Chapter 22

Skender was standing in front of the room that Jacque's friends were staying in when he heard the elevator ding to announce its arrival. He couldn't help his natural instinct to take up a defensive posture when he was protecting something. When no one immediately exited the elevator, his wolf perked up. He sniffed the air and sharpened his hearing. He could smell a human and hear breathing. There was someone on that elevator, someone not conscious by the sound of their slow breathing. He moved quickly before the doors could close and a steady stream of curses in his native tongue began to flow from his mouth at the sight of one of Jacques' friends in still form in the floor, the one called Sally. He quickly scooped her into his arms and hurried towards her room. He knocked before opening, hoping that he would hear the other one, the mouthy one they called Jen, answer. The response was louder than any words could have been. Skender had learned that sometimes silence was the worst kind of noise. He opened the door slowly, only to confirm his fears. The room was empty. He carried Sally in and laid her on one of the beds, checked her pulse and watched her for a few seconds to make sure her breathing was steady. Then, as quietly as he entered, he left. All the while, the silence that filled the room screamed at him. Once in the hall he debated over and over in his mind whether to go search for Jen or call Vasile or Decebel and let them know what was going on. He could only imagine the wrath that Decebel would reign down on him. His actions towards Jen may not be obvious to him, but everyone else saw it, and if he found out she was missing he would tear Skender apart. Maybe I can wait just awhile to see if she comes back, if not then I will panic. In the back of his mind he knew he should call his Alpha, but fear stayed his hand.

Jen turned toward the guy approaching her. As he got closer, she realized that he was pretty cute and not much older than herself. The mischief gods were smiling on her tonight.

"You do realize you aren't supposed to be going to the ICU this late, right?" he asked her, totally throwing her for a loop.

"The ICU?" Jen said stupidly.

"Yeah, that's the only thing in the direction your friend just went." When Jen didn't respond but stood there looking back and forth between the direction Sally had gone and back at the cute guy, he spoke again. "I better go get her to keep her from getting in trouble. You need to head on back to whereever it is you are supposed to be."

The part about him going and getting Sally was what finally brought her out of her trance. Jen touched his arm to get his full attention and when he looked at her, she smiled her most seductively adoring smile. "Okay," she paused to look at his name badge, "Matt. You caught me. I was out roaming the hospital because I'm bored out of my mind. I was in a car accident and have been stuck in bed and I'm finally allowed to be up and moving. So here I am little 'ole pathetic me looking for a good time," she paused and winked athim, bringing on a full blush, "in a hospital. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find a good time that maybe came with a few drinks?" Jen said in her most hopeful voice. The guy named Matt looked at Jen, then at the hallway behind her, clearly torn about doing the right thing and the fun thing. Lucky for Jen, she was very good at convincing guys to do the fun thing.

"Well, I was just going to end my shift," he began, but Jen interrupted with a squeal.

"Yay! See, this was fate. You were going to leave work and be bored, and I was going to have to sit in my bed all alone and be bored, but instead we met. Pretty awesome if you ask me." Jen grinned at him adoringly. She wrapped her arm in his as she said, "Lead the way, handsome."

Matt took her to a room marked 'Dietary' in bold letters. "We have beer that is kept on the floors for people who come in and are alcoholics."

"Shut up! Really?" Jen asked.

"Yep, the docs have to write a script for it, though. It's not the greatest but it'll get the job done in a pinch." He grinned at her and Jen saw that he had dimples. She groaned inwardly, if only she hadn't given her heart to another. Wait, WTH, she hadn't given her heart away, what was she thinking? Matt interrupted her inner dialogue when he took her by the hand, and after he had filled his backpack with beer he pulled her out of the room and continued down another hall. They came to a small waiting area tucked around a corner where it was virtually impossible to see. Matt set down his bag and pulled out two beers. He handed her one and kept the other for himself. Jen sat down on the love seat and stared at Matt over the rim of the beer can as she took a sip. "So Matt, what do you do exactly?"

Four hours, 12 beers, and two bags of Cheetos later…

Matt was sitting on the love seat next to Jen while she rambled on about werewolves and how bossy they were. He figured she must've been into reading those paranormal romance books that chicks are so into. When she finally paused, Matt took advantage of her silence by placing his fingers under her chin and turning her face to him. Jen's eyes widened as he began to lean towards her.

"Has anyone told you how pretty you are?" Matt asked her.

Jen giggled. "On occasion." Jen turned her head, slightly cocking it to the side and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to kiss you," he answered bluntly.

"Huh, well I guess that's ok. It is for Jacque, after all."

Matt looked confused by her statement, but she wasn't refusing so he took that as an all clear. He leaned in the rest of the way and pressed his lips firmly to hers. Jen leaned closer into him and allowed him to part her lips with his tongue. This kiss lasted several seconds but Jen abruptly pulled back when she felt Matt's hand slip under the hem of her shirt and graze her skin.