Chapter 17
Seth shows his badge and some papers that he has to allow him to override patient privacy in the case of shifters to a nurse, and she doesn’t seem surprised to see a detective.
“I wanted to ask if there have been any patients admitted with similar symptoms to Dawn Stocker,” Seth asks.
“Let me look,” the small red-haired nurse, Nurse Williams, says, and she goes to a computer on the desk and starts typing away.
“Like I thought, we haven’t had anyone like Miss Stocker here in intensive care, but…” Nurse Williams trails to a stop, looking at Holden.
“But what?” Seth asks. He thinks Nurse Williams recognizes Holden as Dawn’s brother, and realizes he’s not a cop, even though no one had said he was, and with the blue hair, he doesn’t look like one.
“We had a body brought into the ER, but he was already DOA. The cause of death was uncontrolled hemorrhaging. The cause of the bleeding is still unknown,” Nurse Williams explains.
“Was it a shifter or a human?” Holden asks, and it’s a good question; some drugs affect humans and shifters differently.
“A shifter, a were-panther. Male, nineteen. He was found at home, dead in his bed. He’d been out with friends the night before. The doctors assumed it was an overdose,” Nurse Williams explains.
“Can you write down his details? I’d like to look into his case,” Seth says. All he can think is Dawn could have died last night, and he can tell from Holden’s face that he’s thinking the same way.
Seth takes the note Nurse Williams gives him and puts it in his pocket. He’ll text his sergeant soon and let him know they have another case of drugging or poisoning. He’s not sure which it is. Seth thanks the nurse and starts back on the path out of the hospital.
“Dawn could have died,” Holden says softly as they walk.
“You got her to a hospital in time. They can help her. This kid, he was alone by the sounds of it. He was probably alone when he got sick, maybe even asleep. There was no one to help him. Dawn had you,” Seth tries to reassure him.
“I almost didn’t go out last night. Dawn was going to go alone. I wasn’t feeling it. I just wanted to get a pizza and watch bad movies all night. But Dawn was in the mood to dance. Fuck. I’m so glad I went with her.” Holden looks a little pale, so once they get out of the hospital and into the parking lot, Seth does the only thing he can think of.
He stops Holden by touching his arm and then pulls Holden in for a hug.
“You did go, and Dawn is safe. She’s a little sick, but the doctors will take care of her. Me and you, we’re going to find out what she was given, and that’ll help make her better even quicker,” Seth says firmly, close to Holden’s ear.
It’s the first time they’ve ever been this close, and even though Seth’s intent isn’t sexual, the wolf in him doesn’t seem to know that. It’s delighted to be so close to Holden, to have him in his arms. It feels right. Holden is tall, but his body is smaller than Seth, slim and toned. It’s natural for a wolf shifter to be built bigger than a coyote shifter.
“Her eyes were bleeding, Seth. I was so scared. I didn’t know what to do to help her. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her,” Holden says, and he’s holding onto Seth tightly. Seth thinks he was right about Holden needing the physical comfort of a hug.
He’s seen Holden with Dawn, heard what he’s like from Zack (he may have asked about him a few times since they met) and he knows that Holden is a hugger. He’s an affectionate guy. It makes sense that when he’s stressing out, he’d take comfort from being held, and Seth is happy to hold him.
“You won’t lose her. I promise you, Holden. We’ll find a cure. Dawn is strong, she’s healing the damage as fast as it comes. But I give you my word. We’ll help her fight it, and I never break my word.” Seth isn’t lying.
“Thanks,” Holden says softly, and he draws back just far enough to look at Seth in the face, in the eyes.
Seth can’t help wanting to kiss him. Holden is beautiful. But he’s vulnerable right now, and Seth isn’t sure if it would be right to kiss Holden right now, even though they have been flirting since they met.
“I can practically hear the cogs in your brain turning. What’s on your mind?” Holden asks.