Firefighter Griffin (Fire & Rescue Shifters 3)

Hugh shook his head. “The details aren’t important now. It didn’t work. Ash can’t do anything. I can’t do anything. Hayley, he’s got weeks left at best. Possibly days.”

No.

Hayley’s knees wanted to buckle. She made herself stand up straight and tall, spine rigid. “I want to see him.”

Hugh hesitated. “He’s…he doesn’t want you to see him. Not like this.”

“I don’t give a damn. I am his mate and I will see him. Now.”

Wisely, Hugh didn’t try to argue. Without a further word, he escorted her down the corridor, flashing his hospital ID pass as they passed yet another security checkpoint.

Hugh opened a plain, unmarked door, revealing a small private room. A couple of beeping machines lined the foot of a hospital bed, wires trailing off under the covers. Most of the bed was blocked from view by a privacy screen.

“I told you not to let her in here, Hugh,” said a low, pained voice. The words were so badly distorted, Hayley could barely understand them. “Ash. Take her away.”

Ash emerged from behind the screen. The Phoenix did not look quite so collected as usual. He was still wearing the same clothes he’d been earlier, at the fire. The smell of smoke hung around him, and something else too—a hot, scorching scent like desert winds and burnt metal.

“Ms. Parker,” he said, nodding at her.

Hayley braced herself for an argument, but Ash just touched Hugh’s elbow, drawing him away. The pair left, and the door clicked softly shut behind them.

“Bastards.” A deep growl drifted out from behind the screen. “Hayley, please. I don’t want you to remember me like this.”

Hayley’s heart hammered, but her hand was steady. She pushed back the privacy curtain.

“Like what?” She met his mismatched eyes without flinching. “Like the man I love? Like my mate?”

All the breath sighed out of him. His muzzle wrinkled a little, like he was trying to smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Hayley threaded her fingers through his left paw, careful of the claws. “Don’t ever try to keep me away again. I thought we’d agreed you weren’t going to do that anymore.”

“I won’t.” The sheets stirred oddly, next to his bent legs. It took Hayley a moment to realize that it was a tail, flicking under the covers. “Where’s Danny? I can feel he’s sleeping, and that he’s safe and happy, but not more than that.”

“He’s back home, with Chase and Connie. He wanted to come to the hospital too, but I wouldn’t let him.”

“Good,” Griff said, simply. “Don’t.”

“Griff-”

“Don’t.” His right arm—no, his right wing—flexed in agitation, the gleaming feathers unfurling and closing again like a massive golden fan. “Promise me.”

“All right, I promise. I won’t bring him unless you say it’s okay.” She tightened her hand on his, feeling the roughness of his thick, feline pads. “But he wants to say thank you. And he’ll want to say, to say…”

She couldn’t finish the sentence, words jamming up in her tightening throat.

“To say goodbye,” Griff finished for her. He leaned his head back against the pillows with another deep sigh, closing his eyes. “I’ll think about it. Turns out I’m a lot more vain than I care to admit.”

Even under the fur, she could see the pain in the drawn tightness of his distorted face. “You’re tired. You should rest.”

“I’ve got all of eternity to rest.” He opened his eyes again, though she knew the effort it cost him. “We need to talk about you. And Danny. And Reiner.”

“Later. You need to concentrate on regaining your strength.” She stroked his feathery mane back from his forehead. “Don’t worry about any of that now.”

“I have to worry about it now,” Griff said fiercely. “I’m not going to be able to worry about it later. And I am not going to die and leave you at the mercy of that, that-”

One of the machines connected to him let out a shrill whistle.

“Hugh!” Hayley shrieked, as Griff convulsed.