The Love He Squirreled Away (12 page)

Scarlet Hyacinth

even tenser the moment he touched Soren. Of course, it could be just the presence of a predator that made Perry nervous. Perhaps Daniel was misjudging him.

“It’s a pleasure.” The handshake broke, and Perry proceeded to very vigorously wipe his glasses. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“So have I.” Soren’s grin was feral. “Thank you for caring for my mate with so much dedication. I appreciate it tremendously.”

A small sigh sounded from Dr. Jenkins. “Well, someone has to do it.”

The comment startled Daniel. The other squirrel had never once said something like that. It felt unprofessional, almost like he was judging Daniel’s family and loved ones, or considering him a burden.

Normally, he might have let the slipup pass, but in the circumstances, even a small phrase like that made all the difference in the world. “Pardon me?” he asked.

Dr. Jenkins smiled tightly. “Sorry, Daniel. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. I just feel you don’t care for yourself enough.”

Daniel waited for his doctor to elaborate, and the other man did, in the worst way possible. “With this new mating of yours—no offense, Mr. Wade—and having to care for a stranger’s children…I’m so very worried about you, Daniel. I simply don’t understand why you accepted it at all.”

A low growl came from Soren, and Daniel couldn’t believe his doctor was saying these things with his mate there. “Dr. Jenkins, I assure you, I’m very happy by Soren’s side.”

“Allow me to be skeptical. Mr. Wade, you of all people must realize how atypical your bond is? Is Daniel truly happy? Has your pack accepted him?”

The way the doctor asked the latter question, as if he knew something he really shouldn’t know about, made alarm bells ring in Daniel’s head. He forced himself to breathe evenly and clung to his bond with Soren to still the racing of his heart. He sensed Soren’s
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sudden fear spike and sent a wave of calm. This was nothing, just him being stupid and unable to accept the obvious.

“They had some trouble in the beginning,” he answered, “but now, we’re doing fine. I’ve received a lot of help from Soren’s betas and his family, and I love the pups as if they were my own.”

If the doctor found the entire conversation strange, he didn’t show it. He seemed completely engrossed in his argument and his vain hope of changing Daniel’s mind with regard to his mate. “I think you would be better off with us, with your family. The wolves can’t understand you or trust you like we do. I’m sure the first thing that goes wrong will be blamed on you.”

“That’s it.” Soren shot forward and grabbed the doctor, lifting him high up in the air. “I’m sick of your innuendos. Tell me what you know, or else.”

The medic’s eyes shot to Daniel. “Daniel, help me. See, this is exactly what I’m talking about. He’s a loose cannon. You’re much better off with me.”

Daniel’s insides froze. “What? What are you saying?”

“You know I’m right,” Jenkins answered. “I saw you with them. I saw how he pushes you around and forces you to care for pups that are not yours. You deserve better.”

“You stalked me?” Daniel cried.

“I was merely watching out for you,” Jenkins protested. “Daniel, you shouldn’t have to be forced to share a wolf’s bed or to visit his family. It’s not right.”

Soren growled lowly. “You were at the party, spying, weren’t you? My father told me he sensed someone that day.”

The doctor didn’t deny it, and Daniel grew even more shocked.

“But…why?”

“He wants you for himself,” Soren replied in the medic’s stead.

Soren squeezed Dr. Jenkins’s windpipe so hard the man began to turn purple. “And now tell me, what was your plan? To have us blame Dani for what happened and push him away? Was that it?”

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The expression on the medic’s face told Daniel everything he needed to know. Shocked and disgusted, he backed away from the man and sat on the couch. He suddenly had trouble breathing. He’d trusted Perry Jenkins. He thought the other squirrel was his friend. All his life, he’d considered Jenkins a man of great worth.

A few moments later, Soren was by his side, hugging him. The incipient fit passed as quickly as it appeared. “He almost died, Jenkins.” Daniel heard Soren growl. “How’s that for taking care of him?”

Daniel looked at his doctor—former doctor, since there was no way he’d trust Jenkins with his health now. He half expected the other squirrel to take off running, but Perry didn’t. Instead, the man made his way to the couch on shaky legs. “Dani… It’s not what you think. I never wanted her to die. I never wanted anyone to die. I just hoped to get you out of there. That environment is toxic for you.”

Daniel didn’t know how he found his words. The guilt smothered him, and he pushed it back to stare at Jenkins. “How could you not expect that? Those men came there to kill. I know it. I fought them to save the pups. Do you have any idea what it felt like, to see my friend die and be helpless to save her? To have her kids, my kids, threatened to be killed as well?”

Jenkins looked away. “It was supposed to be just a scare, something to put the wolves off and make you come back to us,” he said softly. “But I couldn’t very well do it myself and…I got involved with the wrong people.”

All of a sudden, Daniel remembered those black-clad men. They hadn’t been squirrels, no. He guessed Jenkins must have hired them.

But even if they were just muscle, they needed to pay for what they’d done. Not only that, but Daniel had a feeling their loyalty did not lay with Perry Jenkins.

“Who are they, Perry?” he asked softly. “What did you do?”

“I went to this club.” Jenkins swallowed and took off his glasses to wipe them again. When he put them back, he began to speak in a
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rush. “Asking around, I found out who would be interested in giving a pack of werewolves a little scare. This guy agreed to meet me. He’s a sea creature of sorts, but I’m not sure what exactly. Anyway, he’d have gone through with the plan, but then…” He paused and turned to look at Soren. “But then he saw you.”

Soren looked distinctly taken aback. “Me? What do I have to do with this?”

“Everything,” Jenkins spat. “For whatever reason, the guy became infatuated with you. He wanted everyone close to you out of the way.” His eyes met Daniel’s once again. “The only promise I managed to extract was to keep you out of it, to leave you unharmed.

By that point, we’d already agreed to do business, so he went along with it. It seems his family has a thing with keeping promises.”

Jennings sighed. “I swear, Dani, if I’d known what would happen, I’d have never acted like that.”

Daniel ignored the latter comment. Perry’s entire plan had so many flaws Daniel didn’t even bother to point them out. After all, if not for his mating link with Soren, the wolves might have truly followed through with the idea that Daniel endangered the pups and hurt Carlie. Daniel would most likely have been injured as well. “So because of you, there’s some crazy assassin obsessed with Soren out there intent on getting rid of everyone close to him.” Anger coursed through him as he spoke. “And when exactly did you intend to tell us this? It’s obvious that since Soren and I are still together, he’ll try again. Perhaps he’ll even succeed. Have you thought about that? Do you even care?”

“All you have to do is leave the wolf, and you’ll be fine,” Jenkins said hastily.

Daniel could no longer bring himself to reply. “What’s this man’s name?” he asked.

“I’m not sure.” Daniel could have kicked Jenkins when he heard the answer. “He called himself Cunning.”

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“Cunning,” Soren repeated. “Great, that’s really helpful,” he said sarcastically. “And the club? Where did you go to meet this guy?”

“A place named The Grinder.”

“I know it.” Soren grimaced in obvious distaste. “It’s a hangout for the most ruthless of carnivores. I’m surprised you even came out of there alive.”

“Perhaps it would have been better if I hadn’t,” Jenkins muttered mournfully.

Soren grabbed the man and shook him. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You don’t deserve it. Now, listen up. You won’t mention this conversation to anyone. If this Cunning person contacts you, just say that we came to visit, but we didn’t mention anything other than Dani’s state of health. Got that?”

Jenkins nodded, eyes wide. Undeterred, Soren continued, “Don’t even think you’re getting away with this. You
are
going to be punished for Carlie’s death. Don’t make your situation worse by trying to escape.”

The doctor looked away from them. “I won’t. You have my word.”

Daniel found in dismay that, despite the entire situation, he believed the other squirrel. It was time to leave because otherwise he’d break down completely.

He got up, fully intending to leave now that they had their answer.

He changed his mind at the last minute. “I’ll be finding a new doctor immediately,” he told Jenkins. “If you could please hand over my files, I’d be much obliged.”

Impossibly, the doctor paled even further. “I…uh…I don’t exactly have them here.”

Daniel scowled, smelling the lie. How could his files not be in the clinic? Soren must have realized it as well, as he forced Jenkins to sit down and started typing on Jenkins’ computer. “What’s the password?” he asked.

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Jenkins stubbornly remained quiet, and Daniel gave him a stern look. “Please, Perry. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

The other squirrel shook his head, but Soren didn’t seem too put out by the fact. He continued to type away.
“How hard can it be to
guess it?”
he told Daniel through their bond.

Moments later, he snorted and directed an ugly look at Jenkins.

“Seriously? DanielPerry? That’s your password?”

The man’s face flushed, but he didn’t speak a word. Shaking his head, Daniel joined his mate next to the desk. Soren was logging into the database with patient files and easily found Daniel’s. Daniel gaped at the data that showed on the screen.

“You drugged me?” he shouted at Perry. “That’s why I kept feeling worse?”

“I was trying to do the best thing for you,” Jenkins shouted back.

The man clearly had issues, so Daniel didn’t bother with him anymore. Soren, however, wasn’t so easily pacified. He stalked to the doctor’s side and head-butted him hard. Daniel didn’t feel comfortable with that and was thankful when Soren didn’t hurt Jenkins further. He focused on the file and read through his medical history.

It seemed that, like Jenkins had told him, there was nothing wrong with him physically. However, what Daniel hadn’t known was that the pills supposedly meant to control his psychosomatic disorder were actually the ones causing it. It was right there, written in black and white. The medication had been modified without Daniel’s knowledge, which was the reason of the worsening of his condition.

“Why, Perry? Why?”

The other squirrel didn’t reply. Daniel couldn’t stand a single second more. He fled the room, shaken, feeling lost and betrayed.

Moments later, Soren followed. They both remained silent as they left the clinic, too apprehensive to speak out loud. However, in Daniel’s mind, Soren’s voice emerged, gentle and soothing.
“It’s going to be
all right, Dani. At least we know what happened now.”

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Daniel supposed that was true, although his former-doctor’s story concerned him greatly.
“Do you know anything else about that club?”

he asked as they reached the car. He wanted to focus on anything that wasn’t his medical file.

Soren opened the car and got in. Daniel followed his example, and Soren drove off. “I haven’t been there,” Soren said when they were a good distance away from the clinic. “Like I said, it’s got a bad rep, and wolves generally avoid it. I don’t have much contact with that layer of the paranormal world. Living away from the city has advantages and disadvantages.”

Before Daniel could answer, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Daniel retrieved it, half suspecting it might be a member of his family. The name on the display said Skylar Pierce.

Daniel sighed. He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised the man had found out about his problems. Skylar kept in close contact to both Shiloh and Carson, and Carson couldn’t lie to save his life.

“Take the call,” Soren urged him. “He’s trustworthy, right?”

Daniel agreed with his mate. Truth be told, they didn’t know much about Skylar beyond his work for the adoption agency, not even the type of shifter he was. However, that hadn’t stopped them from becoming friends.

He pressed accept on his phone and greeted Skylar with more cheerfulness than he felt. “Hello, Skylar. How have you been?”

“You tell me,” came the reply. “How come Carson’s babysitting for you and Soren?”

Daniel considered claiming a romantic getaway, but if Skylar had called, the man must know something he wasn’t saying. Skylar always had a knack for guessing things he shouldn’t have been aware of. “There’s been some trouble in the pack. Soren and I are investigating the issue and trying to come up with a solution.”

“Anything I can help with?” Skylar asked.

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Daniel hesitated then went along with his first instinct.

“Actually…Do you know anything about a place called The Grinder?”

There was a pause at the other end of the connection. “I’ve heard of it. It’s bad news, though, so I try to ignore it. Why?”

“We’ve traced our problem to that place. Do you by any chance know how to get inside?”

This time, Skylar didn’t hesitate. “I don’t. Garth might be more familiar with it, though. Want me to ask him?”

Daniel remembered Garth was a friend and coworker of Skylar’s.

He’d never actually met the guy. Nicolas remained quite jumpy around carnivores, and Skylar respected that desire. Empathizing with his friend, they’d decided to momentarily stay away from Skylar’s feline friend. Given their reluctance to meet up with Garth before, Daniel doubted the man would jump to assist them. “Would he be willing to help?”