Free Big Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (BRIDES Fur BEARS Book 4) by Natalie Kristen Page A

hadn't slept or eaten in days.
    Nick frowned at her. “Zoe...” he rasped sternly.
    Straightening up, she thrust her hand into her pocket and dug out a pen. She glanced at the beeping monitor above him and scribbled something on a clipboard. Shining a light in his eyes, she checked both his eyes and made him say “Ahhh” for her.
    She was in full nurse mode, professional and efficient. Nick noticed that her usually neat and spotless nurse uniform was slightly crumpled. There were smudges on her sleeve and her hair was a mess.
    Just how long had she been working? Did she even go home to sleep?
    Nick opened his mouth to interrogate her, but Marcus, Josh and Jax crowded eagerly around him and starting talking at once.
    “How are you feeling, Nick?” Jax asked.
    “You're looking good.” Marcus grinned at him. “Everyone was so worried. The guys have been coming to see you after work...”
    “They're coming later. Thank God you've woken up, Nick! Damien said if you still refuse to wake up, he's going to try something drastic. Something involving his lips. Brrr!” Josh shuddered dramatically.
    Nick shuddered as well at the mention of Damien's lips. “Why aren't you three at work?” He narrowed his eyes at them.
    Jax rolled his eyes. “Even when you're lying in hospital hooked up to machines, you have deadlines on your mind. Relax, boss, it's Sunday!”
    “Sunday? How long have I been out?” Nick's frown deepened.
    “Six days.”
    “Zoe has been here with you all the time.”
    “The doctors tried to get her to go home, but she wanted to attend to you. She slept on that chair beside your bed, and she hardly ate.”
    Nick scowled and struggled to sit up. The twins helped him up and propped a pillow behind him to support him.
    He glared around the room. “Where's Zoe?”
    “She ran out to get the doctor,” Jax said. “She...”
    There was a flurry of running footsteps and Dr. Emily Halle came rushing into the room with Zoe.
    Everyone stepped back except Zoe while Dr. Halle examined him. Finally, the good doctor looked up and smiled. “All your vital signs are good. We just need to do a final blood test to make sure all the venom has been neutralized. Then you can go home.”
    “Venom.” Nick started. He had almost died and yet he had forgotten all about the saber-tooth tiger's venom as soon as he saw his mate. “How did you get all that venom out of my body?” he asked in amazement.
    “Oh we didn't,” Dr. Halle replied.
    “Then how...”
    Dr. Halle hesitated and seemed to be choosing her words carefully. “We, um, gave you some antivenom.”
    Nick squinted at Zoe and Dr. Halle. “And how did you get that antivenom?” he asked.
    “By boiling the heart!” Ne-ma announced cheerfully.
    Everyone turned around as Gramma and Ne-ma came tripping into the room, their arms full of paper bags. Josh and Jax cheered and went to take the bags of burgers and fries from them.
    “Have some fries,” Gramma said, thrusting a pack of greasy, aromatic fries at Nick. “You must be starving. And I know you'd rather have this than hospital food! The patient can have normal food, right?” Gramma asked Dr. Halle.
    “Go ahead.” Dr. Halle nodded. “You should eat. You need the energy.”
    “Thanks,” Nick said gruffly as he took the fries from Gramma.
    He stuffed a handful of fries in his mouth and his stomach growled in appreciation. He was starving, and the food was great, but he wasn't that easily distracted.
    “What heart?” he persisted, once he had polished off the whole pack of fries.
     

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

    Zoe held her breath as the entire room fell silent. She felt Nick's eyes on her and she glanced up with a grimace. Would he be horrified and repulsed by what she had done? She had ripped a bloody, beating heart right out of a living body…
    Gramma and Ne-ma fought over the last fry and didn't seem to notice that the room had gone deathly silent.
    After Gramma wrestled the fry away and crammed it into