by Maggie Walsh
“Every day we don’t copulate, the heat gets worse. By like day five we can’t really function anymore. By day seven, that’s when we either go feral or die,” Collins said and looked pointedly at Bass.
“I’m just sitting here while my mate is across the country going insane from the mating heat and no one thought they should tell me?” Bass jumped to his feet.
“Told you my big brother was a butthead.” Dr. Collins shrugged.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Bass growled.
“I thought the big ass told you, but you were selfish and still came back here.” Collins looked down at his feet.
“That son of a bitch. I’m gonna kick his ass.” Bass started heading for the door. “Micah, I…”
But Micah cut him off. “Go, Bass. Hurry, but be safe, brother. Pack light and we’ll send everything later.”
Bass hugged Micah, then Jesse and Castiel. He walked over to the bed and looked down at Taylor, who was asleep. Bass leaned over and kissed Taylor’s forehead, then looked at Gabriel. “I’m sorry, man, I gotta go.”
“I know, Bass. Go, don’t worry about us. I’ll call you in a few days and let you know what’s going on.” The two friends hugged. Bass pulled away.
“You call me tomorrow after the surgery.”
“I think you’re gonna be very busy for the next few days, brother. Call me when you can. Now go,” Gabriel said.
“Yeah, you’re right. Okay. Tell Taylor I’ll miss him and give him a hug for me.”
“I will, now go,” Gabriel said.
“Come on, buddy, I’ll help you pack and get you to the airport ASAP,” Castiel said and slapped Bass on the back. Bass nodded at him and the two took off out of the room.
Micah looked at Dr. Collins with a knowing smirk. The doc looked at him shyly, then shrugged his shoulder. “You’re a good brother, Aaron,” Micah said to the doc and he looked up at the Alpha and smiled.
* * * *
Gabriel sat in a chair next to the bed where Taylor slept. He held Taylor’s hand and caressed his head as he sat just looking at his beautiful mate. “Gods how did I get so lucky. Thank you for sending me my very own angel. I don’t know what I did in this life to deserve such a wonderful mate, but thank you. Please watch over him. Keep him safe. Help him to get through this surgery and make this disease go away. He deserves some happiness in his life. He deserves to live. If one of us has to go to keep the balance, then take me. Heal him and take me. Jesse, Micah, and the pack will help him get past losing me and he can go on having a good life. So take me if you have to. But let him keep his life and make it a good one,” Gabriel softly whispered.
It was six in the morning and the sun was just painting the sky with the first rays of light. It was fall and soon the daylight hours would be getting shorter. Gabriel could hear the noises in the house as the first members of the pack started to wake. Soon the doc would come in and take Taylor for surgery. It scared the crap out of him, but without it, Taylor would surely die. Gabriel heard the door open slowly, softly. He looked up to find Jesse poking his head in.
“Is he still asleep?” Jesse asked from the doorway. Gabriel gave him a small smile and nodded.
“May I come in?” Jesse asked.
“Of course, Jesse. You never have to ask. You’re Taylor’s best friend, his brother. You’re always welcome,” Gabriel answered. Jesse moved into the room and sat on the bed next to Taylor. He looked at his best friend with soft eyes as he reached out and ran his hand down Taylor’s cheek.
“God can’t take him. I need him too much. Without Taylor, God only knows where I would be right now. It’s because of him that I’m even still alive. And I hurt him.” Jesse tried to swallow the lump that formed in his throat as his eyes misted over.
“No, you didn’t, you sexy thing, you,” Taylor was only able to say in a whisper. His eyes were still closed.
Jesse and Gabriel watched him, waiting for him to say more or open his eyes. After a minute when Taylor didn’t respond again, Jesse got worried. “Are you awake, Tay? How are you feeling?”
“No, I’m still asleep. And I feel like dancing the night away. The pounding in my head can keep time with the tempo and keep me in step with the music,” Taylor whispered, his eyes still closed.
“Another headache, sweet baby?” Gabriel asked, squeezing his hand.
“It never actually leaves anymore. But I can deal with it,” Taylor whispered.
“The doc will be coming soon to get you ready for surgery. Dr. Evans is coming, too, to assist Dr. Collins. They should be here any minute,” Jesse said softly, afraid that if he spoke any louder he would hurt Taylor’s head.
“Not yet. Can’t have the surgery yet,” Taylor whispered.
“What? Why not, sweet baby?” Gabriel said softly, in shock.
“Have to talk to Jesse and Lexi first,” Taylor explained.
“We can talk after the surgery, Tay. Right now just rest,” Jesse said.
“No, now, just in case,” Taylor whispered.
“Don’t think like that, sweet baby. You’re going to be fine, I just know it,” Gabriel said as he caressed Taylor’s cheek, trying to sound confident.
“I have to. Please. I won’t agree to the surgery until I do,” Taylor said adamantly.
“Okay, I’ll text Lexi and ask him to come here now,” Gabriel said and released Taylor’s hand to fish his phone out of his pocket.
“Thank you. Jesse?” Taylor turned his head toward Jesse and opened his eyes a hair.
“Yeah, Tay, I’m here,” Jesse answered squeezing Taylor’s hand.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t honest with you and I hurt you. I said some awful things to you. I was mean and being a dick, and I’m so sorry,” Taylor whispered with a sob.
“It’s okay, Tay. I forgive you. I’ll always forgive you. I understand why you were being a dick toward me. It was my fault. I’m the one who’s sorry. I found Micah and moved into his room, but I didn’t think of what that would mean for you. To have to sleep alone without me after all this time. I was a selfish dick. I hope you can forgive me,” Jesse cried.
“Always, I will always forgive you, too, Jesse. You’re my best friend. And I understand, too, why you didn’t think of it. It’s okay. Let’s just put it all behind us and move on, okay?” Taylor whispered as a tear rolled out of the corner of his eye and down his face.
“Okay, Tay. Whatever you want. I love you, Taylor. Please fight this with everything you’ve got. You’re Irish, so we know you’re stubborn as hell,” Jesse said with a smile.
“Ha-ha. Think you know me. And yes, I am a proud, stubborn Irishman, and don’t you forget it,” Taylor said with a small smile. Jesse laughed at his best friend’s admission.
Just then there was a light knock on the door and Lexi stuck his head in. He looked at the bed and caught Taylor’s eye, then looked down at the floor.
“Oh no you don’t, Lexi Angel. Stop looking like the kid that got caught with his hand in the cookie jar and get your sweet ass over here. You and I need to have a few words before they cut me open,” Taylor admonished. Lexi stepped into the room slowly and walked toward the bed, his head hanging low.
“Jesse, Gabriel, would you two mind if I spoke with Lexi alone please?” Taylor asked in a whisper, his eyes still half-closed. Jesse and Gabriel stood up. Gabriel gave Taylor a kiss on the forehead and walked toward the door. Jesse kissed Taylor’s cheek and followed Gabriel out. When the door closed behind them and he and Lexi were alone, Taylor looked Lexi in the eye.
“I’m sorry, Lexi,” Taylor said.
Lexi’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “What are you sorry for? I’m the one that fucked up. I’m the one that betrayed you,” Lexi said.
Taylor patted the bed next to him, motioning for Lexi to sit down. Lexi cautiously walked to the bed and sat down. “No, you didn’t and I’m sorry I said that to you. You didn’t deserve it. You have been nothing but a great friend to me and I will never do something like that to you again. If
I make it through this, I will spend the rest of my life showing you how sorry I am.”
“You don’t have to do that, little buddy. I forgive you. I’m just sorry I was so weak and I cracked under the pressure. I’m the one that’s sorry, Taylor,” Lexi said in a sad voice.
“You weren’t weak. You did the right thing. I shouldn’t have put all of my shit on you and expected you to just go with it. I’m really sorry, Lexi. It was too much of a secret to expect anyone to not break. I love you for being there for me since day one and for doing everything you could to help me, to try to protect me. I love you for telling. When someone is in real trouble or real danger, it’s okay to tell, to get help. I love you, Lex. Can you ever forgive me?”
Lexi looked at him sheepishly, with a smirk on his face. “Oh hell, little buddy, there’s nothing to forgive. You’ve become my best friend, and best friends do anything for each other. Let’s just move on and concentrate on you getting better. Then you can give me all the juicy details from your claiming. I could use a good bedtime story. I’m exhausted and I think it could help me fall asleep.”
Taylor softly laughed and smacked Lexi’s leg. “Ya ass. My claiming was hot. I can’t wait to do it again. Gabriel is an animal in the…” Lexi cut him off, putting his fingers in his ears and yelling, “Lalalalalalala. I can’t hear you.” Taylor started to laugh and Lexi took his fingers out of his ears. “Seriously, little buddy, I’m happy for you, and I’m glad that Gabriel finally pulled his head out of his ass. Congratulations. May your mating be long and full of happiness.”
“Thank you, Lexi,” Taylor whispered with a small smile. “So what do you think that would actually look like? Someone’s head up their ass. That would be interesting to see. I think I would give my left nut to see that.” He laughed softly.
“I love when you ramble.” Lexi laughed. “The craziest shit flies out of your mouth.”
“Oh, that’s right, I can’t give up my left nut, Gabriel likes to take it in his…”
“Lalalalalalala. I can’t hear you!” Lexi said with his fingers in his ears as Taylor laughed.
* * * *
“They’ve been in there for hours, what’s taking so long?” Lexi whined.
“It’s only been two hours, Lex. The doc said it could take awhile. He wants to make sure he gets as much of the tumor as he can without causing Taylor any harm. It will take as long as it takes,” Micah answered. He sat in a chair in the kitchen with Jesse in his lap and the rest of the pack sitting around the kitchen. Gabriel sat for a few minutes then got up and paced for a while, then sat again. He kept this up for the whole two hours. They heard the front door open and close. Everyone looked toward the hall as Raith walked in. Raith stopped for a moment to assess the room. His eyes settled on Gabriel pacing, then he looked to Micah.
“I got back as soon as I could. Any news yet?” Raith asked as he walked to Gabriel.
“No, nothing yet,” Micah answered. Raith stepped in front of Gabriel and Gabe stopped and looked at him. Raith pulled Gabriel into a hug and pulled back looking at him, but keeping his hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. “How you holding up, buddy?”
“I’m fine. I’m just worried about my mate,” Gabriel said in a strained voice.
“From what Micah told me, this doc is the best. I’m sure everything is going as planned,” Raith said confidently.
“I wish I had that same confidence, Raith,” Gabriel said and ran his hands down his face.
A door opened from down the back hall where Taylor was being operated on. Everyone looked toward the hall holding their breaths. Jesse froze, as his eyes looked at the hall in anticipation. Micah wrapped his arms tighter around Jesse kissing the nape of his neck in comfort. Dr. Collins walked out of the hall still in his green scrubs. He looked tired. His eyes searched out Gabriel and he walked to him. Jesse held his breath.
“He’s okay,” he announced, and everyone let out a collective sigh. Jesse started to cry and Gabriel closed his eyes and released the breath he was holding.
“Can I see him?” Gabriel asked, opening his eyes.
“In a minute. Mr. Evans is making sure he’s comfortable,” the doc explained. Raith stood staring at the doc in confusion, he slowly asked, “Who’s Mr. Evans?”
“He means Doc Evans.” Xander answered.
“Yeah, well, if you say so,” the doc said, annoyed. He cleared his throat then looked back at Gabriel. “I was able to get almost all of the tumor out. I then injected your blood straight into what remained and I watched the remaining tumor actually shrink right before my eyes. That’s a very good sign. I closed up and put a small amount of packing in Taylor’s sinuses. He’s resting, but I’d like to start the vein to vein drip as soon as possible.”
“Of course. Whenever you’re ready,” Gabriel said, smiling. He started to roll up his sleeve.
“Just let me grab a quick drink and we can start,” the doc said and walked toward the fridge. He suddenly stopped in front of Raith. His head snapped in Raith’s direction, eyes wide open. Raith’s nostrils flared and his eyes turned to his wolf. “Mine,” Raith growled. Gasps went through the room as Micah started to laugh uncontrollably. He pounded on the table as tears from his laughter rolled down his face. His was bent over holding his stomach as he continued to laugh. Jesse looked at his mate with wide eyes, as if Micah had snapped. Raith looked at his best friend and Alpha in annoyance.
“What the hell are you laughing at?” he huffed.
“The doc is your mate. Oh this is gonna be good.” Micah laughed as he wiped the tears from his eyes.
“Micah, what’s wrong with you? Why are you laughing that Dr. Collins is Raith’s mate?” Jesse asked in confusion.
“Aaron is Storm’s brother. Who is Bass’s mate,” Micah laughed out.
“Yeah, so?” Raith asked in anger, as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Micah, what’s so funny?” Jesse asked.
“Think about it, baby. Storm is Bass’s mate. Aaron is Storm’s brother. A cat shifter, just like his brother,” Micah hedged. Jesse looked at his mate in confusion with his head tilted, when what Micah was saying finally dawned on him. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped open, then he started to laugh, too. Then Gabriel and Castiel started to laugh. Raith looked at all of them like they had lost their minds.
“What the hell is so funny? And who the hell is Aaron?” Raith huffed angrily.
“I’m Aaron. Dr. Aaron Collins, your mate. I am an ocelot. A cat shifter,” Aaron hedged.
Raith looked at him in confusion. “I still don’t get it.”
“Let me take Gabriel to his mate and take care of Taylor, then you and I can talk,” Aaron said.
“I’m supposed to give my Alpha a report, and then I need to go back out. I should be back in a week. I’m sorry, baby,” Raith said to his mate gently. “I promise when I get back I’ll make it up to you and we can talk all you want.”
“Oh no, buddy. You’re not going anywhere. You are definitely staying home,” Micah said as he laughed.
“Gabriel, let me take you to Taylor, and mate.” Aaron spat out the word. “You step one foot out that door before talking to me and you better never come back.” Aaron grabbed Gabriel’s arm and pulled him down the hall. Raith stood there with his eyes narrowed and jaw clenched looking after his mate. The room broke out into peals of laughter again and Raith turned to them. “What?”
* * * *
Taylor looked so small and fragile just lying there. Gabriel lay on his side on a hospital bed next to the hospital bed Taylor was recovering on. A tube ran from his arm to Taylor’s arm, as his blood slowly fed into his mate’s body. Micah did a good job and pulled a miracle out of his ass with this one. How he got everything you could dream of for an operating room and a recovery room in the small amount of time that he did, Gabriel didn’t know.
Gabriel had been lying here for an hour, with his blood slowly going into Taylor. He never took his eyes off his mate’s face once. He started to feel a li
ttle tired and drained and wondered how long he could keep doing this. Eventually he would run out of blood. That was okay, as long it went to Taylor and saved him.
The door opened and Dr. Collins, Micah, Jesse, and Lexi walked in. “Okay, Mr. Angel, I think that’s enough for today. I’m going to take your drip out now,” Dr. Collins said as he walked up to Gabriel and started to take the tube from his arm. He pulled on the tube and once it was out, he held it in his hand and placed a finger on Gabriel’s arm where the needle was. He reached over with his other hand and grabbed a cotton ball and placed it over the small pinprick where the tube was. “Hold this please.” Gabriel held the cotton in place. The doc then grabbed a syringe that had a clear fluid in it and put it to the tube and pressed on the syringe plunger. The clear fluid sent the rest of Gabriel’s blood into Taylor and just as the clear fluid was about to go into his mate, the doc pulled the tube from Taylor’s arm. He placed his finger over the pinprick and reached over and grabbed a cotton ball and placed it over the pinprick and then placed a Band-Aid over that. The doc noticed Gabriel’s questioning look and explained, “Just saline. It wouldn’t hurt him.” Gabriel nodded. The doc moved around Taylor, opening his eyelids and looking with a flashlight, then listening to his heart, checking his pulse, checking the lines that had an IV drip, then checked the machines that were attached to Taylor. Everyone stayed quiet while the doc worked. When he was done he turned to look at them. “He’s doing great. Everything looks normal. I would like to take another MRI of his brain to be sure, but it looks like the surgery worked so far. Of course we’ll have to wait for Taylor to wake up, but I think we can say this was a success.”
“So does that mean he’s okay now? He won’t die?” Jesse asked quietly. His voice full of emotion. Micah slowly caressed circles on the small of Jesse’s back in comfort.
“If the MRI shows me what I think it will show me, then yes. I would have to say Taylor is cured,” the doc said as he wiped his sweating forehead. Jesse yelled out a happy “yes” then turned and hugged Micah. Micah had a big grin on his face at the news as he caught his mate and swung him around. Gabriel dropped his head to the bed and closed his eyes as tears of joy started to come. Lexi jumped up, yelling. “Yeah!”
