Rebecca’s Wolves(85)

Miles had always found the man to be a bit odd and rather reclusive, but he was raised to respect his elders, and he took that seriously. If the man had an animal in distress, Miles would not leave him high and dry.

With this in mind, Miles pulled up to the condo and faced Griffen. “Gotta go see a man about a horse.” He grinned.

Griffen chuckled. “How often do you use that line?”

“In my job? Nearly every day.”

“Well, check in and let me know if you need anything. Guess I’ll go back to bed.”

Miles glared at Griffen. “Sure, you do that. The rest of us will make the big bucks.”

“Riiight. Talk to me about that in the middle of ski season,” Griffen teased as he exited the truck. “Later.”

Miles headed for the reservation as soon as Griffen shut the door.

The last thing he wanted to do was drive forty-five minutes on not enough sleep, but that was his job.

As the sun peeked over the horizon, he turned up the radio and slapped his knee to the music to keep himself awake and focused as he drove. He tried to dip into Rebecca’s mind a few times, but his mate was obviously swamped because she was not available for idle chitchat.

When he pulled up and parked between Randal’s barn and his dilapidated house, he shut off the engine and watched as the older man emerged from the back of the house.

“Bartel. Thanks for coming.” Peaceman didn’t make eye contact. In fact his brow was furrowed. That wasn’t unusual by itself. After all, the man was worried about his horse, and as far as Miles knew, Randal only had one horse.

Miles approached Peaceman with an outstretched hand the older man ignored as he walked past him. It unnerved Miles a bit, and he pondered why the man had been in the house instead of the barn.

Even more perplexing was the direction Miles’ thoughts went concerning the horse. If the man had only one horse, how did it get pregnant? And if Miles wasn’t mistaken, the horse Randal owned was not female. Plus, the guy lived way out from town, secluded. He didn’t have the personality or the financial wherewithal to arrange for a breeding.

Hell, his house was falling off the frame. Miles twisted his neck to look back over his shoulder as he followed Randal. He cringed. It was a wonder the man had running water and electricity in that house. It was older than dirt. Why wasn’t anyone on the reservation keeping an eye on this man? He clearly needed more assistance than Miles could provide.

Miles followed a silent Randal into the barn and continued at his rear until they reached the last stall. An empty stall.

The barn was as quiet at its owner. There was no evidence of any animals at all.

Miles furrowed his brow and reached one hand up to scratch his head, perplexed. “Randal, where’s your horse? I’m confused.” As he turned to face the older gentleman, he found himself backing up a step at the feral look in the man’s eyes and the growl he emitted.

Then Randal lifted his hand so fast, Miles didn’t have a chance to wrap his brain around Peaceman’s intentions before the old guy jabbed a needle in Miles’ arm.

Miles jerked back, but it was too late. “What the fuck?” Whatever had been in the syringe was already going to work. He lowered himself slowly toward the ground as his mind went blank and his limbs stopped functioning properly. “Shit. Randal? What the fuck?” he repeated, his words slurring.

And then everything went black.

•●•

Rebecca stopped in her tracks as the rumbling started. She knew instantly what was happening. After all, she’d been through two earthquakes already in the last week.

But this was different.

The entire hospital shook as if some giant picked it up from the outside and swung it around and around his head.

She lost her balance and fell to the floor, grabbing onto the edge of the desk as she went down. The computer on the counter above her head slid forward as she watched in horror.

At the last second it careened the other direction and crashed to the ground.

Then there was the screaming. Adults, kids, babies, anyone with a voice box.

The vibrations from the massive earthquake didn’t let up. It seemed like forever while the walls shook, the ceiling tiles fell, and chairs skidded across the room all over the waiting area. It probably lasted less than a minute, but for anyone who’d never been through an earthquake of this magnitude, it was the most frightening experience.

Finally, the earth settled.

The screaming did not.

Rebecca jumped to her feet and took a cursory glance around the room. No one appeared to be pinned or bleeding. Scared, yes, but not dying.

Someone grabbed her arm, and she spun around to see Marian behind her. “I’m heading to the rooms behind me. Can you check the hall to the left?”