The words, as they left her body, had a life of their own. She couldn’t quite grasp the thoughts but everything was different.

Josh’s face swam into focus. “There you are, beautiful.” His smile wavered at the edges. He was pale, but he smelled good. He smelled hers. Had she been able to smell him like this before?

“Who’s the dish?”

The female in the room laughed and stepped into Michelle’s vision. Inside her, an irrational anger stirred that such a pretty woman stood so near Josh. She pushed it back and nearly puked when a growl came from her lips.

Michelle knew she blushed as heat blasted her neck and cheeks.

“I’m wildly flattered. I don’t think I’ve been thought of as a dish in years. Maybe never. I’m Grace Warden. I’m Supreme Alpha here in North America. I’m also a doctor. Is it all right if I check you over? Take your vitals and the like?”

“Yes, sure. What happened?”

“Can I keep her hand while you do?” Josh asked, his voice rusty.

She squeezed the hand in hers. “Better not let go.” She croaked this out and realized how thirsty she was. When she got the energy to speak again, she’d ask for water.

“Never.” He brushed a kiss against her knuckles. Knuckles covered in dried blood.

Grace efficiently moved, measuring, doing her doctor thing as Michelle struggled to stay awake.

“You’re doing better than the last time I checked you.” Grace smiled down, brushing the hair from Michelle’s forehead. “I’m going to tell you that you were shot sixteen times. Your kidneys were both destroyed, three shots to your lungs, your intestines had multiple holes. You lost so much blood I’m quite frankly shocked you were still alive when they got you here to me. The only explanation is that you’re a badass bitch, as my sister-in-law Nina would say.”

Grace held a glass of water with a straw to Josh, who brought it to Michelle’s lips, and she drank greedily.

“Take it easy or you’re going to throw it back up.”

She might have been exhausted and weak and woozy, but her brain wasn’t broken. And she knew with all that damage, it had to be two months later, which wasn’t true as Josh wore the same clothes and was still covered in blood. Her blood. It was hours later, not weeks or days.

“Want to tell me why I’m still breathing after all that damage?”

Grace stood back, and Josh got closer, brushing his lips over hers, over her eyelids, rubbing his face against her cheek and things that had knotted up inside seemed to ease. She responded to him with a rumbled sigh, and she knew right then, before he said anything.

“You were going to die.” This man of hers who kept his control even when things got very bad, who protected her and soothed her, lost it then as tears ran down his cheeks. “I couldn’t lose you.”

“I’m like you now.”

He nodded and then shrugged. “Yes. No. Not quite. You’re better. I mean, aside from being shot sixteen times. Cade is the one who bit you. I’m strong, but if I’d bit you, you’d have been out a few days. It’s only been seven hours. You’re a strong wolf. A live one. I know you’re angry we didn’t ask you first. I apologize—”

“Hush! Did you really think I’d be mad that you saved my life? Am I that high strung and difficult then?”

He paused, his look of anguish softening to humor and affection. “Yeah? Well you’re beautiful and really good with a gun so I guess you can afford to be difficult. Occasionally. It’s just that I never brought it up to you much less asked, and your life is…well, utterly changed.”

“I’m alive. To be with you. To find Allie’s killers. I’m. Alive. Thank you.” And really considering the last ten days or so, being alive as a wolf fell into the plus category.

Grace smiled and thumped Josh on the head with a folder. “See? I told you.” She smiled down at Michelle. “They were all so worried, and I said you seemed a practical sort and would prefer a life with Josh and vengeance for what these monsters did to your friend to death over a silly thing like being so near death you couldn’t be consulted about being turned.”

“I’d laugh but I might vomit if I do.”

“By all means, you’re free not to do that. Josh has been waiting to move you until you woke up, but he’s going to take you to one of our guest rooms so you can sleep. You’re going to need it to let your wolf get acclimated. You’ve done a lot in the last week. Mated, anchored, turned. Your wolf needs as much rest and time with the human as the human needs the same.”

Michelle had a million questions, but she was so tired she couldn’t think. But she did need to tell them about what she’d seen at that house back in Portland.

“Have to tell you what I saw. We rushed here for a reason.”

Grace looked to Josh, who sighed heavily. “I told you,” he said.

“What?”

“Stubborn.” But he smiled when he said it.

“I’ll make you a deal.” Grace nodded at Josh, who bent and picked Michelle up. “Let him get you cleaned up. You’ll feel better after that. Then Cade and I will come up once you’re settled in bed and you can tell him then. And, I hope you don’t mind, but one of the de La Vegas wants to hear what’s going on too.”

Josh growled, and Grace winked at Michelle before she addressed Josh. “This one is Renee, she’s Jack’s mate and a witch. I think she’s going to bring her sister Kendra, who is the female Alpha of the jaguar jamboree. She’s also a witch who took on a cat so she’s eager to meet you. You’ll like her, and we can avoid all this silly boy stuff you guys do anytime another male gets near your mate.”