"Just do me a favor and no leaving the pack again," I told him. He nodded.
"I won't let bad parents force me out of the pack again," he admitted with determination. My heart went out to him and I touched my hand to his arm. Like Bay, he was another werewolf who had not gotten along with his parents and this had led him to leave the pack.
"If you need anyone to talk to, you know where I am," I offered, feeling bad for him.
"Thank you."
I wandered down to the medical center where I found Bay alone in her room.
"Can I come in?" I asked as I popped my head in.
"Sure," she said as she adjusted herself slightly. "Hopefully I'll be out today."
"I'm glad you're feeling better," I said, standing beside the bed.
"I am," she replied. She gave me a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
It wasn't any of my business but I couldn't let it go.
"I think Flynn was the one who wanted to know how you were."
Her gaze dropped to her hands.
"It doesn't matter," she replied with a shrug, but she couldn't hide the emotion in her features. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she cared.
"I just don't want you to think that the bond that you made with him was nothing," I told her. "It saved us."
Her features were tight as she raised her eyes to mine.
"If it's okay with you, I would rather not talk about it," she said. I felt sympathy for her. "I want to move on and forget about it."
I understood her reasons. She had gotten quite fond of Flynn and, irrespective of his views of our kind, they'd gotten close. Close enough for him to have gone against everything he had lived by. It was weird to think that Flynn cared for anyone, but that was the only way to explain what had changed his direction.
"Sure," I replied, respectful of her wishes.
"Thanks," she said.
"If you need anything, I'm here," I told her, needing to repay her in some way. 'Thank you' didn't seem to be enough for saving my life and the life of my mate.
She nodded. As I left, I looked back at her and she was staring off into the distance outside the window. Despite her words and her indifference, the situation with Flynn and the Keepers I was sure was still playing heavily on her mind.
On the way out, down the hallway from Bay's room, I bumped into James.
"How are the ribs?" I asked, and he touched his ribs.
"Good," he replied. "Still a little tender but I should be good soon."
We were lucky we healed so quickly.
"How's Bay?" he asked, knowing I'd been to see his sister.
"She's okay."
He pulled a hand through his hair.
"I'm worried about her," he admitted. He had spent most of his life worrying about his younger sister.
She had always been one to break the rules and push the limits. James was the total opposite. He reveled within order and rules. It was one of the reasons he made such a good beta.
