Chapter9 Vara Imsotired,butmybodyisextremelyuncomfortable,makingitimpossibletosleep.Imustbeinsomeweirdposition.Did 1fallasleepstudyingagain! When Iopenmyeyes,IrememberimmediatelywhereIam .IminWarrenspackhospitaland1spentmoretimeinonenighttakingcareofinjuredwarriorsthanIvespentinallmydaysof residencyatthehospital. SincemysensesarefullofWarrensteakwoodscent,IknowthatImlayingbesidehimonthebed.However,Ismell Charlieaswell.Whatsstrangetomeisthatneitherofthemistalking. Icarefullyopenmyeyesandwithout moving.Ilookaroundtoseethattheyarelooking at eachother.Theymustbeusing themindlink.Ihaventuseditinyearsandevenbeforethat,Ibarelyusedit,nothavingafamilyorreallyalotoffriendssince Alpha Solomonadoptedme. WhenIrefocusonWarrenlayinginfrontofme ,Iseesomemechanicaldeviceslayingonhisstomach. Whatarethose?Iask ,pushingmyselfupandstretchingmyneckandbackbeforelookingatthetwomen . Thesearetrackingdevices,Yara ,Warrensays,watchingmecarefully, Theressomethinginhislookthatmakesmethinkthatthisissignificant,butforthelifeofme,IhavenoideawhatImmissing.MaybeImjustreallytired. Whatareyoutracking Iask,pickingoneupandlookingatit.Imanaturallycuriousperson.AlphaSolomonfoundittobeasweetpartofmypersonality,butmanypeoplefinditannoying.Iliketounderstandthings,toseethem,touchthem,smellthem.Idontparticularlyliketakingsomeoneelseswordforwhatsomething is.Itcouldjustbetheirinterpretationofwhatitiswhichhappensalotinmedicine. Imnottrackinganything.Whenhedoesntelaborate,Ilookupathim,settingthetrackerbackdown . Thenwhydoyouhavethem? Charlieand mywarriorsfoundthemonyourcarwhenhewant topickit up. Ilookdownatthetrackersagain,thistimeasiftheyaresnakesthatwill lash outandbiteme.IfeellightheadedastherealizationhitsmethatthismustbeSimon.Hefoundme ,oratleastfoundmy car. Whoa,Doc,Warrensaysgently,sittingupandwrappinganarmaroundmywaist.Takeiteasy.Youresafe.Hesomehowmanagestopullmeontothebedwithhim,butImsofocusedonthetrackersthatIbarelynotice. Whysomany?Iwhisper. Someone wantstoknowwhereyou live,whereyougo,Charliesays,watchingmejust asintentlyasWarrenis . WhydoIgetthefeelingthatyoumightknowwho didthis?Warrenasks. …Shit!IfheknowsaboutSimon,hellneverletmeleave.Ijustneedtofigureouthowtogetoutofthis packandgetawayfromherewithoutSimonfindingme.Iwasright,hemusthavetrackedmetotheschool.Ididntnoticeanyoneelse,AnnikaandIdidntsmellanyoneelsearoundthewoodswhenwewentforarun,butthat doesntmean thattheydidntshowupafterward. Ihavenoideawhysomeonewouldbesointerestedintrackingme,Isay,unabletolookateitherWarrenorCharlie.Idontgettheidea thateithermanisstupid,soImsuretheyknowthat Imlying.Ijustneedtimetothink.IneedtofigureoutwhatImgoingtodo. 19:59Sal,Nov30 Chapter9 Isee,Warrensays,anditsobviousthathedoesknowImlyingWell,someoneislookingforyouandsinceIminapackwarwithmultipleAlphas ,Imgoingtoletmypack andpatrolshowthatyouarentallowedanywhereneartheborders. WHAT?Youcantdothat! TmtheAlpha ofthispack .Itsmyjobtokeepyousafe,hesaysSoarrogant! Iamnotyourpack membercondonthavetodoanythingforme,Isay,tryinghardtobefirm.Imprettysureitjustcomes acrossassnarky. Warrenleansin,soclosethatIcanfeelhisbreathonmylips.Nerveendingslightupallovermybodyathiscloseproximity. Youaremymate.Yoursafetyismynumberonepriority Icantlookawayfromhim.HisbrownishgreeneyesareflashingwithfrustrationandalsosomethingthatlookssimilartothedesirethatImfeelingaswell. Ishovemydistracting desireforthismandownandnarrowmy eyesathim.Andjusthowisitthatyouintendtokeepmesafewhenyourlegisstillhealing,Alpha?Hmmm?Youreinnopositiontoprotectanyoneatthemoment. Itsalowblow,onethat Iexpectwillangerhimandhavehimlosinghistemperwithme.ButnotWarren.Ifanything,hetakesmywordsasachallengeandheupstheante. Then.Illguessyoulljusthavetostaybymyside,indefinitely,untilIknowthatyouresafe.IguessthatstheonlywaythatIcanensureyoursafetywhileImhealing Youareinsufferable!Igrowl. That sexysmilespreadsacrosshisface.Isthatwhyyour heartratehasincreased,andyourcheeksareflushed,doctor?BecauseIminsufferable?Ormaybeitsmyinsufferabilitythathasyoupracticallycrawlingintomy lap Wha…Isay,lookingdownandrealizethathehassomehowmanagedtoget metoleanoverhisbodyasifIm abouttostraddlehim.AsifIwasaboutto…ohgood grief!IhopehedidntmistakewhatIwasdoing. I…Thisisveryinappropriate,tobesure,Isay,scramblingoffthebedquickly. Ididntfinditinappropriateatall,littlemate,hepurrs.Iignorethat. Imobviouslytired,notthinkingstraight…Igesturetothetrackersstilllayingonthisbed.Imoverwroughtwithconcernforwhowouldbedoingthis.And,youneedyourrest.Illletyougetsomesleep,Isay,takingasteptowardthedoor.ThatsasfarasI getbeforehespeaks. Idontthinksodoctor.Ijusttoldyouthatyoullbeatmysidefortheforeseeablefuture.Ifyoureleaving,Illjusthavetohopoutofbedandfollowyou,hesays,andIturntoglareathim. Doesthatseemlikeanappropriatetherapeuticapproachtoyou,BetaCharlie? No,Alpha.Itdoesnt,hesays,turningtolook atme,notabletohidehissmile. Yeah,Idefinitely dontlikeyou,Igrumble. Goodtoknow,sinceyoureMYmate,Warrensays,his smilebecomingferal. וי Ihuffathim .Ineedtocheckon myotherpatients,Isaytohim,reallyneedingtogetoutofthisroomwiththis mans incrediblescenteverywhere.Itsmakingithardtothink. Charliewillcomewithyou,hesays. Idontneedachaperone ,Alpha ,Isnap. 2//3 Sal,Nov30 Chapter9 ConsiderhimaguardthenItshimorme,hesays. Iturn,headingtothedoor.Idontlikeyouverymucheither,grumbletomyself. Imanacquiredtaste,hesays. Iyankthedooropen,turningtoseehimgrinningatmeasifhewonthisroundofwordslinging.AsIstepoutoftheroom,Ihave toadmit,heprobablydel 0 After her grandfather's death, she unexpectedly discovers that both her sister and boyfriend betrayed her, taking away the family fortune left by her grandfather. Determined to seek revenge, she decid...