Avery felt a sudden shift in the air behind her. Hudson moved, his large hand brushing away the annoying monitor wires before he draped a heavy arm over her waist. His chest pressed firmly against her back, and the searing heat of his breath against her neck made her breath hitch.

Mercifully, the Alpha went no further. He simply anchored her to him, his breathing falling into a deep, rhythmic cadence.

A moment later, Avery tried to adjust her position, but Hudson’s gravelly voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her spine. "Cease your squirming. Remember, we are in the Healer’s Sanctum, not our den."

Avery froze, terrified that even...