The Unmarked Mate

Chapter 33

James

It was chaotic in the waiting room. People were talking over each other, some asking when they could see her, some asking when they'd be able to leave. We couldn't hear anything. Then Doctor Goodman entered.

"Okay, listen to me!" he shouted to all of us. "Miss Neville and Miss Belladonna Warwick are okay now. I'm running a hospital here, not a circus. So, big scary dude you're on, she's waiting for you" he said pointing at me and gesturing me to go through. When I passed by him, he grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear "She's not pregnant, she asked me to tell you, I think she knows you heard her earlier." I gave a huge smile to him, patted his back, whispered a "thank you" back to him and ran to her. While I was going toward her room, I heard the rest of the instructions as he was shouting loudly.

"George and Elizabeth Jenkins, you can go too. I can't very well refuse my Alpha and Luna, her Alpha and Luna, and our King and Queen, but that's it. It's already too much! The rest of you, go home! She'll be transferred back to Yew Tree Pack in two days. I don't wanna see your faces here." I didn't know what happened after that because I had arrived to her room. I knocked at the door.

"Come in!" she said, her voice was already stronger. I went in, and she was sitting in her bed. She wasn't supporting her back to the head of the bed, I guessed it still hurt.

"How do you like the mommy look on me, do you wanna get all Brendan Fraser on me and chase me across Egypt?" she joked, she really was okay. I went by her bed and sat back on the chair. When I was close to her, she wiped my face of the remaining tears, I didn't even realize I had shed. Our foreheads were touching, and we stayed there for a few seconds, forehead to forehead, our eyes closed, my hand on hers. It was a tender, silent moment.

"Brace yourself, the support system is coming" I teased her.

"Goddess, have mercy on me!" she whispered back in a grin. And then the Jenkins, Luna Orithya and Alpha Matthew came in. But that was it.

"Alpha Raymond and Luna Florence send their regards," said Matthew "they'll come later, before you go, to pay their respects, but for now they thought best to keep it in the family. King Malcolm and Queen Catherine wanted to see you too, they were allowed to, but they said they would let you rest and visit you tomorrow. The rest of the pack also, and a few Lycans want to see you, but Dr. Goodman ordered them out, they'll see you at home." After saying this, he came by the other side of the bed, and knelt next to it. "Dahlia, words cannot express how grateful I am to you, Ori and the baby are safe thanks to you. I'll spend the rest of my life thanking you. The proudest day of my Alpha life was the day I intronized you into our pack!" she smiled, I glimpsed at a tear threatening to come out in her right eye. But then, she composed herself.

"Don't be mushy on me now Matthew!" she joked. "More seriously, thank you Matthew! Thanks to you and Ori, I have a family, I have people bullying the good doctor to convince him to let them see me! The proudest moment of my life was the day I joined your pack. I don't regret anything! Knowing what I know now, I'd do the same thing all over again." She looked at Ori, who was begging her for something with her eyes. "Yes Luna! Come and suffocate me in your embrace". Luna Orithya laughed and cried at the same time and ran to Elestren to hug her. She was being very careful not to hurt her, and unlike other times I had seen them hug, Elestren was not awkward about it, she embraced her friend willingly and gladly.

The Jenkins were in each other arms, smiling down at her. They looked so right together. I surprised myself thinking that was what I wanted with Elestren, holding her in my arms in my sixties, feeling the same joy it was when I held her now.

"George, Elizabeth, I've missed you" Elestren admitted. "They gave me food earlier, and I must confess I wasn't convinced, I'd much prefer your food or Mrs. Lambert's. How is Mrs. Lambert? Did she recover?" she asked suddenly worried. Always worried about others.

"Yes, she has recovered very well. She also sends her love. I'm sure I can sneak food inside here tomorrow." George Jenkins winked.

"Wicked!" answered Elestren, for an instant she looked like a child whose father had just told her he would bring her to Disneyland, this was endearing, I guessed Arthur was right when he told me they were like her parents. "I'm tired now, but tomorrow, you could come by, sneaking in anything you want, and we could play a bit of poker while the good doctor isn't watching." She whispered mischievously, truly enthusiastic about the idea. George and Elizabeth both agreed, and Matthew and Orithya were looking at them with both scolding and loving eyes. She then turned her eyes to me.

"Be careful, Elizabeth will kick your ass at poker!" Somehow, I felt surprised I was even invited at this family gathering, but I loved it, I would love every moment I was lucky enough to spend with her.

They all left, saying they'll come by tomorrow, but Elestren needed to rest now. As soon as they left, she suddenly looked exhausted.

"Do you want me to leave too?" I softly asked her.

"If you want to go see your brother, you can go, but if you want to stay..." she hesitated for a second, "I think I'd like that." She looked down, as if ashamed to admit it.

"Then I'm not going anywhere!" As I was speaking, Dr. Goodman and Dr. Roger came in.

"Of course, you're not!" Dr. Goodman sighed, defeated and exasperated. "You should rest! You, make sure she sleeps!" he ordered, pointing a threatening finger at me. She giggled and it was the sweetest sound ever.

I sat back on the chair, watching her, she was laying on her side facing me. Not long after the doctor left, she fell asleep. It wasn't late, it was maybe seven in the evening, but she fell asleep. After the day I had, I looked at her sleeping for a couple hours, wanting to make sure she was okay. But around ten, I dozed off myself, I guess the emotions of today had the better of me. A few moments later, I heard movements, I suddenly woke up. She was still asleep, but it wasn't peaceful, she was agitated. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to hold her so badly. Maybe I could make her feel safer. I quietly stood up and went to lay in the bed, on my side, next to her, facing her. I gently wrapped my right arm around her. She slowly opened her eyes, she saw me and smiled. She nuzzled her face into my chest and went back to sleep. I had never felt happier and more complete in my life. The mate bond was nothing next to this. We slept like that; she was curled up in my embrace. And we both slept holding each other.

In the morning, I woke up suddenly worried. Where was she? I had to get her back! I had to help her! She couldn't be the only one rescuing everybody! Then I remembered the day before and sighed in relief. I was laying, my back a bit high against the bed, as it was too short for me. She was laying on her side next to me, her face resting on my chest, holding onto my right arm, as my left arm was wrapping her. It was still early, so I didn't move. I gently stroked her wild hair out of her face. This was the closest I had ever been to her. It felt right. We never really had the chance to be closer, so I enjoyed this moment. As I was smiling to myself, still gently stroking her hair, the doctor silently came in to check up on her. He saw me and lifted up his arms in disbelief. He gave me an exasperated look, sighed and left the room.