“What is that?” Ashleigh asked, staring at the pieces of the bloody arrow.

“Oh, that?” Bell asked with a bright smile. She tilted her head to the side and looked at Granger as she answered. “That’s the arrow that was pulled out of Galen’s abdomen. Ya know, the one that Granger shot him with?”

Ashleigh gasped.

“I didn’t shoot him,” Granger replied.

“Bullshit!” Bell shouted angrily, gripping her hands on the railing of the bed.

“Bell!” Ashleigh shouted back.

Ashleigh jumped up, blocking Bell’s view of Granger, who smiled at the action.

“You need to calm down,” Ashleigh said, a low warning growl emanating from her throat, “Granger isn’t well!’

Bell pulled back, looking her friend up and down.

“You have no idea.” Bell scoffed, glaring at Granger over Ashleigh’s shoulder.

“I didn’t shoot him, Bell,” Granger said quietly, sadly. Then, peeking around Ashleigh to look at Bell, he mouthed the words ‘I stabbed him,’ followed by an aggressive stabbing motion and a twisted smile.

“You bastard!” Bell snarled, lunging for him.

Ashleigh was quick. She threw herself against Bell, knocking her friend back across the room to slam her against the wall with a heavy thud and a cry of pain.

“Bell?” Ashleigh called out when she realized what had happened._.

As she was about to move towards Bell, two nurses came running into the room. The first immediately went to Bell. The other stood between the two friends, attempting to protect one from the other.

“Ash,” Granger called out, his voice weak again. “Is she ok?”

Ashleigh moved back to Granger’s side. She took his hand and looked back towards Bell.

“I don’t know.”

After another moment, the nurses helped Bell to her feet. Ashleigh moved to stand, but Granger’s hand held her back. She looked at him to see if something was wrong, but his eyes were closed.

“Granger?” she called, “are you ok?”

“Sorry,” he said softly, as his eyes fluttered open. He smiled weakly, “just feeling a little dizzy is all.”

Ashleigh sat back down beside him. She reached out and touched his hair, concerned that he had a concussion or head trauma of some kind.

As Ashleigh carefully looked over her mate, he glanced at the door, watching Bell leave the room. Their eyes met.

‘She is mine; she will always be mine.’

No words had been said out loud, but somehow, Bell understood his eyes clearly. Although she felt a cold shiver run down her spine, she could only sigh sadly as she was led away without so much as a glance from her friend.

Granger smiled to himself as Bell left his view.

Ashleigh glanced back when she was sure she didn’t see any wounds on his head, but Bell was already gone.

‘I need to check on her,’ she stood to go after her.

“Ash…” Granger called her.

“Yes?”

“Don’t leave me,” Granger pleaded miserably.

Ashleigh sat back down beside him.

“Of course not,” she smiled. Then, looking back up at the door once more, she sighed.

***

Granger had fallen asleep not long after Bell had left, but each time Ashleigh moved to get up, he would stir. In the end, she stayed beside him for the two hours he napped. When Granger opened his eyes, he was pleased to see her still beside him, still holding his hand.

‘Right where you are supposed to be,’ he thought to himself as he touched her cheek softly.

She was asleep, and she shivered slightly at the touch. Granger carefully pulled his hand from hers and got up from the bed. He lifted her and laid her down, covering her with a blanket.

There was a light knock at the door. Granger turned to see Alpha Wyatt standing there. He put a finger to his mouth to show that he wanted them to be quiet and then pointed to the hall.

They walked out together, leaving Ashleigh to rest.

“My Alpha,” Granger said, saluting him properly. “It’s a pleasure to see you, sir.”

“I’m glad to see you are doing well, Granger. I heard that there was an incident between you and Beta Galen. I thought I should look into it myself.”

“Yes…” Granger said, turning his gaze away nervously.

“What is it?” Wyatt asked.

Granger looked around them, and there were nurses in either direction.

“Maybe we should talk in a more private place?” Granger suggested.

Wyatt looked around and then nodded, they found an empty patient room nearby and ducked inside, closing the door behind them.

Wyatt turned to face Granger; his look was serious.

“Why did we need to speak privately?” he asked.

“My Alpha,” Granger began, “The incident with Beta Galen, I don’t feel comfortable with the details being made public.”

“Why is that?” Wyatt asked, crossing his arms, “surely, it’s not a pride thing? So, you took a bit of a beating. Galen is well known for his combat skills.”

“No, sir,” Granger quickly said, “it’s not about that at all, though there is a level of pride involved.”

“Speak,” Wyatt said.

“My Alpha,” Granger sighed, “Beta Galen and I disagreed about Ashleigh.”

Granger moved away as though he felt uncomfortable with the topic.

“Honestly, there was something that I wasn’t completely honest about when we spoke of Alpha Caleb the other day,” Granger said sadly.

“What do you mean?” Wyatt asked, stepping closer.

“As I said, there was a matter of pride. I didn’t want to admit to you that Ashleigh had been influenced by Alpha Caleb.”

“Influenced?” Wyatt asked. “Influenced how?”

Granger once more looked away from Wyatt as though he were suffering something that weighed heavily on him.

“Alpha Caleb is an attractive and charming man. Many women have found him to be quite irresistible. In her time at Summer, it seems that Ashleigh grew fond of him,”

“What are you saying!” Wyatt snarled.

Granger dropped to his knee and lowered his head in submission.

“My Alpha, I… I… I mean, no offense… she is my mate!” Granger stammered.

“Then what the hell do you mean by this!”

“When I met Ashleigh and the Summer wolves at the campsite between the packs, I saw Alpha Caleb and Ashleigh standing together under the moonlight. He whispered to her, and she smiled at him. He touched her arm, and she flushed shyly.” Granger growled.

Though the image he painted had not happened, even imagining it drove him crazy.

“I called out to her before things went any further, and she apologized. She said she didn’t know what had come over her. So we have made up; we are trying to move forward.”

“She has a mate!” Wyatt growled. “How could she allow herself to be so close to another wolf!”

“Please, my Alpha, Ashleigh is well aware of her mistake. She knows that she has done wrong. She will make it right.”

Wyatt growled and paced around the room angrily.

“What does this have to do with Galen and your fight?”

“My Alpha, I was a fool.” Granger began, “I approached Beta Galen. I indicated that Alpha Caleb’s behavior towards Ashleigh could cause even more of a problem between our packs. I suggested he speak with him about it.”

“And?” Wyatt asked, “What was his answer?”

“He laughed and told me that Alpha Caleb could have whatever he wanted, and then he attacked me.”

“This doesn’t make sense,” Wyatt said in frustration, “this is nothing like the Caleb I know or even Galen. Alpha Cain always spoke so highly of him.”

“It seems that Alpha Caleb is not who you think he is, and maybe Galen is influenced by his alpha. His violent and womanizing ways are probably learned behaviors from Caleb.” Granger stated.

“What do you mean? Has Galen made attempts at women here?” Wyatt demanded.

“Oh, uh…” Granger feigned his nervousness once more. “I hesitate to say anything because I know she is a close friend of the family, though that is also the reason I feel I should.”

“Just say it already, enough.” Wyatt reached a hand up to his head. It had started to ache.

“It seems that Galen has set his sights on Bell.”

Alpha Wyatt turned slowly to face Granger, and for the first time in the conversation, Granger took him seriously. The dark look in his eyes sent a chill down Granger’s spine unlike any he had ever experienced before.