Chapter 11 #2
With shaking hands, I delivered Rose to the paramedics so they could check her out thoroughly.
Something inside of me was reluctant to hand her over.
I knew why. My wolf wanted to keep her in my arms. I closed my eyes, fighting my primal urges and reminded myself that my mother and little sister were also hurt.
When the fire had occurred, Tanya had been walking around the stage where the acrobats were supposed to perform.
I could understand how a six-year-old might have panicked and decided that best way to go was up when people began screaming and trampling each other due to the fire. But it had nearly cost everyone.
Mom recovered almost instantly, thanks to her werewolf regenerative abilities. Tanya, still a child, hadn’t fared as well. It was best to let the paramedics take her and Rose to a human hospital so they could both be properly examined.
“We’ll follow in my car,” I assured my mother, who climbed into the ambulance with Tanya, her tear-streaked face full of worry.
“Aiden,” Josie croaked, her voice still hoarse from the smoke inhalation. “Look after Rose. She saved my baby.” Her voice cracked slightly at the last part.
I gave Mom a jerky nod as she disappeared into the ambulance with Tanya.
I wanted to growl at everyone because Rose was hurt. She had risked herself to save my sister. Didn’t she know how dangerous that was? What on earth had possessed her to put her life at stake like that? And yet, beneath all my anger, all my scorn, there was a sliver of admiration.
As I drove to the hospital with Tony, I couldn’t shake my frustration at Rose. Never mind that if she hadn’t come when she did, I might still be trapped in that tent. Even with werewolf powers, girls like Lexia weren’t reckless enough to risk their lives like that.
My hands twitched on the steering wheel. How did Lexia come up with this argument in my head? I turned as Tony spoke from the passenger seat.
“Lexia agreed to take the kids home,” he informed me, glancing at his phone.
I swallowed audibly, unable to respond.
When we arrived at the hospital, Ezra and Hilda were already in the waiting area.
Hilda had her head in her hands, and Ezra had a comforting arm around her.
My eyes narrowed. He was holding her too intimately.
Rose had no idea what was going on between those two.
My suspicions were confirmed when Ezra quickly pulled away the moment he saw me approaching. They were hiding their relationship.
“Rose is fine,” Ezra said with a heavy sigh. “They’re keeping her under observation overnight to rule out carbon monoxide poisoning. The medics are surprised she didn’t get burned or need oxygen.”
“Her werewolf abilities probably protected her,” Tony murmured.
“Do you know anything about Tanya?” I asked, running an agitated hand through my hair. I refused to show how relieved I was that Rose was okay.
Ezra nodded. “I just saw Josie. She said Tanya’s doing much better.
She’s awake now and asked for chocolate chip cookies.
” He gave a small smile. “Both girls should be fine. I told Josie to get checked out too. She hit her head pretty hard when she fell from the platform. She was trying to get Tanya onto her wolf’s back so they could jump down.
” Ezra proceeded to direct me to Tanya’s hospital room.
Once we’d met with our mom and sister, Tony voiced exactly what I had been avoiding.
“You should go see Rose.”
“I should? What about you?” I asked, irritated by the expectation. I thought at least Tony would stop pressuring me to make Rose Luna.
“You’re the Alpha,” he said matter-of-factly. “It means more if you do it. She risked herself to save one of our pack’s pups.”
Realizing he had a point, I went to find Rose’s hospital room. Bracing myself for the strange effect her presence had on me, I stepped inside.
I faltered. She looked so pale, so fragile lying there. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I walked closer.
“Hey,” I said softly.
Her eyes popped open, glittering emeralds staring back at me.
“Hey,” she croaked, grimacing in pain.
I swallowed hard, remembering the terror that gripped me when I clawed through that tent to reach her and Tanya. I’d been terrified for my sister’s life and for Rose’s too.
“Why’d you do it, Rose?” I blurted out. “You could have sent any other werewolf in to help. Why did you risk your life?”
“To…to have nothing…you don’t know what…feels like,” she struggled to say, her throat spasming. “I was alone…now…my…pack.”
I inhaled sharply. She meant every word. She had gone from having no one to everyone. I couldn’t pretend to understand that feeling. But I could understand that she would have done the same for any wolf in our pack.
I reached out a hand to touch her but stopped myself.
“Thank you, Rose,” I said quietly, pulling up a chair beside her bed.
“Thank you for being part of our pack and for…for saving my little sister. I couldn’t have gotten Mom and Tanya both out safely if you hadn’t rushed in.
I just wish you hadn’t been the one to risk your life.
You haven’t turned yet. You’re still weak. ”
I wouldn’t yell at her. Wouldn’t forbid her from trying something like that again. I wouldn’t tell her that this wasn’t one of her storybooks where the hero always made it out alive. But I would show gratitude.
Gratitude for almost dying. The thought made me bitter.
“Stronger than…you…think,” she murmured, her piercing green eyes making my chest tighten.
I inclined my head, unwilling to argue when she was still recovering. But every part of me wanted to rage at her, to tell her never to pull a stunt like that again.
“I’m sure you are, Rose,” I said finally, forcing a strained smile.
“Awful…liar,” she whispered before closing her eyes.
A small puff of laughter escaped my lips.
She really was something else. I sat there, watching her with her eyes closed, and a fierce possessiveness flared inside me.
I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe.
More than anything, I wanted to lock her away until she stopped trying to be a hero.
Taken aback by the instinct, I leaned back in my chair, reminding myself this was the twenty-first century.
I wasn’t some primitive wolf from the dark ages.
Soon, a nurse came in and shooed me away so she could rest. I left reluctantly.
Outside, I saw Hilda resting her head on Ezra’s shoulder, her eyes closed. Again, my eyes narrowed. How long has this been going on? And why did I even care?
Because Rose would care when she found out.
The thought made me scowl. And why did I care if she cared?
Because she’s your mate, that annoying voice in my head whispered again.
Growling to myself, I walked towards Tony who stood chatting up the receptionist. Leave it to Tony to flirt with anything that had a pussy. After a censorious look from me, he joined me to walk towards the car.
As we drove home, Tony finally spoke.
“They practically raised a child together. This was bound to happen.” He had picked up on my irritation regarding Ezra and Hilda. “They were bound to fall for each other.”
“They shouldn’t hide it,” I muttered.
“They’re still adjusting. Hilda was confused for a while. It’s her late sister’s husband. There’s gotta be a law against that somewhere,” Tony joked. “She felt guilty. Thought she was betraying her sister.”
“Not if the sister’s dead,” I said flatly. “They shouldn’t hide it from Rose.”
“It’s not our place to decide what they should do,” Tony pointed out.
“I’m sure that’s what Ezra told you.” I pulled into the driveway. “Now let’s see if our brothers are still alive. Lexia isn’t exactly great with kids.”
A crash came from inside the house, followed by Lexia’s shrieks.
“No ball inside the house! Oh no… Mrs. Sinclair is going to freak!”
Tony chuckled as I sprinted inside, ready to save Lexia from my younger brothers.