Ben had been so very wrong about her life becoming suddenly more hectic. If anything, it slowed to a grinding halt, and she felt like she was going insane. Sitting around counting ceiling tiles lost its appeal an hour after she finished doing it the first time—the day after she’d been admitted.

It had been five days since the incident in the meadow. She wasn’t completely healed, but didn’t give a damn. She was feeling restless and uncomfortable. The insane need to move around itched along her nerve endings. Irritatingly so, and thanks to a now overprotective staff, she couldn’t. Every move had been watched. The concern for her injuries, and their lack of healing, worrying her new young doctor more and more each day. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to stand the furrowed brows and whispered confused words much longer. She needed out of the hospital bed. And that’s exactly what she was doing. She needed to get back to her life, and back to the way things were before. Well, as back to normal as she could get seeing as how every time she took a breath, it felt like someone was standing on her chest.

Being a damn hybrid sucked ass sometimes. At least for her it did. Smaller than a lion or tiger, she was at a disadvantage in a fight. More fragile than the typical shifter, it would take her forever to heal. Shunned and disliked by some because of what she was, she had very few friends back East or in Garden. There was no one rushing to visit her or sit by her side. Her only saving graces were Ben, when he stopped in and interrogated her, and Jessie, who stopped by once after hearing about what had happened.

And I’m depressing myself even more. Stop, Carolline. You know nothing good comes from wallowing in misery.

Shuffling around the hospital room, Carolline collected the few things Ben had dropped off for her and stuffed them back into the bag. Thank the Goddesses they’d had a past relationship. He didn’t even blink an eye when she asked him to bring her a small rolling bag with a couple changes of clothes, including underwear, and her hygiene bag. He’d even grabbed some of the files from her office so she could work while laid up. She’d made good progress, and took copious amounts of notes on current and upcoming patients. At least something positive had come from her unfortunate run in with the would-be kidnappers.

Snatching up the rolling bag, she gingerly made her way to the door. She hit the handicap push button and let the door slowly swing open before stepping through. A not so quick stop at the nurses’ desk, where she signed herself out, against medical advice, and she was in the elevator headed up to the fifth floor to her office. She wanted to drop off the files and see if anything new had cropped up while she’d been away.

She hadn’t seen Devon since Sunday, her first day in the hospital. Thanks to the one nurse who didn’t like her, she’d learned he had signed her over to one of the Residents, and basically washed his hands of her. Not that she was surprised by his actions; yet, every day she unwittingly expected him to show back up. It never happened, of course. Her tigon chuffed in distress; yet, there wasn’t anything to be done about it. The funny feelings she’d experienced around him must have been one-sided, and a result of their strange and abrupt interactions.

The slight ache in her chest had her stopping outside her office door. It may have been centered near her heart, but she told herself it was the still-mending broken ribs. It took the edge off the blow of being rejected.

Taking a slow, steady breath, she pushed open the door to find her office ransacked. “Shit,” she mumbled, dread filling her stomach. Could her week get any worse? She groaned at the mess of the room. She’d have to clean it up; even so, the thought of bending over or moving made her want to throw up.

Jessie popped her head out of her door, surprise gleaming from her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

Carolline snorted, then winced. She clearly shouldn’t have made the sound. “I work here,” she said dully.

Jessie rolled her eyes. “I know that, but shouldn’t you be in bed…in your hospital room?”

“I won’t get better any faster there than I will here or at home.” Carolline looked back into her office. Her shoulders slouched in defeat as she did. “Someone tossed my office.”

“What?” Jessie walked over to stand next to her. “Holy shit! When did that happen?”

“No clue. Ben didn’t say anything about it, so it had to be sometime after he brought me my work on Monday.” Carolline found she couldn’t move from her spot. Her feet a pair of lead weights, anchoring her to the spot. Exhaustion filled her from head-to-toe. Maybe she should have just gone home. Then she wouldn’t have to stand around and deal with this mess. She knew someone would need to check out her office before she stepped through the door and, with the way her luck was running, it would take forever for that to happen.

“I’m going to call security.” Jessie hustled back into her office. Carolline heard her pick up the phone and start dialing. As much as she didn’t want to do it, she knew Ben would need to come in too. He’d have her hide if he found out about what happened and that she hadn’t called him immediately.

“Call the Sheriff for me too, please,” Carolline called out. “He’s a friend. Maybe he’ll be able to get this resolved quicker than the security here.”

Jessie came out of her office a couple minutes later with a grim look on her face. After a moment of silence, the corners of her mouth tipped up. “So…Devon.” There was an unspoken question in the way Jessie said his name. One she didn’t want to answer, but would. Jessie was the closest thing she had to a friend, and it would be a disservice to that friendship if Carolline ignored her. It wasn’t like she and Devon had anything going on. They merely had a couple of odd encounters, which ended up driving her body to the peak of arousal with absolutely no follow through. That’s it. Nothing else to it. Although, she wouldn’t be admitting to the arousal aspect to Jessie.

“You’ve heard the gossip,” she said dryly.

“Who hasn’t? The run-ins in the cafeteria, and how he couldn’t keep his eyes—or hands—off you. The way he forced his friend away because the man got too close. How you saved his kids from being kidnapped when you were spending time with them in the park. I’m hurt you didn’t tell me sooner. I didn’t know it was that serious between you two.”

“Trust me, Devon and I aren’t serious, or even a thing. The only reason he had his hands on me was because, like the egomaniac he is, he stopped right in front of the beverage station in the cafeteria, and when I turned around, my hot tea spilled all over my hands burning them.”

Jessie harrumphed. “Everyone else calls him Dr. Andersen, though. Why is it you call him Devon?”

“Everyone else didn’t get the privilege of saving his kids. I’d say I’ve earned the right to call him Devon. And, I wasn’t in the park with his kids. I saw something that looked wrong and I stepped in. I haven’t seen the man since Sunday, after he got me settled into my hospital room.”

Jessie’s pretty features dropped into a pout, clearly disappointed with her responses. “What about him forcing his friend away?”

“Jack and I were talking, and Devon interrupted us to say they needed to get going. He had a meeting or something.”

Jessie’s eyes narrowed for a fraction of a second, before a look of pure mischief sparkled in her eyes. “Well, another rumor I heard was his eyes glowed when he was talking to you. Between you, me, and the fence post, I don’t think his wife was his true mate. He knocked her up before he entered Dewasa, and they got married. Sooo…”

“His friend Jack was there too. Maybe they were glowing for him.”

Jessie laughed softly. “Oh lord, that man is not gay. The looks he used to level on his wife could singe the hair off a cat. He adored her to pieces.”

The sound of keys jingling and a radio squawking stopped any retort Carolline might have had. The head of security marched down the hallway toward them, followed by Ben.

“Damn it, Carolline, what are you doing out of bed?”

Of course, the man would focus on that. “It’s nice to see you too, Ben. I’m feeling better, by the way. Thanks for asking. Hi, Frank,” she said, focusing on the head of security and not the irritated glare of her friend.

“Hello, Dr. Greene. What’s going on? Dr. Montgomery-Murphy said there was an issue with your office?”

“A slight one.” Carolline stepped to the side and motioned into the room. “It looks like a bomb went off in there. I’m fairly confident that wasn’t how I left it either. Ben can attest to that.”

Frank glanced at the imposing Sheriff, who confirmed what she said with a sharp nod.

“Why don’t you ladies go into Dr. Montgomery-Murphy’s office? You’re looking a bit pale, Dr. Greene.”

“Please, call me Carolline, and thank you,” she sighed as exhaustion settled deeper in her bones. “I think I will.”

Frank went into her office while Jessie turned to duck back inside hers. “Let me clear off the chaise for you. You can lay down for a bit.”

“Thanks, Jessie.”

Carolline took the few steps to Jessie’s office. Ben stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm.

“Seriously, Carolline. What are you doing out of bed? I know you’re still hurt.” His too-serious eyes glittered with concern.

“There’s no reason I can’t recover at home, Ben. At least then I would have my things around me, and I wouldn’t be reminded every time someone walked past my room that I’m alone.”

“You aren’t alone.”

“Really? Cause it sure as hell felt like it. I’ve had two visitors in the past five days, and neither of you could stay long.” Ben opened his mouth to say something, she didn’t feel like hearing it though. It was time to refocus him. “Have you made any progress on the attempted kidnapping?”

“No, the prisoner won’t talk. We do know he’s a rogue for hire. He popped up in the criminal database. We have no idea who hired him and the other goon, or for what purpose. Andersen thinks it might have something to do with Purists trying to cause trouble because his family won’t go along with their agenda of eradicating every shifter who isn’t of pure blood. Or, it could be because he almost married a hybrid a while back.”

“I never liked those assholes. They give shifters a bad name.”

A small grin tilted one corner of Ben’s mouth. “I agree. They’re the ones who need to be eradicated.”

“Would those same Purists be responsible for my office? Devon’s kids and my work have nothing to do with one another. It seems like they would be two completely different agendas.”

“Different, yet with one thing in common—hybrids. The Andersen clan have been champions of them from their first outing in society. You work with hybrids and are trying to implement changes. The Purists could be trying to send both of you a message, or they’re looking for addresses of others to attack, or, and this is what my gut is telling me, they’ve found out you were the one to intervene in the kidnapping and are looking for your address.”

Carolline felt the blood drain from her face. “Oh my God, you can’t be serious. So many people could be potential victims. I don’t only deal with hybrids. If you don’t know what you’re looking for in the paperwork, then you wouldn’t know that.” It would never dawn on her that someone would want her patients’ names, and it should have. The people she worked with ranged from genetically watered down shifters to pure bloods looking for answers about health risks and issues before starting a family.

Ben wrapped his arm around her shoulders and steered her into Jessie’s office. “You completely overlooked the last part, didn’t you?” He eased her down gently before grabbing her rolling case.

“I’m choosing to ignore it because I think your gut is wrong. It makes more sense that the people after the Andersen kids would be just as interested in finding others to terrorize. I’m such a small fish in that big pond, and it was a happy coincidence I was there.”

Ben shook his head, and she knew he opted not to argue with her more. “I’ll be back in a couple minutes. I want to do a cursory search, and then I’ll need you to check if anything was taken. It’ll confirm whether or not someone is after your patients or your information. You’ll get fifteen minutes, then I’m taking you home.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Jessie interjected. She stood in front of her desk wringing her hands together. Carolline figured the other woman heard what Ben said out in the hall about the Purists. “If Purists are after her, they would have no problem tracking her down at her place.” Jessie’s soft brown gaze landed on Carolline. “Did your family come to see you? Can they stay with you at your place for a while?”

“No.” Carolline leaned back on the chaise and closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine. The community I live in has security, and my place is heavy on the deadbolts and has alarm systems out the ass.”

“You can’t stay by yourself,” Jessie insisted.

Carolline cracked an eyelid open. “I can and I will. I’ve been taking care of myself for as long as I can remember. The destruction of my office won’t change that.” She craned her neck to look at Ben. “Go do your search, so I can do mine, then I’m going home—alone.” She made sure she put enough backbone into the words as possible. She wouldn’t be standing down from the fight she could see he and Jessie wanted to start.

Ben grunted and, thankfully, walked off. Jessie stared at her like she’d lost her mind, yet didn’t say anything else either. They only knew bits and pieces of her life. The parts she let them see, and none of it had anything to do with her upbringing. Even Ben didn’t know she’d been abandoned at a young age at an orphanage. That she truly was alone in the world. When they had been together, in-depth conversations about their childhoods hadn’t taken place. If it didn’t revolve around his work, her work, or sex, then it wasn’t something that was brought up.

It didn’t take long for Ben to go through her office and then have her go through her files. Nothing had been taken. Her computer hadn’t been broken into either. After minimal straightening—she would move things around later anyway—she headed home with a police escort. Ben punched the code in to open the community gate and weaved through the streets until he parked in her driveway. He grabbed the keys from her hand, making sure he was first through her door. After she punched in the alarm code, he told her to get back outside. Like the dutiful, injured woman she was, she stood out on the steps of her rented one-story house as he searched it from front to back. She could, at least, give him that peace of mind.

“You can come in now,” he yelled out.

She pulled her bag in behind her and breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing felt as good as being home. She didn’t have much, but what she did have, she’d missed. “All I want now is a nice hot shower and my bed.”

“I’m going to put a guard on your place,” he declared while looking around her living room.

Carolline shook her head. “No. The security company does regular drive-bys. I’ll be fine, Ben. Really.”

His dark brows furrowed. “I worry about you. I know there’s something dark in your past. We…” he paused, his face screwed up like something else bothered him. “We never really talked, Caro.” His voice softened as he said the nickname he used to call her. In the past, it made her giddy. Made her feel special. Now, it did nothing for her except bring back fond memories.

Walking over to him, she placed her hand on his arm. The muscle flexed underneath her palm. “Neither one of us wanted more than what we had, Ben. We were what we needed for each other back then. Companionship and a no-strings attached affair. Talking wasn’t part of it. At least, not that in-depth stuff you do when you’re with someone you hope to have a future with.”

Ben covered her hand with his. “You deserved more.”

“No, I deserved exactly what we had. We were two lonely people who rubbed along nicely together. We were both working on our careers and had the perfect relationship for that time in our lives. I love you, Ben, as my friend.”

Ben crushed her to him. The dark, sweet scents of oriental spices and musk filled her lungs. Comfort and friendship enveloped her. He squeezed a little tighter and she winced. Her body tightened as pain radiated outward from her ribs. He immediately let go.

“Shit, I’m sorry. It worries me that you aren’t healed. Do you need to shift to help it along?”

Carolline stepped back. “No. I’ve always taken longer to recover. Part of my hybrid curse. You head back to work. I’m going to shower and crawl into bed. I plan on watching mystery shows on TV until I fall asleep.”

Ben smiled and kissed her on the head. “Lock the door and set the alarm after I leave.”

She rolled her eyes and smiled. “Yes, dad,” she joked, trying to lighten his mood.

Following Ben to the door, he turned around right before he left. “I want to get to know more about you, Caro, as a friend. Maybe we can start talking about things other than work.”

She chuckled lightly. “Sounds good. Now go. Hot water and a soft bed are calling my name.”

“I’ll check on you tomorrow. Night, Caro.”

“Night, Ben.” As soon as he cleared the doorframe, she closed and locked the door. She heard him rumble good girl, and seconds later his car started up.

She was exhausted. Dragging her bag back to her room, she decided to forego the shower and changed into pajamas before crawling into bed. The television lulled her to sleep, it didn’t drown out her thoughts long enough though. She’d managed a good half hour, maybe an hour, where Devon didn’t occupy her every thought. The few times she surfaced from sleep, he was there. If the Purists were the ones behind everything, would she be seeing him more? Did she want to see him again after his absence this past week?

Sadly, she knew the answer, and it didn’t make her feel any better. Her tigon, and ultimately her, would give anything to see him, to be near him again. It was a strange and exciting new development in her life. And she wasn’t sure she liked it. The last time she floated back to awaking, she put her mental foot down. She made the monumental effort to shove all thoughts of the handsome tiger from her mind, and finally fell into a deep and healing sleep.