Chapter 28
“Have you thought of any additional names for our pup?” Jackson asked Steel, while sitting on the exam table.
“A few. What about you?”
“I was thinking about using our grandfathers’ names.”
“Really? I had the same thought.”
The door opened and Ian walked in followed by Colton, whose face lit up at the mention of names for their pup.
“I don’t know what you heard but don’t even think of saying anything to your brothers, Colton,” said Steel.
“Aww, what’s wrong with me using a little inside information?”
“First because you got it during a private exam and second because we want the name to be a surprise to everyone.”
“He’s got you on the first one,” Ian chuckled. “Brother or not, Jackson is still your patient.”
“Okay, but you know that’s just downright mean,” Colton said, pushing out his lower lip in a pout.
Ian stood on his tiptoes and grabbed his mate’s lower lip, biting it before letting go and then giving it a kiss to soothe the sting.
“Uhmm, do you want to check me over in the morning?” Jackson asked, with a grin, getting down from the table.
Ian blushed a deep red. “No, you get right back up there. This won’t take any time at all,” he said hustling over to wash his hands at the sink.
Steel helped Jackson back up on the exam table and could tell his mate was tired. “Babe, it’ll take just a few minutes and then we’ll head to bed.”
Jackson nodded. Tired didn’t begin to describe how he felt. He was bone weary and knew even days of solid sleep would not lessen the fatigue that seeped into his body over the last week.
“Let’s have a look.” Ian said, starting his exam. Blood pressure elevated, not good. Swelling in face and hands and legs, extreme tiredness. “Colton, I want you to pull some blood for a full panel.”
“Is there a problem with my pup?” Jackson asked, worried suddenly by the serious look on his brother’s face.
“No,” said Ian, “This is just precautionary on my part. There’s a condition wolves can get that’s similar to what in humans is called preeclampsia and the blood tests will help me determine if you have it.”
Steel could hear the panic in his mate’s voice as Jackson asked, “What does it mean to my pup if I have it?”
“It means nothing more than closer monitoring for you and the pup. Before you worry more, let’s wait for the blood results. However, I want you to stay overnight in the hospital so I can keep an eye on your blood pressure.”
Jackson’s eyes widened as he looked at his mate. No matter what Ian says, it doesn’t sound good if he wants me to stay overnight. His hand rested on the pup, relaxing a tiny bit after feeling it move and kick.
Colton spoke to his brother, “Jackson, please don’t worry. Ian is erring on the side of caution and I’ll be here all night with you.” After drawing the blood, he asked, “Would you like me to arrange for an extra bed in your room so Steel can stay with you tonight?”
Jackson nodded, “Please.”
“I’ll get everything set up and then be back to get you, okay?”
“That would be great, Colton,” Steel said, taking over for his mate.
Colton hurried out of the room and headed for the extra hospital equipment.
He’d planned for this when it was time for the pup’s caesarian birth knowing that Steel wouldn’t want to leave his mate alone after the pup was born; his need to protect would be overpowering.
Not wanting to think of the possible danger Jackson was facing, Colton kept himself occupied, making sure everything was in place to monitor Jackson.
Once the spare bed was in place and his equipment was set up, he turned on the computers at the nurse’s station where he’d be spending the night. After double checking to make sure all monitors were operating properly, he grabbed a wheel chair and hurried back to the exam room to get Jackson.
Entering, he saw Jackson lying on his side with Steel hovering over him. “What’s wrong?” Colton asked Ian.
“Nothing.” Ian said. “Jackson was tired so I suggested he lie down while you got the room set up,” Moving his hand around on Jackson’s belly to check on the pup, he said, “Everything feels normal so no worry there. Okay Jackson?”
“Then let’s get you into bed where you can be more comfortable,” Colton said, helping Jackson up and into the wheelchair.
Wheeling his brother into the hospital room he’d prepared, Colton kept up an endless stream of small talk about the nursery.
Once inside, he helped Jackson get undressed and into a hospital gown but not before wrapping a belt around his abdomen.
“What’s that for?”
“It allows us to monitor the pup’s heartbeat. This way we can check the pup without waking you.” After getting Jackson comfortably settled, Colton attached monitoring wires to the belt.
“Crap, is all this necessary?”
“Yup, I don’t know why you’re complaining.
I’ll be up most of the night staring at my screens,” Colton teased until he saw the stricken look on Jackson’s face.
“Hey, bro, I was just teasing,” he said softly, “I love taking care of you. You know this is my dream come true so let me do what nurses do…they bitch as they enjoy every minute of helping their patients.”
Jackson smiled wearily as he laid his head on the pillow. “Thanks, bro. You’ll never know how much it means to me that you’re along on this crazy journey. And I promise, I’ll find a way for you to complete your degree.”
Colton tucked the wires out of the way and covered his brother. “I’ll be back in a minute. Anything else you need?”
“No, I’m fine…” Jackson murmured as he fell asleep.
Frowning, Steel asked Colton, “Is my mate going to be okay?”
“The only answer I can give is ‘I don’t know’. If Jackson has what Ian suspects then it’s serious. But on the bright side, if it’s diagnosed early, it can be treated…with a better outcome. I’ll be right back with a pitcher of water for each of you. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, I’m going to run upstairs and get my pajama pants to sleep in. Please stay with Jackson in case he wakes while I’m gone.”
“No problem.”
Steel leaned down and gave his mate a gentle kiss on his forehead, “Sleep well, babe, I’ll be right back.”
~/~/~/~/~
Logan and Cody sat in the great room, waiting for Jackson and Steel to come upstairs. When they saw only one, both jumped to their feet, rushing over to Steel.
“Where’s Jackson?” Logan demanded.
“Is something wrong?” Cody asked.
Steel held up his hands and said wearily, “Ian thinks Jackson might have a condition related to his pregnancy. He did some blood tests and wants to monitor Jackson overnight so he’s now sleeping in one of the hospital rooms. I’m staying with him and Ian and Colton will be monitoring him all night.
That’s all I know right now. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get some pajamas. ”
Logan grabbed Steel’s arm as he started to move towards the stairs and asked, “Will my brother be all right?”
“I don’t know. The only good thing is if Jackson has this condition and they caught it early, the better he’ll be. I’m hanging on to that right now.”
“Can’t Colton use his natural healing abilities to help Jackson?” asked Cody.
“I don’t know. It didn’t come up but I’ll ask Colton when I go back down.”
Logan’s hand fell from Steel’s arm. “Let us know if we can do anything to help,” Logan said softly.
Nodding, Steel left them and made a detour to his mother’s room. After a short knock, he cracked open the door. “Mom, do you have a moment?”
“Sure sweetie, come in. Dad and I were just talking about the wonderful job Logan did in the nursery.”
Steel walked over to a chair opposite their sofa and collapsed into it. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he said, “Jackson is down in the hospital. Ian is keeping him overnight so he can monitor him and the pup because Jackson might have a condition related to his pregnancy.”
“How serious is it?” asked Maximus.
“I don’t really know. Colton told me the sooner it was found the better because they could start treatment right away. I’m staying with him and Ian and Colton will be with us tonight, monitoring Jackson and the pup.”
“When will you find out if Jackson has it?” Oracle asked.
“I think tomorrow.”
“Son, go get some sleep. I know you’re upset but you have two of the best medical people taking care of him. Trust them to do the very best for Jackson.”
“Steel, I will pray to the Fates tonight, asking them to protect Jackson and the pup,” Oracle said.
“Thanks Mom. I appreciate it.” Steel stood. “See you in the morning. Good-night.”
“Good-night son.”
“Good-night sweetie. Try not to worry too much.”
“I’ll try.”
After Steel left, Maximus glared at his wife. “You know what is going to happen and yet offered no words of comfort to our son. Nothing to remove the worry and stress he has right now.”
“Yes, I do know what will happen, but I will not mislead my son with false hope. He has a difficult journey ahead and while I, as his mother, would love to help him through the journey I, as an Oracle cannot. Did you ever consider the price I pay for being an Oracle and a mother? No, of course not. You only have to be a father to your sons.”
Maximus was stunned—not because his beloved wife was angry—but because she was right about him not realizing the burden she’d carried all these years.
Gods, what an ass I am! “I’m sorry for my harsh words, darling.
You’re right about my ignorance of the choices you are forced to make regarding our sons.
Frankly, I’m in awe of your strength because I don’t think I could do it.
” Leaning over, he gathered his wife in his arms and covered her with kisses hoping to erase his stupid words from her memory.
~/~/~/~/~
After seeing Logan’s nursery design work, Zane headed down to the room Steel had given him.
It was as close to heaven as he could imagine.
He’d set up his computers and was free to work on the software program he was designing.
Tonight, though, he had a different task before him—Pablo’s phone.
He snorted when he thought about Steel telling him Dire’s digital team had gone over it and found nothing; he’d bet anything the phone had lots of secrets to reveal and he had some tricks to coax them out.
Getting to work, he spent the next several hours going through the phone’s digital signal footprint for the last four months.
What a fucking motherlode of information I have for Steel!
Now to close the loop. Zane worked all night tracking the off-shore bank accounts and corporations connected to the phone number Pablo had called.
His hair was a mess from his hands running through it each time he met a dead end.
Tiredness lined his face. But eventually he was successful and now was running the information through all the databases he had access to—some known to the shifter law enforcement community and others they had no idea existed.
Leaning back, yawning, he heard his stomach growl and glanced at the time.
Holy Shit! Dakota was serving breakfast right now.
Zane ran out and up the stairs just as Dakota was placing the plates of food on the table. Some of his brothers looked at his disheveled state and chortled.
“Looks like Zane pulled another all-nighter,” Carson said.
Looking around, Zane asked, “Where’s Steel? I need to talk to him.”
“He’s downstairs with Jackson. Ian kept him in the hospital overnight,” Logan said.
Shocked at the news, Zane paused, scrambled eggs slipping off his fork, and asked, “Why?”
“Ian is running tests to see if Jackson has a problem with his pregnancy,” Cody said.
“Is he going to be okay? What about our pup?” Zane asked.
“We’re waiting for word this morning. Dakota brought breakfast to all of them and he said Jackson was sitting up and eating,” Logan said, “so we’ll have to wait.”
“I’m sure Steel will let us know as soon as he can. He knows we’re all worried,” Cody said.
Zane resumed eating, reflecting on what he’d learned.
He said a quick prayer to the Fates and gods, asking them for their protection of Jackson.
He glanced up and saw Logan watching him and gave a small smile.
Zane decided he wanted to be strong for Jackson this time instead of being the brat he’d been in the past. Whatever his brother needed from him, Jackson would get; it was an opportunity to repay his brother for all Jackson had done for him.
~/~/~/~/~
Colton looked at the results of the tests before taking them in to show Ian. It had been a long night and the news this morning wasn’t what they’d been hoping for. After a quick knock, Colton opened the door to Ian’s office and saw him at his desk, reading a medical book.
Glancing up and seeing his mate, Ian sighed and said, “The results aren’t good are they?
” After seeing the concern on Colton’s face, he continued, “I figured as much. I’ve been reading everything I could get my hands on about this condition last night and came to the conclusion Jackson has it. Fuck!”
“I read about it too,” Colton said, “and I spent some time figuring out how to tell Jackson. I also think I can try my natural healing abilities. It fits all the requirements…not life threatening, at least not now, can be treated with medicine, and I could remove the excess protein he has in his blood. At least I think it’s worth a try. ”
Ian smiled, “I came to that conclusion also. But I want to prepare Jackson in case it doesn’t work by stressing there is medicine he can take which will help get him through the rest of his pregnancy.”
“Agreed. I’m ready when you are.”
“Then let’s go see them.”