"Fine," Kaelen finally conceded as they wheeled me into the emergency room, "but you stay where I can see you."
His voice was strained with pain, yet still carried that unmistakable Alpha command. Even wounded and bleeding, he maintained his protective stance, refusing to lie down on his own gurney until I was safely positioned nearby.
"Sir, we need to examine your back," a doctor insisted.
"Then do it with her in the room," Kaelen growled.
I watched nurses exchange knowing glances. They'd clearly dealt with protective shifter mates before, though perhaps none as stubborn as my Alpha.
"Kaelen," I said softly, reaching for his hand. "Let them help you."
Blood soaked through the temporary bandages the paramedics had applied. His normally tan complexion had taken on an alarming pallor, making his green eyes seem even more vibrant by contrast.
"I'm not leaving you," he insisted.
