Page 4 of Beta’s Surprise

Isam wasn’t even out of breath as he carried Mostyn to the beta cabin Lucan shared with Duer, who rarely left his room. Mostyn would now occupy the third bedroom. The front door was unlocked, like everything on pack land, and Isam managed to open it with his arms and elbow. A quick check told him which bedroom was empty, but the bed didn’t have any sheets on it, which wouldn’t do. With a soft muttered curse, he backed out again and gently laid Mostyn down on the couch. Still, the beta didn’t stir.

Mentally apologizing for violating Lucan’s privacy, Isam grabbed some bedding from Lucan’s closet and proceeded to make the bed. Lucan would understand, he was sure. It took him a little while to get the fitted sheet on—those things always induced instant terror in him—but he finally got it right, then added a flat sheet and a thin blanket. It was warm enough that Mostyn probably wouldn’t need more, but just in case, he placed a thicker blanket at the foot of the bed.

When he was happy with how it looked, he hurried back to the living room. Mostyn hadn’t moved a muscle. Isam frowned. He was still breathing, right? He leaned in, and Mostyn’s exhaled breath almost instantly hit his skin. Isam sighed with relief. Okay, that was good. He was just exhausted then, which made sense if he’d been awake that long.

He bent over to lift him again, but when he did, a sharp stench caught his nose, and he sniffed. Was that…?

It was. Mostyn smelled.

Isam’s nose crinkled. It was rather unpleasant, actually. Not that it surprised him after what he’d seen in the capital and what Bray had told him about the situation in the hospital. No food, no meds, nothing. Hard to keep clean under those circumstances.

But if he tucked him into bed like this, everything would become dirty and smelly. Mostyn would wake up and feel disgusted, and that just wouldn’t do. But he also couldn’t wash Mostyn without his permission. That would be a gross violation of his privacy, of his consent. So what alternative was there?

Isam checked his watch, then did a quick calculation. Mostyn had been sleeping for four hours straight by now. Not enough to catch up on the sleep he’d missed, but maybe it would be sufficient to wake up long enough to shower?

He knelt next to him so he wouldn’t tower over him, then gently shook his shoulder. “Mostyn?”

The beta didn’t stir.

He shook him with a little more force, and Mostyn’s eyes flew open. Isam immediately pulled his hands back and held them up. “You’re safe,” he said quickly.

Mostyn sat up, then wavered as if a dizzy spell had hit him. Isam’s hand shot out to steady him. “Careful there.”

Mostyn reared back. “Who are you?”

“My name’s Isam. I was with Bray at the hospital.”

A slow blink. “I don’t remember you.”

“You were asleep before I had a chance to introduce myself.”

“Where am I?” Mostyn looked around, and with regret, Isam let go of his shoulder.

“At the ranch Bray mentioned.”

“Ranch? He only said it was a safe place.”

“It is. But it’s also a ranch.”