On the fourth day, she seized the unexpected opportunity to step out of the infirmary, a glimmer of urgency propelling her forward. She cast a glance over her shoulder, ensuring that a few pack warriors lingered within the shadows, ready to safeguard their alpha. "If he stirs, please, call me immediately," she implored one of the guards stationed outside, her voice laced with concern as she dashed away, the tension in her shoulder easing slightly with each step.
"Doc?" came a gravelly voice, rough as gravel yet tinged with hope.
"Yes, Alpha. How are you feeling right now?" Doctor Natalie sprang into action, her fingers delicately checking his vitals, while Christian, through the quiet rhythm of their mind link, silently pleaded for water.
"Certainly, Alpha," Doc Natalie replied, swiftly pouring cool water into a glass as her heart raced, acutely aware of the weight of the moment.
"Arlo, can you smell that?" Christian's spirit stirred to life.
"Yes, I can, and I'm more than eager to escape this deathbed," Arlo responded, a spirited smile breaking across his weary face as he inhaled deeply, a mix of hospital antiseptic and hope filling his lungs.
"Alpha," Doc Natalie said, watching Arlo sip the water while his keen senses explored the air around him.
"Is my mate here?" he asked, his voice steady, infused with longing.
"Yes, Alpha. Luna has been here, caring for you while you were unconscious," she reassured him, a subtle warmth spreading through the room.
"She still cares for us, Arlo!" Christian exclaimed, nearly bursting with joy through their mind link, his spirit dancing with delight.
"Where is my mate?" Arlo demanded, determination flickering in his eyes as he sat up, the sheets falling away.
"She went out for important work," came Doc's calm reply.
"Okay, I'm going out now," he declared, the defiance flickering within him like a flame as he tore off the IV drip and ripped the heart monitor wires away from his skin, his need for freedom and connection surging.
"Ah, Alpha, you can't! You still need to rest," one of the warriors stammered, his disbelief echoing in the sterile air.
"No," Arlo replied firmly, striding past them with resolute determination.
"Alpha?" a warrior said, dumbfounded, as they watched their leader walk past and hurried to follow him.
They moved in silence until Arlo suddenly halted in the middle of the corridor, the two warriors nearly colliding with him. "Why would we leave the infirmary if our mate comes to us willingly" he mused aloud, more a declaration to himself than a question.
With this thought anchoring him, Arlo pivoted and marched back to the infirmary, his spirit lifted. He flung off his coat and lay back on the bed, awaiting Doc Natalie to reattach the IV drip, his heart racing with anticipation.
"What are you doing, Alpha?" Doc Natalie asked, bewildered, pausing mid-task.
"Attach that IV drip back," he instructed with a cheerful tone that brightened the room, prompting Doc Natalie to arch an eyebrow in surprise but comply without further question.
"Ash, don't you dare call your Luna," Arlo commanded through their mind link as the familiar tone of a calling interrupted the moment.
"O-o-okay, Alpha," Christian replied, the laughter bubbling at the edges of his consciousness.
"Now let's pretend we're still sick, shall we?" Arlo proposed playfully, eliciting an eager nod from Christian, their bond colourful and light in the shared moment.
YOU ARE READING
The One
FantasyA regular bedtime story that was being told as a small kid turns into recurrent dreams as an adult then dismisses them as childhood imaginings. But as she passes her 21st birthday suddenly her dreams of wolves become more vivid, more realistic, a dr...
