The Alpha's Pack by Tabitha Conall Read Free Book Online

throat out. If it weren’t for Jake and Sam, that’s exactly what she’d be doing. And Sam . . .
    She went back to her dark place. Ted’s second had hurt Sam. She should tear out his throat, too.
    Jake was talking to her from the front seat where he was driving, but she wasn’t listening. Instead, she stared at Sam, sitting on the seat next to her holding his stomach. He was talking to her, too.
    “It’s okay, Dee. I’m all right.”
    She whined. Sam was hurt. Her mate was hurt.
    “Deirdre.” Jake’s voice sounded like a shot that echoed through the car. “Change back, now.”
    She growled.
    Jake spoke more softly. “Sam needs you.”
    Her mate needed her. She bent herself to the hard work of changing again so soon.
    A few minutes later, Deirdre sat next to Sam, naked and human once again. Jake tossed his shirt to her and she put it on. “How are you?” She reached toward Sam’s wound, but didn’t touch him.
    “I’ll live,” he said. “But it hurts like a bitch.”
    “We need to get you cleaned up,” she said softly, her voice a little hoarse.
    They pulled up to the B&B. Jake parked in back, then came around to help Sam out of the car.
    Hopefully they wouldn’t run into anyone on their way in. Jake’s shirt reached her mid-thigh but it would still look odd for her to come in with no pants, no shoes, no nothing. And Jake with no shirt.
    Sam refused to let Jake carry him, but allowed him to help. Deirdre held the door for them then followed them through. They made it up to Jake’s room without incident, although taking the narrow stairs made helping Sam difficult. Sam went straight to the bed and sat.
    “Lie down,” Deirdre said.
    “I need my stomach muscles to lie down,” he said. “I think that’s going to hurt. A lot.”
    “Then I’ll help you.” Deirdre could lift Sam if she needed to; one of the perks of being a werewolf. So helping him lie down shouldn’t be a big deal.
    Just as she got Sam situated on the bed, Jake brought a small first aid kit from the bathroom. “How’s it look?”
    “Not sure yet,” she said. “Sam, honey, we need to look at the wound.”
    Sam moved his hand away from where he’d been pressing on it. The fabric of his shirt was stuck to his skin, so it was hard to tell how bad the wound really was.
    “We need to get that fabric out of the way,” Deirdre said.
    “Might be easiest if we cut it.” Jake rummaged through his kit.
    “We’ll still have to peel it off his skin.”
    “Yeah, but it’ll come easier if we don’t also have to push it up in the back and sides.” He pulled out a pair of scissors. “Trust me. Not my first rodeo.”
    Deirdre stepped out of the way so Jake could cut the shirt.
    Sam briefly raised his head to watch, then dropped it back on the pillow again. “Shit. That was one of my favorite shirts.”
    “Seriously? That’s what you’re worried about?” Deirdre put her hands on her hips, which made Jake’s shirt rise to dangerous heights. She should probably put some clothes on. Except—shit, she didn’t have a thing to wear. Nothing.
    Well, they could worry about that later.
    “I’ll heal,” Sam said. “The shirt won’t.”
    Jake peeled back the pieces of fabric to reveal a bloody mess. Still impossible to tell how bad the actual wound was. Jake tossed some gauze pads at her. “Here. Go get these wet. I’d use wash cloths, but the B&B would have a problem with it.”
    She wet the pads then brought them back to the room. Jake put out his hand, but she said, “I can do it.”
    “We’re not going to fight over which of us gets to take care of him.” Jake still had his hand out.
    Damn alpha. She put the gauze in his hand.
    “Thanks.”
    Jake cleaned Sam up while Deirdre hovered over him. When all the blood had been washed away, the wound didn’t look as terrible as she’d thought. Deep, but already starting to heal.
    “You’re going to be okay,” Deirdre said.
    Sam opened his eyes to look at her. “I’ve been