantly.

I shake my head. Not happening.

With a roll of her eyes, Dinah reasons, “I need Finn to stay for a bit. I might need his muscles. I want to make sure you’re okay before I tell him to fuck off. Can you open your eyes for me?”

Lena blinks against the light.

Dinah smiles. “Hey. Good to see you. How you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a bus,” she groans, and her body shakes.

Dinah starts pulling back the blanket.

Lena shivers harder. “Cold.”

“Well, if you hadn’t decided to become your own guinea pig, maybe you’d feel better.” Dinah sasses her.

I’m starting to like her cousin. She’s clearly got the same high spirit. Carefully, Dinah pulls back the final sheet, revealing Lena’s shoulder. Dinah’s scrutinizing eyes dart toward me. Eyebrows raised, she’s silently scolding, like I’m a schoolboy caught by the headmistress in the school office stealing candy.

I pull my T-shirt collar aside, showing her the matching mark. It’s not enough to appease Dinah entirely, but she does relax a bit. I have an odd suspicion Dinah wouldn’t have hesitated to try and gut me if we didn’t have matching marks.

Lena’s drifting in and out of consciousness, and it causes my wolf to pace back and forth.

Working in silence, Dinah does all sorts of prodding and holding Lena’s body. She watches her clock, counting something. Lena doesn’t complain until Dinah gets to her lower abdomen. Her body curls in pain as she groans.

With raised eyebrows, Dinah looks at me for answers.

Shaking my head, I explain, “She hasn’t complained about it. Nothing was abnormal during her heat.”

Biting her lips together, Dinah darts her eyes about as she thinks. Cautiously she moves Lena’s thighs apart. The smell of blood permeates the room.

Dinah pulls her phone out of her scrub pocket and dials. “I need an MRI and an ultrasound.” Dinah’s voice remains calm, but she doesn’t address the person by name. “Yes. Send me the address?” She nods. Her eyes flick up to look at me. “Go eat a few bites of food. We need to move her. I can’t have you biting off anyone’s head.”

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