Out of Darkness Ch. 12

Carr caught sight of Lila approaching with Karen. He saw Nathan's face light up at the sight of his mate. He laughed; Cole had the exact same look on his face. He noticed Lila was already showing signs of her pregnancy. She had a nice baby bump going. In fact, she was the same size as Lee, who was three months pregnant with triplets compared to two months for Lila with just one cub. The jokes were flying that Lila was going to give birth to a full sized wolf instead of just a cub.

Lila slipped her arms around her mate and nuzzled his neck. His whole body relaxed as he took in her scent. She was just what he needed right now.

Cole put out his arm, and Karen slid in just where she fit best, against his chest. She snuggled in while he closed his arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. Her baby bump wasn't showing yet, but he couldn't wait. He was going to love every second of taking care of his pregnant mate.

Nathan was the gentlest Beta that Cole had ever known. He was a great fighter, but with a huge heart. Cole knew Nathan could be ferocious and would tear an enemy apart without a thought. And he knew the big male was heart-broken that he had hurt his friend during a practice bout.

"Let's go to the lake and sluice off. I'm a dusty mess from being so close to you guys; and you, Nathan, you're covered in sweat!" Cole smiled at his friend.

Nathan looked down at his chest, streaked with mud, grass stains, and blood. "I guess I am kind of a mess, huh?"

"I'll let you know whatever the doctor says, I promise." Carr thought a jump in the lake would be good for all of them. It was February in the high desert; it'd be nice and cold. The wolves loved cold, icy water.

Carr watched as the foursome walked away, chatting amongst themselves. Nathan would be fine, and so would Zsigmond. Jeff would have him good as new in no time. In fact, Jeff was already with his latest patient. Carr walked through the hospital entrance and made his way down the hall towards the emergency room.

Carr, you got a minute?

Hey James, kinda busy at the moment. Is it an emergency?

No, no emergency.

I promise, just a few minutes.

Okay, I'm on the way back with Kelly's grandfather. Interesting guy.

Got it. See you soon.

James checked the rear view mirror and saw his passenger sitting tall in the back seat. Damn, he was big. He might be bigger than Nathan.

On his way to the emergency room, Carr passed Drago's room. He peeked inside and saw Kelly sitting close to the bed, her face close to the black wolf's head. Carr could hear her whispering but did his best not to listen in. Drago's parents were sitting on the other side of the bed, dozing in the chairs. The three of them had barely left his side since he'd been here.

Logan had said Drago would probably be safe to shift in a day or two. Cubs were always taught to stay in whatever form they were injured in until they had healed. Since he'd been in his wolf form, it was best if he stayed that way until the major injuries were healed.

Carr really wanted to have a long talk with Drago after he was better. He wanted to know everything he could about Erobos before he arrived. He hoped he'd have the time anyway.

The Alpha stopped in front of the emergency room and stood outside the glass doors. Guillame noticed him there and stepped out.

Guillame was watching his second as he pretended to not be in pain. Guillame felt it. "He is always the strong one. He thinks if he shows any emotion everything will come crashing down. Did you know he brought Orsolya to this country? He helped to raise my daughter."

Carr watched Guillame out of the corner of his eye. He could tell that Zsigmond was just as important to Guillame as Cole was to Carr. He was a brother, if not by blood, then by something even stronger. Carr didn't say a word, just nodded as Guillame spoke.

"It was a good thing we didn't listen to him about his leg not being that bad. Jeff said that there was hair and grass and dirt deep in the wound. It would never have healed correctly."

The two Alphas stood side by side watching through the window as the doctor bandaged the wound. Zsigmond put on a pair of sweats and was arguing with Jeff about staying overnight in the hospital.

Margareta stood quietly next to her mate, her hand never leaving his arm as he argued. She was always the calming influence. Suddenly, she looked out the open door, and let out a bloodcurdling scream.

No one was more startled than Zsigmond. His mate was usually almost as stoic as he was. Was she upset about his injury? He stared at her as her face blanched, and she dug her nails into his arm. Margareta, what's wrong? What's happened?

Mine! With that one thought to her mate, she shifted and ran out of the room. Her shredded clothing lay on the floor where she had stood.

Guillame was stunned. Margareta, Margareta, where are you going? What is going on?

The female ignored her mate and her Alpha as her claws slid on the slick hospital floor. She slammed her body into the closed door of Drago's room, hurtling herself over and over. The reinforced door didn't move an inch.

Margareta's mate, the Alphas, and the doctors and nurses ran after her and were speechless as she mindlessly threw herself at the door.

They watched through the window and could see the terror on Kelly's face while she held on tightly to Drago. Carla looked frightened as well, clutching the chair where she was seated. Silvano looked as if he would tear apart the first being that came through the door. He had shifted and stood his ground in the middle of the floor, his hackles up, saliva dripping from his mouth.

Margareta, please, stop this! He'll kill you if you go through that door. Stop it! Zsigmond couldn't understand what was wrong with her. She'd never done anything like this before. She wouldn't answer him, and all he heard from her was a single word: "mine!"

Drago struggled to sit up in the bed. He could see his father in a defensive stance in the middle of the room. He looked at Kelly and saw how frightened she was. He had to be able to hold her. He had to protect her. He knew the doctor wouldn't want him to shift, but he was well enough, he was sure of it. He had to protect Kelly from whatever or whoever was on the other side of that door! He took in a deep breath and willed himself to shift.

Kelly couldn't see what was happening in front of her. Carla had run in front of her and seemed to be blocking her from full sight of the door. Kelly heard the snarling from the other side of the door, the shouting; it sounded like someone yelling "Margareta" over and over. She had a hand on Drago's neck, trying to hold him down. She could feel him struggling to sit up. She wanted him to stay down, but she was trying to see what was happening in front of her at the same time. Suddenly she felt human skin under her fingers and whipped her head around to see Drago laying in front of her, the human, not the wolf! "Drago!" she whispered to him. "Drago, please, lay down, don't try to get up. Why did you do that? The doctor said you shouldn't shift yet!" Now what was she supposed to do? She looked at Carla for help, but Carla was fixated on the wolf in the middle of the room. "Kelly!" Drago's voice was hoarse. He struggled to breathe through the pain. Maybe the doctor had been right after all. He felt dizzy and grabbed for Kelly to help steady himself. He didn't notice the blood coming from his arm.

Kelly could see where the IV catheter had pulled out of Drago's arm during his shift. Blood was pouring from the vein that had been damaged by the catheter being dislodged. So much was happening around her. She tried to concentrate on helping Drago and reached for some gauze lying on the table next to the bed with one hand while trying to hold him down with the other. He wasn't cooperating with her. She wasn't sure if he was trying to help his father or what. She fumbled for the gauze while she tried to hold Drago still. She wasn't able to stop him as he slid off the bed and hit the ground with a loud thud.

Kelly's anguished scream added to the confusion inside and outside the hospital room. She bent down to try to help Drago who seemed momentarily stunned. His eyes looked almost vacant. Had he hit his head? She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Drago, Drago, can you hear me?" She didn't see Carla come up behind her and only felt the hand come down on her shoulder.

Carla barely managed to evade the teeth as they snapped closed less than an inch from her hand.

The sleek black panther switched her tail from side to side. She snarled and growled loudly, roaring her challenge to those in the room not to come any closer.

Carla backed slowly away, plastering herself against a wall.

Silvano glanced over his shoulder when he heard the roar and was dumbfounded by the sight of the cat standing in front of his son. She seemed to be guarding him. Kelly?

Guillame and Carr exchanged bewildered looks as they could do nothing but watch through the glass. It was Kelly! Up until a minute ago she had smelled like a human. She definitely was not!

Carr, I really need to talk to you!

James, now is not the time. Things are kind of crazy here right now. Can't it wait?

Carr ignored the Beta's messages and tried to help keep down the pandemonium going on around him.

Zsigmond tried to calm his mate and ignore what had everyone else mesmerized, but he couldn't ignore the obvious sounds of a panther coming from the hospital room. He couldn't get through to Margareta, she had but one thought in her head, "mine!"

"Excuse me. Pardon me. May I get through please?" Jenna gently made her way through the crowd that had formed in the hallway. She knew what she'd find when she reached the room. She stood on tiptoes to look through the window and saw the cat, her ears twitching as she listened to the wolf still pounding into the door. Her tail twitched from side to side. She leaned into the male who lay dazed on the floor, still bleeding from where the catheter had been. Her low, menacing growls kept Silvano and Carla against the wall.

Jenna motioned to Orsolya when she arrived. Take care of Margareta. She'll listen to you.

In the meantime, the two Alphas had regained their senses and started moving people out of the hallway, away from the wolf who had exhausted herself and could barely move but would still not let anyone near her. They made room for the remaining panthers who had been drawn by the jumbled thoughts of their newest sister.

Orsolya had approached Margareta and slowly put out her hand. The little wolf sniffed at her and then collapsed as she shifted, the human woman falling forward into Orsolya's waiting arms. Orsolya rocked her brother's mate, stroking her hair and whispering in her ear. She nodded to her brother, who came forward cautiously and reached an arm around his mate, drawing her closer to hold her to his chest.

He didn't say a word, just let his sister speak. Both females had lost their children. They had a bond he couldn't share.

"Margareta, what happened? Why were you trying to get into the room?"

Orsolya and Zsigmond were both stunned by her words.

Margareta struggled to speak as she gasped for breath. "My son, my son is in that room. He's alive! Arthur is alive!"

Now it was Zsigmond that was ready to fling himself at the door. It was only the immediate order of his Alpha that stopped him in his tracks. He wanted to ignore him but knew that he could not. Tears fell from his eyes. He inhaled deeply and had the scent. His mate had noticed it first and acted. The two sobbed in each other's arms as Orsolya held them both.

Orsolya looked at Guillame, her own tears welling up. How could this be? She had been there when the local Sheriff had told them that a witness had recounted seeing the little boy fall into the lake and drown. They had dragged the lake for weeks but never found a body. But the Search and Rescue team had concluded that the lake was just too deep, or that a little boy's body could have been pulled downriver before they even began the search.

Guillame stood near Zsigmond, ready to physically restrain him if his order was disobeyed. He could see the grief in the trio's faces. He hadn't been present thirty years ago when the boy had disappeared, but Orsolya had recounted the horrifying events to him. Zsigmond and Margareta had been unable to conceive for over two hundred years. And then, finally, she had given birth to a son they had named for Zsigmond's father, Ártur... only to lose him six years later in a senseless accident. Or so they had been led to believe.

Erobos! It must have been him! Guillame needed every bit of his strength to keep from roaring out his own anger at the werewolf that had continuously destroyed his family for centuries. His death couldn't come soon enough for Guillame. And the more painful, the better!

He focused his attention on his mate and her family to control his growing rage. He needed to keep himself in check. There was too much at stake. And where did Kelly fit into all of this? She was obviously a panther. But then why had she smelled human? And how did she come to be here? There were so many questions with even fewer answers. He barely noticed as the panthers gathered at the window to watch their new sister.

The black panther was obviously guarding the injured male on the floor behind her. She paced near him, never taking her sparkling blue eyes off the male and female on the other side of the room. Silvano had shifted back to his human form and was holding Carla in his arms protectively. It was clear to those watching that the panther was not able to control her feral nature. She was controlled by instinct only. Her human half was silent. She would kill without hesitation to protect her mate.

Orsolya patted Margareta on the shoulder and stroked her brother's cheek as she left them to join her sisters at the window where they stood, hand in hand, focusing their thoughts. She didn't seem to understand their words, so they concentrated on images to show her they were her friends, they were her family. But her thoughts were confused. Her need to protect her mate outweighed any and all other thoughts.

Carr, seriously, this is really important.

James, it better be, because all hell is breaking loose here right now.

Yeah, well it's breaking loose in my car too. This guy is a were! He was sitting quietly in the back seat and then all of a sudden started screaming in my ear to get to his granddaughter fast! I'm kind of worried that if something happens he doesn't like that he's gonna rip me to shreds!

Shit! What's your ETA?

About five minutes. The sooner he's out of my car, the better I like it!

Come straight to the hospital. And James, I'm sorry I put you off!

No worries, Carr. I figured there must be something big going on. Be there shortly. James floored it, making the last few miles in record time. He pulled up in front of the emergency entrance and immediately jumped out, opening the door for their latest guest.

James reflexively stood back as the giant of a man climbed out of the back seat. He stood to his full height and scanned the area. He knew where he needed to be and didn't wait to be shown the way.

Carr had just made it to the doors when the tall, black-haired man swooped inside. "Hello, I'm Carr Baxter, welcome..." Carr stood with his hand out as the man walked past him.

The tall man turned his cold blue eyes to Carr. "Where is my granddaughter? Take me to her now."

His commanding tone and bearing were unmistakable to Carr. Kelly's grandfather was an Alpha. "Follow me." Carr saw heads turn as the tall were followed him down the hallway. They stopped when they reached Drago's room. Carr saw the look of recognition on the man's face when he looked at Jenna. Now how could he possibly know Jenna?

The man seemed surprised for a brief moment before his face became a blank slate. He looked past Jenna into the room and saw the male and female holding each other as far from the panther as possible. He stared at his granddaughter. She looks just like her grandmother, he thought.

"Let me into the room." His voice was emotionless.

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea." Alistair had moved close to Jenna. He slid his arm around her waist. He didn't like the way this stranger had looked at his mate.

"Kelly is my granddaughter. I will take care of her."

Alistair and the male stared at each other, neither giving an inch.

Logan leaned in close to Carr. "Drago doesn't look good, Carr. We have to get him out of there."

Carr nodded and cleared his throat. "Alistair, I think Kelly's grandfather knows more about this than we do at the moment."

The white-haired male spun around. A deep growl rumbling in his chest, and he looked ready to attack, but he was quickly calmed by the soft touch of his mate's hand on his shoulder and her soothing voice in his mind.

Carr is right, Alistair.

Alistair looked into Jenna's face as she smiled and put a hand to his face.

I know what has you upset, Alistair. I don't know Kelly's grandfather. But he knew Leona. Don't ask me how I know, I just do. He was just surprised.

Alistair's hand covered hers and brought it to his lips. My wolf is possessive. I should know better.

Alistair knew they were waiting for him to make a decision and pulled himself from Jenna, turning to face their newest guest. "Alright, we're counting on you to control her. Silvano, unlock the door and do whatever he says."

Kelly's grandfather barely nodded and put his hand on the doorknob. He halted for a moment and looked over at the six women standing together. "She doesn't understand what's happening to her. I know you think you are helping her, but stop. You're only confusing her more."

With the bewildered women watching, Kelly's grandfather opened the door and slipped through the opening. He walked slowly into the room, the sleek panther making eye contact with him. Her growls reverberated through the room, punctuated by quick lunges towards the male, her front leg swiping close to him, the sharp claws fully extended.

Tracy stood with her nose to the window. "Her thoughts are so confused. They don't make any sense at all. I don't feel her human half at all."

Katy stood close to her, a hand resting on her shoulder. She turned a worried look at Rhys, standing quietly with Alistair. Is Kelly gone?