Chapter 9
Steel was about to leave Colton and Ian’s room to wake up Lily and Samuel when a movement caught the corner of his eye.
Turning quickly, he saw Jackson faint. Reaching for his mate and catching him just before he hit the floor, he then lifted him up, cradled him in his arms and sat down on the bed.
“Jackson…babe…what’s wrong?” Steel’s eyes roamed over his mate’s pale face, fear seizing his gut. “Mo chroí…”
Jackson’s eyelashes fluttered several times before opening completely. Staring up at Steel, he asked, “What happened?”
“Don’t know, babe…are you okay?”
Closing his eyes against the cries coming from Colton’s wolf, he shook his head. What the hell did I just do? In the heat of the moment, he’d bound his brother’s wolf to his, not thinking about what the outcome most likely would be. How the hell would his brothers ever understand?
“Babe,” Steel murmured, anxiously. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Covering his face with his hands to avoid what he knew his mate’s reaction would be, Jackson said softly, “My brother’s wolf…is…is dying.”
Frowning, Steel asked, “Why? I mean, how come? Shit…I don’t understand.”
“I shouldn’t have done it…but Mac needs Colton…there isn’t anyone else who can help him and there wasn’t any way I could allow my brother in the room with Mac. At the first scent of Ian’s blood, Colton’s wolf would force a shift in order to protect his mate.”
“I got that…but it doesn’t explain why Colton’s wolf is dying.”
Lowering his hands, Jackson looked at Steel. “I bound his wolf to mine…do you know what that is?”
“No…tell me.”
“Using my Alpha power, I forced Colton’s wolf to be tied to my wolf…
meaning he’s now under my control. I didn’t even know it was possible, but a couple of weeks ago, Colton told me about it.
He read about it in one of Ian’s ancient medical books when he was looking for a way to assist Mac if he needed to operate on Ian. ”
“I never heard of it.”
“I’m not surprised. It faded from usage after it was deemed too dangerous.”
“Because the bound wolf would die?” asked Steel.
Nodding, Jackson said, “It drives him insane. Right now, Colton’s wolf is crying out for his mate, sensing he’s in danger.”
“How long does Colton’s wolf have before he goes over the edge?”
“We don’t know for sure…Colton couldn’t find any records at first, so without knowing more I refused to consider it.
But my brother didn’t give up; he went back to the books to see if there was any information about it under Alpha power and he found a first-hand account of what occurred to a wolf who was bound.
Colton’s wolf has less than an hour before it’ll be too late to save him. ”
“Fuck,” Steel growled.
“I told him it wasn’t long enough. The risk was too great…so many things could go wrong during the operation, even though he assured me C-sections were routine.”
“Let me guess…he didn’t give up.”
Shaking his head, Jackson murmured, “He went to Mac…showed him what he’d found and explained he only wanted it as a back-up in case it was needed.
I got the feeling my cousin wasn’t thrilled about it but after Colton pointed out there wasn’t any indication he would be needed, Mac agreed.
After hearing them out…and relying on Ian’s tests results, I agreed to it…
but only if there was an emergency that absolutely required Colton’s help. ”
“Your worst nightmare came true.”
Nodding, Jackson brushed away a tear that escaped his eye. “I couldn’t refuse my brother’s request to allow him to be there if it meant saving his pups.”
“I assume Mac knows he’s working under a deadline now.”
“He does, but he can’t pay attention to that. Colton made him promise to put the pups and Ian first,” Jackson said quietly, getting up off his mate’s lap. “If his wolf dies, so will my brother.”
Rising, Steel wrapped his arms around his mate, pulling him to his chest. He felt Jackson’s agitation and frustration in the rigidness of his body.
Unable to offer a solution, he concentrated on supporting his mate instead.
Rubbing Jackson’s back soothingly, he flooded the air around them with his scent, hoping it would provide some comfort.
~/~/~/~/~
Dylon stared at the closed operating room door, envisioning what was happening on the other side with Ian; fear was trying to seize control of his mind but he could not allow it.
Colton’s life depended on it. Running up the stairs, he headed for his and Cody’s bedroom.
There might be a chance for him to save Colton—but there wasn’t a moment to lose.
When Colton announced his wolf was bound, Dylon almost lost it.
For a brief moment he wondered if Cody’s brother really knew he’d just signed his own death warrant.
But then, seeing the look on Mac’s face when Colton announced it, he realized they both knew.
How the hell Jackson ever agreed to do it was something he didn’t want to think about, but the deed was done and now it was up to him to try to save Colton.
Bursting into their bedroom, Dylon found Cody sitting on the bed, crying over what was happening to Colton’s wolf. No time to talk about that now. “Babe, I need your help if we’re going to save your brother.”
Wiping away his tears, Cody began to feel some hope. Standing, he said, “Whatever you need.”
Heading to their closet, Dylon pulled out his old trunk that his mother had brought him when he joined the pack.
Unlocking it, he rifled through its contents until he found what he was looking for.
Turning around, he asked, “Are the twins asleep?” Seeing Cody’s nod, he grabbed the baby monitor from the bedside table and headed out of the room. “C’mon, there isn’t much time left.”
~/~/~/~/~
Mac waited for the word from Colton to proceed.
It had taken longer than expected to stabilize Ian, but he couldn’t afford to take chances…
especially with the lives of the pups on the line.
Pausing to calm his mind, Mac held the scalpel poised over Ian’s protruding belly before taking a deep breath, and making his first cut.
Within minutes he held the first baby in his hands, clearing her airway, then giving her a quick check before passing her to Colton.
My daughter! Carrying her over to another table, Colton quickly wiped her down and checked her color.
Swaddling her in a soft blanket, he set her into one of the new hospital bassinets lined up against the wall.
Then, postponing further procedures he’d normally do with a newborn, he hurried back to Mac.
With just the two of them in the delivery room, every task had been prioritized.
Birthing the second pup, took longer than the first; he was slow to take his first breath. When he was finally breathing on his own, Mac handed the baby to Colton.
Oh, my gods! Cradling his son, he smiled, looking down at the spitting image of Ian. After the pup had been cleaned, Colton wrapped his son in a fluffy blanket, happy to see his skin had pinked up. Giving a quick glance at his daughter, he grinned at her tuft of red hair.
“Colton!”
Hearing the alarm in Mac’s voice, Colton rushed over to him. “What’s the problem?”
“The umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck and I can’t get it lose enough to extract her. I need you to hold her while I cut the cord. Hurry, her heart rate is falling!”
~/~/~/~/~
Stopping in the doorway to Colton and Ian’s bedroom, Dylon found the person he was looking for. “Jackson,” he said, “I can save Colton’s wolf, but you have to trust me!”
Stepping out of Steel’s embrace, Jackson frowned, trying to understand Dylon’s words. Shaking his head, he said, “There’s nothing you can do.”
Standing next to his mate, Cody replied, “Jackson, he can. It’s the only way to save Colton.”
Jackson’s despair was mirrored clearly on his face. “Cody, I bound Colton’s wolf…do you know what that is?”
“No…but…”
“I know!” Dylon exclaimed. “My Shaman told me about it…I know what’s happening to Colton’s wolf but if we don’t act quickly, it’ll be too late.”
“Mac and Colton never told me something could save him,” Jackson said, unconvinced.
“Probably because they didn’t know. See this?” Dylon held up a golden strap emitting a soft glow. “This ties Cody and me together. It’ll allow Cody’s wolf to talk to Colton’s wolf, and calm him down. It’ll buy more time for Mac and Colton to deliver the pups.”
“If Cody is tied to you, how does his wolf talk to Colton’s?” asked Steel.
“Jackson has to bind my wolf to his, just like he did to Colton’s,” Dylon explained.
“No way! I’m not risking your wolf, too!”
“You won’t be. The gods gave me the strength of Hercules…my wolf is just as strong as I am. He can handle it,” Dylon assured Jackson.
“What about Cody’s wolf? How will it affect him?” asked Steel.
“It won’t, since he won’t be bound. This allows him to speak directly to Colton’s wolf through my wolf…I’m only there to relay his message. It’s the only way to save Colton’s wolf.”
Looking at Cody, Jackson asked, “Do you agree to me binding Dylon’s wolf?”
“I do…you’ll see, it’ll work.”
Jackson sighed. “Okay,” he said, reluctantly. He’d have to trust Dylon knew what he was doing.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Dylon quickly buckled the strap around Cody’s wrist. “Once my wolf is bound, use our link to join my wolf.”
“What do I do then?” asked Cody.
“Talk to your brother’s wolf and calm him down.
Assure him Ian’s wolf is not in danger and they’ll soon be reunited.
Also, don’t be alarmed at my wolf biting his neck.
I won’t hurt him…but it will provide him with comfort.
” Tightening the strap, Dylon checked it once more, making sure he and Cody were firmly connected. “You ready?”
“I am,” Cody murmured.
Turning to Jackson, Dylon said, “You have to keep me bound until Colton returns from helping Mac. Once he does, you can release both Colton’s wolf and mine. Okay?”
“Got it…but what if you have a problem?”
“Cody will let you know what to do,” Dylon said.
Nodding, Jackson closed his eyes, summoning his Alpha power to bind Dylon’s wolf. Once it was done, Colton’s wolf’s cries became less frequent until they ceased, bringing a smile of relief to Jackson’s face.
~/~/~/~/~
Glancing over his shoulder at Mac, Colton saw him working furiously to restart his second daughter’s heart.
Biting his lower lip, he forced himself to return to suturing Ian’s incision.
His mate’s body would attempt to heal soon, but only after the wound was closed completely.
After finishing the last few stitches, he took a deep breath.
Then he checked Ian’s vitals and, pleased that everything was normal, he hurried over to help Mac.
Racking his brain to see if there was something he missed, Mac continued to give CPR to the sweet, baby girl lying motionless.
His eyes roamed over her blue tinged skin; he was quickly running out of time.
After giving her two quick breaths, he resumed pushing down on her chest, hoping her heart would begin beating soon.
Sensing Colton standing behind him, Mac asked, “How’s Ian? ”
“Good, his body has begun to heal itself,” Colton murmured, stepping alongside Mac.
Observing his daughter, the fear he’d kept at bay while working on Ian, came roaring back.
She hadn’t responded to any of Mac’s efforts so far.
Placing his palm on her head, he began rubbing gently, humming to himself.
Trying his natural healer’s ability was a gamble because, as far as Colton knew, it only worked when a person wasn’t dying.
Pausing for a moment, Mac pressed his stethoscope to her chest, hearing a faint heartbeat. Glancing at Colton, he murmured, “It’s very weak, breathing is shallow, it doesn’t look good.”
Colton’s eyes scanned his daughter, hoping to see a change in skin color and, while it had faded somewhat, her lips were still blue. His heart stuttered, knowing his princess was still very much in danger.
“There’s nothing else I can do,” Mac said quietly.
“I’m so sorry.” Turning away, he blinked several times, tears filling his eyes, sorrow enveloping him.
Leaving Colton with his daughter, Mac went over to the two babies who’d made it, finishing the examinations Colton had delayed.
Grieving would have to wait till later, when he was alone and could let it consume him.
Squaring his shoulders, he turned his attention to the task at hand.
It took Colton a moment to realize what Mac was apologizing for.
Refusing to accept it, he continued rubbing her chest; giving up was not an option.
“C’mon Lilia, breathe darling!” Repeating the words over and over, he kept at it, hoping for a miracle.
Suddenly, he felt Mac’s hand on his shoulder.
Shaking his head, he shrugged it off as he continued his efforts.
“Colton,” Mac said softly. “What about your gift? Can you try that?”
Frozen, his cousin’s words were on an endless loop in his mind. He hadn’t thought about his Raphael’s Power. Now it flooded his mind. Mac was right, he could try it and while he’d never used it on an infant, it was at least worth a chance.
Colton reached out his fingers and touched his daughter’s chest. Calling on Raphael to help him, he felt the power surge through his body and exit through his fingers.
A blinding, green light filled the room and Colton could feel a warm buzzing in his fingers.
After the light and the tingling faded, he removed his fingers, praying to the Archangel Raphael it wasn’t too late, while waiting to see a sign from Lilia.
Staring at his daughter, Colton held his breath, waiting for a sign that it had worked.
His vision grew blurry as tears filled his eyes.
Dashing them away with his hand, he concentrated on Lilia’s face, praying the blueness in her lips would disappear.
Only then would he know the gift he never wanted was working.
Standing next to his cousin, Mac’s eyes roamed over Lilia’s body, watching for an indication it worked. Then, he saw it. “Look!” he exclaimed, pointing to the rise and fall of her chest. Her breathing was stronger and her blue-tinged skin had blossomed into pink.