Chapter Eight
Logan stared at Nick, sprawled unconscious across the bed. Sweat glazed his skin, his hair was plastered to his temples, and his mouth slack and pink. Nothing about him screamed “dangerous vampire.” He just looked small. Too small for what he’d just gone through.
Father. Logan’s hands shook as he tucked the blanket back around Nick’s hips. He was going to be a father. Right now all he cared about was the guy lying half-wrecked in front of him.
Nick’s body curled around the pain, his knees pulled in like a drowned kitten. Something about that made Logan sick, made him want to tear the whole world in half just for letting this happen. He glanced at Dr. Thorne, who seemed pretty casual about the whole thing, then back at his mate.
“Is he going to stay down long?” Logan could barely get the words out. Guilt scraped his throat.
Dr. Thorne finished packing his kit, not a single muscle out of place. “He’s overloaded. That’s all. Shock’s common when the body starts shifting this fast. He’ll wake soon. Give him water and food then let him rest.”
Logan grunted. He didn’t trust doctors, especially those who looked like they’d walked out of a vampire mafia movie, but this one had helped, so he’d let it slide.
He hovered over Nick, breath stuck in his throat, waiting for a sign that his mate would be okay. He grabbed Nick’s hand, cold and bony even after two full meals of Logan’s blood. He didn’t like the way the tendons stood out, thin and fragile.
A clatter from the doorway. Zeppelin strode in, stone-faced as always, and gave the doctor a quick up nod. “Everything all right?”
“Your wolf’s mate is pregnant,” Dr. Thorne said. He sounded like he was announcing a bake sale.
Zeppelin blinked then grinned like he’d won a prize at the carnival. “Good for you, Logan. Really. You’re in for it now.”
“Yeah,” Logan muttered. His voice came out rough. He didn’t let go of Nick’s hand.
Zeppelin took one look at the mess on the bed then jerked his chin toward the hall. “You got this?”
Logan glared. “I got it.”
Alpha’s lips twitched. “Scream if you need backup. I’ll keep the rest of the lookie-loos away.”
Dr. Thorne followed Zeppelin out, their low voices fading as the door swung shut. Silence pressed in, loud as a gunshot.
Nick moaned, his hands grabbing at the sheets. Logan moved fast, steadying his mate with a palm on his lower back. “Easy. You’re safe.”
Nick’s eyelids fluttered then popped open. First thing he did was seek out Logan, like he couldn’t breathe until he saw his mate. Logan’s chest lurched.
“You’re here.”
“Right here.”
Nick tried to push up, but his arms gave out. He crashed back to the mattress, his breath coming in rough pants. His eyes darted around the room. “Where’s the doctor? What did he do?”
“Just took some blood. Said you’re going to be fine.” Logan stroked Nick’s knuckles, grounding both of them. “Says you’re hungry for more than blood now.”
Nick froze. “He said I was pregnant.” His gaze collided with Logan’s, panicked. “That’s not possible.”
Logan pulled him upright, slow and careful. He held on even when Nick tried to twist away. “You heard the man. You’re carrying our kid.”
For one second, Nick’s face crumpled, pain and disbelief fighting for first place. Then he slammed up his walls and yanked free.
“Don’t touch me.” His voice shook.
Not happening. Logan wrapped an arm around Nick’s waist and dragged him back in. He half expected Nick to throw a punch, but instead he wilted, his mouth pressed flat.
A tremor ripped through Nick, his teeth bared in a parody of a smile. “Get off me, Logan. Just…let me deal with this. Alone.”
“Not leaving.”
Nick tensed, his muscles working like he wanted to bolt. “I don’t want you here.”
Logan let that one land. He didn’t care. “Hurts to see you like this. Let me help.”
“Why? It’s not your problem.” The words stung, but it was the lie behind them that pissed Logan off. He held on tighter, refusing to give an inch.
“You’re my mate. Our baby’s growing in you. There’s nowhere else I want to be.”
Nick made a wounded sound, digging his fingers into his own arm. “Just let go. Please, Logan. I fucking mean it.”
Logan shook his head. There was no way he was letting go. “Not after what you’ve been through. You shoved all this shit down your whole life, and now you’re supposed to handle this alone? Nah. Not happening.”
Nick tried to laugh. It broke halfway out.
“If I was a better person, I wouldn’t have lashed out at you.
” Anger flared, gone just as fast. “I don’t know how to do this.
I don’t want to do this. I’m not fucking cut out to be someone’s dad.
I eat frozen pizza three times a week, and my stepdad used to call me a walking disappointment. ”
“Then you’ll be a better dad than he ever was,” Logan said. “You’ll do it your way.”
Nick stared at him, hatred and hope warring in his face. “You don’t get it. This is wrong, Logan. I’m not even human. I’m some…vampire freak.”
Something in Logan snapped. He grabbed Nick by the jaw and forced him to meet his eyes. “Look at me. I don’t care what you are. You’re mine. You hear me?”
Nick’s mouth worked, but nothing came out.
“Yeah. You’re scared. So am I. Doesn’t mean you get to run away.”
Nick’s lips parted like he was going to spit venom, but the fight drained. He sagged in Logan’s grip.
“Just let me go,” Nick begged, his voice thin. “I need space.”
“If you want to walk out this room, I’ll walk with you. If you want to burn this house to the ground, I’ll grab the matches.”
Nick flinched. “Don’t say shit like that.”
“Too late. I’m not letting you deal with this alone.”
Fury rippled over Nick’s face. He tried to claw at Logan’s arms, but Logan didn’t budge. Instead, he leaned in and bit Nick’s neck, not hard enough to break skin but hard enough to mark. His canines found the same spot where their mate bond had sealed.
Nick yelped. “What the fuck?”
Logan bit again, this time holding it, letting his scent embed deep. “You’re not alone.”
Nick twisted, kicked, actually landed a knee to Logan’s thigh. It hurt. Logan grinned. “There’s the attitude.”
“Fuck you. I said stop.”
“Make me.”
Nick lashed out with a fist, but Logan caught it with a laugh. “Feeling better now?”
He expected more anger. Instead, Nick collapsed into Logan’s arms, shaking so hard it rattled his bones.
A rush of emotion punched straight through Logan’s chest. He wrapped Nick up, cradling him, rocking them both without giving a shit who saw. “I’ve got you.”
Nick choked on a sob. “You don’t want this. Nobody wants this.”
“I want you. All of it. The shit parts, the weird parts, the baby.” Logan smoothed Nick’s hair, his knuckles gentle. “You’re not broken. You’re just…different.”
Nick’s head slammed into Logan’s shoulder as he hid his face. “I’m so fucking scared.”
Logan felt his own face contort. The urge to rip down the walls and run for the hills warred with the need to keep holding his mate, to fix what nobody else had ever tried to fix. “Me too.”
They sat there, tangled and raw, neither one saying anything for a long time. Logan waited for the next blow, half expecting Nick to try launching himself through the nearest window.
Instead, Nick clung tight enough to bruise, his fingers digging into Logan’s skin. He breathed fast, like he couldn’t get enough air.