Page 83 of Alpha Claimed

Ares looked to Theo and then back to Bennett, who hadn't flinched an inch from Ares's anger.

Ares licked his lips. "Did you get it all?"

Bennett nodded. "I did."

"Highness, why don't we step into the hall while Bennett looks at Princess River?" Theo said.

Ares looked to Apollo, then to Bennett, and back to Apollo. "He doesn't touch her. Not even for a moment."

Apollo looked like he might argue. Instead, he nodded.

Ares wanted to punch Apollo so bad his muscles twitched. Finally, he followed Theo and walked into the hall.

* * *

APOLLO

Everyonein the room let out a collectively held breath when Ares left. Apollo's wolf was crazy with worry for River, but something else as well. Something neither of them could process.

Apollo refused to let fear take over until they knew what they were dealing with.

Apollo clapped Bennett on the shoulder. "Take a look, please."

Bennett nodded and headed to the side of the bed. Strider moved to the side of the room to give Bennett access to River, but Cherry didn't move a muscle.

Bennett pulled down the sheet covering River and inspected her shoulder.

Apollo's wolf roared.No. Touch. Mine.

Easy. He has to touch her.

Bennett looked at it for a long minute before Cherry said, "It's not the shoulder, is it?"

Bennett shook his head. "Has she been sick before?"

Cherry shrugged. "I… I…" She looked to Strider.

"A few times," he said. "Nothing serious. A cold here and there. Once, she had the flu pretty bad. She was about fifteen."

Bennett nodded.

So not only had River's father been the one who'd cared for her, but Strider had taken over when he and Cherry got together. The dynamic in River's family was almost as strange as Apollo's.

Bennett reached into his med kit and pulled out a thermometer. Cherry turned River's head to the side, and Bennett pressed the thermometer to River's ear. A second later, it beeped loudly.

Bennett showed the thermometer to Apollo. 102.3. Shifter normally ran warm at around 100 degrees. 102 was not normal.

"She's fighting something," said Bennett. "But I don't know what."

"She complained this morning about being uncomfortable and warm," said Apollo.

"She shivered several times while we were out as well. She said she was hot but welcomed my jacket when I offered it."

Apollo turned to see Ares leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets, face a mask.

Bennett looked at her again. "Could just be the flu, maybe? Exhaustion?" He thought for a moment. "When was the last time she had her period?"

Ares growled.