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“Does she have any family? Any connections?” Mercy asked, her voice softening as she looked back at the woman.
“We’re not sure yet,” the doctor replied. “We’re working on it.”
Hunter’s expression hardened. “I need to find the witch and the vampire. They’re still out there, and if they’ve done this to one fae, they can do it to others.”
Mercy could feel the resolve in his words, the undercurrent of fury and purpose driving him. Despite her reservations, she knew he was right. The longer the witch and vampire remained free, the more dangerous they became.
“You’re not going alone,” Mercy said, surprising herself with the firmness in her tone.
Hunter glanced at her, a flash of amusement crossing his face. “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me.”
“I don’t,” she shot back, her eyes narrowing. “But this isn’t about you. It’s about stopping them before they hurt anyone else.”
Hunter smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting in that infuriating way that made her want to smack him—or kiss him; she couldn’t decide which. “I’ll take what I can get.”
Mercy rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to the fae woman. Her pulse was steady now but faint. Whatever magic had been used on her had left a deep scar, and it would take time for her to recover—if she recovered at all.
She sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. “What a mess.”
Hunter stepped closer; his voice lower, more serious. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”
Mercy glanced up at him, her expression guarded.Together.The word felt foreign to her. She had spent so long working alone, relying on no one but herself. The idea of teaming up with anyone—let alone a vampire—felt like stepping into dangerous territory.
But there was something in Hunter’s eyes, something that made her believe him. Whether she liked it or not, their fates were entwined now. And if she wanted to stop the witch and vampire duo from causing more destruction, she would have to swallow her pride and work with him.
For now.
“Fine,” she muttered, crossing her arms. “But don’t get any ideas.”
Hunter’s smile widened. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
She shot him a glare, but before she could retort, the doctor cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to the woman in the bed.
“I’ll keep monitoring her,” he said. “If anything changes, you’ll be the first to know.”
Mercy nodded, grateful for the doctor’s calm professionalism. “Thanks.”
With one last glance at the fae woman, Mercy turned on her heel and headed for the door. Hunter followed behind her, his presence lingering close. As they stepped into the corridor, Mercy couldn’t shake the feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.
She had walked into the abbey, hoping to get answers. Now, she was leaving with more questions—and the unsettling realization that she and Hunter were far from done with each other.
CHAPTER 6
HUNTER
Hunter started to follow Mercy, but the rigidity of her spine indicated she had no desire to be followed. Instead, he returned to the fae-shifter’s room and stood at the foot of the bed, his sharp gaze locked on the unconscious woman lying before him. Her breathing was steady, but there was something deeply unsettling about the situation. He couldn’t shake the sense that something far more sinister was at play. The doctor’s words echoed in his mind:fae-shifter. Wolf, to be precise. The term wasn’t unfamiliar, but to see a fae here, topside, was another matter entirely.
Mercy returned to stand beside him—obviously as conflicted over this most recent turn of events as he was. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she stared down at the woman, her brow furrowed in concentration. "That makes sense," she murmured softly, her voice carrying a note of deep thought. It was as if she was trying to piece together a puzzle, one that had been set before her without instructions.
The doctor, a younger man—but wasn’t everyone younger than Hunter?—with sandy hair, kind eyes, and a demeanor that suggested he’d seen it all, stood at the foot of the bed, his tablet in hand. He glanced between Hunter and Mercy, concernetched into the lines of his face. “I can’t find anything physically wrong with her,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “There are no injuries, no trauma, nothing that explains why she won’t wake up.”
Mercy shook her head, her expression troubled. "Shifters heal quickly, especially wolves. If she’s not waking up, it has to be something magical."
The doctor nodded but offered no further insight. “We’ll continue to monitor her, but there’s little more we can do for now. My mate, Adriana, has had a look at her and could tell something was off, but not what it was. She said it was like a void. Well, I’ll leave you two to it.” With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Hunter and Mercy standing in silence.
Hunter didn’t take his eyes off the unconscious woman. There was something about the situation that gnawed at him, an unease that went beyond his usual instincts. Faeries rarely left their realm. In fact, the fae despised the human world and typically stayed within the parallel dimension they called home, hidden from mortals and even from most supernaturals. A fae-shifter was rare enough, but for a fae-shifter to be found here, vulnerable and unconscious, was not only rare—it was incomprehensible and dangerous.
After a moment, Hunter glanced at Mercy, his curiosity getting the better of him. “You don’t live at the abbey, do you?”
