To Raul’s spare bedroom, they’d added a crib, a changing table complete with fully stocked drawers, and an armoire, also fully stocked with baby things from diapers to toys to enough clothes to last Lily until she turned at least one.
Shane had just sat at the table, drinking a cup of coffee, and let his mate work. It was like watching a queen with her ants. Just amazing! After they had everything set up, the twenty questions began anew. This time, Caroline and her friends, Victoria and Teline, had asked about Lily and Lily’s mother. They’d ooh and ahh and even growled in all the right places, all the while promising support and help if he ever needed it.
After many best wishes and congratulations on his mating, they had left and Sean found himself alone again, except he no longer really felt alone. He had the phone numbers for at least a dozen pack members in the new phone Shane had given to him.
He knew he’d have trouble putting faces to names, but as he’d watched them all leave, two men stood out. A funny smelling human named Miach and his wolf mate Nick. He watched in amazement as Miach opened the door of a very pretty classic car, then cupped Nick’s jaw and kissed him thoroughly.
Instead of looks of derision, or even scowls, the women tittered and a couple men smirked. Even Shane just rolled his eyes at their display and helped his mate into their sedan.
It was then when Sean finally came to grips with the fact that this pack was like none other he’d ever heard of. It was a place he could call home, with a safe open environment for Lily to grow up, a place where the pack would accept him and his mating. And people would really be happy for them instead of lying through their teeth.
Now, all Sean had to do was convince Raul.
Another thing Sean realized pretty darn quickly was that he couldn’t not sleep in Raul’s room. He’d tried. Sean knew it’d be best if Raul actually invited him into his bed, but Sean’s wolf was having none of it.
He’d lain down at night on the spare bed in Lily’s room, only to wake up in wolf form on Raul’s bed. Sean was mighty glad that no one else was there to witness the indignity, because pajamas bunched up around a wolf’s tail, hips, and shoulders was not a good look.
Sean likened it to sleep walking. His baser instincts took over and he went to where his psyche was calmest. After two nights like that, he slept in Raul’s bed with no incident. Sean acquiesced to his wolf and planned to stay there.
He was getting ready for bed on the fifth night after his mate’s leaving—but really, Sean wasn’t counting—when the phone call came. It was Declan himself, and when the alpha calls with a grave tone in his voice, the news was never good. Even before hearing more than his name, Sean’s wolf was cowering in his mind. As he sat down on the bed, he told his beast to buck up. Their mate may need them, and he asked the alpha what he could do for him.
Declan’s next words would have made his knees buckle if Sean wasn’t already sitting down. “I’m sorry, Sean. Raul’s been shot. He’s been taken to a hospital near Springville and I’ve just received word that he’s in critical condition.” The alpha’s voice turned soothing. “He is listed as stable right now, Sean.”
Sean had to swallow twice to clear the lump in his throat. “Can I—can I go see him?” he asked tentatively.
“Normally I’d say, yes, Sean, but they’re already making plans to airlift him to Colin City Memorial.”
Sean frowned. “Where—”
When he couldn’t seem to manage to finish the question, Declan said, “That’s about forty-five minutes from your house. As soon as I know when he’ll be landing, I’ll send someone with a car. Don’t worry about Lily,” he soothed. “I’ll send someone to watch her, as well.”
“Th-thank you,” he stuttered.
“Don’t thank me yet, Sean,” Declan replied, revealing his own worry. “Raul’s not out of the woods, yet.”
A whimper escaped Sean as fear ripped through him. After all this time, after fighting for his life, for Lily’s life, for the chance, the hope, of seeing, of being with his mate, would life be so cruel as to take Raul away without giving them a chance together?
“Breathe, Sean, breathe. Long, slow, deep breathes. In through your nose, out through your mouth.” The faint voice of Declan’s human mate, Lark, came through the line. “You’ve got to calm down. Concentrate on three words. Raul…is… alive. He needs you to be strong. Be strong for Raul. Be strong for Lily. Your family needs you.”
Sean obeyed, concentrating on the alpha-mate’s words. Finally, his heart rate returned to something resembling normal, and he could speak again. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Please let me know when I can see him.”
After he hung up, Sean sat in a daze for the longest time. Lily’s fussing, the noise coming through the baby monitor, finally brought him out of his stupor. Sean walked into the other room. He saw that her face was scrunched up in irritation and she waved her fists impudently.
“Hey, sweetie,” he crooned. Reaching into the crib, he gently rubbed her back, hoping she’d just drift back to sleep. “What has you so upset, hmm?”
For a heat beat, Lily stopped fussing and froze. Sean grimaced, knowing what was coming. Lily proved him right as she let out a loud wail. He picked her up and laid her on the changing table, asking, “Are you wet, little girl? Hmm? Did you make a stinky?”
She did.
While Sean cleaned her up, Lily’s cries quickly diminished and turned into coos and burbles. She laughed at Sean’s silly faces. Once he was done and had her in a clean outfit, he then picked her up and headed to the kitchen. “One of these days, you’ll sleep all the way through the night, won’t you?”
He kept up the inane chatter as he heated her bottle. Then he settled in the glider and fed her, staring into the empty fireplace, wondering if he’d ever get the chance of enjoying the view with his mate.
Mentally shoving the useless, not to mention depressing, thoughts away, Sean finished feeding and burping Lily. Sean laid her back in her crib and turned the mobile on, letting its soothing melody capture her attention and lull her back to sleep. He then stripped off his sweats and crawled into bed. Raul’s scent soothed his frazzled nerves and he managed to drift off to sleep.
The ring of the doorbell jerked Sean out a very pleasant dream, a dream where his mate was going down on him and wrapping his shaft in wet, sucking heat. Sean groaned, staring at his aching erection. The ring of the doorbell followed by the pounding of a fist on wood told Sean in no uncertain terms that he wouldn’t be able to do anything about his dick’s engorged state.
Besides, now that he was awake and remembered Declan’s call last night, he was already wilting.
Sean sighed, pulled his sweats back on, and hustled to the front door. He glanced through the peephole and frowned. It wasn’t anyone he knew. “Who is it?”
“Me name’s Cliff MacDougal. I’m here to take ye to Colin City,” said the man behind the door.
“Who will take care of Lily?” he asked warily.
“I have me mate, Lisa, with me,” Cliff replied.
“Sean, will you open the door, please?” came a woman’s voice, probably Lisa. “I don’t like Abigail being out in the cold like this.”
“Who’s Abigail?” he asked on reflex.
“Me cub,” Cliff responded, agitation working its way into his voice.
Sean’s wolf wanted to obey, and fast, recognizing a more dominant shifter. Opening the door, Sean beckoned them to enter. In trooped a tall, dark-haired wolf shifter and a slender, petite blonde woman carrying a babe wrapped in blankets.
The woman, Lisa, smiled. “Caroline told me how cute Lily is. It’ll be nice for Abigail to have a girl her own age to play with when she gets older.” As she talked, she unwrapped a couple folds to reveal a pink-faced sleeping infant.
“Oh,” Sean breathed. “She’s lovely,” he said, more because he was supposed to than because he really thought the baby was all that. He was a man, after all.
Lisa smiled. “Thanks. Now, just show
me where Lilly’s things are and then you can be off. I’m sure you’re eager to see your mate.” She finally looked at him for the first time and smirked. “Maybe you should be less eager and put on some clothes,” she said, hand over her mouth to smother a snort.
Remembering his state of undress, Sean glanced toward Cliff. The shifter was clearly amused more at his wife’s reaction than caring about Sean running around bare-chested. Like most shifters, Sean figured Cliff didn’t care about nudity much.
Sean still scurried to obey because the sooner he dressed, the sooner he could go see his mate. He pulled on jeans, t-shirt, sweatshirt, socks, and boots. Heading to Lily’s room, he found Lisa already in there sitting on the bed. She held a finger to her lips and made a shooing motion with her other hand.
He mouthed thank you, then headed toward the front room.
Cliff took one look at him and started toward the front. Sean grabbed a coat and followed. Once Sean settled in the other man’s sedan, he had to clasp his hands between his legs to keep them from trembling.
“I’m sorry about yer mate,” Cliff murmured, breaking the silence.
Sean nodded, uncertain what to say.
“I have great respect for the man,” Cliff continued. “He’s been invaluable in our fight against the scientists using us as lab rats.” He shook his head, then glanced toward Sean, catching his gaze for a couple seconds before returning his focus to the road. “He’s a tough human, that one. Don’t ye worry. He’ll pull through.”
Somehow, Sean managed to force a weak smile.
Needing something to talk about, Sean murmured, “How long have you known Raul?”
“Oh, a little over a year now. He moved to Stone Ridge with his friend, Jared, after the guy mated with Carson, our enforcer.” Cliff actually snickered. “Gods that be, what a pair. Crazy humans.”
Sean grimaced. He didn’t know if he should be offended on behalf of his mate or not. “What do you mean?”
Cliff spared him a glance before answering. “This isn’t common knowledge, but since ye’re mate is Raul, I figure ye’ll learn sooner or later.” Cliff shrugged. “Jared worked as an assassin for over a decade before meeting Carson. Raul worked as his spotter when needed and his cover if his presence was ever questioned.” Cliff shook his head and grinned, clearly amused. “Devious bastards.”
This time, Sean did fill with indignation. “That is my mate you’re talking about,” he snapped.
The other shifter’s brows shot up, but instead of putting him in his place, Cliff nodded. “Me apologies. It was meant as a compliment.”
The pair fell into silence, and soon, the lights of the city appeared in a valley below them. The tight turns of the mountain roads forced Cliff to slow the vehicle, and Sean fought his urge to tell him to go faster. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if they got into a wreck on the way.
Sean felt like he was ready to jump out of his skin by the time Cliff finally pulled up in front of the hospital and was out of the car before Cliff turned the ignition off. He strode swiftly toward the doors, but once inside, had no clue where to go.
Fortunately, Carson was waiting and motioned to him. Sean followed willingly as the stoic man led him down a corridor and into an elevator. Once the door was closed, Sean murmured, “What happened to him?”
“When Raul and Payson broke into the facility through a side door, there were some guards waiting. They made the mistake of diving in opposite directions. Payson ended up in an empty room. Raul wasn’t so lucky,” Carson told him, his voice soft and low, as if saying the words quietly would lessen their impact somehow.
“Raul dove behind a desk, but it was a cheap piece of shit. Several bullets went right through, hitting him in his shoulder, his thigh, and his chest.” Carson shook his head, his expression fierce and angry. Then the big man swallowed and cleared his expression. “If it hadn’t been for Kontra shifting and covering him with his bulk, Raul would probably be dead.”
Sean nodded, recognizing the name of the guy Declan said had called him. “Be straight with me,” he said as the elevator came to a stop and the doors whooshed open. “Is he going to make it?”
Carson placed his hand on the elevator bumpers to keep it from closing, then turned back and stared Sean in the eye. “I don’t know.”
Chapter Seven
Three days…three days Sean had been sitting by his lover’s side. Still no change. A cat shifter named Doctor Ailean Carmichael encouraged Sean to talk to Raul and hold his hand. He thought that a little odd, but did as the guy said. Who knows…maybe it will help after all. He’d do anything that would bring his mate back to him.
Every day, Lisa brought Lily to him. Sean felt horrible for just dumping his niece on the kind woman, especially when she already had her own cub to care for, but she and Cliff were extremely understanding and supportive.
The nurses were the only ones who really gave him trouble, glaring and frowning. Sean would ignore them, unless they started making disgruntled noises, then he glared at them. Even humans seemed to understand when a predator had them in their sights because they were quick to finish whatever they were doing and get out.
The first time a nurse came in to give Raul a sponge bath, Sean had nearly lost it. After much yelling and cussing, the nurse threatened to call security. Fortunately, Doctor Carmichael appeared before that happened and gave Sean permission to give his mate the daily sponge baths instead. It sure wasn’t how he’d planned seeing every inch of his mate for the first time, but the thought of someone else doing something so intimate riled him beyond words.
Sean wasn’t certain how it happened, but he actually managed to fall asleep. When he roused, the first thing that registered was the pain shooting up his neck. He was leaning forward in his chair, his head cradled on one arm on the bed and his other hand was stretched out to the side, where, at one time, he’d been holding Raul’s hand.
Blinking, he wanted to purr at the feel of Raul’s fingers running softly through his hair, almost petting him. Oh! Sean shifted a bit and peered up at his mate. “Raul,” he mumbled, upon seeing unfocused, murky green eyes staring back at him.
Raul didn’t respond, but that was okay. He’d actually woken!
Sean really didn’t want to dislodge Raul’s touch, but the pain in his neck wouldn’t be ignored. Carefully, he lifted a hand and entwined Raul’s petting fingers with his own as he slowly straightened, trying to hide his grimace of pain.
After popping his neck, Sean leaned forward and murmured softly, “Hey, mate.” He tilted close and pressed a soft kiss to Raul’s pale forehead. “I’ve been worried about you,” he admitted. “A lot of people have been.” He forced a smile. “There’s been quite the parade of people in and out of here. Drives the nurses nuts.”
That finally had a slight smile curving the corners of Raul’s mouth. “Sean,” Raul whispered as he squeezed Sean’s hand lightly, his voice scratchy and hoarse.
That his mate remembered him sent relieved pleasure flooding through Sean’s system. He’d been so worried that Raul would have lost his memory of him. Irrational, maybe, but fear didn’t always make sense.
“I’m going to press the call button,” Sean said. “We need to let everyone know you’ve woken.”
Raul grunted and he pulled weakly on his hand.
Sean leaned closer. “What is it, sexy?”
Suddenly, Raul let go of Sean’s hand.
Sean immediately felt rejection spike through him, but then the human gripped Sean’s hair and tugged lightly. Confused, Sean went with the movement until their faces were only an inch apart.
“Kiss,” Raul breathed the word against Sean’s lips.
Sean whimpered and obeyed. No way he could deny his mate, even if there were so many other things that should have happened first now that Raul had woken. Raul had wanted to kiss him first. Nothing could be sweeter than that knowledge.
He closed the distance between them and brushed their lips together once, twice, keeping it ligh
t and gentle. After a third brush of lips, Sean eased back. Raul’s grip tightened just a bit, then loosened, letting him go.
“I’ll be right back,” Sean promised.
* * * *
So asking for a kiss before painkillers from the doctor probably wasn’t his smartest move, but this hadn’t been the first time Raul had been awake. Consciousness had been flitting around the edges of his mind for a while, but he just hadn’t been able to open his eyes. Still, Raul had known Sean had been there every time awareness danced around his head. He’d been able to smell him.
Now, he wanted meds because all he could feel was wave after wave of pulsing pain. Then he planned to go back to sleep. He’d care about how he’d ended up in the hospital with Sean by his side later, much later.
Raul had just started to drift off when footsteps caught his attention so he forced his eyelids back open. “Ailean,” he croaked, the word coming out so hoarse he wasn’t certain how the man understood him.
“Raul, it’s good to see you finally aware. You’ve gone and given us quite a scare with your heroics,” Ailean said.
The light teasing from the surly cat shifter told Raul exactly how worried everyone must have been. “How long?” he rasped.
Ailean handed Sean a cup and pointed toward the bathroom, silently telling the wolf shifter to fill it. Then he crossed to the bed and started checking monitors. Raul stayed quiet, not having the energy to attempt to pry information out of the man, but Ailean didn’t make him wait long.
“You were brought in three days ago, Raul, and I understand you were stabilized at a place in Illinois, so maybe another day and a half for that and transport.” He leaned over and shone a light in first one of Raul’s eyes, then the other. “You’re very lucky.”
After taking a sip of the water Sean offered, Raul murmured, “Where was I hit?” He did vaguely remember getting shot, and from the various aches, it was in more than one place.
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