Dalton didn’t like the look on Emma’s face. She looked scared and uncertain. He couldn’t blame her. The last several hours had been horrible for her. He didn’t even want to think about the things she had revealed that she had gone through the past six months. Dalton was the enforcer of the group, always stoic, and always in control. He had to be because of his position and his unruly bear. The fucker was a menace, but he found that holding the little baby and Emma in his arms, his beast was content and standing down. It was the first time that he couldn’t blame his bad behavior on his Shifter side; this was all him.
His behavior in the meeting, and even before that, was so unlike him. Women and babies didn’t get under his skin, but he knew he was fooling himself. This woman and this baby were buried deep. Not once in his life did he want to go after Cash or Jacks. He respected his teammates and would give his life for them; at least he always had before. Ever since Emma came into his life, he was questioning his loyalty. He knew if his teammates threatened either of them in any way, he would take them away and protect them himself. The Team no longer came first for him, Emma and her daughter did. He wondered if Jacks felt the same way about Ryleigh.
Gritting his teeth together, he gave Emma a short nod, hoping that he was conveying it was okay for the woman to enter the room. He needed to get his shit together. Things he never thought possible were hitting him left and right, but he also knew that he had to put Emma first. Mia and Ryleigh were a key factor in making that happen.
Mia started into the room with a small smile on her face. She was in doctor mode; her no-nonsense professional behavior radiated from her. Ryleigh, on the other hand, was more hesitant, walking behind Mia, looking down, and not making eye contact with her hands firmly gripped around her waist. Emma wasn’t quite sure what was going on, but she could feel the tension in the air. She also noticed that Mia looked determined while Ryleigh held back, almost as if she didn’t want to have this conversation.
Emma had felt Dalton pulling back as soon as the women made their presence known. Sure, he still held her, but she could feel the distance. It was like an empty cavern had popped up between them. When her daughter started to wiggle, and put up a fuss, she knew that she wasn’t the only one that felt his and the ladies’ discomfort.
Maybe she was leaning on Dalton too much. She didn’t know. Emma also didn’t want to see the look she was sure that she would find on his face.
Deciding to preserve some dignity, she looked him square in the eyes and stated “Dalton, you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”
“Emma?”
“No, I understand, listen. I’m sure that you have better things to do than hang out in here. I know your team just got back and I’m sure you have meetings, or whatever you do when that happens, to attend to. I will be all right here with Mia and Ryleigh. I appreciate all the kindness you have shown my baby and me, but I don’t want to take advantage.”
Emma tried to placate him by patting the arm he had around her daughter. She then reached to take her daughter out of his arms. Dalton wasn’t having any of it, maneuvering the baby so that Emma couldn’t take her. Emma’s confusion continued. She didn’t feel anything. She wanted Dalton to stay and continue to support and comfort her, but she didn’t want to become and obligation to him. She also didn’t understand all the hot and cold vibes she was getting from him. One minute he was pulling away, and the next he seemed determined to stay. It was all getting to be a little too much.
Trying again, she said, “I appreciate everything you have done for me, but I need to hear what Mia and Ryleigh have come to say. You don’t have to be a part of that if you don’t want to” Emma said, looking down at her clenched hands.
She wanted him to stay, but she wasn’t going to beg. She wanted the support he gave to her, he was becoming her lifeline. She wanted to take the gamble and let herself believe the things he had been talking about when they were alone in their little bubble. Inevitably the outside world always burst into that happy place and Emma knew she was putting too much faith in the strange new feelings he was inspiring. What did she truly know about this man? When would she learn her lesson? Her childhood had taught her to never believe in happily ever after, therefore had never let herself hope she could attain it, she certainly was never given any reason to, till now. She hated the doubts that were plaguing her.
Before being kidnapped Emma made a decision and kept to it, now she was all wishy washy. Dang within the last couple of hours she felt like she was on an unending roller coaster. Should she, or shouldn’t she? Could she, or couldn’t she? Emma didn’t like it. She had to focus on only one thing her daughter and nothing else. Certainly, not the drool-worthy Dalton Hayes, the Alpha Team. Or the woman standing in the room ready to give her what she was positive was bad news. Her baby was what was important nothing else right?
Emma look at me. Emma just slightly shook her head not looking up as Dalton had demanded. “Emma I said look at me.” He said more gruffly. She was so tempted to comply but she couldn’t she needed to preserve some of her dignity. Didn’t he get it she was giving him a way out. Didn’t all guys want the easy way out of sticky situations? She couldn’t figure him out.
Emma couldn’t do what he was asking, she was trying so hard to be strong and she needed to figure all of this out on her own. She had put way too much faith in a stranger. She didn’t know him and he didn’t know her. She also had to admit to herself she didn’t want to see the distance in his eyes. Dalton’s eyes portrayed more than words could ever speak and she knew it would hurt to see the distance.
When Emma didn’t make a move to comply with his demand. Dalton leaned forward and removed his arm from behind her back getting up off the bed he placed the baby back in the isolette. The little girl didn’t even make a sound she was such a good baby. She was also a very strong baby lifting her head when he placed her down. Then gripping his finger when he went to move away. He noticed Emma was watching him through her lashes but not raising her head enough to actual see him clearly. He wasn’t ready to let his observations about the baby be known. He also didn’t like the moisture he noticed that was pooling in her eyes. He didn’t like it one bit.
After getting the baby settled and extracting his finger. Dalton moved back onto Emma’s bed and sat facing her. He said more softly “Emma I said look at me please?” He needed the eye contact with her, he needed her to see what he was trying to say with more than just words but she wasn’t giving him an inch. He would have missed the slight shake of her head if she had not had his undivided attention. With another woman, he would have just left taking the hint but he couldn’t with Emma she meant something to him and his bear. He didn’t like her pulling away and pushing him out even though he realized he had just done the same thing to her. She was more didn’t he tell her that. He needed her to realize that.
Grabbing her chin, he gently forced her to comply, lifting her chin up looking into her eyes he said “Emma I don’t know what is going on in that head of yours.” With tears threatening to fall Emma responded “that’s just the thing Dalton, you don’t really know me.” pulling her chin away from his slight grip she said softly. You’re not responsible for me, or any of this waving her hands around indicating herself and her baby. Please I need to focus on my daughter right now I can’t be distracted by anything else.” Emma noticed the flinch at her words she also saw the hurt in Dalton's eyes and it gutted her but she needed him to understand even when she honestly didn’t herself.
Turning away from Dalton’s glare Emma stated “I need to know what the results are concerning my daughter.” Emma was aware that Dalton hadn’t moved from the bed. He was still looking at her but at the moment he wasn’t touching her and she was grateful. This man had the ability to crush any and all resolve she had. Her mind was as fragile as she current situation and she didn’t know how much more she could take ignoring him she focused all her attention on Mia and Ryleigh.
Mia and Ryleigh took the chair
next to her bed and started to tell her what they had discovered and what they believed further testing would prove. How they believed she was one Franklin's babies that she had shifter DNA two strands bear and dragon, that threw Emma for a loop, dragons existed! It was hard enough to accept that bear shifters existed let alone mythical creatures, it was almost funny. She couldn’t help herself snickering, which prompted her to ask if Vampires and Fey people also existed. Prozac sounded better and better at the moment. They all just laughed.” Not that they knew of but you never know.” Mia said.
They also explained that they themselves had just recently been made aware of shifters as well as the fact that they too possessed shifter DNA, and had no idea about the six-month gestation period for babies. They were so new to the information that they knew little more than she did. Emma noticed that Ryleigh was kind of green when she said that and Emma felt sorry for her. The poor woman was cradling her small stomach like she would go into labor at any moment. Emma could relate, she had never expected to go into labor so soon, after talking with the two ladies she realized that she had probably been in labor for a while and just hadn’t realized it.
It dawned on her at that moment why Ryleigh had asked her about cramping. Emma felt stupid she had missed so many signs. She wanted to curl up and dismiss everything, every time she felt a little embarrassed or scared at what was being revealed to her Dalton would rub her leg or lightly squeeze it letting her know she wasn’t alone. She was being so mean to him by shutting him out, she just didn’t know how to process it, she had never had someone to support her during rough or hard times. Dalton’s stoic and calm presences meant more to her than she could ever possibly put into words. Dalton Hayes was a good man.
Dalton didn’t like the way Emma was acting he had thought that they had cleared some things up during their talk but it was now obvious, they had a long way to go. She was shutting him out trying to take the world on her shoulders, if he were a different man he would have let her but she needed him just as much as he needed her, even more considering the circumstances and if his pride took a bit of a blow so be it. He would support Emma whether she liked it or not. When she got better he would spank her ass and make her realize that her pulling away was not an option.
Emma got caught up in her thoughts zoning out on what Mia and Ryleigh were saying. Was Dalton acting this way out of pity or obligation? Emma legitimately couldn’t answer those questions and that made her sad and uneasy. She felt a connection to Dalton but she didn’t want him to feel obligated to help her or for him to pity her. Yeah, the circumstances that brought her to the Alpha Teams base were not the best but she would get better, she had lived through crap as a child raised in the system that would have broken most people. Emma didn’t break she survived at least that was what she had always done before maybe this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Maybe the last six months and meeting Dalton would be her breaking point.
With a new resolve, she focused back on the conversation at hand. She needed to concentrate and tune the thoughts of Dalton Hayes out. His comfort and support were nice but she had to do this on her own for her daughter and for herself. She needed to rely on the one constant in her life herself. If that made her a bitch so be it she would deal with that too. She would survive this for her daughter.
Mia and Ryleigh explained that she would be staying with them for the foreseeable future since her baby was the first female shifter. The first female born in a hundred years that might have the ability to shift, as a result she would be sought after by many factions. That scared Emma no one said it but she knew that fact alone put her child in even more danger. Dalton had spoken up several times with what the Alpha team was planning to do to help her and she listened but focused mainly on Mia and Ryleigh. She really was a bitch.
Dalton mentioned that Jacks and Cash would be in later to question her about the last six months and her captivity in order to get a lock on exactly who had held her and why she was the only one at the facility when she escaped. Noting that things were not adding up based on their past experiences in such matters as she had been told. Emma wished she hadn’t had the experience herself.
Emma was a bit uneasy with her present situation having to remain with the Alpha Team for protection, she couldn’t help but wonder if she were trading one prison in for another? Sighing and shaking her head she realized that she would do whatever it took to keep her daughter safe. Even if that meant they both needed to have protection for the foreseeable future, this seemed to be her best if not only option at the moment. She would give up her life and future for her daughter. Emma would deal with anything that came up.
Dalton was still offering her support with small touches and staying on the bed with her, she wished she could give in to her feelings for this man and the comfort and security he provided. Unfortunately, her insecurities had the upper hand therefore she wouldn’t allow herself to accept it. As a defense against her feelings Emma felt she needed to be strong and not rely on him for anything. She had never looked to anyone for that before, and she couldn’t understand why she desired it with Dalton. The thought disturbed her. She wanted his warmth she wanted to his manly smell to permeate the sheets and pillow she laid on but most of all she just wanted him the one thing she was pretty sure she couldn’t have.
Emma welcomed any questions the Alpha team had because she needed some answers herself. She wanted justice for herself and for her daughter. She wanted the company she worked for and the people at the lab to pay for what they had done to her. She also wanted to prevent them from doing it to anyone else. By the glimpses, she got from the members of the Alpha Team she believed they were just the right guys to make that happen. They looked like a group of badasses and she really needed some badasses right now. The information she was being given proved that she would never have been able to get justice on her own and unless they could find some answers she would never have any type of life again.
Emma must have drifted because Mia cleared her throat to get her attention. Emma felt stupid she couldn’t even keep her thoughts together this was the second time someone had to drag her back to the conversation. Red-faced and ashamed Emma focused back on Mia. “Hey Emma I need to go over some other things with you as well if that is okay.” Mia placed her hand over Emma’s and she knew that she wasn’t going to like what the doctor had to say next. Mia didn’t strike her as the overly affectionate person professional, a bit funny yes but affectionate no.
“Emma due to your confinement and your current underlying health issues I am going to have to place you one some antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and pain killers. You need rest and your body needs to recover. That stuff takes time.
Emma already figured as much but she didn’t understand why Mia was acting so hesitant. She wanted her to just rip the Band-Aid off already.
As a result of your current condition, it is my professional opinion that your body is too weak to produce enough milk, and with the medications you will be taking it will be unsafe for you to breastfeed your baby, I am going to have to recommend that you bottle feed your baby.
Emma thought yeah that Band-Aid definitely had a sting to it. Mia had leaned forward in her chair and gripped Emma’s hand harder. I know this is hard for you most mothers want the closeness that breastfeeding provides and even though it is the best nourishment for babies. I can assure you that formula today is quite good for babies. On the bright side, by bottle feeding the rest of us will also be able to help with the baby and let you get the rest you need to recuperate properly.
Emma never thought about it before but it kind of hurt to think that she might not be able to nourish her own child. Those people at the lab had destroyed her body along with her ability to feed her daughter and that just pissed her off. How dare they play with human lives and do these heinous things to anyone! How dare they take these precious moments away from her and her daughter! For six months, they had taken control of her body and it looked like that control would l
ast even longer and that wasn’t right. She hoped no prayed that when the Alpha Team finally caught up to the people responsible for all of this they paid dearly for the injustice.
Mia assured her that there were several things they could do but first Emma had to heal and with the medications she needed her on it wasn’t safe. Emma knew the woman was just repeating herself trying to lighten the blow. Mia hadn’t let go of her hand and she could still feel Dalton rubbing her knee. All of this just sucked. These people were trying to comfort her and right at the moment she didn’t want any comfort.
Emma just wanted to check out for a little while she needed a few moments alone to process everything that had happened. She wished they all would just leave but she knew that she needed to hear everything they had to say before she let herself go.
Chapter 30
Clearing her throat, she asked Okay what else? She also moved her hand out from under Mia’s and crossed her arms over her chest. In the same move, she moved her leg away from Dalton's caress. She had faced everything in her life alone and she would face whatever was to come that way as well. She only had to think about her daughter. She couldn’t think about the look Mia gave her or the tension she felt from Dalton. She had to think about her baby and nothing else.
Emma was numb and even though she noticed Mia was a little shocked at the distance she had placed between them she didn’t care. Ryleigh cut the tension by explaining that they had set up shifts for people to come in and sit with the baby and her to help. Just as earlier when Dalton had mentioned it Emma was apprehensive but also relieved, she didn’t have any idea on how to take care of a baby she knew she needed to get strong, and to do that she needed rest. Right now, she couldn’t even get out of the bed on her own she was just too weak, even lifting her arms was becoming a chore and she was pretty sure if she tried to stand at the moment she would fall flat on her face. She needed to get well so she could be the one to protect her daughter.
Dalton: NAC & The Holly Group (Alpha Team Book 2) Page 20
