Chapter 57

Chapter 57
“A knock at the door sounded. Ryker Steelheart whipped his head around, a vicious snarl erupting from his chest. I flinched at the menacing air that wafted from the alpha bear. The door cracked open a bit. A head peeked around the door’s edge. The face was round, though somewhat angular, with defined cheekbones. Full lips tipped up in wry amusement. Gray eyes glimmered beneath dark brown strands.
“Would you relax, Alpha?” the male said. “Otherwise, I’ll take my leave and tend to the female’s wounds another time.”
That seemed to catch Ryker Steelheart’s attention, and he ceased snarling. Though his eyes remained trained on the other male’s every movement as he stepped into the room. The strange male wore faded denim jeans that hugged his muscular thighs. A white coat draped over a pressed gray shirt. The foreign male turned his gaze to me and offered a gentle smile.
“Hello, Lyra Frostbite,” he said. “My name is Balin. I’m the healer of the Stoneclaw clan.”
I dipped my head. “Nice to meet you, Balin.”
Balin let out a chuckle as he approached. “Not too many people say that. Usually my greeting falls along the lines of, ‘Help me.’”
My returning giggle caused a sharp pain in my stomach.
“Let’s look at that, shall we?” Balin winked at me.
My teeth sank into my lower lip, drawing blood as the healer removed my shirt and peeled away the gauze, revealing four slash marks spanning my midsection. Dried, crusted blood and dark scabs framing the claw marks formed along the edges. I hissed through the pain. A soft snarl crested from Ryker Steelheart’s lips. He eyed the healer like he was the enemy invading the territory rim. I cast him a withering glare.

“Let the healer do his work, idiot.”
Ryker Steelheart’s eyes snapped alert, and his attention arrested on me. Balin ducked his chin, no doubt to hide his grin. Though his shoulders shook a bit.

Ryker Steelheart’s blue eyes darkened.
Balin leaned over me and poked and prodded at the wounds, though his touch was always gentle and never caused more than a slight wince from me. Finally, he straightened to his full height.
“Well, you will heal,” Balin said. “You are no longer dabbling with death.”
As I looked down at the grisly wounds, my stomach clenched, thinking about how close I had come to dying. A large hand closed around mine. Ryker Steelheart’s. My eyes lifted, connecting with his. He gazed in silence back at me.
“You will heal,” Balin reiterated again. “But it will be slow going from this point on. Though I’ve stopped the bleeding and repaired the damaged organs, you will still recover slower because you’re a latent. You’ve no wolf to aid in your healing.”
That’s what the healer thought. And I had no inclination to correct him. Let others think I was an average latent. I knew I had an inner wolf. She just couldn’t shift.

I thought back to Ryker Steelheart’s words about an enormous wolf made of light.
Would the wolf help me if I wished for it?
I looked deep into myself. My inner wolf was still there, laying on her belly, head resting on her paws. Her coat was a little duller, a tinge of gray. Energy drained.
I heaved a sigh. “So, how long are we talking?”
“Weeks,” Balin said.

I fought back a grumble. “I’ll call my pack and have a transport ready.”
Balin shifted on his feet, his lips pinched at the corners. I raised a brow at him.
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to travel safely or that far.” Balin shot me a grimace. “In your condition, the wound can reopen with too much movement. I strongly encourage bedrest.”
Bedrest?!
My gaze swung to Ryker Steelheart. The determined glint in his eye had my hackles raised.
“The hell I will!”

Ryker Steelheart stood. “Thank you for your help, Balin.”
“Do you hear me, Ryker Steelheart?” A low growl sprung from my lungs.
“I’ll see myself out, Alpha,” Balin replied. He bowed his head and swept from the room, as if sensing the tension that was about to explode in a meltdown like a nuke.

As soon as the door closed, I detonated.
“Ryker Steelheart, I will not⁠—”
“I will have my lieutenant, Amber, send a message to your pack regarding your condition⁠—”
“If you think for one second⁠—”
He interrupted me again. “So, you’ll be unable to travel and be staying with my pack for the foreseeable future.”
“You flea-brained mongrel,” I hissed, fangs bared. “I will not sit here and stay on this bedrest, in your bed.” After tossing off the covers, I swung my stiff legs over the bed’s edge to stand.
“I have no problem handcuffing you to the bedpost.”
My head snapped up. “You wouldn’t dare.”
Ryker Steelheart’s smirk looked like pure wickedness.
“I’ve always wanted to see you handcuffed to my bed.” His gaze turned smoldering. “Make my wet dream come true, Lyra Frostbite.”
I was sure they could hear my answering snarl all the way across his territory.”

LYRA

Ryker’s bedroom housed a total of three thousand five hundred lint molecules. How did I know that? One could only stare at four walls for so long, watch so much TV, that they needed to occupy themselves with something before going mad.